Major expansion on cards for prominent Highland business
The expansion of a major manufacturing plant which could pump an extra £22 million into the local economy and create 250 jobs has been approved.
The forestry products giant Norbord is doubling the size of its plant at Morayhill near Inverness and an additional chimney will be in place to that which can be seen from the A96 by Inverness Airport.
Members of Highland Council’s south planning applications committee welcomed the plans at their meeting on Tuesday.
However, Culloden and Ardersier councillor John Ford said it was a pity the company had no plans to shift its wood products using the railway line that borders the site.
He believed it would not be too difficult to attach a short section of railway line to the main line.
"The railway follows the north boundary of the site and it would be pretty convenient to have a rail sidings put in there," he said.
Senior planning officer David Mudie said Norbord had no immediate plans to use rail but it would review the decision periodically.
Inverness South Lib-dem councillor Thomas Prag said the design of the site must be appropriate for the countryside area.
He said: "This is going to be bigger and we are going to be able to see it. Remember, there’s going to be a new dual carriageway coming into the area. We need to make sure the building is the best that we can get."
Committee chairman jimmy Gray said the applicant would need to meet a specific condition in terms of the site’s layout.
He said Councillor Prag’s concerns would be taken into consideration during future discussions with Norbord.
The proposal involves constructing new process buildings and equipment for a new oriented strand board mill and biomass heat plant. It would increase the annual production from around 350,000 to 750,000 cubic metres.
When complete, the site will expand from the present 24 acres to an area of 55 acres, encompassing a wood processing facility operated by Scotbark, and a sand quarry run by Moray Estates.
Norbord’s owners had warned up to 150 jobs at the plant could be at risk if the plans are were not approved.
