Multimillion-pound Easter Ross development 'horrific' for fed-up residents; Business says scheme will help sustain 50-year pipeline of employment
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
CONCERNS have been raised over noise, light pollution and dust after works were started on a massive multimillion-pound investment at a major Easter Ross yard .
Residents of Cromarty say the East Quayside development at Nigg, as part of the Nigg Energy Park development, is already causing concern only a few weeks into a 14-month development.
Saying they feel "bullied" by the company for the way in which it carries out its work, some say they feel powerless to complain and be heard.
Residents say it is unfortunate that the start of works has coincided with the opening up of the visitor-dependent area after Covid restrictions were lifted. And residents say work took place on Sunday and on the bank holiday, against planning conditions.
Construction started the week commencing April 19 and will finish in 14 months. Dredging and the construction of a temporary causeway started last month and piling is due to start this month and finish in November.
"Residents and the community are searching for a quality of life living in Cromarty.We understand it is a working port and we do need jobs. All we are asking is work within your planning conditions and be respectful of the community." - Councillor Craig Fraser
Residents have been advised by Cromarty Community Council that "works will be noisy and noise monitoring will happen during the test pile in May and piling will happen between 7am and 7pm Monday-Friday and 7am to 1pm on Saturdays."
Ingrid Rochford, who lives and works at Ingrid's House in Cromarty, said: "We feel bullied.
"It is horrific, the works are going on well after 7pm in the evening, and they were dredging all day Sunday.
"It is relentless and we are not getting any break from it. We need a day off.
"What we don't want is to discourage people coming to Cromarty. We have been hit badly by the pandemic. The works have started just as tourists are coming back. What we don't want is for people to say 'don't come to Cromarty'."
Jeanette Kimber, from the Old Nigg Ferry Hotel, said: "Since the works started there has been a big mountain of dirt that is slowly being blown across Cromarty. It is all over cars, windows and solar panels.
"The dust is like the Sahara Desert. As soon as you wipe it up there is more."
"The East Quay is seen as being essential for attracting inward investment into the area, which is essential if we are to maximise the opportunity for job creation relating to the 50 year pipeline of offshore wind projects detailed within the Crown Estates and Scottish Government Scotwind leasing round." - Rory Gunn, Nigg Energy Park facilities manager
Councillor Craig Fraser of the Black Isle ward, said: "Residents and the community are searching for a quality of life living in Cromarty.
"We understand it is a working port and we do need jobs.
"All we are asking is work within your planning conditions and be respectful of the community.
He continued: "There is no compensation from the development company in spite of people's lives been disrupted."
However, Nigg Energy Park facilities director Rory Gunn, pointed to the benefits of the scheme.
Mr Gunn, who himself lives in Cromarty, said: "I feel it is important to emphasise the strategic importance of this East Quay development at Nigg to set some context.
"During the past few years, the port facility at Nigg has become an important site for supporting the energy transition to renewables and forms part of the critical national infrastructure required to support our drive towards a net zero economy.
"We have been successful in attracting multi-million pound projects to the local area due to the quality of the facilitates we offer, the skill of our local employees, as well as the geographical location we occupy in relation to the offshore wind development sites."
He continued: "The East Quay is seen as being essential for attracting inward investment into the area, which is essential if we are to maximise the opportunity for job creation relating to the 50 year pipeline of offshore wind projects detailed within the Crown Estates and Scottish Government Scotwind leasing round."
