Enterprise Rent-a-Car plans for new Inverness site on busy road next to Raigmore Interchange ‘much more sensible’, says Raigmore Community Council
Plans for a new car hire business on a gateway into Inverness are “much more sensible” than a previous restaurant bid, a community council believes.
Raigmore Community Council was commenting on proposals by Enterprise Rent-a-Car to open a new outlet with space for almost 60 vehicles on a long-vacant site at 42 Millburn Road.
The buildings and land, which sit between the Raigmore Interchange and Kwik Fit, have stood empty for many years.
It has remained unused even since the closure of a motorcycle showroom on the site - with approved plans in 2016 to convert the buildings into two takeaways and build a new restaurant also ultimately coming to nothing.
But last month it emerged that Enterprise was eyeing up a new outlet on the site, with the well-known rentals chain looking to expand its Inverness operations in response to growing demand.
And Raigmore Community Council, which had objected to the long dead restaurant plan, has now submitted its response to the Enterprise proposals as part of the planning process - with the community body describing it as much more in keeping with the sites motoring past.
A spokesperson said: Raigmore Community Council objected to the previous proposal for this site on traffic grounds. At that time it was proposed to become takeaway food and or sitting in restaurant. The concern was because the entrance to Raigmore Estate via King Duncan’s Road was, and still is, the only one. The proposed turn in was too sharp.
“The new proposal seems much more sensible and more in keeping with the the former use.”
However, while it voiced its approval of the proposals, it has requested that conditions be attached to ensure the road leading onto the site is properly maintained and gritted in winter.
The community council continued: “If permission is granted then a planning condition should either be to have the entrances to such a standard that Highland Council will adopt it and take responsibility for its maintenance, including inter gritting and snow clearing or that they agree annually with RCC proposals for doing so.
“This would be to ensure that there was no risk to drivers entering or exiting the businesses or to traffic on the Millburn Road being hit by a vehicle sliding from the business due to uncleared snow or ice. It should also ensure that traffic entering or leaving with a hired vehicle can be clearly seen from Millburn Road and they can see traffic coming off the A9.”
It is not known at this stage if those requests will be added as conditions when the plans ultimately go up for a decision.
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