2474

1000+ OBJECTIONS TO
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ON BRAES
Local residents in Ullapool, have sent letters to each member of the North Planning Committee, asking for their support to reject a controversial plan for a tourist development on the Braes area on the hillside above the village. The letter has been sent with the online signatures of nearly 1100 local residents who oppose the plan.
The developer, Ballachulish based businessman Laurence Young, will have his planning application considered on Tuesday the 26th April by the North Planning Committee.
The application is for nine residential cabins and two further units for staff accommodation. There have been over 230 local objections registered to the planning application with no letters of support. In September last year, over 100 residents held a protest march to the planned site in objection to the proposed development.
The locals are concerned with the loss of an amenity to a popular local attraction, the dangers posed by an increased traffic volume on a road which has no footpath, the access from a dangerous junction and the damage to flora and fauna at the proposed site.
The Ullapool residents are keen to have their concerns raised and are petitioning individual members of the Northern Planning Committee to ensure that consideration is given to the local feelings.

Resident Robbie McFedries is one of the letter signees ‘There is overwhelming local opposition to this development and we are hopeful that our representations are listened to and considered when this goes in front of the committee. With local elections just over a week away, we have faith that members on the committee remain committed to local engagement and representing the interests and needs of our community.’
Another signee, Ben Muller lives adjacent to the proposed development site. ‘This will add little to the local economy, but will have a negative impact on a peaceful residential area, with increased traffic and noise volume from construction workers and guests at the development. We are concerned about the dangers posed to pedestrians who have to walk on the road which does not have a footpath, especially the children who walk to and from school every day. The junction access is particularly dangerous with speeding cars and limited visibility, which will inevitably lead to an accident. The planning committee must listen to local objections and reject this proposal.’
See letters on page 13-14

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The battle of Littleferry Commemoration, 15 April
On Friday 15 April, wreaths were laid at the dedication ceremony for the new Battle of Littleferry memorial, just
outside Golspie, in front of a large attendance who had come from far and wide. The wreaths were still in place
when this photo was taken two days later.
The memorial is a handsome piece of red sandstone, and stands in a beautiful, yet tragic, setting. It was from the
hills above that the Sutherland militia, fighting on the British/Hanoverian side, came down to attack Cromartie’s
Jacobite regiment on 15 April 1746, the day before the Battle of Culloden. Many Lochbroom men fought with
Cromartie. Unfortunately for them, they were leaderless that day, because they had been sent ahead to begin a
march to rejoin the main Jacobite army near Inverness, while Cromartie insisted his officers stay behind for an
extra hour or two at Dunrobin castle to enjoy refreshments with Lady Sutherland.
The Battle of Littleferry was a rout. Three companies of local militia killed many Jacobites, probably a good few of
them from Lochbroom, and took nearly 200 prisoners, for whom a grim fate awaited: detention on disease-ridden
prison ships for many months, followed by exile to the West Indies for those who had survived, including some fifty
Lochbroom men.
Several dozen Lochbroom Jacobites escaped the battle and made their way back to the west coast for the first
time in many weeks, but now as fugitives and wanted men. Through the wild country around Rogart, Lairg, and
Strath Oykel, they would have made their weary way over several days, surely traumatised and uncertain of the
future. As the Coigach men passed through Assynt on their way, they would have known that the men belonging to
that district were actually fighting on the British/Hanoverian side, serving in MacLeod of Geanies’ independent
company. These Coigach Jacobites must have felt threatened even among their closest neighbours in Elphin and
Knockan, both of which townships had men in service with MacLeod.
At the wreath-laying ceremony last week, an address written by Major General Patrick Marriott, leader of the Battle
of Littleferry project team, was read out by his wife Henrietta as he himself was absent due to Covid. His words
touched on the awfulness of civil war, and war in general.
Five people laid wreaths and, from a Lochbroom point of view, the most interesting of these was from Maggie
Openshaw. Two of her Coigach ancestors (both Mackenzies) were involved on the Jacobite side. One was killed
on the day, and the other was captured, held on a prison ship, and finally transported to the West Indies. Her
wreath is inscribed “In memory of all who fell on that day in 1746. Maggie Openshaw (Mackenzies).” Maggie had a
symbolic handshake with Ronald Munro Ferguson, whose ancestor Hector Munro fought for the Sutherland militia
that day, on the British/Hanoverian side, and went on to become a British Army General. Maggie was a very
impressive speaker when she was interviewed later on Radio Scotland, chatting with Ronald.