Sandown Common Good Land discussions coming up - “...the need for housing, the market and who we’d like to produce all the property for...”

At last week’s meeting of the Suburban CC in Nairn Academy Dick Youngson (Chair of the Subbies) told those present of new protocols that Highland Council are insisting of for decision making when it comes to the like of joint meetings of Nairnshire’s Community Councils. More on that later when time permits. Dick had something interesting to say about the Sandown Lands however:

“When we were at these meetings Liz Cowie also invited us to, and afterwards, to have a meeting with the ward councillors about the Common Good land at Sandown to try and perhaps thrash out a workable model to look at the need for housing, what we need and the market and who we’d like to produce all the property for. Because at the moment all that we hear is that there is a waiting list of whatever it is – 500 – but we don’t actually know what sort of people they are. What they want and what they require.”

Michael Green then said: “There is a housing requirement review coming forward in May which will address exactly what is actually required in Nairn.”

Dick replied: “I think we are going to meet with you before that, probably quite quickly to look at, not a master plan for Sandown but community ideas[...]”

Gurn Opinion – given the previous history of Sandown development issues and the ongoing community sensitivity regarding Common Good affairs the Gurn believes that any meetings between the Highland Council and Community Councils concerning the Sandown Lands should be open to the public and the press.