Campaigners claim controversial Invergordon housing project work has started prematurely
THE sight of lorries at work on the site of a controversial Easter Ross 66-home housing development has angered campaigners opposed to the project.
Highland Council's north area planning committee gave the green light earlier this month to plans for 66 houses on a greenfield site to the east of House of Rosskeen, on the outskirts of Invergordon.
Campaigners who say precious green space will be lost as a result, however, have called for a judicial review of the case.
Save Our Green Space (Sogs) has argued the site in question is no longer zoned for housing in the Inner Moray Firth Local Development Plan and argue the council rushed through the planning process when approving the development the first time round - granting approval just weeks before the land was de-zoned for housing by the adoption of the latest development plan.
They also argue there’s a conflict of interest as the local authority has acquired the land and so has a strong reason to wish to see houses built on it.
Campaigners say work started on this site on Monday this week, “under the disguise of an archaeological survey” and claim that a large area has been stripped with the private drive used for access, despite a planning condition to not use it.
They are also unhappy that comments made by one of the local Cromarty Firth councillors, Tamala Collier - who referred to legal representation flagging concerns with the proposal - were not discussed in detail.
She said at the time: “We all received an email that included a letter from the solicitors opposed to the development. I cannot see how anyone reading that letter could still believe that approval is appropriate. It is clear that the proposal does not comply with policy.”
One of the Sogs campaigners, Richard Cross, said: “At the [planning] meeting it was said that the ‘protestors don't understand the issues’. That is a very dangerous assumption to make when so many legal questions, raised by legal professionals, remain unanswered.”
He said: “The Judicial Review is not an idle threat and the Highland Council is gambling with public money as they will be required to reinstate the land when it goes against them. Given that they now own the land, they will be liable.”
The go-ahead was approved by councillors.
Developer Capstone Construction has said the development is an exciting opportunity for Invergordon and the Highlands and will help meet expected housing demand from the Cromarty Firth freeport status.
Highland Council was approached for comment about claims work had started prematurely but has yet to respond.
Approached for comment, Capstone said: “No construction works have commenced on site. Currently there is an archaeologist on site with her team, conducting a survey in accordance with the planning authority’s guidelines.”
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