Fears over speeds on ‘nightmare’ road in Arabella as petition opposing £36m Easter Ross Acorn Energy biogas bid hits 2000 signatures
Alarmed residents are calling for urgent action to impose speed restrictions on a busy rural road in Easter Ross, ahead of a Scottish Government decision that petitioners say could result in an increase of 130 heavy vehicle movements per day.
Almost 2000 people have signed a petition calling for an end to plans to build a £30m anaerobic digester plant bid at Fearn airfield, with residents fearing that increased traffic could exacerbate worry over the speed at which heavy vehicles travel past homes.
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The B9175, which stretches from Nigg roundabout through Arabella to the Port of Nigg, is already used by HGVs on a daily basis, traveling between the A9 and the industrial area at Nigg.
Arabella resident Ashley Nicillechiar says living next to the busy road has been a “nightmare” for her and her family of four - with the speed of passing vehicles causing their home to shake, and neighbours reporting that pictures had fallen from walls in some cases.
Ms Nicillechiar said: “We had lived in Culloden, and moved here about two years ago. We thought it would be nice to move to the countryside, but it hasn’t panned out like that, it’s a nightmare.
“It used to just be Monday to Friday, but now it’s Saturday and Sunday they are ploughing past as well. And it’s not just us, our neighbours are fed up as well.
“When the railway barrier goes down they slow down to about 30 mph and the house doesn’t shake at all, but some of them are doing 50 mph going past the house, the whole house is trembling.
“Some neighbours have said it has caused pictures to fall off the walls. My husband struggles to sleep at night when they come through as early as 5am, and the whole bedroom shakes. Once that happens, you are just up for the day.
“You can’t take the dog for a walk as they don’t slow down as they go past you. It’s just awful. Just walking in Arabella can be quite frightening. You almost get knocked off your feet as they go past you.
“With the proposal of the biodigester plant at Fearn, it is just going to get worse.”
Ms Nicillechiar said that contacting Highland Council and local representatives on the matter has turned out to be a “waste of time”.
She added: “I contact Maree Todd a few months ago, who sent representatives to the area. After a visit, they just suggested starting a Facebook page to get people engaged in the problem.
“I don’t use Facebook, and all of our neighbours in Arabella communicate already. I was hoping that we’d get more of a push towards Highland Council taking action. I have sent them emails to put a bit of pressure on them to carry out testing to measure traffic on the road.
“They did that again, but it was carried out near the railway line where people tend to slow down, and it didn’t truly represent the real speed that they do. But they didn’t listen.
“The get out clause seems to be that there’s no school here, and that the area doesn’t meet the criteria.
“If the road had a chicane or speed bump, it might make a difference. It has one of those speedometers near the garage but that does nothing.”
Ms Nicillechiar is one of almost 2000 people who have signed a petition to bring a halt to the biodigester plan, which campaigners say would result in another 130 heavy vehicle movements per day on the road.
Proposals for the new plant had been knocked back by Highland Council planners last November,
Acorn Bioenergy had planned to build an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant on a 7.5-hectare site at Fearn Airfield, near Balintore, to produce what it calls "clean, green biogas" using crops and by-products from local farms and distilleries.
A final decision, following appeal, now sits with the Scottish Government.
Petition organiser Sandra Skinner states: “We anticipate increased heavy traffic from Glenmorangie’s expanding storage facility, on top of which this development would present a further 130 heavy vehicle movements per day during harvest, which coincides with peak tourist season on our poorly maintained narrow, rural roads.”
Responding to concerns, MSP Maree Todd said: “I cannot comment directly on a live planning application, however I recognise that the Arabella communities’ concerns may be heightened due to this proposed development.
“The impact of developments on local communities is a vital consideration, which is why residents are encouraged to participate in the planning process and formally express their objections or concerns.
“The number of HGVs and the speed in which they are travelling through the village of Arabella has been a concern of residents for some time.
“I have previously been in touch with the Highland Council on this, to share the community’s safety concerns, and ask if a speed reduction could be considered.
"I was advised at that time that a new speed survey had been added to the council's technical programme of works.
“However, due to high demand for this service across the Highlands, they were unable to provide a timeline for when it would take place.
"I have once again contacted the Highland Council to relay the concerns of the Arabella community and to request an update on what measures can be taken to address these.”
Far North MP Jamie Stone also called for a review of speed control measures.
Mr Stone said: “I understand and sympathise with the concerns for the safety of children and vulnerable people who use the paths in these residential spaces by the roads.
“I would advise these constituents to communicate their concerns directly to Highland Council and Police Scotland, requesting a review of the speed control measures on this stretch and asking for Police Scotland to enforce the current speed control measures.
“Likewise, I will look for opportunities to raise these concerns in the House of Commons at the next opportunity.”
