The Highlands and Islands’ Green MSP John Finnie has secured a meeting with Scottish Water bosses to discuss their controversial plans for a new waste water treatment plant in Ardersier. The talks will take place at the Scottish Parliament next Wednesday (8 June), and Scottish Water have agreed to invite all other Highlands and Islands MSP, and the member for the Inverness and Nairn constituency, rural economy minister Fergus Ewing.
Mr Finnie has given his support to the community campaign against the plans, which would see the historic village of just over 1000 residents become home to a sewage treatment plant intended to serve thousands of homes in developments along the A96 corridor.
Mr Finnie said:
“I’m glad I’ll be able to put the community’s objections to the waste plant directly to Scottish Water.
“Ardersier is an historic village with narrow roads and many houses dating back to the 18th century. Buildings are already suffering structural damage from coaches and military traffic to Fort George, and heavy construction traffic would cause very serious harm.
“The village’s growing tourist economy is highly dependent on its beautiful coastal environment. The beach is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the land adjacent to the planned works is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. All this could be put at risk by the proposals.
“Scottish Water say the waste treatment works shouldn’t smell if it is working properly – most who have the misfortune to live near one know that that is a big ‘if’.
“Ardersier is just an inappropriate location for this development, so I’ll be urging Scottish Water to re-examine the alternatives.”
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