Highland Council's Moray Firth Local Development plan too complex for online users? Nairn River Community Council creates "user-friendly" form in response to concerns raised by locals

Nairn River Community Council are encouraging people to have their say on the future of Nairn. They state:

"Nairn and Nairnshire’s future is out for consultation till 17th June as part of the new Inner Moray Firth Development Plan.

A range of ‘allocated sites’ are mapped out for future development over the coming 10-20 years as the town grows further.

Please take the opportunity to have your say as a Nairn resident on this important Plan."

NRCC also say on their website:

 "Since the Newton public meeting many locals attending have contacted community councillors to say how difficult they are finding it to access this complex Development Plan and comment on it online."

The Newton Hotel meeting was well attended. Newly elected Highland Cllr Paul Oldham posted a picture of the meeting and the following comment which indicates too that some folk are having trouble with it:
"I have had some feedback from people who are unable to comment on the Plan via the Web for whatever reason. If you’re in that position you should contact the Development Plans Team on 01349 886608 to discuss alternative ways of accessing the Plan and making comment."  More here. 

Nairn River Community Council are encouraging people to comment on the plan and on a page they have published on their website they too offer alternatives to people have problems with the online portal and on the popular Nairn Facebook page "Our Town" they state:

"You can comment via the Highland Council online consultation portal or look out for the 'user friendly' form created by Nairn community councils to help you have your say. This summarises key 'site allocations' for future development in Nairn over next 10 years for you to comment on ( hard copies will be made available on request and in public buildings for those with no IT access)"  

Here's the NRCC Moray Firth Local Development Plan information page.

Proposal for 15 houses on Fort Reay site

 The Gurn has received a copy of the following poster: 

"Community councils hope to repair broken bridges with Highland Council"

An interesting article in yesterday's Inverness Nairnshire Courier. Here's hoping indeed that Nairn is off to a new start with the new line-up of Highland Councillors and the willingness of the Community Councils to forge ahead in a positive direction.

Donald Wilson's article is here. A copy of the letter the CCs sent to the Highland Councillors is available here. 

Nairn County announces Murray Travel as new main sponsor

Nairn County Football Club has announced Murray Travel as its new headline sponsor.

The Highland travel agent – owned by local couple Scott & Sarah Murray, and with branches in Inverness, Elgin, and soon in Forres – has agreed a three-year deal with the club.

Scott Murray, director of Murray Travel, said: "We’re thrilled to be sponsoring Nairn County FC for the next three years, and look forward to exploring all the opportunities the partnership presents.

 Graeme Macleod (left) and Scott Murray celebrate the new partnership between Murray Travel and Nairn County FC. [Image by Eoghan Smith Photography.]

 

“Sarah and I recently moved to Nairn, and we also expanded our business from Inverness into the local area when we took over Beaver Travel and Alba Travel at the end of last year. It’s important for us, and for our business, to engage with the community in which we and our young family live and work.

“By sponsoring Nairn County, we want to show that we are committed to the development and wellbeing of the community we call home. We’re already excited about cheering on the Wee County from the stand next season!”

Through sister hospitality business Cru Holdings, the Murrays also purchased the Classroom Bistro in Nairn in 2019 – another firm favourite with locals.

Graeme Macleod, Nairn County FC director, added: "We are absolutely delighted to have Murray Travel on board as the club's new main sponsor.

"This is a crucial deal for the club which allows us to look forward and plan for the future with further optimism and ambition.

"Scott and Sarah are highly-successful businesspeople who have grown Murray Travel from humble beginnings to an award-winning company. It is that drive and passion to succeed and always improve which makes this partnership with the club a fantastic fit.

"The board of directors at the club is grateful to the efforts of our committee members Cindy Milne and Derek Steel in negotiating and concluding this deal.

"We are all extremely excited to be working with Murray Travel, and firmly believe that this will be a partnership with huge benefits for both parties. I look forward to welcoming Scott, Sarah and their staff to Station Park in the new season."

Murray Travel (formerly Inverness Travel) was established in 2014 by husband-and-wife team Scott and Sarah Murray, who added to their portfolio in 2021 with the takeover of local agencies Alba Travel and Beaver Travel. The firm operates travel boutiques in Inverness and Elgin, and will soon open a premises in Forres. Mr and Mrs Murray also co-founded Wanderluxe, a homeworking agency based in Sawbridgeworth, and Mr Murray is also a director in hospitality group, Cru Holdings.

The Murray Travel team has won numerous awards for its high quality of customer service and innovative business practices. Murray Travel is a member of ABTA, AITO and the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association. For more information, visit www.murraytravel.co.uk or head to @themurryatravel on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Scottish Governement's Transport Minister visits Nairn today - meets with community representatives and visits Rosebank pupils

Scottish Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth has met with representatives from the Nairn community to discuss the A96 by-pass.

The visit which took place today (Thursday 19 May), was organised by Nairn Connects BID, a membership organisation which works with local businesses and the community with the principle aim of making Nairn a better place to visit and shop and make it a more attractive place to do business.

Ms Gilruth spent time with Nairn BID manager Lucy Harding, and representatives from the town’s businesses and community groups including Nairn River Community Council, Nairn West Suburban Community Council, Nairn Improvement Community Enterprise (NICE) and Drew Hendry Westminster MP and Fergus Ewing MSP.

The main purpose of the visit was to show the Transport Minister the reality of living with the trunk road cutting through the heart of the town and to give a voice to the businesses and community groups.

Concerns have recently been raised that a newly announced review of the plan to dual the A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen could see the project scaled back. However, the minister made assurances that this was not the case.

6 pupil Amelie Ogston and P5 pupil Max Murchison show the transport minister their posters regarding the A96.

Lucy Harding said the Nairn community welcomed the opportunity to speak to Ms Gilruth face-to-face.

“We are very pleased the Transport Minister has taken time to come and see for herself our town and the road that cuts through it.

“Nairn is growing year on year and the by-pass is urgently needed. What we have now is not fit for purpose and is dangerous to everyone’s health and safety. It is also stunting potential growth for the town and hinders external and internal investment. Nairn has the potential to be a real destination once the bypass is built, and we are all working hard to achieve this goal.”

She added: “Ms Gilruth reassured us that she would be taking our concerns back to the Government and she is keen to expedite the process. She reassured us that she and Transport Scotland would be back in touch once the capital spending review is completed at the end of this month and was keen to emphasise the need for pace.”

Drew Hendy, MP who attended the meeting said: “The Minister has been very clear that it is her ambition to see the project move forward. It does feel to me from what I have seen and heard that we are much closer than we have ever been in the past.”

Ms Gilruth also visited Rosebank Primary School which is located adjacent to the busy trunk road.

There she met with the school’s headteacher, Lisa Campbell, and pupils who showed the Minister the difficulties they face on a day-to-day basis and presented her with posters about the road.

 

The Transport Minister met with representatives from the community

Ms Campbell said: “We were very pleased to have the Transport Minister visit Rosebank Primary School. The pupils were delighted to discuss their concerns with Ms Gilruth on behalf of our school community. The pupils and staff would welcome a by-pass to prevent the volume of traffic passing our school every day. Not only does the volume of traffic present a safety risk for pupils and families but it also impacts on our overall health and well-being due to the traffic noise and pollution.”

Amelie Ogston, a primary six pupil, told the minister: “The road is noisy and even when we are in the classroom it can be so loud that it is distracting. Sometimes we can’t hear the teacher.”

 

13th May 2022 - A wee Blether with Drew Hendry MP

Ariane Burgess MSP encourages Inverness and Nairn folk to share their vision for a ‘green transport corridor’ between Inverness and Aberdeen

"Today the Scottish Government have launched a consultation about the future of the A96 Corridor [1] 

 

Scottish Greens MSP Ariane Burgess is encouraging organisations and individuals to fill in the consultation to ensure that the voices of those who walk, wheel and cycle are represented.  

 

Greens believe that this consultation is an opportunity to present and support a ‘green transport corridor’ between the two northern cities. 

 

Ariane Burgess MSP has said,  

 

“For many years, dualling the A96 has been seen as a magic bullet to traffic problems in the North East but we cannot road-build our way to net zero. 

 

Cheap, reliable public transport which can facilitate commuting, safe active travel infrastructure, dualling the Inverness-Aberdeen train line to encourage freight as an alternative to haulage and world class EV charging infrastructure as well as safety upgrades and bypasses which improve the quality of life in towns bisected by the A96 should be part of the discussion. 

 

I want to ensure that there is maximum engagement and that our Region leads the way in Scotland for inter-city connections that work for people and the planet.” 

 

Ends 

 

Notes

 

1 Survey A96 Corridor Review Feedback Survey (office.com) 

 

2 Interactive Story Map https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/b5727b89390f4c5d84eac6b04a97b062. "

Gaelic Open Day for pre-school parents - Millbank Primary School, Nairn, Wednesday 25th May 2pm to 3pm

 

We're taking a break but in the meantime congratulations to the four winning candidates yesterday.

We have been pretty low key for the past couple of years actually with the odd flurry of activity. Time for a break now to see how it goes in Nairn after the election. Here's hoping for a lot more positive vibes for Nairn - if our civic life becomes Stushieville to the power of 2 then that would be very sad. Hopefully everyone will work together with our four councillors to get the best for Nairn, if it doesn't go that way then things could be very depressing indeed and what is the point of reporting on any of that? Worth bearing in mind that only 48% voted too - down 4% from last time, sobering stuff.

Gurn twitter may still be active some of the time however. Cheers - and remember, very important:

Ubhal-ghortan dha na daoine!

Orchards for the people!

Sandown - 12 years on from a bare field