Council orders work on Academy Street plans to be put 'on hold'
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Highland Council has been forced to freeze any action on developing Academy Street less than 24 hours after a divided Inverness committee agreed to progress the controversial plans.
The council announced in the last few minutes that a Notice of Amendment has been lodged meaning that the decision by Inverness councillors will now be scrutinised at a meeting of the full council.
Yesterday, to the dismay of local businesses but to the joy of supporters, the Inverness committee decided to move plans to slash traffic by 75 per cent.
A spokesperson said: “This means that the decision made by the [Inverness] committee will be discussed at the meeting of the Highland Council on 14 September 2023. Action is now on hold until the issue is considered by the council.”
Typically but not always notices of amendment are introduced when there is a body of opinion that believes really significant issues need to be more fully addressed, including if they present a potential risk to the local authority.
Liberal Democrat group leader Alasdair Christie submitted the notice because sufficient numbers of councillors objected to the plans – it passed by 12 votes to 10 largely along party lines – and it could impact the wider council.
He said: “This is too important an issue with a significant number of councillors opposed to it for it to be rested here. And the full Highland Council needs to see the wider impact on council of the Highlands and the businesses that are based in the Highlands.
“There has been a lot of concern expressed to me by members of the community and organisations, businesses, and individuals with the preferred option going ahead so I think there are obviously lessons to be learned going forward, as there is with any large project.”
At the start of the item on Academy Street yesterday the public was excluded from the meeting so councillors could hear legal advice after the Eastgate threatened legal action.
