Threatened Nairn building may yet become visitor centre
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A DERELICT building in Nairn town centre is to be the subject of a bid for town centre regeneration funding again, so it can be turned into a café and visitor information centre.
Dr Alastair Noble, chairman of Nairn Integrated Community Enterprise (NICE), has revealed it will be putting a renewed bid in for the project before the deadline of May 7.
“We are working with Highland Council on this project which we see as a very important first step for the regeneration of Nairn town centre,” he said.
“Nairn is facing massive economic challenges and there are many empty buildings crying out to be developed in the town centre and this should have been first on the list.”
A previous bid by NICE for the project was rejected because the council had plans to demolish the building to make way for a new CAB office and 12 flats.
But there was strong local opposition to the proposed demolition of the King Street property, which lies beside the A96 trunk road in the central car park.
The council then decided on a new build for the flats and CAB on a site beside the social work offices and did not proceed with its demolition.
“We are now working with the council and I am hopeful we will be successful this time,” Dr Noble said.
“Nairn is crying out for a visitor information facility and this is the ideal location which would stop tourists on the A96 as they pass through Nairn.
“This building was at one time the old police station and the old cells are intact. That would be a great attraction and we could combine it with the café which would be run by students of Cantraybridge College, and high-quality public toilets and suitable coach parking.”
At the April meeting of Nairn West and Suburban Community Council, Highland Council’s Nairnshire committee chairman Tom Heggie said the property was to be used as a site office for the construction of the apartments and CAB development, which is already under way.
Dr Noble challenged this at the meeting and said he felt it was a contradiction when there were future plans to redevelop the derelict property.
In response, councillor Heggie said: “There is no contradiction whatsoever.
“The social work building is owned by Highland Council. They have made it available to the contractors as a site office and as and when it will be returned to use or non-use.”
Cllr Heggie said the next tranche of town centre regeneration funding was available and if there is to be a plan to develop the old social work office the time limit was tight.
It is expected the CAB office and flats will be completed by next summer.
Related news: £3million flats plan for Nairn was ‘railroaded’, says residents group
