Sunday, September 11, 2016

"Beep if we look as stupid as Scottish Water" - a weekend of Community Protest in Ardersier - video interview with activist



Can't see the video? Try this Gurn Youtube page here. Images to be posted later.

1 comment:

Wee David said...

Moray Estates own MILES of land on the A96 corridor, yet don't want the new town sewage works near their development... They, and Highland Council,have agreed to Scottish Water's cheap option plan to drill, dig and hammer a pipeline, and run their 40 ton sludge lorries ( for decades to come) through an 18th century village, which has 18th century housing right on the road edge, already shaking with each passing bus!

Ardersier objected to these plans in 2011, and the scale of surrounding development has grown since. Scottish Water have sneaked in their project bit by bit, with little planning applications here and there. Now this week, the village was told a public meeting that the money already spent ( on the Whiteness piping) prevents a change of location for the final WWTP. The latest planning is to sneak in a UV filter- which the existing plant doesn't need, but the monster New plant will, and which we were told ( same public meeting) will only remove less than 10% of the microbes present.

Planning conditions (2011) have still not been met, but Highland Council still approved the latest applications. Big Goliath businesses are being helped by the planning process to bulldoze through a small conservation village. Ardersier has support from community and local Highland Councillors, MSPs, media, and those who love the village. The planners have looked at the road structure, but not the impact on the housing, nor any impact on the community. They have decided not to spend money upgrading the Back roads for lorries, but that routing the HGVs through the village is better. We already have had accidents and trucks getting stuck as it is. This is courting disaster.

From Wednesday's meeting: Scottish Water, Tornagrain development, Whiteness developers, and Moray Estates all argue that putting the WWTP elsewhere will devalue prospective (EMPTY) development sites and so have decided IT's OK TO DEVALUE AN EXISTING CONSERVATION AREA, BEACH AND COASTAL PATHWAYS.

Value is not the same as money. Time those who decide the fate of others learned this. If they get away with it here, it could be your home next! #MOVEIT