BREAKTHROUGH? HIE and Highland Council lodge planning application for Dingwall Business Park flood defence upgrade
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has submitted a planning application with Highland Council for a project to improve flood defences at Dingwall Business Park.
The move could ultimately break a development deadlock and pave the way for an influx of new businesses to the edge of town park.
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HIE is one of many owners of land in the park. The proposed works are still subject to funding being secured from a range of sources.
The planning application is for works to upgrade the existing perimeter bund of approximately 1650m to meet higher present-day standards and formalise the bund as a flood defence.
Designed by JBA Consulting, the structure would consist mostly of an earthworks bund with piling below ground level.
Short lengths of wall are proposed where space is too limited to accommodate a bund.
Prior to developing the application, HIE carried out consultation with stakeholders and members of the public in December 2022 and March 2023 to gather feedback used to inform the design process.
It is hoped, if planning and funding are secured, that the move will enable further development within the park, including projects that are the subjects of planning applications currently on hold.
James Gibbs, HIE area manager, said: “In developing these proposals, we’ve been working with SEPA and the Highland Council and have been liaising with owners within the business park. We’re also extremely grateful for the input that stakeholders and members of the public provided during the consultation last December.
“We’re very pleased to have got things to a point where we can submit the planning application. Even if permission is granted however, there is still the matter of funding for the works and that is something we are discussing with other parties who have an interest in the site.”
Dingwall Business Park lies on the River Peffery flood plain and currently hosts a variety of units, including offices, a nursery and industrial units. Over the past 40 years, every development stage of the park has included the addition of a perimeter bund, but this does not meet modern day structural standards and the bund is not adopted by the Highland Council. Further development of the business park requires a flood protection structure with a clearly defined standard of protection. Current planning applications have therefore been placed on hold pending a solution.
