South Nairn Development go ahead - What Laurie said at Tuesday's meeting.

Here's most of what Laurie said:

"“I’m not really in favour of losing good agricultural ground but well we have, it’s in the local plan. What I am concerned about though is any restriction on John Gordons the sawmill because that is a prime employer within the town and we really do need this. The phasing of houses, I would like to see it phased down, possibly down to 50 houses instead of 100 houses but I suppose I’ve got to accept this.”

”Will there be a demand for buses because I’ve seen some areas in Nairn where bus use is not that high.”

“I’d like to see the sub-development plans coming back to local members because I’m very concerned we

have 320 houses – fine we are knocking it through just like that and there’s no further council examination. […] I think that needs to be covered in some respect because you get the very frustrating situation where something goes wrong. Your green space goes wrong and suddenly you want the whole thing to stop and you can’t. I do agree that sub-development plan should really back to local members in a public forum.”

”An issue that has not been raised here is if you put 360 houses with an average of two cars per house, that’s about 650 cars including the odd one abandoned. We haven’t really got that parking space in the town centre. We haven’t covered any town centre car parking. There will be a small majority of people taking their cars into the town centre and our town centre car parks are pretty well full at the moment so what I would like to have seen here is like a hundred thousand pounds planning gain for town centre development in relation to car parking or even additional bus spaces which I think we might need if we are going to have additional buses.”

“Pedestrian footbridge, yes you’ve got a thousand pounds a house. We’re looking at something like twenty years for this and I don’t think that is fair on the community and certainly the stresses on the road and children walking to Nairn Academy. Yes they could go across the railway bridge but that is not ideal. Can we have this footbridge brought forward and if need be possible a temporary footbridge – maybe a Baillie style footbridge.  "

"The last thing I’ve really got concern about are these green spaces, the open area maintenance with these contracts because if the companies go bankrupt. You’ve got three building companies in here and we’ve seen the effect in Nairn when building companies go bankrupt. You’re left with real problems on your hands these factoring agreements that’s what I’m talking about.  I’d like a wee bit of strength in the factoring agreements. What does happen if a building company goes bankrupt or a factoring agreement company goes bankrupt – that’s another problem. As a Council we should actually be taking over these areas. That’s what we are here for we are a Council, we should be taking responsibility for these areas." 

The South Nairn planning decision - Further comment from Liz "In my view the outcome was a fait accompli" and Colin

We asked all our four Highland Councillors if they had anything further they'd like to say about the decision on Tuesday to pass the South Nairn planning application in the face of considerable opposition from Nairn residents. Liz wasn't at the meeting she told the Gurn:

 "I had a Nairn Community Transport meeting and a funeral so couldn't attend the planning committee." She continued: " In my view the outcome was a fait accompli. There was no way the application could be refused or the applicant would have got it passed on appeal. This site visit was just playing to the galleries. There have been several site visits recently about applications that were impossible to refuse under planning regulations including Tornagrain and a wind farm. These in my opinion are a waste of time and money, unless a recomendation can be overturned what is the point of hiring buses, taking councillors and officers around the countryside to no avail.

If I had thought for one moment that there could have been a vote and the application would have been significantly altered then I would have made a point of being present.

Applications coming forward that are in the Highland Wide development plan and the Inner Moray Firth plan will be difficult to overturn as there already is an acceptance of them."

Here are Colin's specific answers to questions we put to all the Councillors. Each Gurn question is in italics  followed by Colin's individual answers.

Seeking comment on the suggestion that when the bus arrived at the sawmill and parked on Balblair Road the Councillors on board were advised to stay on the bus on Health and Safety Grounds as HGV's regularly use the road?

If Councillors had wanted to get out at that point and proceed up to the ridge, then we would have done so - no doubt being careful. Mention was made about the traffic and about the fact that no permission had been sought to enter the field. We stayed on board outside Firhall - because we could see the site well from the roadside. We got out at the manure/silage corner - to get a perspective of site rising up in the direction of the Gordon's Sawmill. One Councillor expressed a desire to enter the field, but the consensus was that we could see the site well enough from the bus.

Any comment on the outcome of yesterday's meeting would also be welcome if anyone feels so inclined.

Full recognition that many people - particularly the residents of Firhall - will be extremely disappointed with the granting of permission. I don't know when development work might start and I have no idea how it will actually be phased given the fact that the economy isn't yet resurgent. Although mortgage rates are low, many folk are unable to find deposits and others are cautious about future rate rises in a couple of years. The 100 limit pause and review is key as is the local liaison arrangement. I was surprised that a couple of Members actually praised the quality of urban design proposed - "beauty in the eyes of the beholder" I guess.
There are some positives - but the pressure on infrastructure - really outweighs all of these.
I hope that there is very little development on-site in the next few years and that the bypass is advanced as early as possible - but it is just a hope at this stage!

Did Nairn have no chance of stopping this application given it fitted the requirements of the Highland Council's Highland wide development plan - a plan that has been endorsed by the Scottish Government?

My view, based on advice from officers was that if permission had been refused, then it would have been successfully appealed by the developer. The site is zoned, there is a masterplan - and although we could have blocked it, a majority of the Committee would have had to have been persuaded that we has "material" reasons to refuse. The ability to have our officers negotiate the pause and review and the local liaison and all the other Section 75s - made the risk of an appeal being upheld outweighed.

Can we expect more of the same in coming months and years?

I hope not, but it does evidence the need for development planning to become more local - because it is the development planning that then directs the application process. The Area Committee structure will help - a step in the right direction after years going in the wrong direction.
I keep lobbying to see a full-scale reorganisation of local government across Scotland - based on natural communities. It is clear following the summer Cabinet visit to the Northern Isles that the Scottish Government has agreed to consider greater devolution to the island authorities - and I've already requested that they consider that aspect within a national context. Communities the size of Nairn could very easily run a range of services - we've done so in the past - and we need to do so once again.

South Nairn approved - what Colin said at the meeting

Most Gurnites will know that we usually use first names for our four Highland Councillors but for the benefit of any new visitors, Colin is Colin MacAulay (SNP) you can see a screenshot image below of Colin in action at the meeting. This is what he said at Tuesday's planning meeting in Inverness that approved the South Nairn development despite a large number of objections from Nairn. You can watch the webcast here - the South Nairn application begins at around 18 minutes into the video. Colin was sitting at the top table as he is the South Planning Applications Committee Vice Chair. This is what he had to say:

"I’d just like to say, this is a major development for Nairn. It’s a particularly complex development for Nairn with a lot of constraints. It’s clear from the representations, and I’m a relatively new councillor but I don’t think I’ve seen such, you know, detailed representations in terms of the issues that have been raised. On the positive side I think that people can see that officers have looked at these and they’ve tried to come up with mitigating elements for each and every one of them. If it is a major development and I do think the decision made will be held to account for the decision in terms of how some of these mitigating factors come into play.

 The major concerns that have been raised are about a lack of infrastructure, of narrow roads and so on. Our road systems are already congested, I have to say there was something inside me today that hoped that the bus would be stuck in a queue either on the A96 or going down Wellington Road or even going out Cawdor Road. That didn’t happen but it does happen. There are log jams there are narrow bits and pieces. The A96 itself can be horribly congested. The local newspaper had that as a front page issue in terms of through the summer and it clears but its there and its going to be added to by this development. I mentioned Wellington Road, the roads round about particularly.

The water and sewerage systems, again there’s a view if they are not at capacity they are close to capacity. Again some of the objections referred to the pressure on the system but also of the waste water. Nairn’s one of these places where the manholes occasionally blow out and we’re left with the detritus from that. I read from the report that Scottish Water have raised no objections and they say if there is requirement for additional capacity then the developer will be responsible for these works. The proximity to a major

employer and again I appreciate members going out and spending time in the sawmill and seeing just how proximal that site is. It’s our biggest employer, our best employer, our longest standing employer. It’s a key element to Nairn and I think again any mitigating factors put into play have to protect that enterprise going forward. The Station Brae, again members walked past that and looked at the junction of Cawdor Road and Balblair. I thoroughly believe that that isn’t going to be sorted in any kind of satisfactory way, except, I think it will, lights in there will make it safer for cyclists, it will make it safer for pedestrians than it currently is but it will add to queue times and I think people, if we approve today, will have to put up with that."

In relation to this matter, the Gurn hears from one of our regular network of unreliable sources that the bus carrying the Councillors around the site visit parked up on or near Balblair Road and the Councillors were possibly asked not to get off because of the busy volume of traffic on the road. If this were the case it would be perhaps a little surreal due to the nature of the discussion that was to follow in Glenurquhart Road about the state of local roads etc. We have asked our four Highland members if this was the case. We also asked them to give us comment on the decision if they feel so inclined.  

Nairn wildlife scene - Gull eats pigeon

Iain sent us the above picture and told us: "Not a great photo but never seen a Gull having a pigeon for breakfast before!"

"...along with everyone else in Nairn must be shaking their heads in disbelief that we are even considering a development on this scale"

Here's what Michael Green had to say at the planning meeting today (Tuesday 20th August) at which the planning application for South Nairn was rubber-stamped despite a large number of objections from Nairn: 

"This is a complex development especially as there is another 250 house development waiting in the wings. Malcolm and his team, and I thank them for their efforts; have carried out extensive consultation in Nairn. They’ve been to joint community council meetings, they read the Nairnshire, they’ve see a large number of objections. They know that this is not a proposal that has large public support. They know this is deeply unpopular in Nairn and is deeply unpopular for two very good reasons. The first regards  the local infrastructure and its ability to cope with not only the current traffic levels but the increased levels in the future. In Inverness you may speak about the weather but in Nairn when you meet somebody we traditionally speak about the gulls. The gulls have been superseded by the traffic congestion, that’s what most folk talk about now. In fact I was thinking the other day they say that you can see when the Earth is viewed from the moon the only thing you can see is the Great Wall of China but I’m sure that at certain times, if viewed from the moon the A96 traffic tailbacks at Nairn could be seen. Nairn is the new Fochabers, where people really, really resign themselves to the fact that going through Nairn at certain times they are experiencing something pretty close to gridlock.

Many people are not prepared to accept this and they go through Nairn, they take the back roads. They take the back roads through Nairn South, through Cawdor, through Auldearn, they create their own bypass. We call it a rat-run, it is an unofficial bypass. The fact that we are having to consider an application on this scale, 232 houses and 87 flats when another development, as I’ve said already, of 250 houses is in the wings – before we have the official bypass is at best putting the cart before the horse, at worst it quite really beggars belief. We’ve currently got Balblair Road beside the sawmill and Cawdor Road, two old fashioned B-class roads that have to deal with the traffic from Nairn South to the town centre and at the narrow junction with Cawdor Road and Balblair Road merge there is a one lane choke point which results in tailbacks and congestion at either side of the chicane. Now the traffic impact assessment states that the road structure can cope with the increase in traffic from the development and yes it still can cope to the extent that you would still be able to get to Nairn South from the town centre but at what cost?  Greater risk of accidents, localised rat runs, delays. I feel nothing but sympathy, especially for the residents of Queen’s Park and Firhall, along with everyone else in Nairn must be shaking their heads in disbelief that we are even considering a development on this scale.

The second area of concern lies with the impact that this proposed development and the additional development that will be coming along shortly will have on the largest employer in Nairn, John Gordon and Sons the sawmill. Now Gordons have raised all too real concerns that are genuine and completely understandable - even at one level with technical and complicated issues such as noise levels and noise mitigations. How damaging could the proposed development be to its future viability? At  the end of the day once that development is in place there may be new noise regulations coming forward which may mean we may have to address further concerns. It’s a real concern for Gordons going forward. There’s a potential for this and other developments not only to jeopardise future development but also threaten the viability of Nairn’s largest employer. In summation, you’ll be glad to hear Chairman, Nairn needs affordable housing, Nairn needs houses for its ageing population, it needs small scale private developments, all designed to cater for local demands. Nairn does not need, or really want developments on this scale. Now if this development goes ahead I’m very pleased to say that they’ve accepted from our earlier discussions the pause and review after 100 houses so that we can have a traffic impact assessment. But I think it is vital that we have a local liaison group because this is a very complicated development. That we have a local liaison group, it is set up and will be able to report back to this committee. Thank you." 

Nairn South planning proposal passed

No surprises there. The development was enshrined in the new Inner Moray Firth Local development plan and although there were considerable local concerns expressed in objections and  presentations by local members it seems that none of these concerns were ever going to be enough to have the proposal rejected on competent planning grounds. What might seem sensible to folk in Nairn is seen differently when it comes to official chapter and verse on the way things are meant to be. There are a massive amount of conditions imposed on the plan however and much of the debate concentrated around clarification of points in these conditions and how they could be best implemented or amended to the benefit of the community.

It goes through but with a pause and review clause after the first 100 houses have been built and the phases will be subject to local community liaison being set up that would include local members and the relevant community councils. Despite this this observer would suggest that there will be many that will feel a sour taste in the mouth as Glenurquhart Road once again imposes its will on Nairn's future. 

Above an image of Michael Green as seen on the webcast this lunchtime. He spoke extensively of local concerns including traffic and to this end in reference to the jams he said: "Nairn is the new Fochabers."  More from this meeting later on the Gurn if time permits. 

Nairn and District Gardening Club - Annual Flower Show Saturday 31st August

Nairn South planning decision day

There is a "Community empowerment and Renewal Bill" being formulated at Holyrood to give communities more say in their own affairs. The Highland Council also promises Nairn a better deal through the new Badenoch Strathspey and Nairn area committee. Today it will be business as usual however  as the planning committee councillors arrive in Nairn to see the site proposed for a housing development at South Nairn and then go back to Inverness to make their decision. Maybe one day this community will be able to make such decisions for itself? 

The plan includes 233 houses and 87 flats and the way into town for all the potential future citizens of Nairn that would inhabit the housing scheme would be via the Cawdor Road railway bridge - already a scene of much controversy. Once past that they could join the current tailbacks that are building up most days on the A96 through the town. Iain Bain makes the South Nairn proposal the subject of his editorial today and states:

"The thought that a housing development of this size, staged though it might be, could be built on the basis of the current road system beggars belief."

The planners are not so concerned though, they recommend that the councillors grant planning permission to  the development. You can read their report here. There is a plan of the proposed development here.   The committee proceedings will be webcast live on the Highland Council site. It will be interesting to see what our local councillors have to say at this meeting in light of the seventy plus objections the proposal has received.  

Delnies Circular Path now looking a lot better

Greg Riddle sends us the above image of the Delnies Circular route which was recently cut by the Community Service squad. Greg told the Gurn: "Still work to be done I would suggest but now passable - thanks to those that cut the grass. The onus is now on walkers, runners and cyclists - use it or lose it !"

Station brae trees still presenting problems? Plus walls disintegrating

Murd reports that the high winds brought down some branches on the dead and dying elms on the corner of Station Brae and Balblair Raod. He is concerned that larger pieces of wood could soon fall down. He  raised this issue at several community council meetings earlier this year. Opposite  this spot on the other side of both Cawdor Road and Balblair Road there are sections of wall that look like they are in a very poor state. The Station Brae isn't much fun for pedestrians at the best of times, perhaps these bits of wall could be fixed before anything falls on a passer by?  Images of the walls in question here on the Gurn flickr pages.