Phased approach to development of new city park

The £620,000 funding earmarked for the first phase of a new district park in Inverness – at Inshes – is in place, and it is hoped that further funding will become available to complete the second and third phases of the project.

In a progress report on the exciting new development, members of Inverness City Committee of The Highland Council were told Inshes District Park will provide significant benefits to both local residents and the wider community by featuring footways, cycle tracks, footbridges, car parking, lighting, signage, seating and landscape planting with native trees.

The majority of the funding has been generated by developer contributions from local housing developments. The report stressed the importance of  fully consulting with the community and this will take place at a Ward Forum to be held in the near future.. The park will also provide an important resource to the Inshes Primary School, which bounds the first phase of the park.

It is hoped that work will commence on phase one in March of next year.

The development is planned in the following three phases: -

Phase 1:      Occupies an area of fairly level ground behind the Inshes Primary School, between the Southern Distributor Road and Stevenson Road.

Phase 2       Is set in rising ground between Stevenson Road and the recently constructed Milton of Leys link road.

Phase 3       Initially rises steeply from Milton of Leys link road then levels off to the north western boundary of Milton of Leys.

The committee was told an agreement was put in place in 2001, whereby each property in the area made a contribution which is to be used for land acquisition, construction, and future maintenance of the park.

In addition to the funding available from developer contributions for phase one, the Council has received £200,000 from E B Scotland through the Landfill Communities Fund which encourages landfill operators to donate money to environmental projects.

Provost Jimmy Gray said: “This is a significant development in Inverness and will provide us with an important green community attraction in a fast developing area of the city.  I am pleased that the park is being funded, by a combination of developer contributions, and funding from the Landfill Communities fund.”