Wick Common Good Riverside Park lease consultation

Recent years have seen wind turbines get bigger. This increases the pinch points for long vehicles and components passing through local road networks. One such pinch point exists beside Riverside Park in Wick.

The result is that the wind farm developers must negotiate with the owners of Riverside Park. This is to enable long vehicles and components to temporarily overhang the Park as they pass along the road. The Park will not be occupied in a traditional sense, but the route is secured via the lease of a token piece of land. In this way, the Wick Common Good Fund receives rental income in return for facilitating the passage of long vehicles and their loads.

The relevant section of the Park forms part of the reactivated Common Good Fund of Wick and therefore local residents must be consulted before a decision to lease (or not) is made by local Councillors.

Full details of the proposal and consultation can be found on the Council’s website 

Council Leader and Wick Ward Councillor Raymond Bremner said: “This is an opportunity not to be missed.  We have worked really hard to identify common good assets for Wick and this is a chance for Riverside Park to deliver an income to help grow the Fund whilst remaining available for public use and enjoyment and continuing to be part of the Wick Common Good land.  I really hope the community get behind this proposal and sees the real financial benefits that this will bring.”

Written responses should be submitted either by email to common.good@highland.gov.uk or by post to Sara Murdoch, The Highland Council HQ, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, IV3 5NX by the deadline of 5 January 2024.