New Thurso Hotel and Public Park Plan and the Present Local Plan Review

[crayola]

Well well well Raymond, I didn't expect you to write that you are lying! Last we spoke you didn't know whether your fantasy hotel would be taller than the Weigh Inn. Are you now saying you've been lying about its height or lying about not knowing it would be higher than the Weigh Inn? Which is it?

Do you say you've been lying in your press statement? If so I would be shocked at your behaviour.

So do tell us about your large planned car park and what it would look like when full of visitors' vehicles like Land Rovers and large Mercedes four wheel drives. And how are you planning to hide coaches and large delivery vans and lorries and big rubbish bins and regular visits by scaffie carts? And what about the walls or hedges or fences around your hotel and around your hotel car park? Will you only allow guests with grass green cars and delivery vehicles? And will you insist on green asphalt for the roads to and from your hotel and car park?

You can't pull the wool over my eyes. I see the truth of what a big eyesore your fantasy development would be.

I don't want to spoil Thurso's surroundings with yet another forest. There are enough of those ugly things in Caithness already. And I don't want your idea of a faux manicured park next to Victoria Walk. Go and live next to Donald Trump in Central Park if that's what you want. Don't spoil our unspoilt Thurso countryside.

Would your hotel be called Taylor Tower?

[crayola]

So now I'm lying about the height of the proposed hotel which is covered in the 235 pages of CaSPlan and you want to knock down a listed building. Then your back talking about the Weigh Inn again. I'm sure people want to hear some new argument.

I have a statement coming out soon about the present situation with CaSPlan etc that will I am positive be of interest. It should be on the org and in the press over the next week or so.

I'm quoting your post to prove you wrote 'So now I'm lying about the height of the proposed hotel'.

[crayola]

Oh and one more thing:

Is your proposed hotel higher than the Weigh Inn? If so by how much?

I keep asking this question because you have never answered it! You didn't know the answer last time I asked! Do you know it now? If not why not?

How can anyone trust you if you don't answer? Or if you don't even know the answer?

And how can you make statements about how much your hotel would spoil the view if you can't compare its height to that of the Weigh Inn?

[Max]

Lets just demolish Thurso and all live in Crayolas alternate world

[Alrock]

Lets just demolish Thurso and all live in Crayolas alternate world

Would certainly be an interesting place to live....

[crayola]

My world is a splendid world Alrock. You are welcome to join it.

In my world I solve problems in five minutes that Thurso's self appointed saviour has failed to solve for the last twenty years. And I have fun doing it.

Which reminds me. The ghost of my virginity lies close to Victoria Walk. Has anyone seen it recently?

[Raymond Taylor]

So Crayola I have now to put up with you taking more cheap shots at me for some reason elsewhere on the org. You seem to be dominating many threads and have an opinion on almost everything.

My Dad told me once and through my life I have found it to be very true - "It's always the emptiest barrel that makes the most noise". So you carry on and fill your boots!

I'll be back later with my statement etc.

[crayola]

Come on Raymond!

You are avoiding the question. Again!

This looks so so bad for you.


Would Taylor Tower be taller than the Weigh Inn?

[MrA]

Come on Raymond!

You are avoiding the question. Again!

This looks so so bad for you.


Would Taylor Tower be taller than the Weigh Inn?

I think you'll find this looks so bad for you.... give those keys a rest. If your worried about the view get up from your keyboard and go for a walk along the beach front and take it in.

Don't knock the guy for trying to create Job's and improve Thurso tourism. This is exactly what Thurso's going to rely on in the future so you should be positive and embrace it. Maybe use your energy in better ways and promote change rather than being abusive.

Best of luck to Mr Taylor and I look forward to having a nice beer and meal in the Hotel Restaurant overlooking Thurso bay.

[Scunner]

It seems strange that visitors are allowed a view, hence the planning committee refuse a great idea. And yet the private owner of a house is not entitled to a view and buildings spring up around them also extensions on homes that can block views.

[Raymond Taylor]

Come on Raymond!

You are avoiding the question. Again!

This looks so so bad for you.


Would Taylor Tower be taller than the Weigh Inn?

Taylor Tower - another cheap shot however - Just for my sanities sake and peace I'll try to answer as long as you promise to drop the point as this is the best I can do as there is a planning mechanism to go through if the land gets allocated.

I've told you before I don't know how high the Weigh Inn is, so I'll take a guess and I repeat it's a guess.
around 10-12m I reckon.

My project if you read CaSPlan etc it is described as a "low level design, built into the 6-7m slope with a flat grass roof.

If the land is allocated for development we then go through a pre planning stage which is a negotiation with council planners before an architect puts pen to paper. We all sit round a table to "discuss" what design etc would be best for the site. If during this consultation it is deemed a one, two or even one and a half level build is best for the site that is what it will be.

When the drawings after the pre planning consultation stage are done then we go to the detailed stage where local councillors control final approval approval of all detail in the design. So I don't get away with blocking out the sun as I told you a few months back. I will build what is deemed best for the site by highland council experts who recommended the project for approval.

[crayola]

Wahey! At last! See it wasn't that difficult was it?

Why didn't you say this before?

Now tell us how you're going to hide all the cars and buses and vans and all the other things that go along with a hotel. But it's not just a hotel is it? It's a whole development. And we haven't even mentioned all the lodges you want to build next to the hotel.

[crayola]

Here's Raymond's plan.



It's a huge development running from the main road to the edge of the cliffs. The hotel is only a small part of it. Look at all those roads. And all those lodges. It's almost a village by itself!

And what is the other largish building just above and to the left of where it says Developed Land?

[MrA]

G = Restaurant/pub and Holiday Chalets reception.

H = Resturant outdoor seating area.

I = Multi Use park and Showground.

K = Visitor Parking.

E = Leisure Club (Great)

J = Bandstand! (Outdoor music?, fantastic! Great for the county show or perhaps festivals? Exactly what this town is missing.

Looks great.

[Raymond Taylor]

Yes a busy tourist village I would hope with all the associated benefits to the town centre and within easy walking distance. Lodges no higher than the mausoleum already on site, 2.5m on a 6-7m slope. And I would be surprised if there were no buses and cars in the carpark. 20000 tourists can't be beamed up like Star Trek in my world, maybe yours!

Thanks for putting the plan up again I was about to do the same thing.

[Alrock]

...Thanks for putting the plan up again I was about to do the same thing.

Could you put it up in higher resolution?

Also... Any 3D moddeling, artist impressions?

[Raymond Taylor]

If councillors allocate the land for leisure and tourism use I will have an artist impressions done for my presentation to them. My opening thread on this, if you click to view the story then click on the hotel plan, it the best resolution I have at the moment. I will probably have another open day before councillors decide on the zoning with all plans there.

Anyone can contact me anytime and come round to Pennyland House to view.

What I do also plan for the councillors is to have some marquess put up at the height of the lodges and hotel when it comes to the detail stage. Remember though, if the councillors don't zone this area for tourism and leisure the whole plan is history.

[gaza]

Crayola has some strange opinions, and like all of us who are passionate in what we say and feel gets a bit carried away, but fortunately it doesn't make it so.
I for one think it's a good and considerate design, in the perfect location, and something this town is long overdue.
Keep at em Raymond.

[mi16]

Crayola has some strange opinions, and like all of us who are passionate in what we say and feel gets a bit carried away, but fortunately it doesn't make it so.
I for one think it's a good and considerate design, in the perfect location, and something this town is long overdue.
Keep at em Raymond.

if memory serves me correct, Crayola does not even live in the county and is therefore merely poorly attempting to troll Mr Taylor, the odd thing is that the mods seem to be allowing this.
Others have been banned for much less persistent badgering of a person.

[Raymond Taylor]

Everyone is entitled to an opinion in a democratic country and I love the chance to answer the sometimes awkward questions. It allows me to lay out my case for the project for all to see, as hopefully I have done throughout this thread.

It is a truly magnificent and sensitive site for a hotel and any development needs to be sympathetic to that fact. It is an amenity, in my view that is under utilised at present and the overall project can enhance and embrace this which can be done with clever design. Just yesterday I spoke to an architect that thinks the park area could even extend onto the grass roof of the hotel.

I convinced the Highland Council Planning officials to recommend supporting the project, all Caithness Councillors had to do was say Aye! On August 31st just passed they said Nay! I'm still at a loss to why?