Please support our plans for a roof over the existing skate park with limited flood-lighting
- The number of participants is growing (250+)
- A Skate Park is a valuable health-resource for young people
- Sport Scotland now recognize skateboarding as a sport not just a leisure activity
- It will be the only covered facility in the whole of the Highland
- It will attract more visitors & bring economic benefits
- Police Constable Alex Arnot thought it could be beneficial by keeping young people away from creating problems elsewhere
- Police Constable Alex Arnot has no objections to limited flood-lighting; if there is a roof he thought it would be safer with lighting
- The Skate Group has a track record of looking after its existing facility
To: Muir of Ord Community Council and Community Association cc Local
Councillors, Local ECS Managers, Ward Manager
Dear Brian and Tom
Following my earlier email we have now spoken to the police and to planning
about the project for a low pitch agricultural roof plus limited flood
lighting. Police Constable Alex Arnot said he was happy for me to pass on his
comments. These were that he has no objection and that there could be benefits
as it would keep some young people from creating problems elsewhere. He also
thought that if there was a roof it would be safer with flood lighting. In
other open parks with flood lighting the lights are switched out at 10 pm.
This aspect will certainly need discussion and careful consideration.
It would be possible to instal video surveillance but this is very
expensive (£10,000 plus) and might be best as a second step if there are
problems. The planning department expressed concern about the impact of an
agricultural type building on an area of open landscape. They felt that this
was not what you expected and that similar buildings on the Black Isle
Showground were visually separate. We are therefore considering structures with
less of an agricultural feel.
I think we are now at the stage where we would like to get some feedback
from the local community before progressing the project and I am in touch with
Jem Taylor about putting an item on the Muir website. Of course the holidays
are not a good time for this; I am also away.
We feel that the case in favour is:
The case against would
include
I would be most grateful if, in
due course, you could let me know, for which of your autumn meetings this could
be considered for inclusion on the agenda.
Kind regards
Nigel
| Dear Nigel, I have given some thought to the response from the planners re the proposed roofing for the skate park, and I must say that my personal opinion is that they are being just a little bit twee considering the mess that is the industrial estate just down the road where they gave planning permission for the present housing estate. When I consider what you have done for the youngsters in this area with your skate park, and the paucity of facilities available to keep them off the street corners and out of mischief generally, I think that the respone of the planners should be challenged by all concerned. When all is said and done, The Community Association Pavilion and the Football Pavilion are not the most scenically attractive buildings around, but they serve their respective functions admirably, and they are very much closer to the residential areas. I shudder every time I look at the hideous central heating arrangements at Tarradale School, and that I assume required planning permission. This, I stress, is my personal view, not that of The C. A.. |