Raigmore bus gate: Long-running saga could finally be over next week

The long-running Raigmore bus gate saga looks set to finally come to an end next week.

Plans to link the Raigmore estate with the north’s flagship hospital have spent years in the pipeline.

A previous proposal in 2021 was dubbed “bonkers” and “torturous” by Highland Council’s planning committee.

There had been a number of environmental and safety concerns.

But the council and NHS Highland have worked together on a new plan that seems to have more support.

Now the new application will return to the south planning committee next week.

Planners are, once again, recommending its approval.

And this time it looks like it will get the nod.

Why is it controversial?

Trees being cut down and the noise and pollution of extra buses was the focus of most of the anger last time.

It was going to result in the loss of eight trees, some of which were hundreds of years old.

The 590ft road was going to cut through hospital grounds, coming within 7ft of residential homes and only 3ft from treatment centres.

Residents were not happy.

A petition was started that gathered around 350 signatures. A banner was also put up at the site.

The application itself drew five letters of support and 49 objections.

What’s different about the bus gate this time?

To address the worries, the route has been re-drawn so that no trees will be taken down.

And to lessen the disruption, the buses passing through will be electric.

The latest report by planning officer John Kelly calls the bus gate project a “tangible action” that the council can support to help address the climate emergency at a local level.

He adds: “The proposed bus gate is undoubtedly the optimum, most direct route
between the Raigmore Hospital site and Raigmore housing estate.

“Unlike the previously refused proposal, it will not result in any detrimental impact on the natural environmental, community or residential amenity.”

The electric buses will be part of Stagecoach’s new fleet set to hit the streets of Inverness.

And rather than snaking through the hospital grounds and passing close to treatment centres and homes, the route will be more straightforward.

These concessions have been warmly welcomed by Denise Stewart-Thomson who lives in the Raigmore estate and was heavily involved in the campaign against the earlier plans.

She said last month: ““This is much better than it was. It feels like there has been a compromise.

“It’s heartening that we have been listened to.”

The planning committee will meet on December 13.