The Nairnshire Committee - first meeting Weds 27th January in the Courthouse 10.30 - Who will come out on top the community or the planners?

"A meeting of the Nairnshire Committee will take place in the Chamber, The Court House, High Street, Nairn on Wednesday 27 January 2016 at 10.30 am."

Why not get yourself down there for the historic moment when a Nairnshire Committee once again meets in the Courthouse. There's quite a lot on the agenda. You can read the items here. 

Gurn Opinion

To this observer what will be indicative of how things will go is if our four councillors show resistance to the latest transport proposals from the planning department that could enable development at South Nairn to go ahead after further "consultation". 

It is plainly obvious that the majority of Nairn's population do not want to see development at South Nairn because of the dangers the extra traffic would present. The community wants to see development elsewhere such as on the Sandown Lands. Will our four councillors reflect this and tell the planners that this area should never have been zoned for development or will they meekly follow the recommendation they have been given? 

"RECOMMENDATION 

Committee is invited to: 

• agree for the preparation of a draft Nairn South Masterplan for public consultation, timescales to be agreed with members of this committee prior to the consultation; 

• note the update on progress in the assessment of Transport issues; and 

• agree that Council officials continue to liaise with Council Members, the community and landowner and developer interests in the preparation and delivery of a draft Nairn South Masterplan for public consultation."

Who matters more - the community or the planning department? Will our councillors reflect this at their first meeting?  Go to this page here, click on item 7 and download a document that will give you details of the traffic options planners want to push forward for "consultation". Will the new Nairnshire committee stand up for Nairnshire or just roll over for Highland Council?

Here's a video that is a quick reminder of what Nairn thinks of proposals for South Nairn. 

UPDATE 1305:  "Just back from watching the Nairnshire Committee meeting. The Nairn Councillors (apart from Liz who couldn't vote on this due to her own planning interests) defied the planners. The planning mannie looked stunned and he said that the decision not to accept the transport report didn't mean that South Nairn was no longer zoned for planning. I think that everyone knows that but this was hugely symbolic in that the community opposition to South Nairn was backed in no uncertain terms by Michael Green the chairman of the new Nairnshire committee and Stephen Fuller and Laurie voted for his motion. There's a lot to do before the planning department give up and put down the sledgehammer and listen to the community about where we want development but it is a great first step. It's the way the wind is blowing - power to the Nairnshire committee!"