'Golden mile' plan for 10,000 homes

NEW housing for up to 30,000 residents - nearly half the present population of Inverness - is being planned on a stretch of land on the outskirts of the city.

A masterplan is now to be devised for the area which has been dubbed the "golden mile" because of its development potential.

Development constraints to the north, south and west of the city mean that much of the predicted expansion will be centred on the A96 corridor alongside the Inverness-Aberdeen road, which has been earmarked as a key location for new housing and business opportunities linked to the airport and new rail developments.

A chain of settlements capable of accommodating 10,000 new houses to cater for the growth of Inverness over the next 20 to 30 years is envisaged for the area. The 2001 Census showed the population of the Inverness area stood at 66,576, but it has been predicted that numbers will mushroom to about 100,000 by 2031.

A business and retail park has already been established on part of the golden mile and there are plans for another business park nearer the airport. Improvements to the airport access road are also proposed.

The bulk of the land making up the corridor is owned by two estates, Moray and Cawdor, and includes high-amenity countryside, farms, forests and wildlife habitats. It is felt that development should incorporate woodlands, walks, cycle paths and ring-fenced areas for wildlife.

Highland Council has agreed to spend 30,000 on a consultants’ report to oversee development over the next 15 years.

Mike Greaves, the council’s head of economy and regeneration, said: "Plans for development in the Inner Moray Firth post-2011 envisage the creation of a chain of new settlements capable of accommodating up to 30,000 people.

"This will have to be combined with substantial transport investment to upgrade the A96 trunk road, rail links and local distributor roads and bus links. There are also opportunities for public transport interchange facilities, linking Inverness, Nairn and the airport."

Planners are keen to ensure that future development does not become a "Greater Inverness" urban sprawl.

Plans to develop a business park and freight distribution services around the airport are well-advanced, with a start on the road linking the airport and the A96 expected later this year.

Mr Greaves added: "There is a presumption against piecemeal and premature development, while allowing for the development of the business and freight park in conjunction with the upgrading of Inverness airport as a 24-hour transport hub. That is why we need a comprehensive plan to be drawn up now."

Inverness councillor Jimmy Gray said: "It is essential to get the planning and future development of the A96 right. This is vital for the future economic growth of the Inner Moray Firth area and for the good of the Highlands as a whole."

Bob Wynd, the chairman of Inverness and Nairn Local Economic Forum, has urged the Scottish Executive to upgrade the A96 to dual carriageway from Inverness to Nairn. He said that the single-carriageway sections already carry more than 18,000 vehicles per day.

He says any accident or hold-up on the road leads to a huge grid-lock; the development of the whole area is being held up and a dual carriageway between Inverness and Nairn is the only way to ensure the area develops quickly without traffic problems.

However, he has been told that the road should carry 2,950 cars per hour at peak times to justify the upgrade.

Last month, another study was launched to address the growing transport needs for the expanding city.