Revised A9 quarry plans recommended for green light
Plans to reopen a quarry so it can provide materials to dual the A9 have been revised after being rejected because of fears over an access road.
Highland councillors meeting in December turned down a temporary planning application for the workings at Dalmagarry Quarry, by Tomatin, saying it would be only a matter of time before a serious accident occurred at the junction.
The earlier "absolutely inconceivable" proposals by Pat Munro (Alness) advocated giving aggregate-laden lorries southbound access and exit only.
HGVs coming out of the site would have had to go southbound towards Tomatin, pull into a layby and take a right turn across a conflicting flow of traffic to continue back on their way towards Inverness.
Vehicles coming from the Aviemore direction would have had to drive past the quarry and pull into a layby and cross the conflicting flow of traffic in the same manner as lorries on the south side.
But now, new plans have been drawn up giving access into the site for south bound vehicles turning left into the quarry, and allowing quarry traffic leaving the site to turn left or right onto the A9.
Vehicles coming from the Aviemore direction would still have to drive past the quarry and pull into a layby and cross the conflicting flow of traffic.
Ken McCorquodale. principal planner for Highland Council, said the north bound set back layby had good visibility in both directions.
The new plans will be presented to members of the South Planning Applications Committee (SPAC) on Wednesday. Mr McCorquodale is recommending approval.
In his report, he accepts that the southern setback layby has "limited visibility at its exit onto the A9, particularly to northbound traffic".
But he said Transport Scotland was content with the revised plans.
"It still relies upon the use of one set back lay-by, which is acceptable practice," he adds.
Carolyn Caddick, Inverness South Liberal Democrat councillor, said the new plan was "not ideal" but would be safer than the original intention.
Councillor Caddick said: "I don’t know who thought the earlier plan was a good idea. They obviously didn’t know the road. I’m pleased that they have come back with this. For me, the issue was turning right out of that layby, which is already a busy stretch with limited visibility. I thought that was bonkers."
The quarry project is expected to create four jobs.
