Inverness housing plan draws objection from Highland Council forestry team
Highland Council’s forestry team has raised objections to plans to build 375 new homes near the River Ness.
Ness Valley Leisure is proposing the development "and associated infrastructure and open space" on land at Ness-side.
In August the company lodged an application for planning permission in principle (PIP), with further detailed plans submitted to Highland Council planners for consideration.
Its proposals suggest the creation of homes in a mix of tenures and types on a site immediately southwest of Lochardil, on the south side of the city.
Situated within an area identified by local development plans as “strategic growth areas” it is also adjacent, to the north, to a separate site being developed by Tulloch Homes, in three tranches, to create a total of 767 new homes.
The River Ness sits to the west, with Dores Road running along the south-eastern boundary.
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Developers set out how blocks of flats would be built along Holm Burn and the River Ness “to take advantage of views”.
What they call “Market Square” would be located at the heart of the development as a space for community events while “Green Square” would consist of “a green park overlooked by surrounding buildings”.
The proposals also include a potential community facility with suggestions of a retirement village or medical centre, with developers previously stating they were in discussions with NHS Highland about this.
Now, however the council’s forestry team has objected to the proposed development “pending further information”.
In a detailed submission they delineate areas of woodland within the proposed development site including a “large part” north of Holm Burn which they say is “recorded in the Ancient Woodland Inventory as Long-established plantation origin.”
They cite planning policy that states: “Development proposals will not be supported where they will result in: i. Any loss of ancient woodlands, ancient and veteran trees, or adverse impact on their ecological condition; ii. Adverse impacts on native woodlands, hedgerows and individual trees of high biodiversity value… iii. Fragmenting or severing woodland habitats, unless appropriate mitigation measures are identified and implemented in line with the mitigation hierarchy.”
They also state than any development involving woodland removal “will only be supported where they will achieve significant and clearly defined additional public benefits” adding: “Where woodland is removed, compensatory planting will most likely be expected to be delivered”.
The forestry team says current mitigation measures proposed by the developer “scarcely” address planning requirements on woodland and adds: “The applicant will need to more clearly identify where trees or woodland are proposed to be removed and show where the tree planting, including replacement or compensatory planting, is to be carried out.”
They further state: “The applicant has provided a Design and Access Statement and in the site analysis it notes that ‘The surrounding deciduous woodland would be retained and enhanced’.
“It also states that ‘the proposed development form tabled would respect the setting and wooded nature of the site’s edges’. While these are worthy sentiments, they are not borne out by the arboricultural advice that has been supplied, nor by the applicant’s site layout drawings which don’t appear to respect the woodland edge.
“We appreciate this is just a PIP application, but the applicant has provided a number of site layout plans with road and housing layout really rather well developed. We will therefore need an updated arboricultural impact assessment.
“Indicative residential layout drawing shows indicative house layout too close to existing woodland on north side of the site.
“The applicant will need to revise the indicative layout to ensure adequate separation between existing trees and proposed residential development.
“There are no indicative tree planting proposals in support of the application. The applicant will need to provide indicative tree planting proposals in support of this application.”
