Sports pitch at Inverness Campus may just be the beginning
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Costings, funding and a timeline for a new all-weather sports pitch at Inverness Campus are still to be finalised.
Highland Council is leading on the development after it approved planning documents for the construction of a full size 3G sports pitch, car parking, fencing and floodlighting.
The pitch is phase one of the aspirations for sports facilities at the campus and aims to address a lack of quality facilities for pitch sports in Inverness, particularly in the east of the city.
A council spokesperson said: “We are pleased that planning permission has been granted. Final costings, funding commitment and the delivery programme are being finalised and progress will be reported in due course.”
UHI Inverness was awarded £300,000 by sportscotland in January 2021 to complete a £1 million funding package for the installation of the synthetic sports pitch.
The full-size rugby and football pitch would be floodlit and suitable for year-round use, including training, matches and seven-a-side games.
The council's economy and infrastructure committee chairman Ken Gowans is delighted to see the project moving forward.
“We know that these kind of sports facilities are badly needed on this side of town,” he said.
“I expect it will be widely used. This will go some of the way to address the lack of facilities.
“It’s a very welcome addition. But we still have an aspiration for an Inverness East sports facility – something that’s not just for local communities, but one that’s important in a regional context too.”
The plans aim to fulfil a long-term ambition to provide sports facilities on the campus for students, local sports clubs and the community.
Scottish Rugby and Inverness Craig Dunain RFC have been identified as potential users of the pitch. Inverness Caley Thistle Football Club and the Scottish Football Association have also been involved in the process.
Inverness Campus is being developed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), which has made land near Scottish Vet Referrals available for the sports pitch.
HIE’s director of business infrastructure Ruaraidh MacNeil said: “Sports development has been part of the Inverness Campus vision since the start. This is an important milestone and great news for all at Inverness Campus; those who work here, our visitors and students.”
Funding for the pitch has also been secured from UHI Inverness’s Foundation, Highland Council developer contribution funding and the Town Centre Regeneration Fund.
The pitch represents phase one of the project, with ambitious plans for a second phase being developed. This would potentially see a centre for sporting excellence created, providing the facilities, expertise and support required for athletes of all abilities to train and develop in the region, as well as facilities for students and the community.
A spokesperson for UHI Inverness said: “We are delighted that the all-weather sports pitch has been granted planning permission. This is a very important milestone for this project.
“It’s been our long-held ambition to have outdoor sports facilities at the campus, as they will enhance the student experience and address a shortage of outdoor leisure facilities on the east side of the city.”
Councillor Duncan Macpherson, whose Inverness South ward, includes the campus site said: “I welcome the news of the progress on all-weather sports facilities at the campus, as it’s something that’s been distinctly lacking for the communities on this side of Inverness.”
“One of the major benefits of all-weather sports pitches, are that they can be used by several sports throughout each week."
He floated the possibility that plans could be adapted so it could be used for shinty and hockey, as well as football and rugby.
“I hope that these sports could be taken into consideration before the contract is awarded and the pitch dimensions are finalised,” Cllr Macpherson added.
“I’ve also been contacted by constituents to ask if it could also be used for cricket matches, as the Highland capital now has a growing number of people working here, especially in the healthcare sector where international doctors and medics and others in key Highland industries who are used to playing cricket regularly and enjoy the benefits and inclusion of playing team sports for their recreation.”
