20 35 ONE CITY, ONE VISION - Drew Hendry MP
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[1] Contents [2] Why We Need A Vision 01 [3] Part of a Thriving Highlands [4] City of Opportunity 2021 [5] A Vision for 2035 [6] Creating a Shared Vision [7] A Welcoming City [8] An Arrival to Remember [9] An Attractive City Centre Inverness [10] Family-Friendly First [11] A Successful City 2035 [12] Success Where it Matters [13] Communities & Commerce [14] Culture, Arts & Leisure [15] A Green City [16] Creating Green Spaces [17] A Sustainable City [18] A Sustainable Culture [19] If Not This, Then What?
Why We Need A 02 City Vision Wherever you look in Inverness, This paper also aims to be a you will discover magnificent work starting place for partners and being done to enhance Inverness invested parties to come together as a city to live in and as a place to work towards a common goal – to visit. to create an Inverness vision that is unapologetically ambitious. The physical and mental health and wellbeing of our people has Only when we know where we are rarely, if ever been more going can we map out the route to important. Whether it is public getting there. sector projects, private investment or community initiatives, you don't In setting out what that vision may have to look far to find innovative look like, this paper does not ways of providing uplifting and intend to answer the challenges inspiring ways to improve the and obstacles that may arise from wellbeing of people who live in setting a shared vision. Inverness and the visitors who arrive here. This paper is a starting point for us to describe what is possible for This paper does not intend to Inverness and what it could look bypass all that excellent work or and feel like in the future, and the aim to replace economic steps we need to take to get development plans and sectoral there. projects currently underway. Instead, it seeks to highlight the need for a shared vision and a INVERNESS way to connect current, planned and future projects to deliver a FUTURES welcoming, successful, green, sustainable city at the heart of a GROUP thriving Highlands.
Part of a 03 Thriving Highlands When considering the economic This is not a criticism of any and social future of Inverness, it partner organisations or any is impossible to separate the city approach taken; however, it does from the rest of the Highlands. highlight the absence of and need The future of the city and the for a specific Inverness City wider Highlands will always be approach. interlinked, and to succeed, each must work in step. The question must be: why should Inverness be different from any Organisations concerned with the other city with its own unique future of the City of Inverness identity? have within their remit responsibility for the development If we want Inverness to realise its of the Highland region. This potential as a modern city - to be means that Inverness is often attractive to visitors and investors seen as a part of the whole alike - then we must recognise picture rather than the picture that Inverness requires a distinct itself. Understandably, this results vision. in a region-wide approach and dilutes any city-specific vision. The role of Inverness as the gateway to the region or the The Highland Council sets out a capital of the Highlands is a Programme for Administration for crucial part of its unique offering the local authority area. At the and always will be, but for same time, Highlands and Islands Inverness to thrive, we need a Enterprise is concerned with the vision for the city that is more development of the region. Still, than its geographical location. there is currently no public or shared vision for the City of Inverness.
City of Opportunity 04 2021 This is an exciting time for Inverness, The University of the Highlands and with several developments changing Islands changed more than the the landscape and social fabric of the landscape of Inverness; it has city. enabled more young people to study and live here. The £315m Inverness City Region Deal unlocked transformational Respected education institutions and projects in and around the city. research programmes in the heart of the City allows us to retain talent in It enabled partners to develop the the region, increasing opportunities connectivity through the construction for inward investment well into the of critical roads and active travel future. infrastructure, realising the The establishment of the UHI campus opportunity to free up land for has set the foundations for a thriving housing and commercial jobs market in the future. development. Several new hotel developments are The City Region Deal set out the elevating the city's tourism offering. ambition to position Inverness as a As the retail sector continues to place of digital opportunity. The struggle in the face of changing public investment in this aim opened shopping trends, the city centre sees the door for partnership opportunities growth in the food and drink sectors. resulting in over £20m private sector investment in digital infrastructure The ongoing development of Highlife across Inverness. Highland facilities offers modern leisure and social facilities accessible Without a doubt, full fibre networking to all in the community and across across the city is a gamechanger for the city. The Bught Campus area, Inverness, but if it is not part of a linked to the city by the Active Travel wider strategy, it is just technology. route offers huge potential for additional cultural and sporting Inverness is already a popular base activities for locals and visitors of all for businesses. Lifescan Scotland, abilities and groups. Norbord Europe, Capgemini, Orion and the Global Energy Group are just The continued development of Eden some of the major companies that Court's programme offers visitors and have a significant Inverness base. residents the opportunity to enjoy culture and arts in the centre of Inverness.
05 INVERNESS 2035 A welcoming successful green sustainable city at the heart of a thriving Highlands.
Creating a Shared Vision 06 The vision of Inverness - a welcoming, In the pages that follow, this paper will set successful, green, sustainable city at the out some of the policy decisions that may heart of the Highlands - is an opportunity to be required, aspirational goals and create an anchor point for all strategic statements of intent that could form part of plans for the city moving forward. the plans to achieve our shared vision. How this might look will be different to us Hopefully, these options will inspire a all, and that is why this exercise is so collaborative approach to the next chapter important. Whatever the answer to what of Inverness - one of Europe's fastest Inverness will be in 2035 may be, it needs growing cities and the city in the heart of to have Inverness's people at its heart. the Highlands.
07 INVERNESS 2035 A welcoming city at the heart of a thriving Highlands.
An Arrival to 08 Remember Inverness will be a welcoming When people arrive, they will have city for visitors from near and access to rail links, eco bikes, far. Shops, businesses, tour electric buses, and self-drive operators and residents will be rentals – getting to Inverness City proud of Inverness’s world- from the airport will be quick, renowned reputation as the clean and connected. welcoming city. It will be a Visitors will be able to avoid the statement of intent turned into elements by accessing city reality by the people of transport links all under one roof. Inverness. Their pride in our welcoming city will make Public transport will be modern, Inverness a great place to live proudly eco, well maintained and and visit. clean. Timetables and tickets will be fully accessible online and via Whether visitors arrive by bus, apps. train, car, or flight, their first impression of Inverness will be All transport links will be fully consistently that of a integrated with the ability to buy a welcoming city. When they single pass to that final leave, they will do so, with a destination. People arriving by warm recollection of the bus will disembark in an attractive Highland welcome they sheltered bus station that will be enjoyed throughout their visit. well be maintained and sympathetically designed to suit It will be an experience that its surroundings. stays with them and brings Visitors will experience an them back time and time again. effortless transition to their The airport will be a blend of destination accommodation, modern amenities coupled with having already accessed the the warmth of a Highland urban trail on their app and aided welcome. The city will be by the helpful staff and locals they accessible by hub airports, encounter as they move enabling visitors and residents throughout the city. to travel seamlessly across the globe. INVERNESS 2035 - A WELCOMING CITY
An 09 Attractive City Centre Visitors will be attracted to Gone will be a city centre walking or cycling to their prioritised for cars and buses – destination because of the instead, priority will be given to beautiful pedestrian streetscapes. pedestrians and cyclists. Streetscapes will be designed for They will marvel at our historical active travel, supported by park architecture, there to enjoy and ride zones on the city's because of the extensive and outskirts. Street furniture will be regular cleaning of city centre minimal, and where it can be buildings and street cleaning. found, it will be sympathetically Visitors will be able to mentally designed to ensure disabled map out their activities for the people are not hindered by it. days ahead because of well thought out directional signs, Our streets will be bustling with pointing them to the world-class families enjoying the 'what's on' Inverness Castle experience, the features of the day or finding their beautiful riverside trail and all way along the digital urban trails, those fantastic culture and sports supported by our gigabit Wi-Fi hot spots in and around the city. infrastructure throughout the city. Every entry to Inverness is Independent businesses and attractive and welcoming as part retailers will be supported by of the City's ongoing work to fulfil independent retailer enterprise its promise to be the world's most zones. Our high street will be a welcoming city. blend of retail, office, housing and hospitality. Inverness won't just be a city for visitors – it will be a place to Inverness's charm will be its enjoy for those who live here. people – in its shops, restaurants, The city centre will be attractive, accessible for all and most businesses and on the streets. importantly family-friendly with a Food and drink will be at the heart focus on creating a place and of the design of our city centre, atmosphere that has a positive with restaurants and bars for and enriching effect on wellbeing. locals and visitors alike to enjoy. INVERNESS 2035 - A WELCOMING CITY
Family Friendly 10 First Inverness will be the best city to Public areas – once considered grow up in, a claim that will be unattractive – will be reimagined backed up by being an accredited to make them family-friendly UNICEF Child-Friendly City and routes or parks. These public local political commitment to areas won't be only places to take creating nurturing social and children, they facilitate much school environments – ensuring needed social interaction between no child is left behind. different generations – purposefully engage with a wide The city infrastructure will be variety of partners to create constructed to create family- events that bring together the friendly active travel routes, parks youngest and oldest residents and and outdoor public spaces for visitors. activities. Inverness will be a growing city where green space is A long-standing commitment to prioritised in every planning new housing – both affordable development. and social rent – will ensure every family has a safe home to live in. The city will be awash with colour The most vulnerable in our because of a citywide partnership society will feel part of a between local schools and council community and be supported. services. Care in the community extends Whether it is joint streetscape beyond public services, and projects or expressive art community groups will be leading adorning walls along the river, the efforts in their local area. when people visit Inverness, they Schools will be modern, inclusive campuses that reflect our ongoing will feel the city’s children at its commitment to nurturing the city's heart. children. Active travel routes and Thanks to the pedestrianisation of integrated transport links will Inverness city centre, families will ensure travelling to and from enjoy spending time in the centre school is safe and enjoyable. and the local economy benefits significantly from their presence. Often described as the Safe City, Making the city centre accessible Inverness continues to have the lowest crime rate of any city in to all will increase footfall for Scotland. shops. INVERNESS 2035 - A WELCOMING CITY
11 INVERNESS 2035 A successful city at the heart of a thriving Highlands.
Success 12 Where it Matters There will be shared commitment As a result of local policy, to the vision to be a welcoming, cooperatives and community successful, green, sustainable city ownership initiatives will bring at the heart of a thriving tired public assets to life across Highlands. the city. People living in Inverness will be Communities will have an active connected to this vision and will role in planning and development. be central to its journey. The physical and mental wellbeing of There will be a shared asset the city's people will be at the register for the city - detailing the core of all public policy decisions, public assets, buildings and land. with clear success metrics. This will be fully accessible online. All strategic planning will stem from this vision and form a Public policy and investment are blueprint to attain and sustain this concerned with creating a thriving vision. economy and a thriving well-being economy. Development will be A collaborative policy approach sustainable, inclusive and between public organisations, resilient. commerce and communities put the people who live, work and Inverness will be a well-regarded study here at the centre of all incubator for start-up companies, development planning. bringing a range of sectors together, creating a sustainable This blend of the public sector, and resilient economy. private and community support, along with strategic infrastructure and development plans, means Inverness will be a city that knows where it is going. INVERNESS 2035 - A SUCCESSFUL CITY
Connected Communities 13 & Commerce Inverness will be a city that The city will be welcoming and connects businesses to trading attractive to multi-national partners, workers to jobs and corporations. people to places. All new homes will be connected The Gigabit connectivity across via fibre to the premises internet the city will make Inverness an connection, thanks to planning attractive place to do business. policy that incorporated fibre to Investment in infrastructure will the premises as a supply support economic and social requirement in planning consents. productivity. The city's modern gigabit Inverness will be the home of infrastructure will enable health start-up businesses, supported by services to use smart enterprising public policy and a technologies to deliver care in the proactive campaign to attract community and will help build start-ups to the city. Incubator communities. zones will enable small to medium businesses to share resources as The use of SMART technologies they grow. will support people where they live, socialise and work. Flexible and equipped working spaces across the city will make it The city will boast a reputation as an attractive and low-cost place a STEM centre of expertise, for small to medium-sized providing well-paid jobs for young businesses. people and the research facilities at UHI will be considered world- The connected public transport class. infrastructure and traffic control measures allow workers to travel quickly and safely to work. INVERNESS 2035 - A SUCCESSFUL CITY
Culture, 14 Arts & Leisure As a successful city with An ongoing commitment to culture wellbeing at its heart, Inverness and the arts will grow the city's will be a showcase for Art, night economy and ensure Leisure, Culture and Music, Inverness's reputation as an bringing to life Highland heritage experience city. through artistic expression in Highlife Highland will be leading physical art and spaces. peer organisations in attracting the best in culture, learning, sport, A world-class visitor experience, leisure, health and wellbeing, Inverness Castle will cement the along with engaged partners, city's reputation for tourism, such as Sportscotland, Creative heritage and arts. Scotland, Visit Scotland and Scottish Canals. Urban trails will be well planned and engaging. Every corner of the city will boast modern sport & leisure facilities Venues will keep reimagining the that are accessible and city's entertainment through the welcoming. extensive augmented reality experiences interwoven across The riverside will be brought to the city. life with market stalls and activities for the family to enjoy. Eden Court, Scotland's largest The walk routes around the city single-site, award-winning arts will be engaging and informative. venue, will be one of Scotland's People will enjoy reading about Inverness's history while walking best-loved experience venues, along the canal, visiting the bringing an excellent artistic marina or discovering the programme to residents and woodland areas. visitors alike. Inverness's location in the heart Local culture, art and music will of the Highlands, community-led be at the core of city plans, development and popularity as a nurtured and supported by place to live and visit will ensure creative funding. an experience for every style, budget, and taste. INVERNESS 2035 - A SUCCESSFUL CITY
15 INVERNESS 2035 A green city at the heart of a thriving Highlands.
Creating 16 Green Spaces Inverness will be a carbon-neutral There will be an extensive city and will boast the lowest air programme of investment in pollution of any Scottish city. active travel and bike infrastructure throughout the Inverness is at the heart of a entire city area. thriving Highlands. It will attract visitors from across the world Inverness will have more eager to enjoy the outdoor pedestrians and cyclists than cars pursuits and beautiful scenery to travelling along popular routes. be found across the region. Inverness will be Scotland's Nurturing our nature will be at the cycling city, active travel routes heart of Inverness in 2035. will be well-thought-out and visiting the city centre is a Unused public spaces will be pleasant experience. turned into community assets and supported with funding to create Our local economy will benefit green spaces. from the increased footfall in the city centre because it will be easy Projects, such as Edible to get to and move around. Inverness, will have ensured the Public transport will be city's green spaces feature edible interconnected, green and areas. reliable, making it a preferred mode of transportation to get The city centre will be reimagined around the city. to create green spaces in the heart of the city. The city will be All public vehicles will be electric home to multiple community or hydrogen-powered. allotment areas. Electric car infrastructure will be Public parks will be created with well maintained, accessible at all each new large housing park and rides and in public car development, along with seating parks. areas. INVERNESS 2035 - A GREEN CITY
17 INVERNESS 2035 A sustainable city at the heart of a thriving Highlands.
A Sustainable 18 Culture Promoting education on the New housing developments will importance of sustainable living be environmentally friendly with will not be confined to schools; it innovative green spaces. will be available to all. As part of planning consent, new Active travel will be the preferred housing and business mode of transport for people developments will be required to travelling around the city to work install solar or renewable and study. infrastructure to a specified standard. Recycling will be an embedded culture with residents of the city. Solar panels will be installed in all new public buildings, schools and Renewable energy projects will homes. not only generate power but will also act as educational tools to Urban development will be embed a culture of sustainability. innovative, solar-powered buildings that incorporate green The Archimedes Screw on the space in the plans. river ness will be one such example of a popular tourist Sustainable urban agriculture will destination using renewable form part of public planning and energy to power buildings. there will be a fund to support urban agriculture projects in and UN sustainability goals will be around the city. incorporated into local public policy and will be at the heart of city planning. INVERNESS 2035 - A SUSTAINABLE CITY
If Not This, Then What? 19 This paper has set out what Inverness A 2035 could look like at the heart of a thriving Highlands; as a welcoming, successful, green, sustainable city, with welcoming physical and mental health and wellbeing at its core. In doing so, it also provides a picture of how policy decisions, successful aspirations and collaborative working might achieve this. green While no one organisation is responsible for the delivery of Inverness's vision, this vision cannot be delivered without sustainable cooperation between public organisations, businesses and communities that will need to work in city at the collaboration. The vision for Inverness also needs to be heart of a resilient to political cycles and changes in leadership. This can be achieved by creating a One City, One Vision thriving stakeholder group. The question to be posed from this paper Highlands. is; if this is not the Inverness we should aspire to be, then what is it, how do we describe it and, perhaps most importantly, how are we going to get there?
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