Gurnites can browse the submissions received by the Highland Council for the development plan consultation held between the 1st of November and the 13th of December last year on this document here. There are heavy submissions on the like of the Showfield and south Nairn areas and other matters that have been of considerable concern to many people in Nairn over recent years and months but there are also 25 pages of (mainly) objections to the proposal for 90 houses at South Kingsteps. They can be viewed on pages 62-87 of the document.
One submission comes from the town’s three community councils. Nairn West, River and Suburban CCs state:
"See attached composite note of jointly-agreed CC comments, in particular Section 4, headed SOUTH KINGSTEPS (NA2) – objection: development not required and not appropriate. This site should be removed from the Plan, for several reasons. “Rounding-off” the eastern margin of the town (given in the MIR as a reason for allocation) is no justification for building over the green space and watercourse of this field which have amenity value. Building housing on this field would have implications for drainage. The indicative total of 90 units is totally unacceptable. This would substantially alter the current low-density-residential character of the existing Kingsteps houses. The total of new housing elsewhere built and approved (Lochloy), likely (Delnies ) and allocated (Nairn South, Sandown, etc) renders this allocation superfluous. Access is a critical constraint. The capacity of the unclassified minor road to Brodie is limited. Access to this site through the existing Lochloy site NA5 (which itself has only one entry-point already serving some 600 houses) is inappropriate. If combined with a direct link out on to the Lochloy-Brodie road, this would create an obvious “ratrun”. This road – the sole access – leads only to an already problematic junction in Nairn, and eastward as a narrow rural road with no convenient connection to the A96. Unless and until the bypass route is confirmed and there is a vehicular linkage eastward from the Lochloy residential area on to the eventual A96 bypass, there should be no development on site NA2.”
Another comment received by the Council reads:
“Lochloy Road, through Kingsteps is a narrow road. The through traffic is made up of timber lorries, tractors, delivery vans, school buses plus the use of private vehicles from Kingsteps and beyond. Passing areas are not designated, therefore private driveways are used. Exit on to A96 from Lochloy Road at the junction at certain times results in long queues forming on Lochloy Road. This would be made worse by the addition of 90 plus more cars joining the exit to work. This would not be alleviated by the new proposed trunk road as traffic would still have to travel on Lochloy Road.”
In his representation, Laurie Fraser, himself a Highland Councillor states:
“NA2 South Kingsteps. There should be no further housing built to the east of Nairn until the transport links have been improved. This means a road from the A96, Balmakeith, over the railway line to link in with the current development being proposed.”
