A Highland business leader has hailed the decision to reject a controversial waste storage centre in an Inverness industrial estate.
Councillors on Highland Council’s south planning applications committee voted to reject Munro Construction Ltd’s plans to create a sorting depot at Carsegate Road, close to a local tourist spot.
More than 30 businesses – and the local primary school – objected to the proposals, amid fears the development would cause vermin and “foul odours” in the surrounding area.
Last night James Dunbar, chief executive of New Start Highland, welcomed the decision to throw out the proposals and said they could have caused “serious damage” to business prospects in the area.
The plans would have allowed up to 24,999 tonnes of rubbish a year to be transported to the building before it was sorted and moved to landfill.
Alness-based applicant Munro had tried to persuade councillors to back the scheme, by stressing the waste would be stored within a shed to reduce odours.
Council planning officials had recommended that the plan be approved – but elected members could not be persuaded.
Donnie Kerr said: “Highland Council has done a lot to improve the South Kessock area, which I would admit has a bit of a chequered past.
“This would seriously undermine that hard work.”
Richard Laird added: “This would change this from a run of the mill storage building to something containing household waste and so on.
“That could have contamination issues and I’m not comfortable with that.”
The site, which sits next to the Muirtown Basin beauty spot on the Caledonian Canal, has a combination of retail units and industrial buildings, many who objected to the proposals.
Mr Dunbar – who attended the meeting with representatives of local businesses – said last night: “I think this is a common sense decision.
“There has been a collective effort to development the Carse area between businesses, the council and other bodies, all with the betterment of the area in mind.
“This would not have been the right development for the area and I’m glad this decision was reached.”