Scorguie flats plan sparks flash flooding fears on busy Inverness roads
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Flooding fears have been raised by worried residents of an Inverness neighbourhood over plans for a dozen flats on the hillside overlooking the Muirtown Basin.
Plans for 12 flats on land accessed by Scorguie Road have been lodged with Highland Council.
And concerned Scorguie neighbours fear the plans risk exacerbating a known flash flooding hotspot, as well as increase the risk to their properties.
Under the proposals by the applicant, Henderson Group Ltd, the 12 flats would be erected within three two-storey buildings - each containing four properties apiece - on a greenfield site that sits between Swanston Avenue and an access road to the rear of homes on Clachnaharry Road.
If approved, the flats would be reached via a new access from Scorguie Road.
And the plan to pave over a grassed area with a new development, and link that development by road onto Scorguie Road, has set alarm bells ringing among worried residents - especially given the street has a history of flash flooding at its junction with Clachnaharry Road and the Blackpark filling station in times of heavy rain.
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One concerned local resident, Heather MacBeath, said: “In their application, the developers describe the area of green space as ‘waste ground’ despite its value in absorbing water runoff, which their report states, that water immediately drains away.
“They then wish to cover it in concrete and tar, which will cause much increased run off. But no analysis was done on the impact on Scorguie Road, Clachnaharry Road or the wider Muirtown Basin. The ultimate result will be increased water flowing onto Clachnaharry Road which will cause disruption for residents and road users especially the vast number of people who commute into Inverness from the west every day.
She continued: “Scorguie Road frequently has overflowing and burst drains, and in heavy rain, water flows down the main road and then cumulates on Clachnaharry Road causing problems.”
She added that this happened as recently as February, when heavy rains caused flooding on the main road. She fears further development will only make this situation worse.
Flooding wasn’t the only issue of concern raised by Ms MacBeath and shared neighbours. She added that although a woodland on the site is protected, the plan will result in the loss of a green area next to it which is popular with dog walkers, and that the flats and access road will also result in the loss of a number of trees that sit outside the protected zone. She added that the area is full of wildlife, with the applicant’s submitted design statement acknowledging the presence of badgers.
Neighbours are also said to have raised concerns about a potential loss of privacy owing to the flats’ elevated position above homes on Clachnaharry Road.
In the planning statement submitted with the application, the developers state that the "height and massing of the proposals reflects that of the neighbouring buildings" and also say that the trees that will be felled to make way for the flats will be mitigated by replacement tree planting.
Describing the existing site, the applicant added: "The land is open waste ground. It is an unsightly area which is prone to fly tipping and anti social behaviour due to its proximity to the play park and lack of natural surveillance."
Describing the flats' location in relation to the properties down the slope on Clachnaharry Road, the design statement added: "A large buffer area of public open space/ amenity area has been retained to the eastern edge of the site to provide an adequate offset from neighbouring houses ensuring the proposals sit well within the existing context maintaining a ’green’ corridor for wildlife including badgers.”
Touching upon water drainage from the site, the statement said that the flats’ parking area would feature permeable block paving that will let water filter into the soil beneath. An open kerb would also be installed “on the low side of the [access] road”, which will feed into a filter drain and discharge into a “below ground containment system” which would then filter into the ground. It would also have an overflow into the surface water sewer system in times of heavier rain.
