Open Letter re Flow Park to politicians

Nairn BID has sent an open letter to a number of local politician regarding the matter of the proposed FLOW-Park. You can read what we have written below and we encourage you to send your own correspondence too.

Ref: Plans for a Moray Firth “FLOW” park.

I am writing to you on behalf of the board and membership of Nairn Business Improvement District. We have 328 member businesses and are governed by up to 12 volunteer directors taken from that membership. Nairn is the second largest town in the Highlands and represents a significant population base. 

As well as representing our members, Nairn BID is also responsible for the online tourism presence and DMO, VisitNairn. 

As such, we are acutely aware of our position in the Highlands as a tourist resort, dependent on the contribution tourism makes to all of our livelihoods. In fact, according to the latest STEAM report, tourism is worth over £56M a year to our local economy and supports a wealth of jobs. 

We market ourselves as the ideal place in which to base yourself for a holiday in the north, with easy access to many regional highlights as well as boasting a thriving local infrastructure which includes a great variety of accommodation and places to eat and drink. We have fantastic walks and wildlife on our doorstep, and a wealth of watersports visitors and residents can enjoy. Our photographers love picturing the dolphins, basking sharks and seals as well as the variety of seabirds which visit our shores. We have great sweeping expanses of beach and championship links golf courses. 

All of this natural wealth is under threat from the plans which we see as having been sprung on us – we have learnt that Scottish Enterprise has given this brand new company half a million pounds and Crown Estates Scotland has granted exclusive rights to explore the seabed for suitability to “park” huge wind turbines. To say the local population is up in arms is a complete understatement.

As the BID we will be encouraging our members to write to you individually and to engage with every stage of the consultation processes which surely must be necessary in this case. From you, at this stage, we are seeking reassurance that our views will be asked for, and will count towards the outcome. 

Yours,

Lucy Harding

Manager, Nairn BID