Kilmallie council objects to plans
Concerns over green travel and carbon emissions have prompted Kilmallie Community Council (KCC) to raise a formal objection against plans relating to the new housing development at Blar Mhor.
Members of the community council have criticised Highland Council for failing to adequately address environmental issues in its proposals for the site just outside Fort William.
To satisfy planning conditions for the wider Blar Mhor masterplan - which includes a new replacement Belford hospital and a science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) centre – the council had to outline its plans for transport routes, green spaces and peat restoration among other issues.
However, KCC wrote to planners this week to voice their concerns with the proposals.
In particular, the community council criticised the lack of estimates provided by the council in relation to the expected CO2 emissions caused by peat removal. Members feel it would be ‘reckless and irresponsible to ignore a potential environmental impact of such magnitude’.
Similarly, members were ‘disappointed’ no provision was made for combined energy efficient heating systems, such as ground source heat pumps.
The plan, instead, is to store gas delivered by road.
Furthermore, KCC felt ‘inadequate attention’ had been given to active travel routes to and from the housing development, which they said encourages an over-reliance on cars as the site is isolated from amenities. The group also took issue with the proposed bus route, the lack of pedestrian and cycle routes and the limited bike storage.
In a statement, members said: ‘We recognise the need for housing, particularly for young people, but it is the future generations who will also have to cope most with the impacts of climate change. Housing that relies on cars and fossil fuels will not serve future generations well.’
Concerns were also raised that no provision had been made for play areas for children and that amenity spaces in the plans are ‘small and not inspiring’.
Members continued: ‘We would like to see much greater attention placed on connected civic space, complementary aesthetics, development of active travel networks and minimising the overall carbon footprint.
‘The aim should be to achieve a high quality urban design that uses the space in the most efficient way and avoids the environmental damage associated with further disturbance of the peat bog.’
Phase One, which is already under way, is the initial stage of the Blar Mhor masterplan and comprises 117 houses. Phase two is expected to take the total number of houses to 250.