A battle between supermarket chain Lidl, Highland Council and local residents has begun over a plot of land at Drakies near Ishes Retail Park in Inverness.
Lidl, which already operates one store on Telford Street, is looking for a new site on the east side of the city next to other retail outlets.
Meanwhile, Highland Council has launched a consultation asking the public to offer their views on how best to utilise the site.
It is understood the authority would prefer to build a larger housing estate on the site without the supermarket.
However, local residents fear any development on the land could damage community life in the area for existing locals – unless existing facilities are reincorporated into any future plans.
What are the rival plans for Drakies?
The plot of land, which is currently a field, is at the back of Highlands and Islands Police Division headquarters, with Sir Walter Scott Drive running alongside it.
Lidl hopes to build a new store with 109-space car park and a housing development with 39 affordable houses, with access via Eagle roundabout.
By building a new store close to the Inshes Retail Park, Lidl will aim to compete with Tesco and low-cost rival Aldi, located nearby.
Lidl has submitted a planning application and is understood to be “under contract” with the landowners of the site. The supermarket declined to comment further when contacted by the Press & Journal.
However, Highland Council has launched its own consultation asking the public to offer their views on how best to utilise the site.
The council has proposed the site could be used for a larger housing estate without a supermarket.
This housing estate would create up to 80 more houses in the area and is part of the Inner Moray Firth Proposed Local Development Plan.
The plan outlines measures to offset the impact of the construction on-site by relocating trees and wildlife from the site as well as an environmental impact study.
What do residents want at Drakies?
Plans also emphasize active travel in the area and aim to provide what they call “strategic greenspace, landscape planting and high-quality active travel connections.”
While the new development will not have road access to the existing Drakies estate, plans call for essential active travel links instead.
However, there are concerns about the development of the site, which is currently a large patch of green space with a play park for young kids.
If the housing estate is approved, an access road will be constructed where the play park is currently.
Karyne Walker, a Drakies resident, has raised concerns over the impact of any site development.
She said: “I am one of the lead people that are campaigning against a road that they were planning on putting through that field.
“I have a daughter, and she’s young, and all of the last summer she was playing in that park every day.
‘We don’t need any more houses in Inverness’
“It’s so widely used and not just by people in Drakies. There are a lot of people that come there to walk their dogs since it’s such a big space.
“In my opinion, I don’t think we need any more houses in Inverness because they are putting so many up in other areas. It would be a waste of a really good space that we need.”
It is not yet clear if the council’s preferred plan will create affordable housing on the site, and the land is not council-owned.
Speaking about why the council would want to utilise the land for housing, Mrs Walker said: “Drakies is a very desirable area to live in, and any house that goes up here is gone within a day.
“A lot of the stuff in the area is easily accessible like the hospital, the retail park and schools, but by adding more houses, you are getting more kids, and the primary school in Drakies is already near capacity at 80%.
“How do we know we are going to get a playpark rebuilt because the road is going straight through where that playpark is.
“I am a mother, so my child’s future comes first, and how can she be fit and healthy if she has nowhere to go a play. That is the point I am making.”
The Inner Moray Firth LDP consultation runs until Friday, June 17. To make your views known, click here.
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