Bin collections
The Nairn depot is currently a vehicle short due to a breakdown so some bin collections are running late (up to a week in the worst cases I’ve heard of from residents in more rural areas of the ward!) but the advice I've been given is to leave bins out until they are collected.
Sewage works outfall on East Beach
Works continues on the pipe from the sewage works which goes across East Beach held in position by wooden brackets. You may remember that when I first posted about this in mid-May the works were going to take “approximately two weeks” to complete but you may have seen that they’re still at it.
I’d already been told there would be a delay as they had sand and pebbles inside the pipe but now I’ve had a further update:
I’m writing to provide a further update on our work to repair the outfall pipe at Nairn East Beach.
Since our last update, we have successfully completed the jetting of the outfall pipe using specialist equipment to remove the sand and pebbles that had built up inside.
However, while carrying out this work, unusual bubbling was observed in the water, and further investigation confirmed an additional missing section of pipe, approximately 48 metres in length, further out to sea.
This newly identified section will be replaced following the repair of the original section of pipe.
As work continues, the weather has had a significant impact on our progress, with almost half of our potential working days lost due to weather conditions making it unsafe for our specialist diving team to operate.
Despite this, we have been able to install some of the supports for the original missing section of pipe, and our current focus has been on completing the installation of that section.
Once the original section is fully installed, we aim to begin work on the newly identified section of pipeline later this week. We expect this phase of the repair to take a minimum of eight weeks to complete, though, as with previous stages, progress is likely to be affected by weather and sea conditions.
We remain fully committed to delivering this complex repair safely and effectively, and we continue to liaise closely with SEPA, Marine Directorate and NatureScot as the project progresses.
So it seems the outfall has been discharging rather nearer the beach than was intended and that works to fix it will continue into September. Just the news we wanted to hear as we move into the school summer holidays when the Nairn beaches are at their busiest.
Planning applications
The following new applications were logged since I last posted.
25/02138/ADV - Aurora Hotel, 2 Academy Street, Nairn, IV12 4RJ - Ground mounted pole sign
25/02288/FUL - Land 100M SW Of Belivat Farm, Nairn - Erection of house and outbuilding
25/02404/FUL - Land 75M NW Of Woodside Cottage, Raitloan, Nairn - Erection of agricultural shed
To find details search on the reference number on the planning portal where you can also find details on how to comment.