Council backs Broad Street improvement plans

Island Councillors have overwhelmingly backed plans to make improvements to Broad Street in Kirkwall.

At a meeting of the full council today, elected members ratified the decision of the development and infrastructure earlier in the week, to progress with the £1.5 million placemaking scheme.

Councillor Owen Tierney, supported by vice-convener Councillor Jim Foubister, asked for the plans be taken back to the public for consultation as there were still areas of contention — some design proposals that were not supported by the public, but were considered by the designers as essential to the overall aims of the project.

However, councillors heard that a decision to defer would mean that funding from transport charity Sustrans — who have agreed to contribute £850,000 — would become unavailable.

According to council convener Steven Heddle, a decision to defer would “kill the project stone dead”.

At a recorded vote councillors backed the recommendation to approve the placemaking scheme by 13 votes to two.