Nairn town Centre Redevelopment back on track
A major facelift for the centre of Nairn, involving a number of property developments and environmental improvements, is back on track. At the centre of the multi-million pound redevelopment is the construction of a £3.6 million Community Centre centrally located off King Street adjacent to the police station. A 12-month contract has been awarded to contracting firm, John A. Jack Contracts, Nairn, and work on the 1,236 sq metre community complex will start on Thursday 22 June when a turf cutting ceremony will be held.
The new complex will feature a state of the art cultural venue of lasting benefit to residents and visitors alike, with seating for 300, as well as multi-purpose meeting rooms, a pre-school nursery, music room, photography darkroom, offices and youth café. The project is being progressed by The Highland Council and Nairn Community Centre Development Company.
The existing Community Centre, located on the opposite side of King Street in the original Free Church building contructed in 1843, will remain open while its replacement is being built. It will then be demolished, along with other Council premises currently housing Social Work and other staff of The Highland Council, to accommodate a new supermarket run by Somerfield, who have also purchased the Regal bar, former cinema and petrol station in the town. This deal is in the final stages of being signed off by both parties.
Social Work Services staff are earmarked to move to premises at the Town and County Hospital, as part of a Joint Futures project with health colleagues. A new hospital is scheduled for completion early in 2008.
At the same time, the newly-formed Nairnshire Partnership is in the process of revising plans for a £500,000-plus refurbishment of the High Street. Plans will be drawn up by the Council’s Planning and Development Service in consultation with a Project Group drawn from the Nairnshire Partnership prior to going out to public consultation later this year.
Provost Sandy Park said: “I am absolutely delighted that we are back on track with our ambitious plans to revive the town centre of Nairn. We have experienced a few set backs along the way, but I am confident that the pieces are now fitting into place in the jigsaw of redevelopments in the town centre.
“An early start to work on the Community Centre should send out a signal that we are back in business and I am confident it will be the catalyst to a wide range of improvements to our town. The moves give the Council a chance to rationalise office accommodation in the town, which will enable us to be effective and efficient. The eagerly awaited revival of the High Street plans is very welcome indeed.”
Jim Clark, Chairman of Nairn Community Centre Development Company, said: “The go ahead for the eagerly-awaited Community Centre project is great news for Nairn and our thanks go to all the funding agencies and the public of Nairn who have contributed so generously. The complex will benefit the whole community - from nursery pupils right through to our senior citizens – and will be an important focal point for arts and community events in our town.”
In another development, The Highland Council is to spend £350,000 on making the Court House, Nairn, compliant with Disability Discrimination Act requirements. By the end of the summer, Service Point and other staff based at the Court House will move temporarily to the nearby Barron House while the upgrade takes place. It is expected the Service Point will move back to the Court House in March 2007. The Court House will remain the main public caller office in Nairn but Barron House will also be a significant base for a range of services provided by the Council, including the Planning Service.
All of this in turn will have a positive impact on local employment, investment, reduction of unsustainable travel patterns in accessing services/jobs and substantial enhancement of local amenity.