Plans for Inverness drive-thro restaurants thrown out

CONTROVERSIAL plans to build fast food restaurants on land zoned for offices at the entrance to Inverness Retail and Business Park have been thrown out after an appeal hearing.

Inverness Estates, a consortium including the Tulloch Group, Upland Developments of Aviemore and Narden Services of Nairn, had appealed against Highland Council’s refusal of planning permission last October.

Plans for the site in Highlander Way, including three drive-through takeaways, were rejected because the land is earmarked for business use. It was also feared the new outlets — including McDonalds, KFC, Starbucks, Nandos, Frankie & Benny’s and Chiquito — would hit existing businesses in the city centre.

Scottish Government reporter Dan Jackman, who conducted a one-day hearing in the city last month, has now rejected the appeal.

His decision notice states: "I accept that if the development went ahead as currently envisaged it would generate a significant number of jobs. This would have obvious economic benefits. However, based on the information before me it is not possible to assess the overall economic impact. This is because I cannot be sure that there would be no adverse impact on the city centre or that the jobs could have been created on a sequentially preferable site."

Mike Smith, manager of Inverness Business Improvement District, welcomed the decision. "We are delighted that the planning appeal has been rejected," he said.

"We have consistently argued that such a proposal would be significantly detrimental to the city centre and we are pleased that the reporter has upheld the view of both the planning officer and the planning committee which unanimously rejected the planning application."

David Sutherland of Inverness Estates said: "We are very disappointed that planning dogma has overridden a project to create almost 400 real jobs at a time when the city is crying out for them. The Scottish Government should be focusing on creating employment rather than their reporter failing to respond to the important issues relating to this site and letting the restaurant complex proceed. It was well recognmised that the local plan referred to was 10 years out of date and time has moved on.

"We will now be considering our options."