Glen Urquhart Community Council
Glen Urquhart Community Council
Minutes of meeting held on
Monday 28th April 2025 at 7pm
Craigmonie Centre, Drumnadrochit
Please note: Minutes will be updated when officially approved at the next meeting.
1. Present:, Bill Smart, Iain Riddle, Dominic Thierry, Fiona Urquhart, David Ferguson, Dianne Fraser, David Fraser (Councillor)
Also present: 2 members of the public.
Apologies: Mary Tiles, Stuart Ross Chris Ballance (Councillor)
2. Minutes of last meeting – 28th March 2025
The minute of the meeting held on 28th March 2025 (Dominic Thierry / Fiona Urquhart )
3. Matters arising from minutes
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4. Treasurer’s Report
David Ferguson provided the following update in advance of the meeting:
Noted that all CC’s now being charged monthly charge (10% of annual income). Noted in recent CC forum with HC. Will await response from forum.
5. Roads / Drainage
Local Roads
Following list of local issues noted continue to raise/monitor with Highland Council. David noted had met with Roads Manager (Steven Grant) and will be actioning items on list -
● Drains on Culnakirk and branches on Culnakirk. Sight lines from Culnakirk to A831 – concerns about tour coaches using the junction. Reported in progress.
● A831 at Strathnacro – number of concealed entrances, need warning signs. Trees removed. Warning signs -
● Large hole appearing at gully in Milton. Photograph submitted to Highland Council.
● Give way signs required outside shop
● Poor condition of Gartally road – to note for HC to assess after completion of Scottish Water works.
● Damaged drain concrete / bridge at Milton. Noted that growth needs cut back to expose fallen masonry ACTION :David Ferguson to continue to progress and provide photo.
● Pavements – overgrown – outside West End Garage, path blocked outside bottom end of Milton, and outside Oakbank in Milton. ACTION – Dianne to email Alan Johnston and Community Payback Officer.
● Speeding in Balmacaan Road – noted reported to local community police officer for monitoring.
ACTION : David Fraser/Bill Smart to raise with Steven Grant / Alan Johnston (Highland Council)
● Concerns over increased traffic on A82 / Drum Bridge / A831 with cumulative impact of multiple planning applications. ACTION – Dianne / Iain. Request to Planning to confirm individual and cumulative Traffic Impact Assessments for multiple energy infrastructure projects (approved/planned). Any assessment / associated restrictions to consider busy traffic periods on roads (school times / tourist holiday periods), Request that any approved applications consider impact on roads/bridges and remediation plans included as planning conditions.
● Dhivach land slip – engineers looking at repairs / required. Dhivach residents significantly impacted with restricted access -
Trunk Roads
New Interim Roads Manager (Bear Scotland) now in place. Emailed to request new meeting and remind of open actions as noted below. ACTION : David / Bill
● Flooding at fire station. Questions to Scottish Water network and Transport Scotland on improvement to combined network to cope with waste water and public toilets. Unable to get direct link to river, or to link to Springfield SUDS (Springfield not willing). To raise with Springfield at next meeting. ACTION : Bill / Dianne
● East Lewiston flashing signs require repair. To review safety measures on junction with A82.
● Speed of traffic between Drum Hotel and Kerrowdown – dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists and people with pram. Resident from Kerrowdown noted safety concerns as safe route to school. ACTION – Bill to raise with new Police officers.
● Drumnadrochit Bridge (A82) – trees overgrown at Bear Scotland
● Improvements around Clansman – improvements onsite and parking at Clansman, potential to add solid white line outside Clansman, closing layby near AA call box. Discussion to review speed limit.
Timber Extraction routes
Bunloit Timber Extraction– timber extraction to commence from 3 sites (Balmac, Highland Rewilding, Clunemore). To confirm window of operation to avoid school bus times. ACTION – David confirmed closed out.
6. Planning
Active Applications
25/00947/PNO – Peatland Restoration scheme. Land 5.4km SE of Tom Guisachan, Tomich, Cannich. Noted.
25/01148/S42 – s42 application to vary condition 3 (22/03364/FUL) Land 120m SE of Dun Ban, Ancarraig Chalets, Bunloit, Drumnadrochit. Noted.
25/00822/FUL -
24/04457/FUL – Retrospective application for food van, Great Glen Gifts car park, 2 Victoria Buildings, Drumnadrochit, IV63 6TU. Noted.
20/00730/ADV -
Landscaping / site tidying at R House site at top of Balmaccan Road. Confirm planning requirements for landscaping / site tidy and ensure compliant. ACTION : Iain.
Scottish Water – to follow up on update on works progress along A831 and review work signage. Follow up Kilmorack drainage report. ACTION – Bill
Springfield Development Update
Noted that upcoming meeting with Springfield to be rescheduled.
Items to add to agenda to include SUDS pond, wall completion, tree planting, design of bench (art strategy). Concerns from neighbouring residents over lights in playpark directed into old school house and concerns over working outside agreed hours ACTION: Dianne to confirm with Springfield rescheduled meeting.
Iain to follow up with Planning to confirm compliant with conditions. ACTION – Iain
Glen Earrach Pumped Storage
o Planning application now submitted to ECU. Copies of documents available at Pharmacy and online (Glen Earrach website and ECU website). Also requested hard copies to be delivered to GUCC. Response required to ECU by 2nd June.
o Proposal to hold open community forum to assist in collating response. Format to be Glen Earrach representatives to provide project overview, then ask Glen Earrach representatives to leave to allow open community discussion.
o ACTION -
o Follow up to lobby Scottish Government for funding to assist in assessing applications. ACTION : Bill / Dianne
7. Local Place Plan Update
Local Place Plan submitted to HC in October and still no formal response. HC acknowledged receipt and noted lack of planning staff to process planning applications and Local Place Plan.
Concern noted that given backlog of Local Place Plans, LPP’s are not included in Local Development Plan. David noted that LPP’s will be included and timing of completion of Development Plans will be amended to align.
8. Other business
Concern over lack of resources / expertise and challenging timelines to respond to large energy infrastructure planning applications.
Request for additional funding to support community consultation responses requests. ACTION ; Dianne / Bill Seek assistance from PAS / Angus MacDonald (MP) / MSP’s.
To investigate potential planning consultants to partner with (local) – ACTION David Ferguson / Dianne Fraser
Planned Phone box removal in Hub car park – BT undertake regular review of phone box use. 17 calls made in last 12 months (less than limit of 52). CC to continue to note objection to removal due to adverse impact of extreme weather events on mobile phone towers for extended periods, during these periods public call box only means of communication for many residents. Nearest alternative over 14 miles away. Retention required for emergency use by locals without mobile phones and by significant volume of tourist traffic in Loch Ness area. ACTION – Dianne to confirm objection
Noted that lights remain on overnight in doctors surgery. ACTION – Dianne follow up email
Entering wildfire season – request follow up of report on last year’s fires in Cannich/Glen Affric. ACTION – Dianne to email Mark Macfarlane (SFRS) to obtain copy of report and understand lessons learned.
Meeting closed at 9pm
Meeting dates for 2024 / 2025
all meetings commence at 7pm
Monday May 26th Balnain Hall
Monday June 23rd (AGM) Blairbeg Hall
July No meeting
Monday August 25th Craigmonie Centre
Monday Sept 22nd Balnain Hall
Monday October 27th Blairbeg Hall
Monday November 24th Craigmonie Centre
December No meeting
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