Inverness takeaways plan submitted to Highland Council sparks concern over busy road junction
Concerns have been raised over the possible impact of two proposed hot food takeaways on a busy Inverness road junction.
The applicant, J. P. and A. Headon, has applied to turn subdivide Unit 3 at 2 Henderson Road into two hot food takeaways, with a storage unit to the rear.
The site is the former home of Pagazzi Lighting and is currently used as a 'pop-up' shop by New Start Highland.
The plans have so far drawn no objections.
But Crown and City Centre Community Council did flag up potential issues with traffic trying to access or exit the car park via Henderson Road.
The road is a known congestion hot-spot, with lengthy queues of vehicles waiting at traffic lights to turn into Longman Road - especially at rush hour.
And although the community council did not object to the proposed development, it did call for the car park’s junctions with Henderson Road to be "taken into consideration" when council planners make their decision.
Its chairwoman, Fiona MacBeath, in comments submitted as part of the planning process, said: "As a community council we have discussed this planning application and have no objections to the plan.
"However, some serious concerns were voiced by several members over the amount of traffic two more takeaways could generate at a junction that is currently in a difficult position, being in such close proximity to the junction of Henderson Road and Longman Road.
"We would like this to be taken into consideration when completing a decision."
Transport Scotland has also not objected to the plans or raised any worries over traffic impacts.
It is not known what the application might mean for the future of the New Start Highland pop-up shop.
Although the application has been submitted, it does not necessarily mean an imminent move is on the cards for New Start.
If and when planning permission is granted, that permission would not lapse for three years - meaning work would not even have to begin before 2027. It's also possible the permission is being sought simply to broaden the location's appeal to potential tenants -opening the scope to takeaway chains as well as retailers - rather than because of any firm offers from businesses or intentions from the applicants.
