Balloch News
News Archive - this is now held on the Balloch Village history website.
Roadworks
Barnchurch Road
Resurfacing work will take place evenings, overnight and early morning on Barnchurch Road, at its junctions with Tower Road and Keppoch Road, and on the adjacent sections of Tower Road and Keppoch Road.
Access to all points will be maintained but temporary 4-way traffic signal control may mean delays. If possible therefore, drivers are asked to avoid the area during the following times;
Tuesday 24th August – 7.30pm to 6:00am, Preparatory planing work.
Thursday 28th and Friday 29th August – 7.30pm to 6.00am Resurfacing.
Ennstone Thistle are contracted by Highland Council to carry out this essential maintenance work. Although everything has been done to minimise disruption, the Council apologise for any remaining inconvenience.
Culloden Road
Motorists and pedestrians are being advised by The Highland Council that work restarts on Monday 23 August to introduce Phase 2 of a series of traffic calming measures on Culloden Road, Balloch.
The works – which are expected to last for around eight to ten weeks - will see the installation of various measures which are aimed to reduce driver speed and increase pedestrian safety. The works will include:
- introduction of gateway features at the top and bottom of Culloden Road;
- reline school/community centre car park to rationalise parking
- a chicane/priority give-way adjacent to the vets;
- carriageway width reductions between the chicane and the existing mini-roundabout at Braeside Park and between the Braeside Park junction and Forest Drive junction.
- junction/crossing improvements at Torris Road/Culloden Road and at Cherry Park/Barn Church Road; and
- reversal of the priority give-way at the Railway Bridge.
The traffic calming scheme has been developed in partnership between Balloch Primary School Parent Council and The Highland Council’s TEC Services Road Safety Team.
Funding for the £41,000 project has been secured from The Scottish Government Safe Routes to Schools which supports healthy and sustainable school travel; Highland Council’s Culloden and Ardersier discretionary Ward budget; and the Council’s Education, Culture and Sport and TEC Services. TEC Services will also take the opportunity to re-surface a section of Culloden Road above the raised table from their Structural Maintenance Budget.
Prior to the start of the school term Phase 1 of the scheme comprising a raised table area was installed outside the village shop at the Culloden Road / Cherry park junction which aims to reduce traffic speed at the pedestrian crossing.
The aims of the project are to reduce traffic speed, improve pedestrian safety and encourage more children to walk or cycle to school, which has long term benefits for the health of the whole community
Your Community Council needs you
There are currently (Jan 2010) two vacancies on the Balloch Community Council. If you are interested, or would just like to attend a meeting to decide then please contact the Chairman Alex Bennett alexanderbennett@sky.com
We look forward to seeing you.
Digital television Switch-over
Are you worried or concerned about the switch to digital TV, or do you know someone who may need help? Balloch Community Council has some printed guidance
Please contact katestephen@yahoo.com who can advise.
Barn Church Road tree scheme
There has recently been discussion about the possibility of the Balloch Community Council planting trees along parts of Barn Church Road, these discussions are at an early stage and BCC would welcome your input.
The suggestion is that there should be a mix of long living large trees as well as ‘hedge’ row types and that these would be established on both sides of the road near to the school.
If you would like more details of the current proposals, and/or have ideas or suggestions about the scheme please contact the Secretary of BCC Kate Stephen at katestephen@yahoo.com
Scheme of Winter Payments to the Elderly And to Persons with a Disability
Elderly persons or persons with a disability who are resident within the City of Inverness Wards (Aird and Loch Ness, Inverness West, Inverness Central, Inverness Ness-side, Inverness Millburn, Culloden and Ardersier and Inverness South) who wish to receive a donation under the above scheme should make application as soon as possible and not later than Friday 20 November, 2009. Application forms are available from the Town House, Service Points, Social Work Area Offices, and Local Libraries. The applicant must be aged 60 or over or be a person with a disability:-
- who is in receipt of Pension Credit or Disability Living/Attendance Allowance;
- does not have a wage earner residing with them; and
- is the sole claimant in the household. All donations will be sent by cheque.
David Haas
Inverness City Manager
Town House
Inverness
IV1 1JJ
Flooding
Recent heavy rain causes some local flooding in Culloden Road
Community Woodlands Association
Invites you to: Roots to Health
For all those working to promote community engagement and health and wellbeing in the outdoors.
Friday 6th November 2009: 9.30am – 4.30pm Highland Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness IV3 5NX
The Seminar will focus on using and developing community woodlands to deliver health benefits, and will explore the numerous ways in which community engagement with forestry can contribute to physical, mental and social wellbeing. The programme will feature keynote speakers, case study presentations from successful projects and participatory workshops, and is aimed at a range of health professionals, foresters, rangers and land managers, NGO staff and community groups.
The day will be both practical and inspirational, and also provides a great networking opportunity to meet others working in the sector as well as representatives of community woodland groups.
Cost £100 per delegate. Reduced rates for CWA Associate Members (£50) and free for representatives of Community Woodland groups.
If you require further information about the event or you would like a programme and booking form please contact Diane Campbell: Tel 01854 613737 or email diane@communitywoods.org
Information also available - www.communitywoods.org
New Balloch church vetoed
Baptists’ blow as plan for new Balloch church vetoed
Proposal rejected because of traffic concerns and effect on residents’ view
Published: 13/08/2009 in Press and Journal http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1350507?UserKey= for full storyInverness College introduces new eco-friendly fuel initiative
Inverness College UHI is taking steps to reduce its carbon footprint by implementing a new eco-friendly fuel initiative to turn waste vegetable oil into ‘green’ biodiesel.
Yesterday, Inverness College Principal John Spencer and Head of the College’s School of Construction and Forestry took delivery of the state-of-the-art machine, which will convert vegetable oil from the college’s canteen into biodiesel to fuel tractors and vans at the college’s Scottish School of Forestry in Balloch.The machine, which is operated by air controls to avoid any sparks, can produce up to 50 litres of biodiesel each day from a mixture of cooking oil and methanol, and its fuel dispensing system allows the user to pump the finished fuel straight into the vehicle. As well as producing biodiesel, plans are also being proposed to compost food waste from the college canteen on the site.
New 'hub' for villages proposed
A new town centre would be created as a focal point for the communities of Culloden, Smithton and Balloch under a proposed £120m project.
Consortium Inverness Estate Limited said the planned centre at Stratton would also be a "hub" for new housing in the area. Up to 2,000 jobs would be created if the planning application was approved. The plans are to go on display at Culloden Free Church, Smithton, on 18 February.
The developer said its proposal would form the first part of the east Inverness urban expansion, as proposed in the A96 growth corridor development framework. The framework was approved by Highland Council in September 2007.
Brian Muir, the consortium's planning consultant, said: "This is the culmination of five years of discussion and dialogue with Highland Council which has continued through the A96 corridor process and beyond. "In addition, we have had a year-and-a-half of pre-application discussions and consultation with the council."
from BBC web-site April 2009
The Hedges
Thanks for the clear up at the Hedges, now looking even better for all those Spring walks.
Balloch Village Trust AGM
Balloch Village Trust needs your support to continue!
BVT is successful, but needs the support of the community to continue.
Since its set up BVT has:
- attained charitable status making it eligible for funding;
- campaigned to make the A96 development favourable for Balloch;
- campaigned to get a cycle path up Culloden Road;
- registered community interest on the field next to the school and hall;
- set up the Balloch Village website;
- secured funds to print up the Local History Project by the end of 2009;
- mapped a series of cycle routes in the Castle Stuart Woodlands which Balloch Primary are to illustrate;
- made a start on consulting about more technical mountain bike trails in the woods;
- organised a litter clean up
- hosted social evenings at the Village Hall
BVT can keep going as an organisation working for Balloch - but only if some more residents are willing to become directors. At the moment there appears to be low demand for BVT to continue its activities.
If BVT is forced to cease operating, Balloch will forfeit its community land registration on the field next to the hall and school.
Balloch Community Groups can only keep going with the participation of residents. Meetings require people. New facilities and events like a fete need people to organise them. The future of the Community Council also has a question mark over it due to lack of Local Councillors and poor attendance. Hopefully the Balloch Community Association which runs the Village Hall will manage to keep going. Attitudes to community change - people's lives are more busy - interests are focused outside Balloch - perhaps community groups are no longer needed in Balloch.
Balloch as a village is more vulnerable than ever. With property developers interested in developing the land around Balloch and pushing to change the planning status of land at the next Local Plan, Balloch will be left vulnerable, especially around Balloch Farm and up at Viewhill.
BVT has its AGM coming up at the end of May. We need only three or four more people to step forward to join the BVT Committee for BVT to be able to continue to look after Balloch's interests and your interests as residents.
Please think about what is at stake and express an interest in helping to run BVT or in simply being involved in some activities. Please email b.v.t@btinternet.com or tel. 792199 before the 1st of May.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT OF AGM DATE WILL FOLLOW
Peoples’ Postcode Lottery event
See some recent Press coverage of the event held in the school field over the weekend of 28th and 29th March
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1141219
www.highland-news.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/5359/Neighbours_scoop_Lotto__A31m!.html
Spring 'Postcode Belter' video
Video reproduced by kind permission of the People's Postcode Lottery.
Bollywood in Balloch
Store customers hope for something extra From The Inverness Courier
Published: 03 April, 2009
THE banter among customers and staff at a Balloch store is of ordering saris and putting on make-up — just in case their acting skills may be required.
Anyone calling in at the store to pick up their groceries could find members of a Bollywood film unit lurking in the aisles.
The shop in Culloden Road is to be temporarily transformed into a film set today by Mumbai-based ASA Production and Enterprises Pvt Ltd which is shooting a thriller, Purple Lake, in the Inverness and Loch Ness area.
Anticipation has been growing across the area since The Inverness Courier revealed the highly-regarded company was planning the month-long shoot and recruiting up to 100 local extras.
As filming starts in earnest from this weekend, the Balloch store - part of the Scotmid Co-operative group - is looking forward to playing its small part and welcoming the cast and crew.
Filming is scheduled to take place between 1pm and 4pm, during which time the store will remain open to customers. Notices have been posted apologising beforehand for any disruption, which should be minimal.
The location fee will be given to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, one of the five charities of the year chosen by Scotmid which is celebrating its 150th anniversary during 2009.
Balloch News April 15th 1746
A detachment of the Jacobite Army was seen to marching up Culloden Road at about 8o/c on Wednesday evening. When approached by our brave reporter they told him that Cumberland’s Army was settled down for the night near Nairn and they hoped to surprise them and win a famous victory for King James.
Well not quite, but it was a re-enactment of the famous night march to try to learn a little more about this enigmatic piece of our history, a great ‘what if’ of the Jacobite campaign that originally took place on the eve of the battle of Culloden. About 30 folk in period costume assembled at Culloden House to re-trace the probable route of the march and they made a great sight marching through Balloch.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6102015.ece
National Post code lottery, a Bollywood film, Inverness Caley Thistle coaching lads on the school sports field at Easter……and now Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Army all in Balloch, who says it’s a quiet place where nothing happens !
Please send in any stories or pictures for the May edition, thank you
Please email any items of interest, news, comments and ideas, thank you.
News Editor------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please let us have all your news items, we will publish all reasonable submissions.
Please send any contributions, photos, comments etc to web@ballochvillage.com
Especially any entries for the Business and Where to Stay directories
The Editor
This is the Web newspaper for Balloch, please send us any items of Balloch news, awards, births marriages and anniversaries, your holiday in Balloch….let the village know what is going on.
To place a notice of an event, or to post some Balloch news on this site please contact Gillian Spalding b.v.t@btinternet.com
