APTSec was intrigued by the Inverness Courier headline; "Question over UHI move to Beechwood" and so tried to find out a little more about the background. Previous postings looked at what the adpoted local plan says.
The following information regarding the Inverness Campus is available on the HIE web site:
HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS ENTERPRISE
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE BOARD HELD ON TUESDAY, 29 APRIL 2008 AT 0900 IN COWAN HOUSE
7 Major Investment Proposals
(1) Inverness Campus – acquisition of land at Beechwood East (IEH 2007/00547)
Douglas Yule introduced this paper which sought to acquire 215 acres of land at Beechwood East and to commission internal and external teams to design and implement a major new academic campus for Inverness. The proposed development on this site would provide a new campus for Inverness College, whose buildings were no longer fit for purpose, but would also provide opportunities for a very wide range of other projects and sub-projects which would enhance the international attraction of Inverness and the wider Highlands & Islands as a place to live in, work in, study in and visit. HIE had worked very closely with Highland Council, with UHI and with a wide range of other partners to develop thinking around this project for a long period of time and it was widely agreed that it brought the potential to contribute in a major way to the Government’s strategic purpose of increasing sustainable economic growth.
The first stage to allow the project to progress was to acquire the land at Beechwood which was currently in the ownership of the Scottish Government and used by the Crofters’ Commission as a stud farm. Recognising that this was a project with huge significance for the future of the area and stressing the need for the completed facilities to be truly world-class, the Board approved the proposal to move to purchase the land. In total, approval was given for up to £4.8million on the basis that this amount would cover the costs of land purchase, of putting consultant appointments in place, of enhancing the internal staff team and of marketing and communications. It was expected that £3.9million would be incurred during the financial year 2008/09.
HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS ENTERPRISE MANAGEMENT TEAM MEETING – TUESDAY 14TH APRIL 2009 MINUTES
4 Beechwood Farm – Inverness Campus
This paper provided an update on the progress of the Inverness Campus master plan project at Beechwood Farm, Inverness and was seeking approval of £365,000 for further professional advice and consultancy support whilst the project navigates the formal planning process with the Highland Council. Approval to proceed with the acquisition of land and initial design and development costs was granted by the HIE Board in May 2008 for the sum of £4.8m which is now spent or committed. The resulting outline planning application was submitted to the Highland Council on 3rd April 2009. Title of approx. 220 acres of land at Beechwood Farm transferred to HIE on 11th April 2009.
The interim services to take the project to completion of the planning process will be procured largely through the existing HIE Property Framework process. Management
Team agreed to recommend to the HIE Board approval of £365,000 for further professional advice and consultancy support.
HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS ENTERPRISE HIE 3/09 BOARD MEETING - TUESDAY, 28 APRIL 2009, 8.30AM - COWAN HOUSE, INVERNESS
Inverness Campus Project – Beechwood Farm, assistance for planning application (IMF 2009/00250)
Douglas Yule introduced this item with a brief summary of the history so far of HIE’s involvement with the Inverness Campus project. He confirmed that HIE had recently submitted a very significant and extensive planning application and explained that an additional sum of £365,000 was now required from HIE to cover the costs of providing further professional advice and consultancy support while the project navigated its way through the formal planning process. The meeting was then opened to questions and a specific question was asked about the commitment of Inverness College to the Campus project.
Staff outlined the position of Inverness College and confirmed that the expectation was that the College Board would make a final decision on whether to relocate to Beechwood or re-develop on its Longman site on 7 September 2009. Recognising the need to maintain momentum with this project by moving it through the initial planning stages, it was agreed to approve additional HIE funds of £365,000 during the current financial year to service the outline planning application.
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