New move on major house building plan for Stratton new town beside Inverness
A planning application has been lodged that could advance the building of more new homes as part of Stratton new town on the eastern outskirts of Inverness.
The new town was granted planning permission in principle back in 2011 to comprise up to 2500 homes, retail, offices, health centre, community facilities, restaurant/café, primary school, park and ride and hotel, to be built over four phases.
Now Places for People (Scotland) Ltd, a regeneration company delivering affordable homes in Scotland, has applied to Highland Council for approval of “matters specified in conditions” known as an MSC application, for 78 houses and associated works as outlined in the new town permission in principal at Stratton Farm.
Planning documents indicate 62 of the homes would be classed as affordable housing, while 16 would be open market.
The Stratton new town site is on approximately 80 hectares of former agricultural land to the south of the A96 east of Inverness near its junction with Barn Church Road and north west of Culloden and Smithton.
As of April 2024, approximately 450 residential units have been constructed by different housebuilders on either side of Barn Church Road alongside new infrastructure and roads. Planning approval exists for a further 100 units.
This MSC application for the Places for People site is situated in the southern part of Stratton and comprises an open area of grassland of about 3.1 hectares.
Places for People is currently constructing residential units known as “Stratton 2“ on land on the eastern side of Barn Church Road and immediately to the north west of the Stratton 3 site.
In January this year, Places for People submitted an application which effectively sought to vary conditions on the planning permission in principle mainly so that the permitted development is limited to 750 residential units as opposed to 550 units as currently provided for in the condition.
In August, the council resolved to approve this application subject to the completion of a Section 75 Agreement which is a voluntary contract between the landowner and the planning authority that regulates the use of land.
To date, the Section 75 has not been completed but once it is has been concluded there will be a fresh planning permission in principle.
The MSC application is currently being considered by council planners.
