Council to start conversation for Nairn Links Development Plan
The Nairn Links Development Plan will be the focus of a community engagement stand at Nairn Games this Saturday 18 August.
Local members and officers will be on hand to start the conversation on the process of creating a Development Plan for the Nairn Links area and will seek ideas for use that can be used for future planning.
Through the consultation around the future of the paddling pool, it became clear that in addition to the need to determine the future of water play at the Links, revitalising the broader Links area was equally a key priority.
Following the agreement of a report to the May Nairnshire Committee, a number of engagement events have been planned including the stand at Nairn Games from 11 am to 4pm.
There will also be a Community Café engagement session at the Links Pavilion on the afternoon of 1st September. There will then follow a consultation phase on proposals. A development plan for the Links, will contribute to a comprehensive set of proposals for how the town might move forward in the future.
The Links are in the ownership of the Nairn Common Good Fund. They are an important feature of Nairn's attraction as a tourist destination, provide local people with ‘cherished’ green space and leisure facilities and are home to Nairn Cricket Club, the Nairn Highland Games and other outdoor events.
Various facilities are provided on the Links. These include children's play equipment, a paddling pool, an outdoor gym, a putting green and crazy golf, an historic bandstand, cafés, toilets and car parking.
The Nairn members are keen to involve as many local stakeholders as possible, including groups such as Nairn Athletics Club, the local tea room and café, the Leisure Centre, NICE, Harbour, Lido, Cricket and Yacht Clubs, Team Hamish and other community groups.
Chair of the Nairnshire Committee, Cllr Tom Heggie said: “Development at the Links has been relatively organic in past years, rather than part of an overall vision or plan for the area. As a result there is a perceived lack of cohesion across the Links area, and no formal framework within which potential developments can be considered and assessed.
“This work provides the opportunity to create an exciting vision for the future of the much loved Links area and we are keen to hear from local residents, visitors and the wide range of groups who have an interest in the Links.”
The development plan will seek to:
- create a framework for individual projects on the Links by the Common Good Fund and third parties
- promote the integration of the Links with the town
- build on the special nature of the area
- add to the historic value of the Links to Nairn as a visitor destination
- fit within the Common Good Fund's financial parameters and the plans of potential partners
Following the consultation phase which will continue into the autumn, a final plan will be prepared for consideration by the Nairnshire Committee by the end of the 2018/19 committee cycle in March 2019.