Highland Council yet to make final decision over future of paused project to build all-weather sports pitch at Inverness Campus UHI
Highland Council say no decision has yet been made regarding the planned sports facilities at UHI Inverness campus.
It is three and-a-half years since the last of a £1 million funding package was secured to develop a floodlit all-weather synthetic sports pitch suitable for year-round use for football and rugby.
UHI Inverness said at the time that it would fulfil a long-term ambition to provide sports facilities on Inverness Campus for students, local sports clubs and the community, with Inverness Craig Dunain Rugby Club an active partner in the plans and Inverness Caledonian Thistle part of the steering group guiding the project.
A blueprint for the plans was then approved by Highland Council’s own planners in May 2023.
However, earlier this year it was revealed that the project had been put on hold due to spiraling costs.
According to the council, offers received from contractors to progress the project were “significantly above the available budget”, but the authority declined to quantify the change in projected costs because of commercial confidentiality.
If work on the project does not begin by May 2025, a fresh planning application will have to be lodged for approval.
With just six months to go until that point, though, Highland Council say no final decision has been made on the project’s future.
A spokesperson said: “The planning permission for the campus as a whole will not lapse as development has commenced. The principle of sports facilities on the site form part of that permission.
“The specific application brought forward in respect of the 3G sports pitch, car parking, fencing and floodlighting was approved on 09 May 2023 so will not expire until 10 May 2025.
“The review is still under way, and no formal final decision has been made on the campus facilities.
“However, the new Culloden Astroturf pitch will be opening soon, and we continue to investigate funding opportunities for other facilities on the east side of Inverness.”
