Nairn Enquiry on 550 Deveron homes.
Nairn development public enquiry starts. Good article by Press and Journal’s two reporters Jonny Muir and Iain Ramage.
This application was turned down by the Councillors because of their concerns?
Why are the same rules not put in place for all developments within the region.
Developments will happen, they have to. Increasing population demands require more homes and particulary affordable ones.
BUT time and time again we ask that infrastructure is put in place along with developments and not left to chance after the event when we know they will not happen!
The argument is, that an influx of people will automatically bring new long-term growth and sustainable growth for the local economy. That does not follow.
Public inquiry to begin into plans for 550 homes on edge of Nairn
Group appealing against council’s decision to reject £100m proposals due to infrastructure fears
By Iain Ramage and Jonny Muir
Published: 01/03/2010
WORRIED: Members of the Nairn Residents Concern Group, from left, Brian Lynch, Loreine Thomson and John Hart. Sandy McCook
A public inquiry begins tomorrow into a developer’s proposals for 550 homes at Sandown on the western edge of Nairn.
The hearing, expected to take five or six days, will consider Deveron Highland’s appeal against Highland Council’s rejection last May of its £100million plans.
Scottish Government reporter Malcolm Mahony will oversee the inquiry.
Councillors have registered concerns that Nairn’s existing infrastructure would be unable to cope with such a population influx.
Local councillor Sandy Park, the authority’s convener, has warned that services in the town are already “creaking at the seams”.
Deveron Highland spent two years and a six-figure sum developing the scheme in consultation with the council, whose rules demand that at least a quarter of the homes would have to be “affordable”.
The vision, including a business centre, community facilities and a wetland park, was opposed by local councillors, the Nairn Residents Concern Group and Nairn Golf Club, but has the support of Inverness Chamber of Commerce.
Following the rejection, Deveron claimed the decision sent out a negative message to other groups hoping to redevelop the A96 corridor between Inverness and Nairn.
Thousands of homes and upgrades have been earmarked for the 15-mile route.
Speaking last year, Deveron Highland managing director Gordon Ramsay said: “This development can provide long-term growth for Nairn and sustainable growth for the local economy.
benefit
“Local shops and businesses can benefit from the steadily-growing population this development will bring.”
Brian Lynch, a member of Nairn Residents Concern Group, said yesterday: “We want to support Highland Council’s unanimous dismissal of the application.
“We have made a strong case in our written submission to the reporter and we believe it to be independent and the view of many people that live in Nairn.”
8 Responses to “Nairn Enquiry on 550 Deveron homes.”
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It’s good to hear support for the objectors to the Sandown proposal coming from Inverness Liz. You’re right development has to happen but it has to be the communities that decide the scale and pace of that development. Nairn folk think this application for 550 houses is over development, the tradgedy is that if Deveron had gone for a smaller figure say 300 they could have started building by now. Building the homes that folk need. People need more say in the planning process and communities all over the Highlands have to support each other against inappropriate development.
Development yes – over development no!
Hi Graisg,
I agree with your comments totally.
We should have proper input into what happens in our communities.
We elect Councillors to represent the feelings of the Electorate but unfortunately they are not always listened to.
You have hit the nail on the head, we certainly need more say in the planning process but unfortunately that is unlikely to happen.
The Consultation process means the developers will come along tell us what we will get and this is not good enough!!
[...] to see an Inverness councillor has a blog and has commented on the [...]
[...] http://liz-gilchrist.co.uk/nairn-enquiry-550-homes/ [...]
Just wondered what your thoughts are on today’s P&J article Liz:
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1629238?UserKey=
Seems scary to this lay person but obviously it is competent in law to proceed but still everyone goes forward on a basis of confusion. Can that help faith in the process?
From what I understand only part of the plan was detailed, the rest was only indicative. Unfortunately this would leave widespread confusion, for the Reporter as well it would appear, if this was not clearly laid out.
How can the public at large understand the intricacies of the Planning System if those as the top don’t understand!!
I don’t think this would stop the hearing or make it incompetent in law.
To answer your final sentence…….. NO it does not give us faith in the whole planning process as it currently stands.
Confusion seems to be a recurrent theme in this Sandown development saga.
It’s significant that even the Reporter at the Inquiry into Deveron’s plans for Sandown was unclear and confused about exactly what Deveron is seeking to build and on the basis of what plan. This illustrates what has been part of Deveron’s tactics all along: smoke and mirrors. The plans they submitted to various statutory agencies differed from those various versions submitted to the Highland Council, and there seemed to be discrepancies also in what was shown to the public for consultation.
The obfuscation has continued. At the Inquiry their architect asserted that 3 and 4 storey buildings were more or less the same as 2 and a half-storeys, and dodged questions about subsequent extensions into roof or loft space.
Deveron has also referred to the prospect of shops and other facilities on the site. When challenged they said this isn’t planned (at present). But their transport expert has argued that residents’ travel outside the development site will be reduced because they will be able to shop and access facilities within it! And they have been far from clear about whether the ground floor levels of the high rise buildings they plan are to be retail and service premises, or housing – and if not used for shops etc, whether these spaces will be used for yet more housing, additional to the massive 550 houses they are formally proposing.
Trust in the planning process, and the integrity of all those involved in it, is being seriously damaged by the tactics of developers such as Deveron.
Hi Nairnbairn,
Unfortunately this is the tactic used by many developers today!
I agree there is a big difference between 2 and a half stories and three or four story buildings!
A suburban development in this particular area should be limited to 2.5 stories full stop. The area does not lend itself to high rise as there is certainly no development of that type in the area at this present time to give precident to any higher buildings.
Developers put in an application for a small section as a ‘detailed plan’ the rest as indicative of what they might put in at a later date and this then gives the opportunity to change the plans under delegated powers to further housing or higher density housing without having to go back for further detailed planning permissions. A crafty mechanism to get round any red tape and also negates the need to put in community facilities, which of course wont make the developer the same profits and so allows further residential to be put in!!
I keep saying, we are the people who live in the communities not the Developers and we are the people who have to live with their almighty clangers long term!
I do hope the Reporter reads in favour of the people of Nairn.