Tuesday, June 30, 2009

20-40 years before a bypass?

Iain Bain this week writes an editorial on bypass matters and draws our attention to the efforts of Jimmy Ferguson of the West Community Council with regard to this issue. Further talk about Nairn and a bypass emerged at the Highland Council 'Speakeasy' and here's some of it from notes made about the open mike session:
'Ewen Anderson (7N Architects), retained by Balblair, spoke about his alternative vision for Nairn development. The bypass, envisaged within the 20-40 year timescale of the A96 corridor plan, would take a long time to materialise. It would risk stimulating ‘ring road development’ leaving a void between the existing town and the building along the line of the expected bypass. Nairn should grow organically as a walking town (sic), with development infilling existing wedges of land, and the creation of inner distributor roads to relieve A96 traffic.'
To read more about what people had to say about Nairn at this Highland Council organised event head over to the APT blog and join in the discussion. The APT are working hard on our behalf, they deserve our support in their efforts to empower people with access to good quality information so that we can all become properly involved with the issues that will affect all our lives.

1 comment:

Nairnac said...

More questions than answers........

Who is/are 'Balblair' who are retaining architect Ewen Anderson, and what is Mr Anderson's knowledge of/interest in Nairn???

He refers to the threat of 'ring road development', but isn't it the job of the council and planners to prevent such development, (that's assuming it is seen as detrimental) ???

Nairn already is a 'walking town', even the traffic goes through it at walking pace !, the hardest thing if you're on foot is getting across the bleeding A96, and the tailbacks don't even include all the traffic taking the rat-run through the West End or using the unofficial bypass route of the Auldearn-Cawdor road. The number of huge lorries and thrusting young executives whizzing along there with their mobile phones pressed to their ears makes it a hazardous journey for any cyclists who used to enjoy it.

More power to the ATP people for shining a light into the speakeasy.

just found the 'Balblair'proposal

http://www.7narchitects.com/projects/balblair/1/

must confess it's another new one on me.

Please note: Nairnac's comments have been edited by the Gurnmeister