Highland church’s proposed new life as design studio, shop and café under threat over safety fears on Black Isle road
Ambitious plans to transform a former kirk into a design studio, shop and café have suffered a blow after transport chiefs objected over road safety concerns.
Applicant Ewen Mackinnon, from Inverness, wants to breathe new life into Knockbain Church - a former Church of Scotland kirk that sits at the southern entrance to Munlochy on the Black Isle.
If approved, the former church’s interior would be modified "to accommodate the new use” but there would be “minimal alterations” to the exterior “sufficient to facilitate safe and equal access".
The design agents, Oberlanders Architects, have cited successful examples elsewhere in the Highlands where former sacred spaces and other heritage buildings were successfully adapted to serve new functions.
However, while the proposal generated positive buzz online when the Courier first reported the plans back in October, the C-listed Victorian building’s road access onto the B9161 road through Munlochy could pose a major stumbling block - after council transport chiefs sounded safety concerns.
They had earlier asked for more details regarding visibility splays to provide safer access and exit from the kirk’s grounds.
But after seeing those proposals they have formally objected to the application, stating that visibility of approaching vehicles is “poor” and that the currently proposed visibility splays aimed at tackling that problem are “substantially substandard” given the increased traffic the proposal is expected to generate.
They warned that the distances suggested on application drawings describing the proposed visibility displays were “not a true representation of the achievable splays”, adding: “To the north, the splays are shown going through the garden of third party land and to the south the splay is obscured by the existing boundary walls and a tree.
“The traffic speed survey suggests that splays in excess of 90 metres should be provided but it is estimated that the splay to the north is approximately 15 metres and only eight metres to the south.”
They added: “The site photographs dated 18th November demonstrate how poor visibility is from the access onto the B9161. The existing boundary walls are also likely to obscure visibility. The drawing states that a tree requires to be removed to achieve the splay to the north, however it is recommended that the forestry officer provides comment on this proposal.
“The trip generation for a café and retail unit are significantly higher than for a church therefore there will be a significant increase in traffic movements at this access and as the visibility splays are substantially substandard, on road safety grounds, the transport planning team object to this application.”
Although the objection will be a blow for Mr Mackinnon’s plans, the officers also offered a way forward that could still allow it to proceed - new traffic calming measures on the main road that would need to be paid for by the applicant.
The officers said: “The transport planning team have consulted with colleagues in the road safety team and may be willing to remove the objection subject to a condition being applied to any consent the Council may give for the installation of traffic calming in the vicinity of the access within the 20mph zone.
“It is anticipated that the scheme would need to include vertical traffic calming such as cushions to the north of the access and horizontal traffic calming and gateway feature to the south of the access.
“The design of the traffic calming must be approved by the transport planning team in consultation with the road safety team and installed on site before the development becomes operational.”
Stressing that the “associated costs of the traffic calming… must be borne by the developer”, they also added that the “sizeable lead in time” required for the approval and installation of traffic calming measures meant the applicant should “progress the design of the scheme as soon as possible”.
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