MSPs urge college chief to look east for site of new campus

SEVEN MSPs have joined forces in an unusual show of unity to support a site on the outskirts of Inverness for a future education and business campus.

The 215-acre site at Beechwood, to the east of the city between the A9 and the Inverness-Perth railway line, has been earmarked for development by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) which submitted a planning application last year.

The politicians want Inverness College, which has yet to make a decision, to commit to Beechwood rather than redevelop its existing site near the city centre.

The project is proving to be controversial as it has forced Sandy Cumming, HIE's chief executive, to stand down to avoid a possible conflict of interest as his family home is 50 metres from the boundary.

Western Isles councillors have also attacked the move, arguing that HIE's investment in the Inner Moray Firth is at the expense of the more needy islands.

The seven MSPs – Labour's David Stewart, Peter Peacock and Rhoda Grant; Fergus Ewing, Rob Gibson and David Thompson, from the SNP; and Liberal Democrat John Farquhar Munro – have now urged Inverness College principal John Spencer to choose Beechwood.

In a letter, copied to education minister Michael Russell, they state: "It is our considered view that the Beechwood site offers the best and least constrained opportunities for the long term future of tertiary education in Inverness."

They argue that the "centre of gravity" of Inverness is moving eastwards, with new large scale developments planned for the east side.

They add: "Given the scale of this decision, its significance for Inverness and the wider region we would hope the college board will recognise the importance of seeking a consensus on the issue with key partners."

Yesterday the college said it was nearing the conclusion of an evaluation of its future location.