Invergordon consultation on 80-home development near Rosskeen …
THE latest in a series of pre-application public consultations on proposals for a significant 80-home Easter Ross housing development is being held tomorrow in Invergordon.
Bracewell Stirling Consulting, on behalf of Capstone Connect and Highland Council, is staging the drop-in session at Invergordon Rugby Club on the town's Castle Avenue from 4pm to 7pm on Thursday (October 26).
It centres on proposals for "mixed tenure affordable and private housing, recreation area, public open space and associated infrastructure" on land to the east of Rosskeen House.
Members of the public will be offered the chance to speak with the design team.
See also: Invergordon 80-home proposal in the frame[2]
At this stage, no planning application has been submitted.
The consultation offers an early opportunity for the community and stakeholders to consider and comment upon the broad development proposals in relation to 80 affordable and private houses.
A Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) has already been submitted to Highland Council – a statutory requirement for major planning applications. Developers are required to engage with the community to assist in the shaping of the proposals, understanding local concerns and opportunities.
Any comments made to the prospective applicant at this time are not considered to be representations to the council and would not be considered as part of any future application.
If the prospective applicant subsequently submits a formal application for planning permission, there will be an opportunity to make representations on that application direct to the local authority.
This site at Rosskeen in Invergordon is intended to be one of the first residential developments which will be delivered to cater the expected influx of skilled workforce attracted into the area by the creation of the freeport, background documents submitted with the PAN state.
Freeport zones are designed to boost economic growth and are intended to be located around docks, airports or railway hubs.
The site is located on the northern edge of Invergordon town centre with Invergordon golf course to the west. The proposed area can be accessed from Castle Close "and comprises of a secluded greenfield development site".
See also: Freeport demand in frame as major Conon Bridge development wins backing of planning officers[3]
The consultant says the site is currently grassed over and set within an idyllic setting bounded by mature woodland. The existing trees provide an attractive setting and backdrop for the development with extensive opportunities to provide quality open space for the expansion of recreational pursuits for new and existing residents, it says.
The developable area of the site "is almost completely clear of trees".
The access to the site is adjacent to the Polish War Memorial.
The memorial was erected in Invergordon in 1947 to commemorate Polish military personnel who lost their lives in World War Two.
It is the intention to realign the road around the memorial to create an area off the road to accommodate the yearly gathering to pay respects to those it commemorates.
The initial briefing available to the public at this stage[4] also touches on aspects of the proposed design of the homes, flexing their green credentials. It notes Scotland’s ambitious climate change legislation sets a target date for net zero emissions of all greenhouse gases by 2045 with an interim target of 75 per cent reduction by 2030.
It goes on: "As part of encouraging the implementation of measures to meet this target, heating systems which emit zero carbon generation at source are being promoted. A 'fabric first' approach will be adopted as the main principal to meet these targets. The houses will be highly insulated to minimise lifetime energy use," it states.
Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here[5] to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.
References
- ^ Click here to sign up to our free newsletters! (www.ross-shirejournal.co.uk)
- ^ Invergordon 80-home proposal in the frame (www.ross-shirejournal.co.uk)
- ^ Freeport demand in frame as major Conon Bridge development wins backing of planning officers (www.ross-shirejournal.co.uk)
- ^ initial briefing available to the public at this stage (www.bracewell-stirling.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.ross-shirejournal.co.uk)