YOUR VIEWS: Inverness housing developments and the ageing Highland population
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Readers comment on city housebuilding and how the NHS will cope as the Highland population ages.
Infrastructure is not an optional extra to housing
A Courier reader recently raised the issue, long discussed, of whether the numerous new housing developments in Inverness are being adequately supported with associated infrastructure and whether development should be paused unless or until they are.
Two things stand out in the responses about the challenges of pausing housing development.
First, it seems central government sees housing expansion as non-negotiable, yet infrastructure improvements to meet this growing population as an optional extra. It is not.
Second, by not improving the infrastructure and transport options for people in rural areas in the Highlands, is the government not simply accelerating the movement of people towards the city, exacerbating Inverness’ infrastructure woes?
James Rorison
Inverness
How will NHS cope with more older people?
Courier columnist Colin Campbell explored what an ageing Highland population, as revealed in recent Census statistics, might mean for the future as a larger number of older people make increasing demand on already under pressure health services.
“While it’s obvious that we have a growing number of older people, because generally we are living longer, I don’t think the census figures can possibly be accurate with so many people choosing not to participate.” – Kim Corbett
“Kim Corbett, having worked in the Netherlands and Germany, it’s really noticeable how young their population are compared to here. There is no doubt we have an ageing population here in Scotland and even more noticeable here in Inverness and the Highlands. There is no doubt my generation and younger generation will never see retirement nor see any of the benefits today’s pensioners enjoy, such as free bus travel, free prescriptions (I don’t believe the NHS will exist by the time I’m older), we will be expecting to be working full time into our 70s or 80s.” – Walter Fillingham
“When the NHS was created a topic of lifestyle illnesses was probably very rare too.” – Marie Macdonald
Letters should be submitted to newsdesk@hnmedia.co.uk. Please include your address and a daytime contact number. You can also tweet us: @InvCourier or leave a comment on Facebook @invernesscourier
