Plans for a huge canopy to be installed in the rainiest town in the Highlands have been sent back to the drawing board after local objections.
Fort William’s Cameron Square was to get a £95,000 roof over it to help keep those entertaining the tourists – particularly cruise ship visitors – dry on their stop in Lochaber.
But now, the local Town Team has withdrawn its application for the covering because nearby businesses feared it would overshadow their shop fronts.
A suggestion for the canopy came about amid fears that regular downpours were damaging the tourist industry.
The Lochaber town has long had a reputation for being one of the wettest in Britain, and it was hoped that the new shelter would enable more events to be staged in the heart of the community.
Now the group behind the idea is looking into purchasing a temporary cover while they reconsider their options.
The planning application was submitted in December, in the hope it could be installed in time for the summer tourist season. However, it has now been withdrawn after receiving more objections than support – albeit both in single figures.
Town team secretary Sue Keen said: “We have been overwhelmed by the support we have been given with regard to this project, but we have taken the decision to withdraw the planning application because of a few concerns by the stakeholders immediately surrounding the square.
“Based on the feedback we have received we would like to take more time to consult with the stakeholders and the wider community to make sure we get this right for Fort William. We feel that an undercover area in Cameron Square will be a very positive step forward for Fort William town Centre and hope to resubmit a new application soon.”
Florence Robertson, manager of DV8 clothes shop said: “We are all for anything that brings business into the town. Our concern would have been if it blocked visibility of the shop front.
“We weren’t against it, we just wanted to make sure it didn’t completely block our shop’s view.
“We thought it would be great for the town, anything like that is good for Fort William.”
She added that depending on the specification of the new design, they would welcome another planning application.
Eric Wallace, owner of Eric H Wallace gift shop, said: “I think they are looking at it again for the wrong reasons.
“To me the most important part of the town is the High Street.
“I know they can’t completely cover the whole High Street but they could do sections of it so that people visiting the town are protection from the rain, not the ones performing in Cameron Square.”
Bad weather during the first visit of a cruise ship in September drew attention to a need for a shelter as musicians played for the tourists.
Fort William Marina and Shoreline Company (FWMSC) secretary, Sarah Kennedy said: “The weather on the day of the first cruise ship, the Boudicca, to use the new pontoons at the west end on September 28 was extremely wet. We had arranged for Scottish Country Dancers and musicians to entertain everyone in the town on the day, but because the weather was very rainy, we all got rather wet.
“With seven cruise ships expected in 2017 we decided we needed a better solution. This resulted in a partnership between FWTT and FWMSC to see if we could put some kind of permanent canopy in Cameron Square.”
A canopy for Cameron Square was on the “wish list” of the community following the charrette held by Highland Council in May 2014.
