Blar Mhor plans given green light
Plans for ‘one of the most important developments’ in Fort William were approved by Highland councillors last week.
Members granted Highland Council’s application to build a mixed use development at Blar Mhor to house a new replacement Belford hospital, an emergency services hub, and a science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) centre, 250 homes and a small retail unit.
At the south planning applications meeting last Tuesday, chairman Jimmy Gray welcomed the decision and said it was ‘heartening’ to see such a ‘hugely important’ development coming forward in Fort William.
‘It appears that everything is happening in Lochaber,’ he said. ‘It is an important period I think in what’s happening here in Fort William.’
Caol and Mallaig councillor Ben Thompson said he ‘wholeheartedly welcomes’ the plans.
He said: ‘The development at Blar Mhor is potentially more impactful for the residents of Fort William than the Smelter expansion, because almost everyone who lives in Lochaber will use this area given the hospital is moving there, the college is partly relocating and expanding onto the site and potentially there will be improved sports and community facilities. This will be a huge impact on Fort William and it’s really important we get this development right.’
However, Mr Thompson, echoing concerns made by Kilmallie Community Council, warned that he wanted to see a higher quality development with higher standards of quality assurance than previous years. The Lochaber councillor said that he was ‘tired of having to defend’ new builds in the last five years that ‘are not up to scratch’.
‘We need to start requiring houses that are cheaper to heat, don’t suffer from drafts and mould and damp because those are the issues that come up in my ward particularly with the new houses, which is really disappointing,’ he added.
‘While I am not proposing changes to this masterplan – I fully welcome it because it’s a fantastic opportunity – but I really wish we were more ambitious and I will continue to pursue the quality assurance issue.’
Kilmallie Community Council did not object to the application but did raise a number of concerns, including the impact on peat as a result of this development, the impact of the development on traffic and the cohesiveness of the site layout.