Doubts emerge over student accommodation at former HNP site
Ryan TaylorDoubts surround a new student accommodation building in Lerwick – which forced long-established business HNP Engineering to relocate.
Alternative locations for the block are being spoken about with some suggestions the contentious project at Commercial Road may not get off the ground.
Concerns have been raised that the planned development by Chester-based Cityheart has been held back through a lack of funding.
The Shetland Times has been told by sources that European institutions which had been due to back the project have got cold feet in light of the “game changer” Brexit vote.
But it has also emerged that the old Janet Courtney Hostel, a listed building at the former Anderson High School site, could be redeveloped to provide student accommodation – a move which would render the Commercial Road project unnecessary.
• For more see this week’s Shetland Times
Peter Hamilton
Did any link between those behind Cityheart and SCT’s guid folk at SLAP ever emerge?
Ali Inkster
Did YOU look for one?
Peter Hamilton
Last week’s paper indicated the proposal for student accommodation for Shetland College was less favoured now EU funding would not be accessed. The decision to evict HNP, a sitting tenant, therefore looks like it was part-driven by someone’s attempt at subsidy-farming. Who was set to gain?
As to the link between SLAP and Cityheart maybe a transparent process was followed or perhaps there were directorships in common. Apparently the arms-length arrangement between SCT and SLAP does not leave SCT feeling free to interfere.
So there is now a piece of prime real-estate in central Lerwick which will be disposed of by an unaccountable body (SLAP) on behalf of an unaccountable body (SCT) which Tavish Scott said has a democratic deficit that needs to be rectified.
Anyone could look into it all further and someone on the public payroll may have an interest, or indeed an obligation here.
There have been occasions in which public assets have been disposed of in questionable ways. Why not shut the stable door and lock it firmly?
I charitably trust Ali won’t object too much when the open door is pointed at and those elected to run Shetland’s affairs are reminded of their previous undertakings.
Ali Inkster
Not objecting just asking if you actually looked. As you say anybody can. So have YOU?