Bit of a Stramash over bid to reverse planning condition

Stramash - bid to reverse car park condition is refused
Stramash – bid to reverse car park condition is refused

AN OUTDOOR NURSERY GROUP has failed in its move to halt an order that they must create a car park near a busy A96 turn-off if they are to continue to use the Badgers Wood site near Elgin for outdoor expeditions.

The Stramash group have been using the site at Aldroughty off the A96 just since August, having been given permission earlier in the year on the provision that they create a 25-space car park close to the turn-off.

Stramash, an outdoor learning group, has been taking children to the area via a minibus from their premises at Spynie Hall, a mile away from the site, rather than parents taking children to the site by car.  On Tuesday they asked members of the planning committee to scrap the prior condition on the use of the site that they needed to create the car park in favour of their continuing to use the minibus.

However, fearing that they would be unable to enforce any control over the group continuing to use remote drop-off points, councillors unanimously voted that the condition should remain.

“I was never happy with the system of dropping children at one destination and then taking them to another for lessons,” committee member Allan Wright said.

He added: “I am positive that, especially in bad weather, parents will just take their children to Aldroughty and that will become common practice.”

Planners were told by the group that using the minibus would cause no material increase in use of the road – but there have been safety concerns expressed by local residents.