Thursday, February 27, 2014

Balmakeith Industrial estate trees – Colin on the cusp of a solution?

The saga of the controversial felling of trees on the edge of the Balmakeith Industrial estate continued on Tuesday night at the Community Council meeting in Nairn Academy. Councillor Colin MacAulay told the Westies and Subbies that Council’s Forestry officer and  BEAR have a meeting on site this week and an invitation had gone to the Community Councils and Keeping Nairnshire Colourful to attend. He said: “They will feed back with what they think is feasible and a costing in terms of what can be done there.”

Earlier Murd Dunbar had contended that there had not been a continuous line of trees on the edge of the Industrial Estate and he produced images to back up his point of view. Murd is an advocate of allowing the businesses to be seen from the road and is also concerned about how maintenance of flower beds, further tree planting etc would be paid for. Boath Park resident Hamish Bain disagreed strongly with Murd on the concept that there had never been a continuous line and he was backed up by Colin who added:

“I think Murd is wrong. I think the intent was undoubtedly that the Industrial Estate should have been screened and the maintenance of that should have taken place through decades. It hasn’t happened, trees have been taken out, some were taken out ten years ago, some were taken out two years ago, some taken out more recently. I don’t think we can get back to that very quickly. I would like to replicate the opposite side of the road. Some Scottish trees in there, a mix of trees not rose beds, they do have additional maintenance but they managed to maintain the grass round the trees on the other side, there is no reason why they can’t maintain grass round trees on that side."

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The east curtlidge of Nairn was quite attractive prior to the recent development over the past 3-4 years.
I agree the line of trees should be reinstated to provide screening
of the industrial park, some well chosen evergreen would prevent leaf fall. It is really satisfying to know there are people who care how the first impressions of our town look.

MURD DUNBAR said...

Murd
AS i said at the meting it won't put a penny in my pocket if businesses are are seen or not I just happen to think they should be . Come to think about it if Colin gets his it may cost us money!.
As fare as I know the plot was sold as can be seen on Google earth the photo of which I produced and can find no prof of it beaning any thing else apart from it being a field. But as a Councilor and the plot was previously owned by the Highland Council I would think he can produce some thing to say who and when trees were removed from a vacant plot and for what reason?? I will acknowledge the fact.