'Ludicrous' situation as Dingwall Business Park development hampered by flood protection fears
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A “ludicrous” situation involving flood defences and a bureaucratic mess is stopping badly needed development in Dingwall Business Park, it has been claimed.
Frustrated councillors have only recently been told that problems with a flood bund around the park is standing in the way of development.
With companies queuing up to relocate to the business park in the west end of Ross-shire’s county town, they fear locals are losing out on valuable jobs.
When Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) developed the site and sold off plots it also sold off sections of the bund.
Normally it would have been adopted by Highland Council but this did not happen and now because it does not meet "modern" standards it must be treated as though it did not exist when considering applications.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is obliged to block any planning application – despite itself being based in the park, alongside the likes of Highland Council, Scottish Natural Heritage and Scottish Forestry.
Matters came to a head at the North Planning Applications Committee when bids by two businesses – Graham MacGregor Joinery and Fraser Mackenzie Electrical – were considered. Both applications were recommended for refusal but were passed unanimously after two Dingwall and Seaforth councillors refused to take no for an answer.
Councillor Alister Mackinnon said: “We find ourselves in a ludicrous position where businesses that are looking to relocate to Dingwall, who are proactive in offering apprenticeships for people who are the future of any sector are unable to do so because of planning conditions.
“I understand that this development falls within the least vulnerable category according to SEPA. The bund was constructed to meet the guidance that was in place at the time the business park was developed and it appears to have protected the existing units from flooding to date.”
Cllr Angela Maclean said: “All four councillors have been fighting this and it is important to know that Dingwall is open for business because we have been trying for years to find out why we can’t get businesses into the park and it is only recently we found out. For a number of years we have been asking why the business park is not full, when we were aware of businesses that were trying to locate.
“But what we are not happy with is that businesses there just now are told they are okay while new businesses are not.”
Local MSP Kate Forbes has met with stakeholder groups including owners HIE at the request of local businesses and councillors "with a view to finding a satisfactory resolution to the lack of funding for the bund”.
A Highland Council spokesman said it would consider adopting the bund if it met modern standards but warned that the cost of repairing the flood defences now may fall to the owners, meaning the companies there now.
“Flood defences can only be considered for adoption when they are undertaken in accordance with the flood legislation. The existing bund has not been constructed to the ‘modern’ standard,” he said. "The bund was constructed to protect the existing properties – it is for the property owners to determine what level of maintenance of the bund they require to provide their protection.
“HIE has been working with SEPA and the council and a report has been commissioned by specialist consultants to consider the existing bund and also what works would be required to enable development. HIE have approached all the owners within the business park and recently held a meeting to discuss both the findings and that HIE are to commission further studies to consider potential solutions.
“No agreement has been reached over a funding mechanism to deliver any enhancement of the existing bund.”
SEPA and HIE were invited to comment.
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