'We're not a secret society': Councillor hits back over land housing row
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A FURIOUS councillor has slammed an online whispering campaign after a heated row erupted in an Easter Ross town over plans for houses on land that was gifted to the community.
Planning in principle is being sought for the erection of three houses and the formation of an access on land next to Knockbreck Avenue.
The moves comes five years after the land, also known locally as the tennis court field, was donated to the Tain Initiative Group (TIG) by the estate of Anne Baxter.
Mrs Baxter (née Holmes), who is fondly remembered for pioneering her own local postcard publishing enterprise and as a great champion of the town where she was born, was well known locally for her community spirit.
And when she passed away, the field was gifted to TIG, with reports from the time describing it as being for the "benefit of the community".
However, moves to erect three houses on part of the six-acre field have now sparked criticism from some in Tain, who questioned how building homes on the site was in the spirit of Mrs Baxter's bequest.
Related: Have a say on Mrs Baxter's gift to Tain
Commenting on social media Maree MacRae said: "Knowing Mrs Baxter like I do... I don't think private houses were what she had in mind when she gifted the land. Am sure someone told me years ago, she refused to sell it for housing when she was alive."
Kiri Allen added: "Unless there is enough voices to go against it it will go ahead so speak with the official channels.Nairn splash park was privately funded and is used daily by the whole community. Would be lovely to have something like that for community to use in her name.
And Catriona Bowes said: "I've still never seen TIG consulting with the public over what should happen to the field or how the money that must have been raised by the sale of all these plots is to be used."
Furious Tain and Easter Ross ward councillor Alasdair Rhind, who is part of TIG, has now slammed what he branded as some of the more "disgusting" online criticism, accusing some in the community of twisting TIG's actions and of spreading untruths about the use of the land.
Stressing that the potential housing plots were only a part of the land donated by Mrs Baxter, Cllr Rhind hit out at what he branded the "sheer outright lies on Facebook – it's the only way I can describe it".
He continued: "The land was given to TIG and no conditions were attached to it. As a matter of courtesy we've always kept the Baxter family informed [about our plans]".
He stressed that the family were happy with TIG's actions.
Cllr Rhind also questioned the way some in the community were talking about TIG as if "people think we're a secret society".
"We are not a secret society. People are so hot up about this land just because a few people do not want houses nearby."
He also hit out at remarks by some who had publicly questioned what TIG had done to help improve Tain, and he swiftly listed a string of facilities that had directly benefited from its funding – including the Rose Garden development, work on disabled access at Tain Railway Station, improvements to the wildlife pond at the Links, and the all-weather pitch at the Academy.
He continued: "I found it so disgusting what people wrote, as if they don't know who we are. Well my number is available in public on Highland Council's website for all to see. None of these people had the guts to ask me questions [before posting online].
"I'm very annoyed about this. We've had this before from this group of people."
He concluded: "I say to these people, they have houses here they can live in, so what right do they have to stop people buying a plot to build on?"
He added that money raised from the sale of the plots then go on future development of the land and other projects that people in Tain bid to secure funding for.
