Stepping up Bid to Revive Nigg Fabrication Yard

Highland Councillors will be asked on Thursday (13 December) to step up the bid to bring the Nigg Fabrication Yard, Easter Ross, back into positive use in the interests of the economic development of the area.

At a full council meeting, elected members are invited to agree that:-

• the Council continues to talk to the key parties with a view to securing its aspirations of bringing the Yard back into positive and productive use as a multi-use facility at an early date;
• the Director of Planning and Development, in conjunction with Highlands and Islands Entrerprise, engage a specialist consultancy to develop a long term Vision and Master Plan for the Nigg Yard and adjoining undeveloped zoned land;
• On completion of the Vision and Master Plan, the Council seek a partner who would agree to take immediate ownership of the site and deliver the Master Plan on the Council successfully securing a Compulsory Purchase Order;
• the Acting Head of Legal Services be authorised to undertake further preliminary work to prepare the Nigg CPO under the provisions of the Town & Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.

In a report to the Council, councillors are reminded that the yard, which was established in 1972 but has stood substantially vacant for four years, is in two ownerships. The northerly two-thirds is in the ownership of KBR and the remaining southern section, including the dock, is in the ownership of the Wakelyn Trust, but leased to KBR until 2031, with a break clause in 2021.

KBR put their land up for sale in February 2005 and had sought to reach terms for the termination of their lease. The Cromarty Firth Port Authority and subsequently DSM, from the West Midlands, had secured 'preferred bidder' status to acquire the ownership and secure a new lease with the Wakelyn Trust but neither have been successful and at this time there is no preferred bidder for the yard.

The Council resolved in August to continue to put pressure on the parties to reach a negotiated settlement which would allow this strategically important site and significant land area at Nigg to be brought back into productive use.

However, the report to the Council states there is no evidence of a successful outcome to these talks being concluded by the end of this year.

In the circumstances, it is recommended that the Council consider establishing a framework to pursue CPO proceedings via its own robust framework procedure.

Councillor Drew Hendry, Chairman of the Council's Planning Environmental and Development Committee, said: "It is vital that this important Highland asset is back in productive, long term and varied use as soon as possible. As a Council we have to make sure that Nigg is not allowed to deteriorate further and that is why this Administration is taking this action. I feel sure that this approach will gather wide support."