Committee
Environment and Rural Development Committee, 05 Feb 2007
05 Feb 2007 · S2 · Environment and Rural Development Committee
Item of business
Cairngorms National Park Boundary Bill: Stage 1
Are you able to quantify those costs in thousands of pounds?
In the same item of business
The Convener (Maureen Macmillan):
Lab
I welcome committee members, witnesses and members of the public and the press to this meeting of the Environment and Rural Development Committee in Blair At...
Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP):
SNP
It is great to be in Blair Atholl, which is in a beautiful part of Scotland. Part of the northern part of the Cairngorms national park is in Moray, which I r...
Lin Muirhead (Blair Atholl Area Tourism Association):
First of all, welcome to Blair Atholl, everybody. It is nice to see so many people from the tourism association here. We have really only started to consider...
Professor Ian Brown (Pitlochry Partnership):
One of the issues that we in Pitlochry face is that we are in the Cairngorms—we are so close that we might as well be in the park. We would have no problem i...
Andrew Bruce Wootton (Atholl Estates):
We must consider the issue from a tourist's point of view. For people who come from a foreign country and who know nothing about the geography and history of...
Geoff Crerar (Blair Atholl and Struan Community Council):
I endorse what has been said. We have a natural gateway and we must be aware that creating an artificial or synthetic gateway somewhere else confuses the pub...
Richard Lochhead:
SNP
Those answers were interesting. The submissions show clearly that most people believe that there is neither rhyme nor reason to why the Government excluded t...
Professor Brown:
We have no comprehension or understanding of that at all.
Richard Lochhead:
SNP
You were not given an official explanation.
Lin Muirhead:
No; nothing.
Mr Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
The answers were interesting. There seems almost to be unanimity that the proposals would bring great tourism benefits. From the submissions that we have rea...
Andrew Bruce Wootton:
Yes. We run a business and are largely responsible for managing a large area of land that does not have a huge rate of return per acre. As a marginal busines...
Mr Brocklebank:
Con
You have other concerns about the possible extra costs that you would have to absorb, including a particular issue with what might be involved in possible pa...
Andrew Bruce Wootton:
Yes. In our submission, we have identified the running costs of the business, much of which provides either an environmental or a public benefit. Obviously, ...
Mr Brocklebank:
Con
Are you able to quantify those costs in thousands of pounds?
Andrew Bruce Wootton:
The area is quite large, so one expects that it would be quite expensive to manage. The approximate costs of the moorland management, deer control and enviro...
Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab):
Lab
I also want to follow up on the evidence that you submitted. One argument that recurs from those, including John Swinney, who want to extend the park is that...
Andrew Bruce Wootton:
We support the park, its objectives and the inclusion of highland Perthshire, subject to some areas of concern. The point in our submission is that, because ...
Peter Peacock:
Lab
I want to pursue a separate point. In its evidence, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland argues that, if the area that John Swinney suggests is not in the ...
Andrew Bruce Wootton:
Clearly, there is an element of good will, but there is also good land management and good business practice. Our practice on Atholl Estates is not seen as g...
The Convener:
Lab
I think that Professor Brown wants to answer the question.
Professor Brown:
As long as the good will exists that is fine, but in five, 10 or 15 years who knows what may come about? The whole argument for inclusion is to be part of a ...
Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green):
Green
I am not sure whether the witnesses managed to read the submissions from other witnesses. The submission from Highland Council identified that a major benefi...
Lin Muirhead:
The problem that you mention could be easily overcome. When the new A9 was being built it was proposed that there should be a small slip road off to the left...
Mr Ruskell:
Green
I presume that that turn-off would take you past other relevant tourism-related sites, such as the National Trust for Scotland centre.
Professor Brown:
As far as Pitlochry is concerned you do not have to cross the traffic to get into town, no matter in which direction you are going. There is not an issue. I ...
Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
SNP
Let us return to the land area that we are talking about. Before I deal with the tourism aspects, I want to ask about the topography, which includes the Comy...
Professor Brown:
No. One of the original arguments was about consistency and coherence and having a focus for the national park, but the present boundary simply does not meet...
Rob Gibson:
SNP
Of course, in the past people used the two passes that I mentioned to travel through the Cairngorms.What areas does the deer management group that deals with...
Andrew Bruce Wootton:
No. Our group is the west Grampian deer management group, and our area extends from the west side of Atholl, including Dalnacardoch, and spreads across to En...