Highland Council is to re-advertise a planning application for 38 flats in Inverness – deferred four years ago – to allow more time for public consultation.
Members of the authority’s south planning committee, meeting in the city yesterday, agreed that issues including traffic and potential for increased demands on the local school merited more consideration by the current members of Merkinch Community Council.
Gael Force Marine’s proposal for flats and formation of a communal landscaped area at Thornbush Quay was recommended for approval by council officials.
However city councillor Richard Laird asked if the community council had been consulted since the original consultation and was told it had not.
“Given the membership of the community council has changed, maybe the members do not share the same views of their predecessors and, therefore, may have a different opinion on this application,” he said.
He proposed that it was further deferred to allow fresh consultation before the committee considered the application.
His SNP colleague Bill Lobban seconded the move.
Officials confirmed that revised proposals had not subsequently been re-advertised because the alterations were not deemed substantive.
Committee vice chairman Dave Fallows agreed that the amended application merited a further public consultation and committee colleagues assented.