New visitor centre plans for Loch Garten, sports news for Foyers and mural for city distillery

By Sean McAngus

June 20 2022, 5:00 pm

Drawing impression of Community amenity development.

Welcome to our weekly round-up of planning news across the Highlands.

Those hoping to catch a glimpse of the ospreys at Loch Garten could soon be enjoying better facilities (that’s code nicer loos) in a planned facelift.

And north planners have given the green light to a new sports venue for Foyers and some artwork at a new distillery in the centre of Inverness.

New facilities at RSPB base

The demolition of existing toilets and visitor hub is proposed at RSPB Loch Garten Nature Centre near Nethy Bridge.

But don’t worry – the popular spot isn’t losing out – quite the opposite. Plans are to build a new changing room, toilets and a visitor hub.

The centre sits in the Caledonian pine forest, close to Loch Garten.

It is home to the ospreys, plus red squirrels, woodpeckers and other wildlife.

Female goshawk in nest at Loch Garten Nature Centre.

New timber machinery and tool store

An application has been submitted to build a new timber framed machinery and tool store near Inverness.

The plan relates to the site at Bayview Guesthouse in Westhill.

The timber frame will be clad with composite cladding to the walls and mental profile roofing.

Highland Drawing Services is representing Kristian Sinclair in the application.

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In the past week, Highland Council has also determined some applications.

Good news for Foyers

Planning chiefs have approved a masterplan for a leisure facility near Loch Ness.

It includes a multi-use games area (MUGA), sports and play areas, a car park, a community hall and gym.

Colin Armstrong Architects represented Stratherrick and Foyers Community Trust in the application.

The site is on land 100m north west of Linden, Gray’s Park, Foyers.

Drawing impression of community development.

The masterplan includes a pavilion building – however, detailed consent for that will be subject to a further application.

The MUGA could also include a running track, outdoor table tennis and a climbing wall.

Former local councillor Margaret Davidson has previously said she was in favour of the plans.

Mrs Davidson said: “There are no outdoor places where people can gather except for outside the tea room.

“They do need leisure facilities that are not 20-30 miles away. This is a good development.”

Mural for city distillery and brewery

The Glen Mhor Hotel on Ness Bank in Inverness will soon have signs and a mural for their planned craft whisky distillery.

In April, an application seeking a change of use to create a combination of craft brewery and whisky micro distillery and associated visitor facilities was given the go-ahead from planning officers.

Colin Armstrong Architects represented Glen Mhor Hotel in the application.

They plan three facia signs on the building.

In a planning statement, the hotel said it was “paying homage to our unique national distilling heritage”.

“The proposed graphic signage and branding is a nod to the craft – celebrating locality by means of bold and crafted signage is something that many communities adopt to honour the centuries old tradition of distilling.