A Highland estate says delays to the A9 dualling has left it “in the dark” about a planned multi-million pound cafe development.
Balavil Estate, made famous by the Monarch of the Glen TV series, has already waited seven years to advance plans for a café, farm shop and events venue by the trunk road near Kingussie.
It is still unclear when it will be able to start work on the project.
It has been held up due to the dualling delay, with no timescale yet confirmed.
Former transport minister Jenny Gilruth revealed earlier this year the long-promised upgrade between Perth and Inverness would no longer be completed by 2025.
So far no completion date has been revealed, although an announcement to parliament is expected on the overall programme in autumn.
A consultation on the road by the Scottish Parliament’s public petitions committee runs until September 15.
Plans submitted in 2016
Balavil Estate submitted plans in 2016 for the then £5 million development, which it said would create up to 15 jobs.
It said it would provide a quality visitor facility as part of a “planned or impromptu” stop along the A9.
Permission to convert farm buildings was granted in 2018 by the Cairngorms National Park Authority.
The consent was renewed in 2021, including an extension for seven years.
This was based on the then understanding that the A9 dualling would be completed in 2025, allowing work on the estate’s development in 2026.
But estate general manager Gary Culpan said: “We can’t really progress anything to do with the development until such time as we have an idea of when the dualling is going to take place.
“We have not had any notification of when they will be. We are kind of in the dark on that front.”
He said the project needs to wait until the road is dualled in the area as access will be via the improved route.
“It will be hugely beneficial for the area. But we cannot move ahead with our plans until we know 100% when the road will be dualled.
“In 2016 we thought our part of the road, from Crubenmore to Kincraig, would be finished by now. But it has not even started yet.
“Other areas of the A9 should also have been started by now but not been touched.”
Keen to progress
However, Mr Culpan said there is no intention to ditch the plans due to the delay.
“We are very keen to go ahead with it. But it’s quite disappointing that it has not progressed.
“There is no point in moving ahead and building something that could potentially be shut off with no access for a period.”
He said, aside from the delay it is causing to the commercial venture, the estate is keen for the dualling to progress for safety reasons.
“The A9 dualling is very important because it’s a dangerous road. I travel on it every single day.
“From the estate’s perspective we want dualling to go ahead because we don’t want crashes on the road or people being injured.”
A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said the Scottish Government remains firmly committed to completing dualling between Perth and Inverness.
“We are currently considering the optimal delivery programme to provide greater certainty to the public, businesses and other stakeholders around robust new timescales having taken account of the impacts of the ongoing statutory process, the effects of the Covid pandemic, economic uncertainty and the current cost crisis.
“We will continue to ensure that all our stakeholders, including relevant council officials and elected representatives, as well as communities and businesses, are given clear, timely updates about the progress of A9 dualling when the new programme is established.”
Development could provide local jobs
Ruaridh Ormiston, chairman of Kingussie and Vicinity Community Council but speaking in a personal capacity, said he supports the proposed development.
“Anything to get anyone off the A9, or to stop locally, should be encouraged. Also it would provide local jobs, so I support”, he said.
“The new dualled A9 should have better lay-bys and I believe the enhanced stopping places proposed with tourist interpretation, to encourage people in to communities, will have toilets too.”
Conversation