Plan outlined for development of Helmsdale site

The chairman of Helmsdale and District Development Trust has outlined its plans for the further development of a site in the village.

Ruth Whittaker updated members of Helmsdale Community Council on the trust’s proposals for Couper’s Yard at their meeting last Thursday evening.

Couper’s Yard is located on Shore Street and overlooks the River Helmsdale. The area currently has three electric vehicle charging points.

The trust had previously hoped to provide a hardstanding for motorhomes and campervans.

However, the plan had to be abandoned after the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) objected, citing to the risk of flooding.

Mrs Whittaker told Thursday’s meeting that the trust’s development officer Mary Stewart was working hard on a business plan for Couper’s Yard, but it would be a slow process.

It is now hoped to install a black waste disposal unit for chemical toilets, as well as laundry facilities - a heavy-duty washing machine and a large sink for washing dishes and clothes.

Mrs Whittaker said it was hoped this would take some of the pressure off the villages newly refurbished public toilets, which are owned and operated by the trust.

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Visitors have been seen washing dishes and clothes in the toilets, and there have also been incidents of black waste being emptied into the toilets.

Mrs Whittaker added that the development plan also included storage for electric bikes, and there was also interest in having workshop units or storage facilities there.

“There is space to do that, but Mary is still looking at that,” she said.

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Meanwhile she said that the trust had been very pleased to receive positive feedback on the condition of the public toilets.

She also reported that the village’s MUGA (Multi Use Games Area), which the trust was also responsible for developing, was working well.

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