Dave Thompson MSP

Dave Thompson, SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, has argued that The Council should not be paying for the land for the proposed West Link road and that they should receive substantial developer contributions for any planning consent, as the developers would benefit hugely from the public expenditure which would open up the adjacent land for development.

Dave also believes that land for a future bypass over Torvean quarry should be protected from development.

Dave said: “As developers stand to gain considerably from the construction of the West Link road, it is only right that they should provide the land for the road and make a significant contribution to the Council for planning permission for developments which the road will make possible.

“I also believe that a bypass over Torvean quarry will still be required at some point in the future, as the current link is just a distributor road, so the line of that bypass should be protected from development.

Adding to this, Dave said:

“The Council must deliver a solution that is in the best interests of the people of Inverness and the wider area.

“The lobbying by developers shows that the West Link road is clearly in their interest by making the land south of the river more accessible, and therefore more valuable for the developers who own it. Therefore it is right that they should contribute to the development as much as possible.

“Completing a proper bypass over the Torvean quarry will also be necessary in the long term, so it is important that the Council ensures that the Torvean quarry route remains feasible for the future.”