Health and safety officials recommend second refusal for Ledge Climbing Gym application in Inverness
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Councillors are "strongly" advised to reject an attempt to build a £3 million world-class climbing centre next to a large fuel depot in Inverness on safety grounds.
Proposals for the Ledge Climbing Gym were rejected in February because its planned location in a converted warehouse in Lotland Street next to a fuel storage and distribution site was deemed to be an unacceptable risk.
Although the charity behind the venture has submitted a revised application and says it is prepared to build a military-style blast wall in a bid to secure permission, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has refuted its arguments that the risks are low and acceptable.
It says it has serious concerns about the location and warns there while the likelihood of a major accident occurring is small, there are many hazard scenarios which could impact on the proposed development with catastrophic consequences.
The proposed centre, which includes climbing walls, a cafe, a high-performance gym and fitness studio plus a retail outlet, is expected to generate an estimated £1 million a year for the local economy and create 46 jobs.
After the previous application was turned down by councillors acting on a report by the HSE, the Ledge team – led by chief executive Duncan McCallum – put in a renewed bid.
It maintained it had put together a strong case and calculated that without physical mitigation, the risk of an individual getting caught up in an incident was less than one in 58.4 million visits, based on an average 90-minute visit.
It suggested a mitigation measure, if required, of installing a blast wall of a type used in military compounds including in Afghanistan.
But the HSE has rebutted the arguments in its response to council planning officials.
"The location of the proposed climbing wall centre is directly adjacent to Certas Energy, a major operational fuel storage and distribution site," the HSE states.
"There are a range of potential major accidents that would encompass the whole proposed development possibly leading to multiple fatalities should a major incident occur.
"This proposal for a change of use of an industrial building to one involving members of the public, including the young, in a location of very high hazard, is of very serious concern to HSE."
It disagreed with supporting information put forward along with technical arguments as to why HSE’s advice was cautious, that risks were low and acceptable and that HSE’s advice should be set aside.
It also maintained the applicant's assessment of Buncefield-type incidents was wrong – a reference to the 2005 explosion at the Buncefield petrol depot in Hemel Hempstead after which safety regulations were updated – and also presented an incomplete assessment of the risks while ignoring other signficant hazards.
It urges councillors: "We recommend that you place no weight on the supporting information."
HSE also points out that if the council does give permission against its advice, Scottish Ministers must be notified.
Initially, the plan was to build the climbing centre at Inverness Marina, but due to delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic and financial uncertainty, alternative plans were put forward instead to convert a warehouse in Lotland Street in the city’s Longman Industrial Estate.
It will be accredited by Mountaineering Scotland as a level three hub and a regional centre of excellence and is expected to support delivery of further education courses in sustainable mountain development.
The project received a £200,000 grant in November from Highlands and Islands Enterprise towards the costs of fitting out the climbing wall.
