Monday Miscellany

A few notes from Community Council meetings last week:

Tonight Alistair Noble goes to River Community Council with his Nice Vision for Nairn. Last week he was with the Westies and found unanimous support. River might prove slightly different however, this observer predicts he will receive a courteous, respectful welcome but issues between River and West over the bus station issue and one or two other matters may provoke an underlying tension between some members of River and the NICE organisation – some West Councillors have dual membership of West and NICE and to this observer this may influence some on River. It would be difficult for NICE to project itself as an organisation that enjoyed town-wide support without the official blessing of River. Tonight’s meeting 8 p.m. in the URC Church will certainly be important, but perhaps not crucial, to the future of Alistair’s initiative for Nairn.

Also important for NICE aims and ambitions in the town will be the planning site visit at the bus station tomorrow at 09.30 a.m. The Councillors will come to town on a bus and then head back to Inverness to decide if 16 flats should be built on the site of the old garage.

Other news from the Community Councils last week. At West concern was expressed about Viewfield House. Some present felt that the building was deteriorating and the Highland Council were not doing enough to maintain it. This observer had a look at the weekend and the first signs of decay can perhaps be seen if you look upwards.

At River it was revealed that another group are bidding to occupy the Links School building. Gurnites will remember that the artists from the BlueDoor Studios  want to move in, with assistance for their bid from the Scottish Arts Group WASPS. The Highland Facilitator team have also stepped forward. They are an independent not-for-profit environmental group who enable, engage and empower young people who are affected or suffer from long term illness and/or disability. They are currently based in Ardersier but are all for moving into Nairn if the Highland Council accept their offer to lease the building. 

A representative told River CC: “Developing community involvement in both the management and running of the Links School is a key factor in our proposal. An example of this is an HFT partner is keen to erect a sound studio within the building, to which people in Nairn would have access and use as well.”

Simon Noble told River CC that he thought that it would be useful to have a meeting of the residents surrounding the untended areas between Sutors Avenue and Sutors View in the Lochloy development to enable them to come up with some options as to what should be done. Posible options could include allotments, a community orchard or a garden. He said that it was clear that Highland Council had no legal obligation for the area and certainly had no wish to be come involved.