Highland councillors have unanimously refused planning permission for a bus and emergency services gate at Raigmore Hospital.

The gate was intended to reduce traffic congestion and improve public transport to the hospital.

However, the 590ft road would cut through hospital grounds, coming within 7ft of residential homes and only 3ft from treatment centres.

Councillors said they were “astounded” that this is the route preferred by NHS Highland.

“The tortuous route into this site amazes me,” said councillor Bill Lobban. “It’s just bonkers. There has to be a better alternative. The only solution is to get NHS Highland back around the table.”

NHS and council stand-off

This is the latest twist in a long running saga for the council and NHS Highland.

NHS Highland was granted planning permission for its new National Treatment Centre last year, and the bus gate was a planning condition.

In fact, it was first discussed as part of a traffic mitigation plan accompanying the Inverness campus in 2011.

The problem is, Highland Council and NHS Highland couldn’t agree on the bus route.

Having ruled out every other route, NHS Highland agreed to the route going before committee this morning.

It proposed accessing the hospital grounds via the outside bend of Churchill Road and Ashton Road, and land at the back of Shenavall Centre.

The bus would then run beside flats at Fraser Noble Court and join the existing internal hospital network opposite Heather Court.

The application attracted 49 objections from local residents, and councillor Andrew Jarvie tabled a motion to refuse on the grounds that it would have an “unacceptable impact” on the residents of Woodside Terrace.

“I was astounded at this route… it’s completely mad,” said Mr Jarvie.

“NHS Highland have discounted every other route in the most unreasonable terms possible. I can only conclude that this council has not been robust enough in discussions.”

Council in lose-lose dilemma

With no other options on the table, planning officers had recommended this route for approval.

However, Mr Lobban seconded Mr Jarvie’s motion to refuse, and the application was unanimously thrown out.

This decision puts the council in a difficult position.

Earlier, officers pointed out that since this was the only route NHS Highland supported, a refusal would put the health board in breach of planning consent.

Planning officer John Kelly stressed “this is not meant to be a threat” but the council may have to take enforcement action.

Any action could potentially delay construction of the treatment centre.

To this, Mr Jarvie said “Why not?” He said that NHS Highland should not be given special treatment.

What happens next?

Today’s decision to reject also creates another headache for the council.

Mr Kelly said the bus gate should not be viewed in isolation – instead, it’s part of a series of initiatives to reduce congestion and improve active travel.

The council hopes to deliver four active travel projects by March 2023, in order to unlock £50m in additional funding.

The Raigmore bus gate is the most strategically important of those four, so the decision to refuse could have serious financial implications.

Mr Kelly said NHS Highland could be asked to provide a cash settlement in place of the bus gate.

However, this is likely to be “a large six-figure sum” that the health board will say it can’t afford.

Furthermore, Mr Kelly says the Raigmore junction is at capacity and Stagecoach may cut services if congestion doesn’t improve.

It seems the only option is to do as Mr Lobban suggests, and get back around the negotiating table.

The situation was eloquently summed up by councillor Roddy Balfour:

“What we have here is a conflict between two large bureaucracies at loggerheads.”