Heli-tourism Proposal on Arran
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An application has been made to North Ayrshire Council for 'Change of use of agricultural land to form helicopter landing site at a site To West Of Balmichael Farm House, Shiskine, Brodick.' We understand that the applicants intention is to run helitourism flights over the Arran mountains, flying at least 10 times a day on at least 105 days in the year. We have submitted an objection to North Ayrshire Council as follows: |
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Mr D Cartmell Chief Development Control Officer North Ayrshire Council Cunninghame House Irvine KA12 8EE 19 December 2002 Dear Mr Cartmell Objection to Planning Application N/02/00811/PP The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS), as the representative body for mountaineers, walkers and climbers in Scotland, wish to object to the proposal to develop a helicopter-landing site near Balmichael Farm House on Arran. Our objection is made on the grounds that the intended use of this site will be to make regular flights over an area of great scenic quality where many people seek quiet enjoyment of the mountain landscape. In our view, helicopter tourism is not compatible with the quiet enjoyment of a popular mountain area like the Arran Mountains. The mountains of North Arran are very popular with walkers, climbers, bird watchers, deerstalkers, artists, and those who wish to admire the scenery from the low ground and coast. We believe that all these forms of recreational enjoyment of Arran would be placed at risk by the introduction of regular overflying by helicopters. Indeed, a similar proposal to introduce tourist flights over the Skye Cuillin in 1997 was eventually turned down due to the realisation of the consequences of causing significant damage to the qualities of the existing forms of recreation and tourism. In objecting to the proposal on Skye many people expressed the view that the Scottish mountains should not be treated as a theme park, which is what many believe has happened in places like New Zealand where helicopter flights are now common and have driven visitors seeking other experiences away from certain sites. As a result of the debate that took place at the time of the Skye application, the MCofS obtained a letter from the British Helicopter Advisory Board (BHAB) stating that their Guidelines for Helicopter Operations in National Parks, aimed at providing guidance in England and Wales, should be extended to National Scenic Areas (NSA) in Scotland. I enclose a copy of their letter and guidelines. In view of the NSA status of North Arran we feel it is entirely appropriate that the precautionary principle be applied and any overflying of the mountains should not be allowed to detract from the existing forms of enjoyment of that area. Another result of the debate that followed on from the Skye planning applications was the influence that the case had on the Scottish Office Development Department (SODD) re-writing of NPPG 14 on the Natural Heritage. SODD staff informed us that paragraph 16 of NPPG 14 was inserted as a consequence of the threat of disturbance to mountainous, and other scenically attractive areas, from regular over-flying by tourist helicopters. The planners at the time of the Skye planning case felt there was nothing in the planning guidance on which they could refuse the application to build helipads outwith an NSA, because the use that the helicopters were to be put to was of no relevance. We believe that NPPG 14 changes that situation and paragraph 16, which is entirely relevant in this case on Arran, can, and should, be used to refuse this planning application. Whilst we object to this application on the grounds we have argued above, we do recognise the value to island communities of having access to landing facilities, be they for fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. Such facilities can have vital humanitarian benefits in time of an emergency, especially during bad weather when ferries and other boats are unable to sail. We would not object to a sensitively placed helicopter-landing site that was to be used for this kind of vital air link, whereas we do have strong views on the regular over-flying of scenic areas, which is why, on balance, we object to this application for planning consent. We hope, therefore, that your Council will reject this application. In the meantime we are happy to expand on any of our arguments and are available to examine this matter if you wish to discuss it with us.
Yours sincerely |
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