It’s time for Planning Ahead – a round-up of the latest proposals lodged across Inverness.
Plans for the Northern Meeting Park hope to reveal the history of the park for visitors after a public call for memories and photos last year.
Two care homes in Inverness have been given the green light to make an expansion into renewables.
And a plan for a free range egg farm will bring 32,000 hens to a farm near Inverness.
But first, let’s take a look at the a new development in the next phase of HIE’s Inverness campus plans.
SUBMITTED: Final phase of Inverness campus takes step forward
HIE have lodged planning permission in principle for their final phase of the Inverness campus project.
Development of the plans to more than double the size of the campus have been well detailed.
In short, HIE plan to create a new hub for businesses through “serviced plots.”
This will be supported by other infrastructure including a hotel and “academic space.”
If the final plans are approved, construction can begin once the A9-A96 East Link Road is built.
David Oxley, HIE’s director of strategic projects said they were “very pleased” to be moving ahead with the campus development.
APPROVED: Care homes charged up on renewables
Cameron House care home could have their energy bill reduced after a plan to install solar panels on the roof has been approved.
The care home looks after 30 residents with dementia.
The panels are estimated to cost £34,000.
CrossReach’s Beechwood House care home and the Highlands and Islands Residential Recovery Centre have also had their plans approved.
They can move ahead with EV chargers for their shared car park, at a cost of around £5,000.
SUBMITTED: Inverness egg farm expansion ‘eggsactly as nature intended’
Meikle Geddes farm, known for their Gedeggs free range egg service, is looking to double their current egg production.
Two units each accommodating 16,000 egg-laying hens form part of a £1.8 million investment into the farm.
In their application, they explain their decision to go free range comes due to customer choices and a pledge from major supermarkets to go cage free.
They said the free range egg business is “without doubt the most prosperous and rapidly growing market in the livestock industry today.”
The farm is a couple of miles from Cawdor and will create two new jobs for the area.
SUBMITTED: Interpretation boards for Northern Meeting park
Construction work on the Northern Meeting Park’s £5 million refurbishment has been underway for well over a year.
Highland Council has recently updated their plans to install interpretation boards welcoming visitors to the park.
The boards will greet visitors from Ardross Street, inviting them in to see the new pavilion and find out more about the history of the park.
Visitors to the park were asked to share their memories when the boards were being developed last year.
What other plans are in the books?
Eastgate Shopping Centre has been given the green light to add fixed seating and outdoor covered walkways to the mall, at a cost of £20,000.
Balfreish Barn Weddings between Culloden Moor and Cawdor have applied for continued use of their steadings as a wedding venue.
Tulloch Homes is seeking for consent to start constructing roads for their 400-plus home Ness Side development.
House-building hopefuls in Stratton and Kingsmills will face councillors next week as their proposals have been hit with a number of local objections.
Spotted any plans you think we should know about? Get in touch at north@ajl.co.uk
For more Inverness news and updates visit our dedicated page and join our local Facebook group.
Conversation