Preparing for the Nairn South Planning Hearing - Community Councillors updated

Last week at the joint “nearly prenuptial?” meeting of the West and Suburban Community Councils, Rosemary Young read out some notes from her fellow member Brian Stewart which gave the meeting an update on the forthcoming Nairn South Planning appeal hearing. 

“Now the issues, are the transport issues and these will be heard at the hearing and about the planning conditions that should be imposed upon the developers if they are allowed to proceed. Our case which is jointly agreed between the three CCs and Nairn Residents Concern Group with Joan Noble, the case remains as always that the infrastructure especially the roadwork network can’t cope and we’ve always put detailed supporting evidence which covers issues like drainage. Our submission also raises questions about the validity of the local plans and the conduct of Highland Council officials which the Reporter may refuse to discuss. 

The transport studies, Joan Noble has put in her own submission on the transport analysis, she demonstrates that the new and updated transport assessment provided by Scotia group for the appeal is just as flawed and unreliable as the original studies which were shown to be suspect last September and were not believed by the Council back then which is why they refused the application. 

Now the Council have also put in a pretty robust defence of the refusal decision and are relying on an independent transport expert as their main witness.

Michael Green and Laurie Fraser will also make statements at the appeal. Last week we managed to prevent the Highland Council planners (Rosemary then added “I use his words here”) screwing up the Council’s position at the appeal. They had put prejudicial stuff into the draft IMFLDP and we got Michael Green and Highland Council lawyers to get it amended.”

Gurnites can read the combined CCs, NRCG and Joan Noble's submission here.