Year 2, Week 32
Council meetings, pavement parking, Dava bridge, Nairn Academy, and a Happy Christmas to you all ...
Council meetings
I was in the council’s HQ in Glenurquhart Road in Inverness on four days this week including yet more meetings to discuss the budget (don’t forget there’s still time to give your views on this), a planning applications committee meeting (where we disappointed users of Everlast Gym in Inverness), and full council on Thursday. The last of these had a 24 item agenda and by 7pm we still had six substantial items to go - so probably at least another three hours debate - so we adjourned and we will have an extra meeting in January to conclude business.
I still have one more meeting to attend before Christmas as we have a Planning Review Body meeting on Wednesday where we have six applications to review, but then things do, finally, stop until the new year.
Pavement parking
From 11th December pavement parking, including parking on the road in front of drop kerbs installed for pedestrian or cycle usage, is now an offence so as to improve accessibility, particularly for vulnerable road users. It does this by allowing walkers and wheelers to use footways and dropped kerbs without being impeded by parked vehicles.
There will be a grace period into early 2024 where warning notices will be issued for contraventions but once that period has lapsed Penalty Charge Notices will be issued and the charge will be £100 or the removal of the vehicle in contravention. This is all being enforced by Highland Council, not the police, and you can report persistent problems using this web form.
A939 Dava bridge
This was due to re-open before Christmas but my spies tell me that the road is still shut. I have asked officers for an update but have not heard back yet. When I do I’ll post an update on Mastodon and Facebook.
Nairn Academy
Planning application 23/05756/FUL is now online for the erection of a replacement secondary school, car parking, sports pitches and demolition of the existing Nairn Academy. In includes 75 documents so there’s a lot of reading.
The plan is that pupils will move into the new building when they return from their summer holidays in 2026 and the old school will then be demolished.
I’ve talked about it here enough before so I won’t go into more detail again but you can find information about the project can be found here on the Council’s website.
Planning Applications
The following new applications were also logged this week:
23/05341/MSC - Land 55M SE Of Roundall Wood, Auldearn - Erection of house
23/05542/LBC - Delnies Bothy, Nairn Golf Club, Nairn - Installation of drain and flagstone flooring
23/05619/FUL - 34 Union Street, Nairn, IV12 4PR - Erection of extension
To find details search on the reference number on the planning portal where you can also find details on how to comment.
Happy Christmas
I posted the last of our Christmas cards yesterday and so here’s the cover of my favourite one this year for you all. It’s from Epilepsy Scotland, who always provide our cards.
I hope that you have the sort of Christmas you can enjoy and fingers crossed that 2024 brings us all some good news.