Torridon bunkhouse bid by Scottish Mountaineering Club (SMC) gets initial Highland Council backing despite qualms of local community council
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Highland Council has granted planning permission in principle to the Scottish Mountaineering Club (SMC) for a bunkhouse to be constructed near the Torridon mountain range.
There was unanimous agreement between the members of the North Planning Applications Committee that the project should move to the next stage as being of a likely benefit to the area.
The proposal is to build a bunkhouse and meeting room with parking just off the A896 between the villages of Torridon and Annat for use by members of the SMC only.
Bed spaces would not be rented to members of the public so it would not be a commercial venture and based on the supporting information it is anticipated that the bunkhouse could cater for up to 20 occupants.
Full details of the site layout including parking, drainage as well as the design, massing and scale of the building have not been submitted yet but will be when the project comes back as a full application.
However, Torridon and Kinlochewe Community Council raised concerns suggesting that the development will result in an increase in pedestrians walking along the public road to the facilities which is considered a safety risk.
But the council’s Transport Planning Team offered no objections and raised no concerns about pedestrians and road safety and the SMC said most journeys would be by car but if not there was a wide verge on the road that is suitable for walkers.
The community council also highlighted concerns about the capacity within the public water supply and have raised concerns about foul water polluting the watercourse as well as impacting on the neighbouring house and trees.
The consultation response from Scottish Water indicates that they are unable to confirm capacity at Torridon Water Treatment Works at the moment so the SMC must resolve the issue through a separate application to Scottish Water.
The application indicates that a secondary treatment system would be used rather than a traditional septic tank and soakaway system but again this would be a matter for another application.
Local councillor Biz Campbell said: “This is just for mountaineers who will be climbing the Torridon mountains and the proposal accords with the principles and policies contained in the development plan so it is acceptable for all other material conditions so I have no qualms.”
While the chairwoman of the committee, Cllr Maxine Smith said: “I think this is an asset to the area, it may help tourism and I am seeing general agreement so we can approve that one.”
