The Scottish Crofting Federation (SCF) has written directly to the Scottish Government’s minister for local government and planning, to ask him to reconsider the decision to refuse a Torridon crofter’s plan to build a house on her croft.
In its letter to Derek MacKay, the crofting representative body points out that the decision contradicts Government policy and risks undermining the credibility of Scotland’s rural development strategy.
In July the Scottish Government’s Directorate of Planning Emergencies and Appeals upheld a decision by Highland Council to refuse an application by Torridon crofter Elaine Holmes for a dwelling-house on her croft in the village. The planners justified their decision by saying they believed her house would be “eroding its wider landscape setting”. However, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Government’s statutory adviser on landscape matters, said that the house “would not compromise” the views in Torridon.
