Plea for land at Inshes in Inverness to be rescued for community use

Fears have been raised that a key plot of land in an Inverness neighbourhood could be lost for community use.

The land between the Eagle Roundabout and Inshes Primary School is currently undeveloped although plans are in the pipeline for a car park with electric charging points and possibly low-cost flats.

It was originally zoned as part of Inshes Park - as a gateway area with parking and other facilities - but community leaders are concerned it could be lost as a significant asset including an urgently-needed drop-off zone for the school.

They are now hoping developers and Highland Council might be persuaded to think again before it is too late.

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The plot has a chequered planning history and efforts to progress a community buyout were abandoned when it became clear that negotiating with the three separate landowners was unlikely to succeed.

Supermarket giant Lidl was refused permission for a store but a more recent plan for a car park with electric charging points was controversially passed by Highland Council’s planning review body on appeal - despite planners’ strong objections and without local people being aware it was on the cards.

Another plan for much of the remaining land was then submitted for low-cost flats and associated parking by Upland Development. This is still under consideration.

Norman Cordiner, the chairman of Inshes and Milton of Leys Community Council, and Thomas Prag, chairman of Inshes Community Association, say many local residents feel this is a waste of a very prominent site which could become a significant asset to the community.

They have been working together to see if there is a way to rescue the site for something special.

Mr Cordiner said at a recent community council meeting there was a strong call for part of the site to become an urgently-needed drop off zone:

“There’s a disaster waiting to happen outside Inshes primary school every day as cars clog the busy road waiting for their children” he said.

“The land is there. It just needs a bit of good will from landowner and council to solve it once and all.”

He continued: “ Inverness South is a young community that needs places and facilities that help it coalesce – this site could provide that.

“We appreciate all that that Inshes Park gives us – for example, we now have a great footpath to Milton of Leys and from there links to Slackbuie are taking shape.

“The icing on the cake would be a proper gateway facility at the bottom.”

Mr Prag, a former Highland councillor, said Inshes Community Association - which has raised £750,000 for facilities in Inshes Park - commissioned a feasibility study for the site in 2020 which included market research in the local community:

“The response was clear – people love the park but wanted things like toilet facilities, perhaps a community café and parking for park and school users,” he said.

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