Six new Inverness short-term lets approved despite fears noise from wheelie suitcases and parties could 'kill community feeling'
Six new short-term lets have been granted across Inverness despite residential concerns 'unknown' neighbours will impact their quality of life.
Local residents raised fears of late-night antisocial behaviour and worries the noise from the constant arrival and departure of visitors' wheelie suitcases would disturb them.
Councillors though were convinced by the each of the applicant's assurances they would not let their customers get out of hand, and all the applications have been approved.
They are a just handful of the 8,000 short term let applications across the Highlands the council is currently processing.
Many of the neighbours adjacent to the short-term let applications were present in the chamber to raise their concerns with councillors.
Fiona McInally lives on Lochalsh Road with her eight-month-old baby and nine-year old-daughter.
She said her family's quality of life could be impacted by 'unknown visitors looking at our children when they are playing in the garden.'
Martin Mackintosh said he has lived on Lochalsh Road for the last 48 years and the street has 'always been a residential area – full of families, full of life.'
He added: 'It's taking away an opportunity for a family to move into and actually use the many facilities in the area.
'We are just killing the whole community feeling in the north of Scotland.'
Geoff Lowe lives opposite one of the short-term let and stated one of his reasons for objection was the 'additional noise created by wheelie suitcases.'
He too had concerns about the risks of anti-social behaviour and feels the 'sense of community is being eroded' from his neighbourhood.
Councillor William MacKay said the idea of wheelie suitcases causing a neighbourhood noise disturbance was 'completely new' to him.
Property owners and short-term let managers fiercely defended their applications from any concerns their visitors would disrupt communities.
Jillian Macleod looks after a number of Inverness-based short-term lets through Ness Holiday Homes.
She addressed councillors on behalf of property owners on Ladies Walk and Hill Street.
Mrs Macleod said she would make sure the properties are 'treated appropriately' and work 'in any way we can' with neighbours to address their concerns.
Other property owners on Lochalsh Road said a limit on the number of guests staying there would stop noise from Inverness visitors getting out of control.
The latest round of applications were sprinkled across the city.
In addition to the property on Lochalsh Road, an objection to a property on Great Glen Place on the west side of the city was removed and the applications were subsequently granted.
Two properties on Inverness' south side were approved on Castle Heather Drive and Riverside Gardens.
Towards the city centre, applications for a property on Ladies Walk and Hill Street were also granted by councillors.
The unanimous approvals came as the council say they are processing over 8,000 short-term let applications across the Highlands.
Licensing committee chairman Sean Kennedy said Edinburgh City Council, by comparison, only have 5,000 short-term let applications.
In granting the applications, Mr Kennedy repeatedly asked the applicants to engage with their neighbours and address any issues they may have.
Council officers told the committee many of the neighbour's concerns were not relevant to their final decision on the licences.
Mr Kennedy did however add the licenses would be reviewed if neighbours complained of any problems arising from the new Inverness short-term lets.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Glasgow Times
Call for memories of famous Glasgow building for new book
It's one of many myths circulating about the George Square building, but it's extremely unlikely, according to an author who is writing a book about the city landmark. 'I mean, the Vatican is like a marble quarry, it has so much of it,' says Nina Baker, smiling. 'What we can say, though, is that the grand marble staircase inside the building has around four times as much marble as the famous 'holy stairs' in the Vatican. 'There are well over 100 steps in the City Chambers, and only about 26 steps in La Scala Sancta – so that claim is certainly true.' (Image: Newsquest) Nina, who was a councillor in Glasgow from around 2007 to 2017, is researching the history of the City Chambers for her latest book and she is hoping Glasgow Times readers can help. 'I have lots of people willing to tell me about the goings-on inside the building, but what I'm looking for are stories about the building itself,' she says, wryly. 'I'm looking for the oldest 'living memories' I can find from visitors or people who worked there. 'I'd love to talk to the workies, the people behind the scenes who might have been involved in putting in electrics or boilers, for example, or the steeplejacks who cleaned the stonework in the 90s – what tales can they tell me about the place?' (Image: Gordon Terris/Newsquest) She adds: 'I'm also collecting the myths and legends, what Glaswegians believe about the building, which may or may not be true.' The City Chambers were designed by Paisley-born, London-based architect William Young, who won a competition organised by the city. A public holiday was declared on October 6, 1883, for the laying of the foundation stone. Around 600,000 people watched a trades' march of skilled workers from the city's heavy industries as Lord Provost John Ure did the honours. (Image: Glasgow City Archives) In August 1888, the topmost stone - the apex of the central tower - was installed, and Queen Victoria performed the inauguration ceremony. In 1889, a 10-day public viewing attracted 400,000 people. The pediment above the main entrance shows Queen Victoria enthroned and surrounded by figures of Scotland, Ireland and Wales receiving homage and congratulations of her subjects from all parts of the world. (The original proposal was to illustrate the Clyde and the city's manufacturing going to all parts of the world, but it was changed to mark the Queen's jubilee in 1887.) Above the pediment are statues representing Truth, Riches and Honour. At the very top, Truth is known by some as Glasgow's Statue of Liberty because it bears more than a passing resemblance to the famous New York lady. The building's beautiful Banqueting Hall includes murals by several famous Glasgow Boys, depicting Glasgow's past, present and future. These are lit by huge electric chandeliers, which are winched down annually for cleaning. Nina's fascination with the building began almost by accident. 'I discovered by chance that there are tunnels beneath the old building, which connect it underground to the 'new' bit, which was built in 1913,' she explains. 'These were used as archive stores, coal and ash stores, and it was fascinating to have a nosey around.' (Image: Newsquest) Upstairs, there is an old members' library, full of fascinating books preserved in glass cases. 'When the library moved to the Mitchell, doubles of the books were made to ensure the shelves in this lovely room were populated,' says Nina. 'In one of the cupboards, there were enormous leatherbound books, about a metre high, which were the city scrapbooks. 'Those are fascinating – they are full of records like seating plans and menus from city events.' Asking Nina for her favourite spot in the whole building is 'too difficult a question,' she says, with a laugh. 'Although standing at the bottom of the marble staircase looking up is hard to beat,' she says. 'In the 10 years I was a councillor, every single time I walked into the building, I thought – what a privilege to work here. It really is an amazing place.' Can you help Nina by sharing your stories about Glasgow City Chambers? Email or write to Ann Fotheringham, Glasgow Times, 125 Fullarton Drive, Glasgow G32 8FG.
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Inverness Bellfield Park community sauna plan approved
Councillors have approved plans for a 26-seat electric community sauna in an Inverness public park despite concerns from local Sauna Highland's proposal for Bellfield Park, which is in a residential area on the city's riverside, includes a cold plunge pool and changing and Ardersier councillor Morven Reid said some objectors were concerned "mad late night sauna parties" could disturb their neighbourhood if she said council officers had "more than adequately" addressed concerns around noise on the site. Highland Council received 12 objections and 13 messages of support to the at the local authority recommended Wednesday's south planning applications committee grant full planning permission, but with include restrictions on noise and a requirement that a member of staff is at the site at all times when objectors' concerns were a lack of parking at the park and noise from supporting the application said it would help bring the community together and improve an "unsightly" corner of the a report to the committee, officials said the sauna would be screened from view by hedges and there were no plans for music or alcohol to be permitted. 'Community benefit' During the planning meeting, Inverness councillor Isabelle MacKenzie and Caol and Mallaig councillor Liz Saggers attempted to reduce the sauna's operating hours to address noise concerns, but neither received majority councillor Central councillor Michael Gregson said a sauna was not something the city was used said: "The hope is we'll achieve something of community benefit which will enhance the area and it'll be attractive, inclusive, accessible and good for mental health and wellbeing."Sauna bathing is described as a form of therapy that takes place in a room usually heated by burning wood or is popular in parts of northern Europe including Finland, Sweden and Park, on Inverness's Riverside area, already has tennis courts and a council-maintained children's play by local democracy reporter Will Angus.
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Rare Mary Queen of Scots letters to be auctioned
Letters signed by Mary, Queen of Scots and her husband Lord Darnley urging a Highland family to keep the peace in and around Inverness are to be auctioned were written almost 500 years ago when rival families and clans were vying for control of land across Roses of Kilravock Castle, about 10 miles (16km) east of Inverness, were loyal supporters of of the letters asks the Roses to help maintain law and order, while another gives them control of Inverness Castle. The letters jointly signed by Mary's husband Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, have been described as providing a rare example of harmony in their troubled couple later fell out and Henry became infamous for leading a group that murdered Mary's loyal servant David Rizzio in front of her in 1566. Henry was murdered himself the following year. The letters are part of a collection of papers from Kilravock Castle, near Croy, that are being sold by auctioneers Lyon and are five in total being sold, and they have been valued at between £10,000 to £15,000. Mary stayed with the Roses at Kilravock while on a visit to the Highlands in Inverness Castle, a fortress on the site of today's 18th Century building, was strategically important but under control of Gordon, the 4th Earl of Huntly, who was not so sympathetic towards the was refused entry to Inverness Castle and, angered by the snub, she made attempts to wrest it from the Gordons' hold on September 1565 she and Henry appointed Hugh Rose of Kilravock as the castle's it was back in the Gordons' hands within a writer Jennifer Morag Henderson describes these events in her book Daughters of the North: Jean Gordon and Mary, Queen of said the letters signed by Mary and her husband, using their signatures Marie R and Henry R, were rare."Darnley is almost never called 'King Henry' - and indeed Mary ultimately refused to give Darnley the Crown Matrimonial, meaning he was not king in his own right, but only the queen's husband," she said."This is one of the few documents I have seen that is signed in this way, from the very early, almost literally honeymoon period of Mary and Darnley's marriage. "It's so interesting to see their signatures side-by-side like this – Mary's is first, so she's still the most important, but Darnley has signed his name in large, sprawling letters."
