The Highland Council's latest version of its new Inner Moray Firth Local Development Plan identifies the dedicated stadium car parks for office, business and industrial development (refs INC07 and INC08). This could undermine the very function and future of the stadium. Without providing these parking areas the stadium would never have got planning permission in the first place. So it beggars belief why the Council support the redevelopment being promoted by lease holders Tulloch Homes. 

 

For those interested and/or aggrieved the deadline for objections to this Plan is tomorrow 17 June at 12 noon. The way the Council prefers this to be done is through a very complex consultation portal  (link Keystone (highland.gov.uk), which is actually not working just now. As an alternative, you can email objections to [email protected]. I have just emailed mine and attach a copy if anyone is like-minded.  Please note that these views are entirely my own as an ICTFC supporter and season ticket holder and not those of my employer.  

 

 

IMFLDP 2 PP objection to INC07&08 V2.docx

1 hour ago, Row S said:

The Highland Council's latest version of its new Inner Moray Firth Local Development Plan identifies the dedicated stadium car parks for office, business and industrial development (refs INC07 and INC08). This could undermine the very function and future of the stadium. Without providing these parking areas the stadium would never have got planning permission in the first place. So it beggars belief why the Council support the redevelopment being promoted by lease holders Tulloch Homes. 

 

For those interested and/or aggrieved the deadline for objections to this Plan is tomorrow 17 June at 12 noon. The way the Council prefers this to be done is through a very complex consultation portal  (link Keystone (highland.gov.uk), which is actually not working just now. As an alternative, you can email objections to [email protected]. I have just emailed mine and attach a copy if anyone is like-minded.  Please note that these views are entirely my own as an ICTFC supporter and season ticket holder and not those of my employer.  

 

 

IMFLDP 2 PP objection to INC07&08 V2.docx 40.92 kB · 4 downloads

Thanks for posting that and congratulations on writing such a good objection to the Council.

I don't know how these development plans work, but I assume that this is not saying that the land will be used for these purposes, rather, it is saying that should the owner wish to develop the sites then these are the kind of developments that would be allowed.  It might be better though to state that whilst the ground remains where it is, the land can only be used primarily as a car park.  If there was any concern about this plan impacting on the club in the near to medium term, I would have expected the Club to have made a noise about this and to have urged all in the ICT community to pile in with objections.  Nevertheless, it is, perhaps one which could be raised at the clubs next AGM.

 

I wonder what the club’s view of the Development Plan is.

I assume they would have been aware of the Council’s proposal in advance so would have had the opportunity to state their opinion.

As DD has said, I’d have expected them to be encouraging submissions if they oppose the plan.

Could it suit the club given the talk of developments at the IRA site or am I making 2+2=5?

Edited June 16, 20223 yr by Robert

Would there be the possibility of car parking still being available underneath or on ground level of  said developments. (Not seen plans)

TBF the amount of land available for parking is not required. Maintaining some space suited for coaches, disabled and a small quantity of general parking may be more than sufficient. The percentage of fans who park in the stadium designated car park is very small probably driven by the costs when there is significant free parking available elsewhere or the preference to use public transport (which the club & council should be looking to push further given the national 'green agenda'.

Why would the parking not be required?  Have you ever been in there on a matchday?  They line the cars up bumper to bumper in order to get as many in as they can and cars often get turned away as it fills up.  These people then resort to parking elsewhere. Not always sensibly and ending up with parking fines.

The club moans that the people of the city don't do enough to support them, but constantly throw obstacles in the way.

It took over 20 years to get a single bus running from the town centre to the stadium on a matchday.  The chances of getting a bus system that can be easily used by people from all over the city is less than slim.

Since I need to justify my attendance, then yes I have been on matchdays and as such done so the last 20 odd years.

Other than recently when large areas of the parking were re-purposed then citing capacity car parks and turning away cars is not regular. Even in the Premiership the car parks have never been full - inefficient stewarding and positioning of cars may give that false appearance though.

As for buses there's been supporters club buses running for as long as I can remember, any additional service buses are only an advantage and would enable the reduction in car use.

Apologies if it looked like I was asking you to justify your attendance, I was merely clarifying if you were a carpark user.

Our observations on the facility are very different.  I used it for most home matches and often was arriving fairly close to kick-off due to work commitments and have been turned away as it was full.  I've also had a ticket (successfully overturned) for parking on the verge as a result....oops.  The stewards are terrible at emptying the car park (often not helped by the idiots driving), but they do a pretty decent job of packing them in there to begin with, in my view.

Buses from the social club are great for those who choose to go there, but even two double deckers is only 100 people...about 5% of the average attendance.

I live in the city, and for me to get a bus to the town centre and then from there to the stadium would be about £5 return and close to 50 mins each way.  If that became my only option, I'd find something else to do with my Saturdays.

Bringing some of these points together I agree with comments made by @Row S in their objection letter to the Highland Council regarding the lack of active travel options to the stadium. Ideally the car shouldn't be seen as the primary (and perhaps only) way of getting down to the ground. Why isn't there a better match day bus service that runs people down to the ground before / after the game for a couple of pounds? As @STFU points out it costs a fair chunk to get a bus from the town to the ground. Saint Johnstone used to cut a deal with Stagecoach whereby supporters got a discounted day ticket when using buses on a match day. Could we look at this? 

I see Inverness launched a cycle hire scheme which looked incredibly limited but perhaps it could be expanded to include a hire point at the stadium? Indeed better bike parking facilities might allow for some folk to feel more comfortable cycling down there on game day.

And for those that still want to drive the car parks still offer a valuable option but their management needs to be looked at.

The idea that the car parks could be developed, subject to all the usual caveats, is quite bizarre given that for some games they can be absolutely chock full of vehicles, particularly when we were in the top tier. I can't imagine the nearby industrial units would be too chuffed when fans and their motors are displaced to their car parks...

Active travel to the stadium? Lol. I sometimes cycle down and there isn't even one basic cheapo cycle rack to padlock a bike to. Can't take water bottle either. 

I'd like to cycle down more often with my daughters but there's no cycle paths and with the way many drivers behave in particular after games it isn't remotely safe. 

Edited June 17, 20223 yr by Fraz

Thanks for your comments. Sorry I couldn't reply as I was locked out of my CTO account yesterday and wasn't able to restore it until tonight. Hoping some of you objected too.

 

The Club Chairman knows about the points made in my objections. Let's just say its situation is somewhat sensitive just now and has not lodged its own objections. Its desired outcome is for the stadium to continue functioning with the existing dedicated parking. The Proposed Local Development Plan view is not helpful though.

Edited June 17, 20223 yr by Row S

On 6/17/2022 at 11:37 PM, Fraz said:

Active travel to the stadium? Lol. I sometimes cycle down and there isn't even one basic cheapo cycle rack to padlock a bike to. Can't take water bottle either. 

I'd like to cycle down more often with my daughters but there's no cycle paths and with the way many drivers behave in particular after games it isn't remotely safe. 

IIRC the new A9 / A82 interchange should include active travel routes but that's likely years away from being built...

Edited June 19, 20223 yr by RiG

Leaving the Innes at 2.55 has never been a problem 🍻