£1.3bn resort in right-to-roam fear

Published on Thursday 6 August 2009 20:55

A RIGHTS-OF-WAY watchdog has become the latest organisation to voice concerns about the potential impact of a proposed £1.3 billion private playground for the world's super-rich in Highland Perthshire.

The Scottish Rights of Way and Access Society (ScotWays) has written to Perth and Kinross Council, about the development at the Dall Estate on the shores of Loch Rannoch.

Malcolm James, laird of the Dall Estate, is seeking outline planning permission to turn his property into the most exclusive resort to be built in Scotland. It would include a luxury hotel and two championship golf courses.

In a letter to the local authority ScotWays' access inquiries officer Catriona Davies states that there are two asserted rights of way within the area.

"Both routes cross the proposed golf courses, and (one] passes very close to several of the proposed buildings," she says.

"In addition, parts of both routes may be used as access to the site.

"For these reasons, we request that it is made a condition of any planning permission granted that both routes remain open and free of obstruction both during and after any development that takes place."

Ms Davies points out that although part of the developer's environmental statement discusses access rights under the new Land Reform Act, it does not mention rights of way at all.

"We feel that this is a significant omission," she says. "I understand that if the current application is successful, the developer intends to produce a public access strategy.

"Hopefully, this will be an opportunity for them to rectify this omission.

"We feel it is important to point out that the rights of way would still stand, even where they cross land that is excluded from access rights."

Ms Davies adds: "We therefore hope Perth and Kinross Council will take the opportunity to ensure that good public access is maintained."

Bob Benson, a spokesman for the Dall Community Association which opposes the development – is also worried."

He said: "The whole nature of the development is very exclusive and will prevent ordinary members of the public from accessing their rights to what is, in the main, public land and further deny access to existing rights of way."