WestInverness.org.uk

Councillors have voted 15 - 2 to grant outline planning permission for an Asda Superstore at Slackbuie, after a lenghty debate attended by approximately 100 members of the public. The development consists of a superstore, petrol filling station, 5 small retail units and associated works on land at Slackbuie Farm on the east side of Inverness, opposite the new Gaelic School.

The Committee will discuss detailed conditions to attach to the consent at a future meeting - probably in February 2008. These are likely to be concerned with traffic on the Southern Distributor Road, particularly at the nearby Inshes roundabout where traffic lights will be considered. The Inverness Courier has reported (Friday 18 January) that the cost could be of the order of £1.2m.

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The BBC website has an item on the Northern Meeting Park controversy, linked to the launch of the Inverness Greenspace Strategy:

http://tinyurl.com/2ysv2h

Dear David

Many thanks for the update, though I am concerned that the P&J carried this before members were informed.

The proposal to build over the Northern Meeting Park is quite outrageous. I am completely at a loss to understand how one of the few green spaces in the town centre can even be considered for building over.

You can be assured that at least one member of the Council is totally opposed.

Best wishes

Alex

An Inverness councillor has stepped into the debate over secret plans for a £15 Highland Museum and Art gallery.

“The Northern Meeting Park must not used for this building, or any other development,” Inverness West councillor Alex Graham.”It is an irreplaceable piece of green space close to the town centre and must be retained.”

Councillor Graham, who is also campaigning for the nearby Bught Park to be protected, claims that the Northern Meeting Park has been the victim of “benign neglect”.

“It has not been promoted properly as a leisure and local amenity. It should be for the use of local people first and foremost.”

Councillor Graham hopes to get support from other local councillors in Central and West Inverness and will take the issue to the Inverness City Committee if necessary.

Years of debate came to an end at the Highland Council Special Meeting on Thursday 27th September 2007, when the Council decided, by a clear majority of 41-21, to support Option 2 (Bridge over the River Ness and an aqueduct / tunnel passing under the Canal) rather than the Council’s officials’ preference of Option 1 (Bridge over the River Ness and a high level opening - 15 metre - bridge over the Canal).

This recommendation will be submitted to the Scottish Government’s Strategic Transport Projects Review. Transport Scotland is undertaking this review, which is a major study to help shape Scotland’s transport network from 2012 until 2022. The Scottish Government will decide whether the aqueduct/tunnel can go ahead or not, as the cost is far beyond what Highland Council can afford.

TRUNK LINK ROAD

The Trunk Link Road extends from the A96 (trunk road) at the Smithton Roundabout to the A82 at Torvean, and consists of three main sections:


• Eastern section - A96 at Smithton to Inshes
• Middle Section - Inshes to Dores Road Roundabout
• Western Section - Dores Road Roundabout to A82 at Torvean

DETAILS OF OPTION 2:

Bridge over the River Ness and an aqueduct/tunnel passing under Canal

The route starts at the Dores Road roundabout and sweeps across agricultural fields allocated for development. The road rises in embankment to cross the River Ness and then descends below ground level to a roundabout in the vicinity of Whin Park. This roundabout is three metres below existing ground level and four metres below the River Ness flood level. The Option 2 road line between the Dores Road roundabout and the River Ness crossing crosses the river on an alignment which allows the road to tie in with the roundabout at Whin Park.

The road continues to descend from the roundabout at Whin Park and passes under the Canal at a depth of 15 metres below the Canal water level. This excavation depth is required to provide sufficient construction depth and height clearance for traffic using the tunnel/aqueduct.

Although the main aqueduct/tunnel will pass below the Canal, the approach roads will be substantially below ground level for a distance of 900 metres and will be protected by substantial walls, up to 15 metres in height, to prevent the ingress of ground water and potential flooding from the River Ness and surrounding area.

The road then rises up to meet the existing A82 in the vicinity of General Booth Road.

This option also provides a road link between the roundabout at Whin Park and Glenurquhart Road on the east side of the Canal.

Hard on the heels of the controversial changes to Union Street/Church Street/Queensgate traffic arrangement, the Council has run into bother at Ness Walk, where a hasty U-turn was required just four days after a one-way system was introduced there. An “an adverse response to the introduction of the new measure” is acknowledged in the Council’s press statement which is here:

http://www.highland.gov.uk/yourcouncil/news/newsreleases/2007/May/2007-05-24-05.htm

A meeting of affected parties is to be held in the Columba Hotel on Wednesday 30th May.