A regular gurnite contacts us tonight to say that he has been reading the objections received by the Highland Council e-planning site against the proposal for 16 flats on the site of the bus station garage. Our correspondent is a bit peeved with the attitude of some of the folk that have expressed their opinions. Joan Noble complains that the proposed development will look like a lighthouse. Our correspondent went on to tell the gurn that he could think of nothing more appropriate for Nairn than a lighthouse.
Other prominent complainers on the Highland Council e-planning pages include NICE folk, Iain Fairweather, Rupert Furze and the main mannie Michael Barnett. They will be, of course, raising objections in a personal capacity. You can see who is saying what here.
The Gurn also understands from an unreliable source close to River Community Council that a massive majority of their members support this new application. Are any gurnites familiar with Runrig's "Lighthouse"
"There's a lighthouse
Shining in the black
A lighthouse
Standing in the dark
All the world's a ship
Shipwrecked on the seas
Breaking up in pieces
We're clinging to the reef
There's a lighthouse"
"There's a lighthouse
Shining in the black
A lighthouse
Standing in the dark
All the world's a ship
Shipwrecked on the seas
Breaking up in pieces
We're clinging to the reef
There's a lighthouse"
As the latest proposal is to build a block of affordable housing on the bus station site, the Malvina Reynolds/Tom Paxton song seems more relevant:
ReplyDeleteLittle boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky tacky,
Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes all the same.
There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one,
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.
A lighthouse in a sea-side town sounds fine to me.
ReplyDeleteSeems to me the objectors are scraping the bottom of the barrel of objections if they are having to align the proposed building with a lighthouse.
ReplyDeleteIt is far from any lighthouse I've ever seen, but maybe I missed the large flashing light that's proposed for the top?
Will it have a foghorn as well, if not it's time those against the proposal bought one as it's the only way they're going to get heard against the rising tide of those in favour of the development
A building in the shape of a lighthouse for Nairn, that's brilliant. Why are people objecting to this idea?
ReplyDeleteIs it not just the case that some influential people in Nice/west end circles do not want social/council housing anywhere near there area?
ReplyDeleteWill the Lighthouse Family live there?
ReplyDeleteOne of the objectors (Iain Fairweather) has written
ReplyDelete"While affordable housing is a noble aspiration"
Affordable housing is not a 'noble aspiration' and should never be seen as such in any society.
For those in need of housing having a roof over your head is a basic human requirement. Mr Fairweather has clearly never been in real need of housing himself otherwise he wouldn't write about such housing in such a pompous and way.
Yes, I agree the site is not a prime one in terms of offering the best or outlooks etc, but for 16 people or couples it could offer a starter property, and for those people the flats will become their dream homes and not 'noble aspirations'
Prospective home owners of the flats will not be marched in at gun point and forced to buy one, it will be their choice to live there. I have lived in much worse places in my life.
It's a shame that the need for affordable housing has clearly become a NIMBY issue rather than a human one in Nairn.
It's time to recognise our fellow citizens in Nairn. They often aren't that vocal but are in need of our help, and that includes everything from food parcels to housing
Objectors to the proposed flats should be ashamed of their comments. It goes beyond 'nice', this is the needy
Reading through the objections I see some mention the old steading and the high wall potentially blocking the view for the proposed flats. I think these are fair comments and the obvious solution would be to demolish the wall and and the steading, not as though they are much in the public eye at the moment and this would improve the quality of life for people in the lower flats. Also this would allow the flat residents to have free access to Viewfield so their children could play in this area which would become a garden for them
ReplyDeleteI can see that parking for the flat owners will become the big issue. Nairn town centre car parking spaces are at a premium as it is, and I doubt some people will respect the spaces put aside for the flats as they happily ignore other parking restrictions at the moment
ReplyDeleteMaybe the nearby takeaway will offer a discount to the new residents, free delivery anyway!
gimme shelter said...
ReplyDeleteOne of the objectors (Iain Fairweather) has written
"While affordable housing is a noble aspiration"
Affordable housing is not a 'noble aspiration' and should never be seen as such in any society.
For those in need of housing having a roof over your head is a basic human requirement. Mr Fairweather has clearly never been in real need of housing himself otherwise he wouldn't write about such housing in such a pompous and way.
Yes, I agree the site is not a prime one in terms of offering the best or outlooks etc, but for 16 people or couples it could offer a starter property, and for those people the flats will become their dream homes and not 'noble aspirations'
Prospective home owners of the flats will not be marched in at gun point and forced to buy one, it will be their choice to live there. I have lived in much worse places in my life.
It's a shame that the need for affordable housing has clearly become a NIMBY issue rather than a human one in Nairn.
It's time to recognise our fellow citizens in Nairn. They often aren't that vocal but are in need of our help, and that includes everything from food parcels to housing
Objectors to the proposed flats should be ashamed of their comments. It goes beyond 'nice', this is the needy. hear hear i would agree with this all the way, why not use this site before starting on other sites ie sandown, i have seen a few plots around the town for sale and some of them are very small, with the cost of ground now so high, we should be using these sites.
"There will be no proper parking or drying/play areas for these people who may well have young families. " Said an objector
ReplyDeleteObviously the children of the lower orders would not be allowed to play in Viewfield then? Nor would the proletariet parents be able to park their cars along Viewfield like those people that use the sports club every night.
Time for those that want to rule over us to wake up and smell the coffee.
I wonder as to how many of the objectors are currently sat in rented accommodation, paying a rent that is way in excess of what a mortgage would be, whilst dreaming of owning their own property? I suspect none. These comments are all produced from comfortable armchairs sat in comfortable homes which they own.
ReplyDeleteMy only objection to the flats is that they probably won't be affordable for most people in Nairn. I know you're lucky to have a job these days even it is minimum wage but that is not going to put anybody on the property ownership ladder
Maybe these 'do gooders' would like to spend their
time and effort on some real problems that many people in Nairn face, that of housing, rather than spouting forth about the aesthetics of a proposed block of flats, or to put it another way potential homes for the not so well off!
@Human right - in agreement here
ReplyDeleteThe current minimum wage equals just over £12.5K per year (40 hr week). Assuming you can find a bank or building society to lend you three times your annual salary (doubtful) your mortgage is going to be for less than £40K (£38,625). Even if you are a couple that only gives you just over £77K, are the proposed flats going to be that cheap, I doubt it. And try saving for a deposit when you scrape by each day as Human Right says paying a high rent, it's nigh impossible
I hated her policies but at least Maggie Thatcher opened up the housing market for many people, what's the current government doing, nothing that I can see
As for the objectors to the bus station flats sat in their ivory towers try finding out what life is really like for people in Nairn
I went along to the planning office to look over the plans and to seek some facts re this development.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that only five flats of the 16 will have balconies and these are what I would call ‘false facia’ type because I do not know the proper techie term; as far as I can tell you could not step out onto them.
I read the design statement and it seems that the site itself is 0.314 acres which (I have attempted to calculate) is a max of 1271 sq metres.
The footprint of the building is given as 383 sq metres – which therefore only occupies only 30% of the site (?).
The flat size is around 75 sq metres, although the exact figures are very difficult to read on the plans. They are all 2 bedroom flats.
All bedroom windows appear to point to the sides of the building and the open plan kitchen / lounge areas either face to the front or to the rear of the building. Those at the ground floor at the back appear to face onto a stone wall at viewfield.
Is this wall protected?
In terms of outside space which must be around 70% of the site:
There will be the 16 parking spaces – only one for registered disabled as far as I can see;
An enclosed area to the pizza place side of the proposed flats will store 16 bins in close proximity with each other;
Then there will be some cycle storage areas to the other side;
There will be a little green planting around the flats and some path to the sides; possibly for access for maintenance?
There is no dedicated outside drying space for clothes as far as I can see;
The living areas are open plan so noise from any machines in the kitchen will travel. This must surely be a consideration for any family in on a rainy day with chores being done, telly on, maybe some homework needing doing. Also not all clothes can be put in a drier.
Occupancy rates might well be 3 to 4 persons given that they have 2 bedrooms? I am not sure what type of tenure theses flats will be.
Obvious questions:
How many bin types per property do you have in Nairn and is the space provided for bins enough here?
Could provision be made for adequate drying space in the properties?
People keep referring to the flats as affordable but does anyone know what the tenure will be? Will they all be for low cost rent for example?
Does anyone know what the timescale for building would be?
I forgot to check if there was a lift.
http://wam.highland.gov.uk/wam/files/3E5D591C7F397B52039A613EC8BC1B6C/pdf/12_02743_FUL-LOCATION_PLAN_A3-397594.pdf
Anyone and everyone should feel free to comment and raise issues on any planning application since it is best to identify potential issues and sort them out before any building work starts. However the planning system will only focus on what is 'material'.
I would certainly place an objection to any planning application where I felt that there were material issues that needed to be addressed.
I believe objections can be withdrawn at any time.
@ Nicky Tam, this observer finds your comments entertaining but feels that one or two of the objectors might not share the same sense of humour and could take it very personally if published.
ReplyDeleteNever thocht yer were a big sissy The Gurn fit an awfae excuse Mannie fit are ye worried aboot are ye fairt ye wid get a bollocking & get a dose oh the skitters, so fit if it did get up a few peoples noses,tough, its no like ye bide in Syria.
ReplyDeleteSome interesting items for readers to consider:
ReplyDeleteThe Equality Trust:
http://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/why
Extract:
In rich countries, a smaller gap between rich and poor means a happier, healthier, and more successful population. Just look at the US, the UK, Portugal, and New Zealand in the top right of this graph, doing much worse than Japan, Sweden or Norway in the bottom left.
Shelter calls for end to 'Right-to-Buy'
http://scotland.shelter.org.uk/news/july_2012/call_for_end_to_right-to-buy
Quote:
Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, says:
“Right-to-buy has greatly benefited many thousands of council tenants who have been able to buy their home at a discount. But the good fortune of a few has come at the cost of many more people having to go through the despair and frustration of sitting on council waiting lists for months and years. A cost is also incurred by the local authority that paid for the houses, as they are forced to sell them off at a big discount.
“Years of tampering with right-to-buy has left the legislation complex and confusing. Shelter Scotland’s preferred option is to scrap right-to-buy and consign it to the history books. The policy has no place in today’s housing system where demand for social homes continues to outstrip supply by some distance.
“We estimate 10,000 new homes a year need to be built. By protecting existing and future council house stock, local authorities will be much more inclined to invest in social housing. That’s why we are calling for the abolition of right-to-buy and investment in a social housing system that meets current and future demand in Scotland.”
And from the 'Morning Star',
'Time to bin legacy of Thatcher'
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/122065
Extract:
'Council housing campaigners heaped pressure on the Scottish government today to scrap the right-to-buy scheme and invest more in social housing.
Thats ye back in ma good books Gurnie, i will need tae drop of a pile a dung fur yer plot,& some fresh eggs for The Misses, noo just tae keep things straight I dinna want folkies thinking I have had to ge ye a wee back hander this gift is personnel mind. PS If I bump into yea on Games Day I promise tae buy you a large dram.
ReplyDelete@ Nick Tam
ReplyDeleteBlatant corruption at the highest level Mr Tam.
£5 in the post Mr Gurnmeister if this comment goes up (don't hold your breath!)
Am surprised the entire argument ends up as "yes or no", especially as I would have thought it was common sense that the building should not be more than three storeys in height, to keep in character with the surrounding developments.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, it makes no sense to remove the commercial ground floor, when this could be an important commercial space for a town with already significant plans for expansion.
The argument that social housing make this a necessity simply repeats the argument that Nairn needs more room for families and doesn't apply specifically to this issue.
It seems strange that so many commenters cry foul at planning applications for Sandown, Nairn South, and Delnies, and yet now suddenly want a residential towerblock in the centre of town.
Especially as "affordable housing" is anything but for most people without a huge deposit.
Aside from the tongue-in-cheek jokes about lighthouses, it is a great pity that, once again, the debate about what-to-build-where in Nairn has turned into open season for rants about NIMBYs, class war, ivory towers, the lower orders, the children of the proletariat and all that - not to mention personal comments about named individuals, which are well out of order.
ReplyDelete@Gimme Shelter is right: "It's a shame that the need for affordable housing has clearly become a NIMBY issue rather than a human one in Nairn.".
The reason people who live in Nairn feel so strongly about the town (whatever their income, class, or skin/hair/eye colour) is because it has been, and still is, an attractive place with good amenities, decent shops, and pleasant views which all can enjoy.
The tough challenge for the planners, the developers, and all of us is to figure out how to develop (or knock down) buildings in such a way as to make the town look better and work more effectively for all the residents - and indeed the tourists who bring money into the town and businesses that might want to invest here. What such people look for is a town centre which has a lively variety of activity and a range of good facilities and attractive buildings.
Few people would deny that it's important to bring housing, and jobs, to Nairn, and to keep the town centre shops and facilities going. The key issue is where and how to do so. That's why the Council plans for housing in some places, business and shops in other areas (like the town centre), and also tries to ensure protection of open green spaces and views. People who live in affordable and rented housing need the shops, and appreciate the quality of the town facilities and its green spaces, just as much as those in the West end, Kingsteps or Lochloy who sit in comfortable armchairs.
So the issue over the bus station is not whether people need or deserve affordable housing - as others have said, there are a lot of people who do. The question is whether building a large block of small 2-bed flats (with little room for families) on the bus station site in the town centre is the best or most sensible place to do so. That is what the discussion is, or should be, about.
Putting blocks of housing on any and every empty patch of land in the town centre is perhaps not the wisest solution, and spraying insults around helps no-one.
According to the original Gurn post, "a massive majority of (River CC) members support this new application". That'll be, er, half a dozen people then?
ReplyDeletePresumably the same people who welcomed the 4-storey blocks of affordable flats along the Maggot riverside, and in the honourable tradition of those who favoured the rows of apartment-blocks surrounding the harbour, the 3-storey block on the Ashers' Bakery site, the stylish buildings of Royal Walk and Gordon Street.
People need such housing. So let's have lots more! 16 flats on the bus garage site? Not nearly enough. A tower block on the Links perhaps? Who needs the Bandstand - housing is much more important! Flatten the Fishermens' Hall and put up a skyscraper. Turn the Laing Hall into a couple of semi-detached houses. There's still vacant land on the Maggot, too.
Oh, I forgot - Fishertown is a Conservation Area. The local residents of those nice (and expensive) little cottages might turn all NIMBY-ish. Ah well, then all these housing units that are needed will just have to be put beside the Lochloy bungalows and mansions, or in the Co-op car park. Maybe on Viewfield and the Showfield. There ought to be room at Firhall for a few more high-rises too. Hell, why not take over the Newton and the Golf View to house the homeless and turn the golf course into footy pitches for the kids. Let the tourists, the golfers and those pesky West Enders go elsewhere.
Way to go, Nairn!
@ Brian Turner
ReplyDelete"It seems strange that so many commenters cry foul at planning applications for Sandown, Nairn South, and Delnies, and yet now suddenly want a residential towerblock in the centre of town"
Not 'strange' at all Brian. The most recent Sandown application was to build hundreds of homes on a greenfield site, and the other areas you mention are also for large volumes of housing.
The old bus garage is a recognised eye sore and will be just 16 flats, although I suspect the developers will be knocked back and it will be one storey less with 12 flats.
I'm not sure that everyone 'wants' a block of flats in the centre of town, but to my mind it could look a lot better than what we currently have, and I'm pretty certain that's where other people are coming from in supporting the application
Since when did the bus station area become part of the 'town centre'?
ReplyDelete"to my mind it could look a lot better than what we currently have, and I'm pretty certain that's where other people are coming from in supporting the application"
ReplyDeleteI hope that's the case - sometimes the entire discussion seems polarised, rather than a consensus on sensible compromise.
Removing the commercial element of the design - doesn't that have echoes of the harbour redevelopment?
@ flatliner said
ReplyDelete"I'm not sure that everyone 'wants' a block of flats in the centre of town, but to my mind it could look a lot better than what we currently have, and I'm pretty certain that's where other people are coming from in supporting the application"
This rather misses the point. Everyone agrees that the derelict bus garage is an eyesore. But is a block of 16, or even 12 flats, the best replacement? Just to say that it could look better than what is there now is a cop-out.
This development will have a long-term influence on how the most visible part of Nairn looks for the next few decades. It deserves careful thought. That is why people are arguing for business premises, retail, or other public services rather than housing alone.
We should be aiming for the best and most suitable alternative, not accepting without question a block of flats just because that is what the developer has put on the table.
And to Anonymous@9.16am - you surely wouldn't say the bus garage is located in the suburbs?
according to the nairnshire,thats now 15 years since flats were mooted on bus station site.
ReplyDeleteits a damn disgrace its taken so long,and still not resolved,those councillers past and present,should be ashamed, SHAME ON YOU,SHAME,,,SHAME,,,SHAME,,
not fit to hold office,and should be booted out on their arse,and banned from holding office again
stop the pussyfooting about,get the damn thing flattened,and rebuilt,anything would be better than whats there.
@anon 4:51
ReplyDeleteThe hold up in developing the site has mainly been the developers and planners, not councillors. Perhaps you would like to pass your sentiments on to the right people?
ok the developers and planners should recieve a severe boot in the baws for taking so long 15 years is far far too long to decide
ReplyDeleteTake a look at these for comparison with the bus station plans:
ReplyDeleteBurton-on-Trent
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-34687888.html
...further features of the outdoor area include a delightful communal garden together with clothes drying section.
Fort William
http://www.kd-partnership.co.uk/gallery/New-Build-Housing/gallery/Caol-Nursery-site/3496
...Externally each house has a block paviour parking bay, turfed lawn, refuse storage and clothes drying area.
Edinburgh
http://www.mbha.org.uk/housing/our-properties/muirhouse-bank/
...Muirhouse Bank is situated in a mixed, mainly residential area in the north of Edinburgh. Completed in April 2007, the development consists of 12 flats. All properties have 2 bedrooms and gas heating. The development has a communal garden and clothes drying areas.
Fairfields Inverness
http://www.deveronhomes.co.uk/Deveron_Homes_Fairfields_Inverness.php
And then there is this comment here
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/green-living-blog/2010/jul/22/eco-friendly-drying-laundry
...I can't believe Edinburgh council gives planning permission for flats with no drying greens, internal bathrooms, and all the outdoor space given over to parking cars, then heckles us all about recycling! My flat is six years old, but is less eco-friendly than the old tenement I lived in before!
Other links of interest
Advice and information on housing in Nairn:
http://www.highland.gov.uk/livinghere/housing/howtogetmoreinformation/ward-19-z-housing.htm
Highland Housing Alliance
http://www.highlandhousingalliance.com/
@gimme shelter and repeated by @growtosow
ReplyDelete"Mr Fairweather has clearly never been in real need of housing himself otherwise he wouldn't write about such housing in such a pompous and way."
The problem with basing an argument on an assumption is that you can get it wrong. You haven't a clue about my background. But that's fine. Just keep hiding behind your anonymity and take cheap shots based on your own prejudices.
Those requiring housing deserve better. Nairn deserves better and we've had quite enough of ad-hoc developments. Isn't it time we had a more joined up approach? That way it might just be possible to provide suitable homes for our young people - and give them jobs as well.
The thing that gets me is that we seem to whip people for not staying poor and uneducated. No-one really knows the backgrounds of those writing here.
ReplyDeleteI confess that I was one of the lucky ones whose parents got a council house so we had a stable life. OK so it was not a palace and there were no mod cons or indeed central heating but my mother kept it clean and stretched the budget.
My father had a manual job in which he had the staying the power to work all the hours god sent for more years than some people live. He was lucky to be in an industry that was not ravaged by the closures and redundancies that destroyed the lives of so many others.
My parents encouraged me to stay on at school no matter how much of a struggle it was. I am now a university graduate with lots of skills, but it did not come easy.
I struggled to get onto the property ladder because of low wages but private rental was so expensive where I lived and the supply of council housing was limited and the waiting lists long.
As I said I was lucky. Many young people today do not have the same stability in their lives and no opportunity to show what they are made of.
Then there is a complete mismatch between the accommodation available and the income of those that need homes. Housing has become a way of making money.
I deserve the same opportunity to have a nice home as the next person. Lets stop the bickering and ensure that we all get opportunities.
nairn does need housing but ones that folk can afford and to get this space used for housing that folk can afford makes sense to me, why leave this building to get more of an eyesore that it is at the moment, its not just for the visitor's sake its for the the local folk as well, why should we have to put up with these eyesores that are around our town, on the jobs front yes something has to be done on this, nairn needs jobs in nairn, the high street needs a good tidy up, on a recent trip up north we visited the town of golspie and what a show of flowers they had up and down the main street hanging baskets and tubs such a pity nairn could be more like this again, it does make a difference's too folks view of the town and shows that we care about it.
ReplyDelete@Iain
ReplyDelete"Those requiring housing deserve better"
No, those deserving housing deserve housing ASAP. Not having to wait whilst some self appointed worthies debate what's good enough for them or Nairn
It's funny how expressing an alternative opinion these days seems to give another the right to go in for a bit of what, I believe, the cricket fraternity call 'sledging'.
ReplyDeleteIt's equally odd how the human condition means that such 'sledging' would be highly unlikely to take place if the sledgee were stood in front of the sledger.(My daughter told me by email its something to do with online disinhibition effect, then called me a stupid old git).
Anyway.....what happend to the great British adoption of the philosophy attributed to Voltaire ( who rather ironically never actually said it). - "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" ?
More relevant to the case though, there's nothing wrong with well considered,well designed afforable housing.God alone knows, from an asthetic perspective, there's plenty of crap built in the private sector.
The real issue ,and it's brought into sharp focus by the comments of the people needing affordable accomodation, is that the system takes no account of the people 'of' the town. Those that are here by birth , choice or association.
Those connections are ignored when it comes to selecting tenants for the new houses. What's your points score? & how many blocks of flats will have to be built under the existing system before all of the folks who actually want to be here will get a house? 50, 100, 1000.
Truth is that those who really want these new flats will be highly unlikely to get them & will be left in the clutches of an increasingly expensive private rental sector.
The answer, or rather a possible answer - how about a Nairn housing trust, formed to manage either existing or newly built housing stock in the town?
If the policy of building flatted developments in Nairn continues at the pace it has this past ten years , then the whole dynamic of the town could be changed. When it's changed, it's changed for everyone , whether you own or rent your house.
I would love to think that a sensible, sympathetic building could be designed for the bus station site. That's the easy bit.
Ensuring that the most deserving people ( and that might well be you) end up occupying it is another matter completely.
William objects
ReplyDeleteWilliam and the gang were restless. It was the second week of their summer holidays and once again the sky was full of dark clouds, another day of rain was immanent.
Out of boredom Ginger was reading the local blog called The Gurn on his smartphone. ‘I say’ said Ginger, ‘the old bus garage is causing a bit of a stir’. William who was staring out of the window shifted his head from his elbow and looked at Ginger. He’d long held an interest in the old bus garage, as it seemed an ideal place for a new gang headquarters near the centre of town. ‘What’s that’ said William, trying not to show too much interest. “The old bus garage is going to be made into flats’ said Ginger, ‘I heard my father say he’d written a strong letter to the planners objecting’. William wondered as to what a strong letter could be; maybe it was covered in steel as an anti terrorist measure, yes that would be it. ‘Maybe we should object as well’ said Ginger, ‘after all William, didn’t you say that the garage was going to be our new headquarters’. Outside the rain had started which precluded activity for the morning so William was moved to enquire more from Ginger. ‘You say your father wrote a letter, should we write one as well’ Writing letters was not the Outlaws strongpoint, unless of course it was ransom notes in which they excelled. Just then Violet Elizabeth Bott wandered in. ‘Hello boys, what are you doing today then, it’s thraining you know’. The gang let out a collective sigh at her appearance. ‘Who said you could come in’ said Henry
To be continued…
the famous five say take it down their are loads more places for a den, you only have to look for it william, lots of places around the town for adventures.
ReplyDeletePhil I. Stine highlighted some of the hideous blocks of flats built in Nairn over the last 20 year's or so (including that block built next to the old arcade at top of Harbour Street). A very valid point was being highlighted. Does Nairn really want another horrendous looking development in a prominent position? Or does Nairn want careful and considered development?
ReplyDeleteNot NIMBYism, but just damn common sense. Flats need to be built, so lets get it right. Rather than stare at a cheap and nasty building for the next 100 years and mutter amongst ourselves.
As for housing occupancy. I'm disgusted by some comments on keeping flats for Nairn born or Nairn people. There are these days many immigrants in our fair town, who have travelled far from their own countries (many simply Eastern Europe and are EU citizens) and looking for a better life and better homes, than they can get in their own countries.
Why should "Nairn Folk" with a job be given better treatment , than an say an unemployed Eastern European migrant, who's only apparent sin is to take advantage of the system he is entitled to as an EU citizen.
16 bin places, for 16 flats.
ReplyDeleteHighlands Council wants recycling. So shouldn't each flat be issued with a green and blue bin. ie 32 in total?
Bins everywhere - maybe that's what the small number of carpark spaces are for.
"Why should "Nairn Folk" with a job be given better treatment , than an say an unemployed Eastern European migrant, who's only apparent sin is to take advantage of the system he is entitled to as an EU citizen."
ReplyDeleteWhy should citizens of the EU who have chosen not to travel to other member states, who do work and pay taxes in their country of origin and don't want to burden the system by 'taking advantage of it' be denied housing in their home town?