Druid Temple and Welltown

Druid Temple and Welltown

The public consultation is now closed.

Thank you for visiting our Druid Temple and Welltown public consultation pages. Here you will find information about our future plans for this development and ways that you can send us feedback about the plans.

A Proposal of Application Notice (PoAN)has been lodged by Tulloch Homes with Highland Council for Major Residential Development of affordable and private housing with infrastructure, open space, landscaping, community facilities including primary school, together with commercial /retail facilities at Druid Temple/Welltown, Inverness. IV2 6UT.

Druid Temple and Welltown Consultation Information

This consultation provides the local community with an opportunity to view the proposals for the new development and provide comment ahead of the formal submission of a planning application.

Please have a look at the proposals HERE.

You can also watch a short video presentation of the proposals here:

Druid Temple and Welltown Consultation Events

The Proposed Development – An Opportunity to Comment

Tulloch Homes invited members of the local community to attend a public consultation event regarding its draft proposals for development at Druid Temple and Welltown. The public consultation event was arranged to provide a forum for the general public and any other interested parties to make comments in respect of our proposals, prior to the formal submission of an application for planning permission in principle to Highland Council.

The Consultation Events:

The initial public consultation event was held on the 20^th April 2022 between 4-7pm. The design team were present and were available to answer questions arising from the public. A good response was received and a number of questions were received. In order to assist in the understanding of development a summary of the questions and responses is provided below:

• What will be the impact of the development on the General Wade/Old Edinburgh Military Road?

As with the ongoing development it is the intention to partially stop this route up to vehicular traffic, although local access will remain available. This is an important route providing pedestrian and cycle access to and from the development and the wider countryside. In discussion with Highland Council’s Access Officer we would seek to make improvements to the route including lighting, encouraging maximum use of the route.

• Have Tullochs any obligations to consider the pressures on the local primary and secondary schools?

Tulloch Homes are acutely aware of the current pressures on the local schools. Highland Council have policies in the current and emerging Local Development Plan supported by Supplementary Guidance which sets out forms of mitigation required where development impacts on infrastructure, such as schools. Tullochs take this responsibility very seriously and will engage with the council at an early stage to understand exactly what is required in terms of school facilities.

The current development layout includes a site for a new primary school, the size of the proposed school and the timing of its delivery will be agreed with Highland Council.

• Impact of traffic on the local roads network?

As part of the current proposal we will undertake a detailed Traffic Impact Assessment which will consider trips anticipated to come from the development by all modes of transport traveling on the roads network and what impacts these will have. If any problems are identified we will be look at how we can address this. This can be in the form of junction improvements or focus on mode shift, to try to encourage people to use other modes of traffic other than the car, for example public transport to reduce the impacts.

• Access into the development- concern that there is only 1 route in and out at the Milton of Leys road.

The development provides a staged approach to construction, for safety reasons and general good design there will be approximately 200 units completed from the access to the North East, off Cedarwood Drive, then the second access from the Milton of Leys Phase 10 road, will be provided creating a loop road through the site. This then creates two options for access.

This is the opportunity to shape the development, create a sense of place, draw focus of activity into the development by providing services and facilities locally, thereby reducing traffic movement. We will encourage alternative modes of traffic connecting to the existing settlement by providing good quality bus/cycle/pedestrian options.

A 1200 house development typically generates a spread of traffic movements throughout the day, this has become increasingly apparent during the recent pandemic and now post Covid with many more people working from home, this has resulted in traffic movements spread throughout the day resulting in a more spread impact. The higher proportion of people working from home, reduces the pressure of traffic. As part of the detailed designs a Transport Assessment will be undertaken which will assess all demands across all modes consider what is required across the development.

• What is the proposed phasing of development?

The indicative development phasing will start at the NE corner near Cedarwood Drive, 200 houses will be developed from this access after which a second access from the Milton of Leys Phase 10 development will be created. Phasing will be discussed and agreed with the council

• Will the rough path to Daviot Path be upgraded?

This development looks to provide access to the wider countryside. Paths which will be used will be upgrade subject to discussions with the Council

• What are the indicative timescale for development?

At this stage this is a pre application notification only, we intend to come forward with an application at some time in the future. Highland Council are in the process of replacing the Local Development Plan which is currently out for public consultation till mid-June. We will fully engage in this process. Thereafter, The Reporter will examine the draft LDP and Tulloch Homes will fully engage with this process, thereafter we will progress with an application. Therefore development is likely to be a few years away.

• What is the plan for additional community facilities?

We are looking for community input to understand what is needed? This is the opportunity to provide feedback, we are keen to understand what the community want. We are proposing a school, envisage a retail use, play areas, kick about, commercial uses, the ability for people to live and work in the local area. We see this development providing its own facilities but also providing enhanced local facilities for the wider area. Early suggestions include a community centre and a mixed use games area, and skate park, these are great suggestions and we will look to work with the council to facilitate their delivery

• The development includes an area under the overhead line, would this restrict building and the access?

Yes, there will be stand-off under the overhead line. The pylon within the Cedarwood area is likely to be moved, we have had early discussion with SSE. Fairhurst’s, confirmed that there has been high level discussion regarding the repositioning of pylon. Every indication is that the sensible position is to move the pylon into the development site, exact position subject to further discussions. Required to allow access but will not impede development. There are other developments with overhead lines in the site.

• How we can built usefully on a sloping site?

Indicatively, the way the site is arranged in parcels of development allows the creation of green corridors and a hierarchy of green spaces. Within a development of this size we can provide a range of areas all interconnected. The designers will work as closely as possible with the existing topography. Two strands of green living with the development connecting to countryside and connecting to the existing facilities and services. The site offers very real opportunities to improve biodiversity, at present there is very little on the site, therefore a carefully considered landscape strategy will improve biodiversity while creating different types of habitats.

• What are the commercial features referred to in the indicative plan?

The current indicative plan makes reference to commercial and retail facilities, this is a response to Scottish Government desire to encourage the ability of people to live/work/school in their local area, creating 20 minute neighbourhoods. This has the dual benefit of reducing the need to travel while encouraging residents to walk and cycle, improving health and well-being. The suggested uses will not be noisy/industrial uses, rather they must be appropriate to residential areas. At present we have no fixed ideas however, these could include Work from Homes units, start-ups, small business units, retail units. We are keen to hear from the community what might be appropriate in the area to create a rounded community.

A second public consultation event for Druid Temple and Welltown took place on Wednesday 18th May between 4pm and 7pm.

Feedback

The public consultation is now now closed. All comments submitted before 5pm June 1st 2022 have been received and will be used to inform out next steps.

The next steps:

• Following conclusion of these public consultation events, comments will be comprehensively assessed, and reviewed. These will be taken into consideration in preparing any application for planning permission;
• The collective comments from these public consultation events will be included in a Pre-Planning Application Consultation (PAC) Report which will accompany the application for planning permission to be submitted to Highland Council. Such a document is a statutory requirement of the planning application process.
• The planning application will also be accompanied by any of the necessary technical reports.

Please note, comments made to the prospective Application do not constitute representations to the Planning Authority. A further opportunity to make representations to Highland Council will be available following formal submission of the planning application.