Highland Council will adopt a flood bund at Dingwall business park in the hope of finally resolving a longstanding planning headache.
The last three planning applications at Dingwall business park were recommended for refusal due to concerns over flooding.
But angry local members launched a strong defence, overturning planning officers’ advice and recommending the applications for approval.
HIE, which runs the site, has drawn up plans for an improved flood bund, or barrier, which councillors have agreed to adopt in principle.
It’s an important step towards getting the business park back in action.
Dingwall members fight for business park
The problems first came to light in January 2022, when local businesses Graham MacGregor Joinery and Fraser Mackenzie Electrical applied for planning permission to build new units at the business park.
Sepa raised a formal objection, stating that the entire business park is at risk in a 1-in-200 year flooding event.
In an ironic twist, Sepa itself has offices at Dingwall business park.
Due to the Sepa objection, planning officers recommended the applications for refusal, but local members pushed back. Councillor Richard Gale asked, “Are we writing off an entire business park?”
North planning committee decided no – they were not. They voted to approve these two applications and another for Firth Plumbing Heating and Roofing in March.
Because Sepa is a national agency, the council’s decision has to be referred to ministers for a final verdict.
Flood bund solution
In the meantime, operators HIE worked with Highland Council to resolve the issue.
Dingwall business park lies on the River Peffery flood plain, and while an embankment was added in the 1980s, it doesn’t constitute a formal flood defence scheme.
HIE started a detailed assessment of the site in July, and concluded that the existing bund doesn’t offer enough protection for future developments.
There was also a problem with ownership of the bund, which is split between neighbouring landowners.
HIE worked with a contractor on plans to improve the bund, but couldn’t go any further unless Highland Council agreed to formally adopt it.
Members of the council’s economy committee debated the plan.
Flood plan ‘desperately needed’
Dingwall member Margaret Paterson appealed to the committee for support.
“What good is a business park when we can’t give planning permission for it?” she said. “They have a right to the opportunity to come to our town. We desperately need this to go ahead, for the economy of Dingwall and Seaforth and beyond.”
Councillors voted unanimously to agree on the adoption in principle.
However, the battle is far from won.
HIE will now press ahead with detailed plans for the flood bund. In the meantime, the decision on planning permission for the three businesses will go to Scottish ministers.
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