Images of today's demolition and the new vistas opening up available here. Perhaps best viewed in full screen slide show mode. Maybe opening these spaces up will create economic and social opportunities for the town centre too. Let's hope Highland Council allows Nairn residents to decide what happens next and doesn't impose some quick fix solution to raise some cash for the Glenurquhart Road coffers. Surely the most sensible solution is to use these areas as car parks.
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Excellent show put on today by the wrecker,was quite surreal to watch the dinosaur in action and the way he used the steel beam as hook was amazing! I wonder if hes up for a homer and we can all club in for him to go on the the bus station next...then the regal...then the Rosebank church...then Harbour street amusements.
ReplyDeleteThe view through from the A96 has dramatically improved but is still let down - particularly by the former Regal. I wonder if Co-Op are sitting back hoping the Highland Council will dig deep and act on this too?
The photos prove the point that we need some thoughtful design to show off the views of the attractive old (Courthouse) and new (Community Centre) architecture of Nairn.
ReplyDeleteThe worst possible result of this work would be an windswept open expanse of tarmac, or - even worse - what someone once called a "Berlin Wall" of new housing blocks like Royal Walk.
At the very least it needs some landscaping, and maybe a few trees and parapet walls, if it is to be used initially as more parking space.
More carparking, just what we need. The lucky few who have a job on the High Street can park free for 8 or 10 hours. The unlucky majority without a job can park all day and admire the multitude of ladies hairdressers, cafes and charity shops. The over 60's and other bus pass holders can park all day and go off free to the far reaches of Scotland. Then,as usual, there would be no vacant spaces for genuine shoppers and visitors to spent money on the High Street.
ReplyDeletei bet it,ll take longer to make the land from petrol station and centre to be utillised than it took to decide and knock both down.riymose
ReplyDeleteno progress at petrol station since it was demolished
@Anon 11:04AM
ReplyDeleteRe the petrol station. If you look closely they are building new walls to match the existing. This is to enclose the new extra space as part of the main Co-op car park
It probably suits the Co-op to use the land they own as additional parking for shoppers, especially if their High Street shop is to close.
ReplyDeleteBut those who urge that all this town centre space be devoted to more parking need to be careful what they wish for. It might not be long before the cash-strapped Council decides to bring in parking charges. Then listen for the howls of anguish from the people who currently park there free all day - and from the High Street shopkeepers who rely on the visitors and shoppers who also park there.
Bring in charges in town, and suddenly people might find the free parking at Sainsburys a whole lot more appealing....
An open wide tree lined boulevard would look fantastic here, right in the town centre.
ReplyDeleteWhat would not look good is cheap and nasty modern concrete blocks of flats towering up above the pavements, as we can see at the old Ashers bakery and lots of other locations around Nairn.