Work starts on £60m Strathspey ‘whisky’ biomass plant

BBC – Construction is due to begin on a £60m biomass plant that will use whisky by-products to produce energy. The combined heat and power plant by Helius CoRDe at Rothes, in Moray, could generate enough electricity to power 9,000 homes and produce animal feed. The construction project will create about 100 jobs and 20 [...]

Scotland’s capercaillie population ‘critically low’

BBC – Scotland’s capercaillie population has become “critically low”, according to Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). A study found the rare bird’s decline related to changes in weather conditions and increasing numbers of predators such as the pine marten. Perthshire, Argyll and Moray recorded the highest declines in capercaillie population in the past two decades. Capercaillie [...]

Full steam ahead: Locomotive revealed in Strathspey

STV – A brand new steam locomotive emerged from the paintshop to the tracks in Strathspey on Friday. This completely restored, 1952 Swindon-built locomotive has been pushed out and is ready for work on the line. After last year’s return of Caledonian locomotive number 828, this steam locomotive number 46512 is ready for passengers after [...]

Former spin doctor aims for Cairngorms job

Press and Journal – Years after he campaigned for votes for ex-Prime Minister Gordon Brown, former Labour spin doctor Charlie Whelan is hoping to achieve a majority of his own. Mr Whelan is among the candidates bidding to serve as a local member of the Cairngorms National Park Authority. He moved to Strathspey after being [...]

Pothole repair cash labelled ‘paltry’

Strathspey and Badenoch Herald – HIGHLAND Council is to spend £2 million repairing potholes, caused by freezing weather, on the roads they look after – but there are claims that is not enough money. The local authority is to receive £1.645 million from the Scottish Government for the work and will boost that with £355,000 [...]

Drivers ‘taking their lives in their hands’

Strathspey and Badenoch Herald – MOTORISTS on the A95 whisky road are claiming they have recently been taking their lives in their hands when they venture onto the route in the strath. They have been appalled by the lack of gritting on the local section of the Aviemore-Keith road, which is the responsibility of BEAR [...]

‘Lingering death’ predicted for Boat of Garten

Strathspey and Badenoch Herald – A STRATHSPEY village will die a lingering death, it is claimed, if plans which include substantial numbers of affordable homes are thrown out. The prediction was made by campaigners in Boat of Garten who are supporting plans by Davall Developments for 72 homes and five housing plots in part of [...]

Deputy PM set to meet the people

Strathspey and Badenoch Herald – DEPUTY Prime Minister Nick Clegg will talk to local folk as part of one of his so-called town hall gatherings when he comes to the strath next week. Mr Clegg will be in the area between 5pm and 6pm on Thursday (January 20) for his question and answer session, but [...]

Fears voiced over changes planned for bus routes

Strathspey and Badenoch Herald – GRANTOWN could lose its only direct service to Inverness as part of revisions to bus routes being considered by operator Stagecoach. The bus firm is currently looking for feedback on changes to their services in Badenoch and Strathspey proposed to take effect from next March. They have said they are [...]

A Blue Christmas at the kirk

Strathspey and Badenoch Herald – A CHURCH in Badenoch and Strathspey will be opening its doors this Sunday for a “Blue Christmas” rather than a white one. Nethy Bridge Church is hosting the special service for anyone who is stuggling to deal with the death of a loved one, sadness, depression or other problems in [...]

Banned pesticide killed buzzards

BBC – A banned pesticide killed two buzzards found next to a rabbit bait in a field near Boat of Garten, police have said. Northern Constabulary and Strathspey Estate have appealed for help in tracing those responsible for the birds’ deaths. An examination of the buzzards detected cabofuran. Strathspey Estate staff found the birds in [...]

Uproar over petrol price hike

Strathspey and Badenoch Herald – THERE has been a fresh outcry after pump prices topped £1.30 for the first time at the area’s main petrol filling stations. The UK’s largest independent operator, Malthurst – who run the forecourts at Newtonmore, Grantown and Aviemore – have been singled out for criticism. Yesterday (Tuesday), unleaded petrol at [...]

North council to consider £2.3m care home facelifts

Press and Journal – Plans for fully refurbishing two Highland care homes will go before the region’s councillors this week. The proposals for Ach-an-Eas in Inverness and Grant House in Grantown will cost nearly £2.3million. Officials have stopped short of recommending further development of the two homes, however, because of the disruption to residents and [...]

Public to get view of new Tesco store plans

Strathspey and Badenoch Herald – PLANS for a long-awaited bigger Tesco store in Aviemore are now finally moving forward after the retail giant announced yesterday (Tuesday) it would be holding an exhibition on its multi-million pound proposals. Tesco will be launching plans for its new store on Grampian Road at an exhibition to be held [...]

Strath MP ready for budget flak

Strathspey and Badenoch Herald – THE Strath’s MP, at the very heart of some of the most important public spending decisions the UK has ever seen, has said he looks forward to defending them publicly – and to finally getting some sleep. Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, spoke exclusively to the ‘Strathy’ just [...]

Relief as man who ‘loved’ child moves on

Strathspey and Badenoch Herald – POLICE have confirmed that a man who professed his love for an eight-year-old girl, and sparked alarm by turning up to children’s events in the strath, is no longer in the area. Frenchman Hubert Noditza (33) left Aviemore shortly after the ‘Strathy’ published a front-page story on him last Wednesday, [...]

Parents scared by stranger at school gates

Strathspey and Badenoch Herald – A MAN who was spared jail in Ireland despite professing his love for an eight-year-old girl has turned up in Strathspey and even attended a school fund-raiser. Frenchman Hubert Noditza (33) spent Saturday afternoon at a silent auction at Deshar Primary School in Boat of Garten, and had been camping [...]

Water project raises school safety fears

Strathspey and Badenoch Herald – SCOTTISH Water is being accused of putting cost before children’s safety because of plans to use an access close to the strath’s largest school to build a new £4 million water treatment plant. Staff and local councillors fear that lorries used during the construction work at the site could endanger [...]

Aviemore residents can speak up

Strathspey and Badenoch Herald – RESIDENTS in Aviemore and the surrounding area have the chance to say what projects they would like to see become a reality in their community. Scheme leaders have said the ‘Our Community … A Way Forward’ is entering a crucial stage this coming weekend. The ‘Big Conversation’ event is taking [...]

Di completes peak challenge

Press and Journal – A Highland mountaineering instructor returned to Scotland last night after successfully climbing the last of the world’s Seven Summits. Di Gilbert is now one of just 276 people to have reached the highest point on each of the seven continents, after successfully climbing Mount Elbrus in Russia.

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