BIDS are being sought from housebuilders for two parcels of land, which can accommodate 225 homes, at a new Highland town which Moray Estates has been developing since 2018.
Moray Estates, managed by the Earl of Moray and his family, has instructed Shepherd Chartered Surveyors to invite bids for the two sites, one with capacity for about 75 homes and the other for about 150 houses.
Shepherd noted planning permission had been obtained nine years ago for the new town of Tornagrain, comprising nearly 5,000 homes alongside schools, shops, and social and community facilities “necessary to deliver on the original vision for a walkable community based on the traditions of a Scottish market town”.
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It added that the “first neighbourhood village is well on the way to completion” with nearly 300 homes, community and recreation facilities, shops, a café and a nursery school.
Tornagrain, to the south of the A96 seven miles from Inverness, is expected to take 50 years to complete, with the plan being for a town similar in size to Nairn or Forres. The first houses were completed four years ago and, in the summer, the 250th home was completed.
The site extends to 259 hectares of agricultural land and woodland.
Andrew Howard, managing director of Moray Estates, said: “Tornagrain has been designed to be an enduring and sustainable town, which builds on the architectural and planning traditions of Scotland and the Highlands.
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“We wish Tornagrain to be a model town for the 21st century, fostering a vibrant and successful community. This development is setting a new standard and vastly improved quality of development.”
Neil Calder, partner in the Inverness office of Shepherd, said: “This is a unique opportunity for developers to become involved in what is a landmark development opportunity.
“To date, [Moray Estates] has worked with two housebuilders, Places for People and A&J Stephen. The time is now right to broaden the opportunity to other like-minded housebuilders, and so additional serviced land is being marketed.”
He noted the invitation was to bid separately for either of the two blocks being marketed, or “collectively for both”.
Shepherd said: “Both parcels comprise part of the second phase of development of the masterplan for Tornagrain. Key elements of the second phase masterplan include: a high-quality public realm realised through considered landscape design, a permeable layout providing ease of movement and well-composed streets, a seamless continuation of the streets and pedestrian routes, and a mix of private and affordable dwellings with a varied range of accommodation types.”
Steve Barnett, managing partner at Shepherd, said: “Since inception, we note that Moray Estates' aim for the Tornagrain development has been not only to create a new planned town but to fundamentally provide a townscape where the residents can build a sustainable and resilient community.”
Shepherd noted a new rail station is being built on land north of the A96, on the Inverness to Aberdeen line.
It added that this station was due to open at the end of this year and would be connected to Tornagrain by an active travel link and a bus route.”
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