Friday, January 26, 2018

Springfield plans for 115 house on Liz's land - Community Council objection too big for the portal! Infrastructure first policy contravened claim NRCC

Members of Nairn River Community Council discovered recently that submissions via the Highland Council e-Planning Portal can only support postings of comments of 5000 characters. NRCC had to make special arrangements to forward their sizeable document to the relevant planning officer to ensure it was registered as an objection (more details about that on the Highland Council e-planning pages).

Yes it is quite a lengthy objection and the document begins:

"Roads, Sewers and Water Supply : cannot cope with demand from further housing 

Permitting further development at present in Nairn contravenes the ‘Infrastructure First’ approach of new Scottish Government Planning Policy. At present Nairn roads, sewers and water supply infrastructures are already beyond capacity and require urgent investment. New pipework at Kingsteps would feed into an old sewer network which is already not coping. After heavy rain sewage overflows into streets and waterways in central Nairn and Fishertown, water pressure problems are already apparent at Lochloy and traffic jams on the A96 are getting worse"

After expanding on the above paragraph the watchdogs go on to say:

"In assessing this application the Council should take account of the numerous public submissions already published about housing plans for this NA2 site ​on the 2015 Scottish Government DPEA Examination Report on the Inner Moray Firth Local Development Plan​ including recommendations that no housing should be built on the Kingsteps NA2 site until a link road is built across the A96 from Balmakeith to this site."

There's more readers, five pages worth of arguments against this proposed development. If you are one of the many serious students of local planning matters then it's time once more to make a cuppa or pour a dram and head over to read this document on the Highland Council's e-planning pages. It's currently at the top of the page under the documents tab here. 

5 comments:

Mr Guthrie said...

This is an absolute belter of a response, superb piece of work, can hardly wait to see their response to the Morganti application. If it's anything like the last one it will have been worth the wait.
I am staggered at the amount of work that goes into these objections, these volunteers are working all hours for the good of the people of Nairn. Well done NRCC!!!

Anonymous said...


You can look at rules and regulations but sometimes the're just plain wrong. It is no good having a councillor who cannot speak on planning matters. As for the planning application it shouldn't be passed, the infrastructure isn't there, nor will it be provided by the developer

Graisg said...

Anon, Councils do hit developers with all sorts of demands these days including contributions for schools I believe. We have to look no further than Sainsbury's who were arm-twisted into paying for the traffic lights (shame it wasn't a roundabout at Lochloy) for example.This "planning gain" will have limits though.

Graisg said...

@Local Resident we hear what you have to say but this is not an application by Liz it is an application by Springfield for 115 houses on her land. They are two different things.

Her effectiveness as a councillor because of the impact the application has on her ability to comment on planning matters will no doubt be one of a range of things that people consider the next time they go to the ballot box.

Jam tomorrow said...

Never mind, at least if you buy a new Springfield home at Lochloy you'll be able to make sure your new electric car is fully charged for you to be able to sit in the morning jam as you try and get on the A96

https://www.insider.co.uk/news/springfield-properties-commits-future-electric-11918355

Of course, you might want to leave your car at the Maggot car park and walk to and from your new house, probably quicker than driving.