CONTROVERSIAL proposals for a huge housing scheme on the edge of Dingwall have been given the green light, despite a local councillor warning about the potential of further flooding "heartache" for neighbours.
Developers Souter and Armstrong has received planning consent for 121 serviced new house plots in three fields at Drynie Farm, 25 per cent of which will be affordable properties.
However, the application — which was debated by Highland Council’s North planning applications committee in Inverness this week — attracted opposition from local members Margaret Paterson and Angela MacLean who fear it could pose an increased risk of flooding for residents living nearby.
The fields are north of MacLeod Place, Ross Wynd and Neil Gunn Place, where flooding previously occurred in 2006.
The Local Plan has identified the wider area for 400 to 450 new homes in the next decade to meet demand for housing and Julie Ferguson, the council’s area planning team leader for Dingwall, told the committee it was well aware of the flood issues and had received 15 objections from 13 householders.
The council has installed drains on nearby Tulloch Lane and raised the road surface at the roundabout linking Ross Wynd and MacLeod Place to divert water.
Detailed flood risk assessments by consultants employed by the company were carried out and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency had also conducted extensive analysis.
Thirty-seven conditions were attached to the application but Councillor Paterson was deeply concerned about the risk of further flooding.
For the full story, see this week's Ross-shire Journal.
