Inverness Campus plan to deal with increased traffic, changes for two city centre restaurants and old Wick job centre could become a hotel

It’s time for Planning Ahead – our weekly round-up of the latest proposals lodged across the Highlands.

Applications for a new restaurant and extension to an already successful one have been lodged in Inverness.

The city’s UHI campus is likely to soon have a new look in response to the growing amount of traffic at the site.

But first, we’re heading further north where plans for another new hotel are in the pipeline.

Wick job centre ready for a makeover

A former job centre in Wick could find a new lease of life as a hotel.

The building which housed the old Job Centre Plus in Girnigoe Street went under the hammer as part of a UK-wide property auction in 2020.

Listing it at a guide price of £60,000, SDL Auctions said at the time it would be suitable for conversion into a care home, hotel or residential accommodation.

And sure enough, a fresh application to turn it into a hotel has been lodged by Yorkshire-based Rena Gulay.

A land ownership certificate included with the papers says it is now owned by Naheed Anjum Noor and Harris Noor, both of Huddersfield.

The 15,000 sq ft property has 20 car parking spaces.

Pavement changes at Inverness Campus

Plans for new pavements for pedestrians at Inverness Campus have been lodged.

The roads around UHI Inverness are currently a shared space for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

But an increase in traffic at the campus has regularly forced people onto the grass verges.

According to the planning papers, this has resulted in them being worn down.

And it has also convinced Highlands and Islands Enterprise, who is behind the application, to take action.

A statement said: “With an increase in vehicle traffic on the campus the existing shared surface will no longer provide sufficient pedestrian access across the site.

“This proposal seeks to fill in the gaps between existing pedestrian zones and provide safe pedestrian access across the campus.”

Alongside the road, there will be an approximately 7ft-wide pedestrian footpath separated from the road by a hedge strip.

Small timber fencing will also be put at some of the corners where vehicles have regularly breached the grass.

Inverness Campus has been a popular spot for walkers, runners and cyclists since it opened in May 2015.

Restaurant plans in Inverness

In Inverness city centre, two new proposals for restaurants have been lodged.

G&M Properties has applied to change the use of the former Shelter charity shop at 2 Drummond Street.

According to the papers, the former shop space will be linked by a staircase to an existing first-floor restaurant.

That restaurant is Lucky Bowl, the popular Chinese eatery at 25 Union Street.

The application appears, in essence, to be an extension of its premises.

Elsewhere, in nearby Lombard Street, Ignachio Reyes has put forward plans for a new sushi restaurant.

He plans to turn the former Bubble and Swirl coffee shop into Sushiness.

A statement said: “The application is for permission to operate a sushi takeaway.

“This will involve the preparation of fresh sushi rolls which will also include deep fried sushi. There will be no food consumed on the premises.”

The takeaway would be open from 12pm to 10pm in the summer season and 4pm to 10pm in the winter.

What else is happening?

In what is becoming a common theme in this planning update, a former church looks like it will find a new use as a home.

The Church of Scotland building in Dulnain Bridge is the subject of this latest trend.

Mr and Mrs DT Bush are behind the application, and have instructed Highland Architecture to act for them.

Sticking with Badenoch and Strathspey, planners have approved Highland Council’s own proposal to replacing its public toilets in Rothiemurchus, near Aviemore.

The local community council, Aviemore and Vicinity, has thrown its support behind the plans.

And lastly, a new footbridge will be built in Nairn train station.

Network Rail will replace the existing footbridge will have step-free access with lifts, making it more accessible for people with reduced mobility.

Spotted any plans you think we should know about? Get in touch at north@ajl.co.uk