Trees trouble for bus station plan

The Highland Council forestry officer has made a visit to the Bus Station site and his findings and observations may be a big blow to the developer's hopes. Here's a couple of extracts:

"Section 3.1.7. of the Design And Supporting Statement suggests that retaining the neighbouring building to the North West and wall to North East would allow sufficient separation between the new building and the trees so that it will not affect the longevity of the trees. As I already mentioned, there is unlikely to be any impact on tree roots as these are not likely to have grown under the foundations of the wall. However, the proposal brings the flats too close to the existing mature trees so that the shading would affect the amenity of the people living in the flats and there is likely to be subsequent pressure to have these trees removed as a result."

"While it would obviously be welcome to see the old bus depot being redeveloped, I have concerns that the scale and residential nature of the development would result in pressure to have adjacent trees removed. I am therefore not in a position to support the current proposals."

Read the tree officer's report here (scroll down the documents to "Consultation 06 Dec").

Suburban changes tack on the Bus Station

Pre election the Suburban Community Council were staying out of the argument over the planning application for the Bus Station. Now it appears that under new Chair, Dick Youngson, they are planning an intervention which will support the NICEafarians and West CC. That leaves River CC isolated in their support of the shop and three storeys of flats proposed for the garage. River CC meet on Tuesday night for their first post-election meeting. Will the bus station proposals be revisited?

Two ways of looking at it (the Bus Station plan)

Two extracts from comments submitted to the planning department and now available on their website. The first is from Jimmy Ferguson and he writes as an individual not a director of NICE. This observer would contend that the majority of NICEites would perhaps be behind him however given the show of hands from them at the public meeting on Friday.

Contrast that with the short and sweet submission below from Tommy Hogg on the behalf of River Community Council. Now their decision was unanimous. There lies the division of opinion in Nairn on the bus station planning application. NICE's ambition is to speak on the behalf of the Community and River Community's role is to represent the Community. So we have two views on the behalf of the Community. Can they both be right? This obsever would contend that River CC are closer to public thinking here - based on the unscientific poll held recently on the Gurn.

Over now to the planning professionals and the elected councillors on the Committee - the majority of whom that will debate the proposal will not of course be from Nairnshire.

You can see other submissions on this planning application here.

Meanwhile at a bus station in another universe...

...things nearby go higher than four storeys.

River CC back tweaked bus station design (in principle)

Strong support this evening at the River Community Council meeting for the latest design from the developer's representative. There were some reservations concerning colours etc but mindful that there could be more "tweaks" in the pipeline yet after further discussions between the developer and the Highland Council, River CC were minded to back the development in principle. The vote was unanimous. (The artist's impression above will enlarge)

Wee blue hoosie for the bus station?

A last minute compromise perhaps?

Bus Station planning focus group

Thanks to the regular Gurnite who sent us this picture of one of the principal speakers at the recent bus station focus group. Our correspondent tells us that once again a wide range of conflicting opinions were expressed.

Will Upland come away Stottered?

Highland Council principal planner Tim Stott has made some policy comments on the webpages associated with the Upland Developments application for the bus station. Here's his conclusion:

"In conclusion, I would suggest that the owner be advised to talk to the Council and other adjoining owners to broker a more suitable, collective and properly serviced regeneration package for this part of the wider town centre. A submission through the Inner Moray Firth Local Development Plan process (rather than the current full planning application) would be the way to achieve this. "

Lots more interesting policy comments on the web page (as usual, once there, click on documents and scroll down to the item dated 28th of October.)

Nairn West Community Council object to plan for bus station garage site

Nairn West CC have come out heavily against the proposed plan for a supermarket and flats on the site of the bus station garage. Their strong objection is signed by Rosemary Young the chair of that organisation. The detail objections based on height and mass, design and finish, access and parking and purpose and function. West CC are following NICE (Nairn improvement Community Enterprise) in setting out their stall against this plan. This observer notes that Councillor Graham Vine has also made a “public comment” although this is not visible on the documents part of the site yet.

Here’s the final section from their letter which indicates the way they would like to see things going.

You can read the full West CC letter here. Click on documents once you arrive and scroll down to the public comment dated the 23^rd. It is the job of Community Councillors to reflect the views of their constituents and thus they consider that public opinion in their part of the town is firmly against the proposal. Public opinion in Gurnshire would indicate that there is a majority in favour of such a development over by (be it as it is or tweaked). Have NICE and the West CC misjudged public opinion with only those most vocally against this proposal bothering to find their respective ears? What do you think of the planning application? Poll in the Gurn side-bar.

This observer feels that up until the point where Nairnbairn entered Nairn in the Carbuncle award competition there was a consensus about town centre planning issues. To a certain extent that was fractured by the Nairnbairn nomination and with sections of the community finding common cause with the Editor of the Nairnshire, Iain Bain, when he indicated that he thought Nairnbairn was a "snob at heart". It is against this background that NICE and West CC have come down on one side of a fence that is splitting popular feeling throughout the town. This planning application is one of the most divisive for a long time and in its wake it may be difficult for NICE and others to claim public support in attempts to influence events on the other side of the A96 if and when planning applications for development surface there.
Maybe a less heavy handed approach should have been employed by both NICE and West CC. Time will tell.

Bus Station plan divisive in the suburbs too

There was a bit of debate about the bus station plan up at the Suburban CC tonight and there were conflicting opinions there too. Bette Caven (pictured above) said: "I think a Tescos would really rumble them up."

However, Alistair Noble said: "We're getting into really serious difficult water if we are going to approve anything just because it is better than what we've got." Suburban are not going to make any submission however and are to leave that to the statutory consultees River Community Council.

Before Salty colonised the Bus Station Garage...

Another flickr image - the Nairn skibus express?

UPDATE: Murd remembers the two vehicles that were converted to ski-bus use. He actually refused to drive one one day because of the lack of adequate heating to melt the ice on the windows. Murd also recalls the orchard that stood on the area that now compromises the bus station and car park areas. He says the high wall went all the way round and aside from the piece that survives along Viewfield Drive there is also a piece left along the rear of the Albert Inn.

Nairn Bus Station of Yesteryear

An interesting photograph has appeared on Flickr recently - could anyone put a date on it perhaps?Another picture here that looks slightly more modern and you can clearly see some passengers on the bus.

Back to the modern day issues again for a moment. Recently we published an article which showed a segment of the last NICE masterplan drawn up this spring as an alternative to Highland Council plans for the town centre. The NICE plan had removed buses out of the bus station and created two bus stops further down the A96. We had suggested that perhaps this could be an option to aid future development of the site. This is not an idea that appeals to River Community Council's Stephanie Whittaker though - she told the Gurn:

" If members of NICE use buses they should be aware that a bus stop has been removed from the A96 between the Bus Park and Peter Green's to avoid holding up traffic that is stopped by the lights. This has caused problems for elderly people who regularly got off the bus there to go into Fishertown and they now have a longer walk .

It makes no sense to impede traffic further by stopping buses elsewhere on this route. In addition, often several buses come into the Bus station at once which would create difficulties on the A96. Moreover the bus station has a shelter which is important for passengers. If the bus park were removed it would be at the expense of bus users and we should be encouraging this use and using our cars less."

Bus Station Development - Transport Scotland Recommends refusal!

A Transport Scotland document recently posted on the Highland Council e-planning pages for the application reads:

"The Director advises that planning permission be refused." The reasons for refusal state:"There is insufficient information to determine this application."

A note underneath the reason for refuse goes on to say: "The developer should provide a traffic statement showing predicted generated traffic and its affect on the existing signals at this location."

This observer would imagine that this is not an insurmountable hurdle for the developer but will obviously have cost and time implications for the overall proposal.

Bus station plans - tweaks in the air?

The Gurn understands that the River CC enjoyed a very constructive meeting with the developer's agent this evening. As reported in the Nairnshire the River meeting was private. Tomorrow (Wednesday) the West CC have a meeting with the same mannie and this will be open to the public in the Community Centre at 19.30.p.m.

Update: One of our regular readers who is less than impressed with the proposal has asked us to point out that the period for submissions on this application is drawing near, the advert was placed in the Nairnshire on the 11th and a period of 14 days takes this application up to the 24th/25th?

So far the plan has attracted no objections or supporting comments. If you do have views it may be worthwhile submitting them soon even if a "tweaked" plan is submitted and an extension for submissions granted to the Community Councils. In the (unscientific) Gurn poll in the sidebar voting was initially heavily against but now there is a broad majority of yes and yes (with tweaks) votes over the Nos and this observer would imagine that that wouldn't be far from feeling in the town generally at this moment in time.

Bus Station development - Parking solution - no buses?

Could the above segment of the NICE masterplan (Version 5) drawn up earlier in the year as part of their deliberations with Highland Council demonstrate a potential solution for the parking difficulties that might arise should the suggested development of 12 flats and a supermarket go ahead on the site of the former bus station garage? Obviously there could also be a lot more spaces in front of the flats/supermarket. NICE had planned to create two bus stops further along the A96 to do away with the need for a Bus Station. See the full document here.

The NICE website has also sprung back into life in the last few days and they want your views and feedback, they state:

"It is time to take stock. Over the next few days, the NICE think-tank will be posting a series of observations and questions. The future direction and activity of NICE will depend on the level of response. It is becoming increasingly clear that regenerating the town centre isn’t a sprint. It looks likely to be a marathon. Has the town got the interest, the stamina, and the enthusiasm to keep up the campaign." More here.

"The gate is open and we should go through that gate"

Thoughts on the Bus Station Plan from the River CC meeting.

As previously mentioned there were a lot of opinions expressed at the River CC meeting on Tuesday night, here’s some further notes from the discussions.

Tommy Hogg started the ball rolling by running through the display of the plans showing elevations etc. He backed the project but with some reservation over the parking situation. Cllr Iain Gordon was the next to speak and he agreed with Tommy and stated on the parking issue: “If that could be addressed in some way then I see no problem, it would certainly tidy up that whole site which has been a carbuncle really.

The C word upset the Chair, Jeanne Tolmie, and she intervened here,”I would rather you not used that word,’ she said. ‘I don’t think Nairn has any Carbuncles.”

Cllr John Dolan then spoke, he had mixed feelings over the project. He commented: “We’ve waited a long time for something to happen, then the worry is that do we just accept it? Is something better than nothing?

Stephanie Whittaker was the next member of the Council to speak and she thought that although four stories was high: “I think we should go for it, because it would improve the area tremendously, but I still do have concerns about parking.”

Mike Henderson spoke next in an historical context. “If I cast my mind back to before my time in Nairn, the Nairn District Council knocked planning permission back on this as a retail store because it is on the wrong side of the road.” Others at the meeting were able to recall that too.

Rosemary Young (member of West CC) got her turn next as the debate moved to the public benches. She was concerned about the height and the visual aspect and asked detailed questions about the height in comparison to the police station. Sandra Dunbar was the then spoke and she was pretty forthright in her views, she asked about the listed building status of the old stables at the rear of the site and then said of the application: “It’s ridiculously soulless looking piece of architecture here, and you’ve got those listed buildings at the back, and you’ve got the lovely gardens at Viewfield and everything else and you are allowing something so bland and characterless.”

This observer then spoke and raised some points, mainly to the effect that should the Community Council and others misjudge the situation and object then there could be a public reaction against the decision which would isolate them for further issues concerning the town centre in the future. The real battle might come one day if something appalling was proposed across the other side of the A96 from the modern buildings. If the building in this application is an ugly one then so is the Community Centre but if the Upland flats and shops get the go ahead there will be no 2 million debt to the Nairnshire Common Good purse like there is with the Community Centre. I urged caution to anyone considering a strong objection and suggested compromise was a better route.

Tommy agreed with that and said: “I think this could be the beginning, the gate is open and we should go through that gate.”

It then fell to West’s Cllr and leading luminary in NICE, Brian Stewart, to speak. He began referring to recent press coverage: “I ought perhaps to say to start with that I’m not actually against this development. I think it would be unwise to object to this. My view is that redevelopment is desirable and I think probably that most of us agree on that. My way is that we shouldn’t go for anything at any price, that we should do what we can to feed in sensible and constructive thoughts on possible changes. Whether it is to design, height, parking or layout – to actually make this as close as possible to what people want rather than what the developer imposes. I also think that the mix of retail and housing makes a degree of sense.”

Brian then referred to those that wanted to see public buildings on this side of the A96 but he felt that developers wouldn’t build public buildings and there had to be homes in order to underwrite the cost of the development. He continued with his concerns about the design, admitting it was a matter of taste he continued: “Which ever way you look at it, it is a large rectangular block. A lot of people, and I’ve observed a lot of public comment, a lot people think it is not actually a very clever design, it is cheap, simple, boring and unimaginative. It doesn’t so much enhance Viewfield as block it from view. And I personally tend to agree with those that think that a 4-storey building is too high.”

Brian then outlined his concerns for the retail element which he said had been described as a super-market, a mini-supermarket or a convenience store. He wondered if there was actually enough space for anything more than a token. He referred to the shops at the Harbour with accommodation above them where, historically, some shops had struggled. He also had concerns about parking and access. Brian wasn’t finished yet however:

“There is another more general point which several people have comment online, which is, I quote from someone who said it better than me: If Nairn was a major city I could maybe understand the need to build residential housing alongside a major road and a fire station with the added noise of a shop unit – this area is already busy with trade to the takeaway, buses and a general car-park. The comment is, that in fact, it is not the most obvious and agreeable place to live. Next to the fire station is a further disturbance so I would say, simply that, by all means build something to replace what is there but it is just as easy to build something that looks good. So I think we ought to work as hard as we can to feed in constructive thoughts on how to make the building more viable, more attractive, more valuable to the developer himself and more acceptable

That’s a lot of the important points that were discussed Gurnites. West CC are discussing it too next week and River CC are now actively seeking a meeting with the developer to discuss some of the concerns and comments made.

Bus station plan could go through on officials' approval only!

It emerged last night at the River Community Council meeting in the Centre that the Bus Station plan for flats and a supermarket could go through on delegated powers without the proposal going before councillors. It seems there would have to be at least five objections submitted before this situation would change. It will be interesting to see if the opposition, and it does exist in some quarters, materialises in written submissions posted or delivered electronically to the planning department. There is also considerable support and many folk in between too so one wonders, given the debate raging around the town, whether this application could have its supporters making submissions?

It was Cllr Leslie Boulton of River that revealed the situation he told the meeting of his concerns:

"There's a shop attached and this euphemism "supermarket" is really nonsense. I think the danger here is if you piecemeal change something which we all think is a great eyesore you are losing sight of the total development within the town centre. Across the road, you see you have dereliction there. I've got great reservations about this but mainly in the context that if ought to be a part of the wider plan for the town centre. Another thing I noticed on the web site - expected decision level is a delegated decision. Does that mean an officer is going to make a decision on which I think is far too big a possibility of a development simply for a delegated decision."

Leslie then made reference to three previous smaller planning applications that had been listed by Cllr Tommy Hogg earlier, including a shed for a buggy which were more suited for delegated decisions. He continued, "This is a town centre development, I think this really is for Community Councillors and Councilors and planners to get together on this."

As we suggested in the opening paragraph it remains to be seen if this application goes through on delegated powers but whether you are for or against or a don't know surely the vast majority of observers would agree that this decision for such a big development is worthy of scrutiny at planning meeting level? That may mean a bus load of councillors coming through from Inverness and then returning to Glenurquhart Road for the decision but at least it would mean there might be a debate at that level that would once again air the views of local people. It would be ideal, of course, if we lived in a world where that decision could be taken in the Courthouse with the four local Highland Councillors and say two reps from each of Nairnshire's community Councils. Maybe that is the sort of world we should demand - if we were to create enough fuss over the coming months and years then, who knows, maybe we could get that!

There was a lot of interesting debate last night and we'll post more of it as and when time allows, the local dead-tree press corps were there too, so there will be articles coming out on Friday and Tuesday in the Courier and Nairnshire perhaps.

Cautious River CC to forward comments and criticisms of Bus Station proposals to the planners

There was a wide range of opinion expressed over at a well attended meeting in the Community Centre this evening but the general feeling seemed to be that there was a willingness to see the development go ahead albeit it with differing degrees of opinion ranging from praising the plan as it is to a demand for a totally different design. River CC are to articulate the major worries expressed to the planners and also to seek a meeting with the developer or their agents to discuss the application. Appearance, parking and height were mentioned by those present. More later from the Gurn when time permits.

Bus station application - opinion polarises

You can see from the Gurn poll in the sidebar and from the comments on articles below that a fierce debate is raging over the Upland Developments plan for the old bus station garage. On the way home from an expedition to purchase a copy of the august weekly dead-tree journal beloved of our community this observer was stopped by a very annoyed town centre resident, who was extremely irate at those that do not approve of the development and wished to express his views to the Gurn. His words, spiced with the vernacular and the f-word were based around the fact that everything on that side of the road is of modern construction and one more wouldn't do any harm. This blogger has to admit that from the back of the Albert Inn to the end of the sheltered housing along that side of the A96 there isn't any old architecture left apart from Viewfield House down the drive and even there it sits beside the modern construction of a Bowling clubhouse.

Meanwhile the Nairnshire leads with "Mixed reaction to Bus Station Plans" and contains comment from some of the usual suspects including Brian Stewart and Tommy Hogg. Essential reading for those who are for or against or haven't made their minds up yet.

This observer hears too that indications are River CC area residents might be out in force for the meeting in the Community Centre tomorrow night (Tuesday 11th) where this item will be discussed in open debate as part of the agenda item "planning". We hear from one of our usual unreliable sources that the meeting has been moved to a bigger room in the centre and that out of town dead-tree journalists are showing considerable interest too. It could be a big one Gurnites, maybe Nairnbairn will even be there too? Are you going Nairnbairn?

Could be the best show in town, admission is free and begins at 19.30.

Bus station plans - any NICE intervention?

NICE seems to have been dormant over the summer months. Could the plans for the Bus Station inspire that organisation to come back to life over the winter months? Some movement is visible on the facebook page at last but is NICE to all intents and purposes over and done with or does it have mileage yet as a lobbying group?