So the Dunfermline Building Society emerges as probably the sole sponsor of this fiasco which is thought to have cost the tax payer some £3Million so far.
The farce recently attracted headline TV and Press comment following the approach to MSP’s at Holyrood Parliament for funding guarantees off the back of a grossly misleading brochure produced by its organisers claiming that substantial community facilities were in place when in actual fact the only community facility for the existing development of around 600 properties was a single post box.
Time for Housing Fair chairwoman Jean Urquhart to face up to the reality that the whole process has been flawed from start to finish and provides no community benefit whatsoever.
A building society has offered £15,000 to support a controversial show of innovative housing.
The fair organisers claim The Development is being organised to showcase innovative designs
Scotland’s Housing Expo – The Highland Housing Fair is to be held at Balvonie Braes, Inverness, in 2010.
Dunfermline Building Society’s offer of sponsorship was announced at the latest meeting of the fair’s board of directors in Inverness.
Complaints about how Highland Council handled the project were rejected by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.
In April 2008, two members of the public raised concerns with the SPSO about how outline planning was dealt with.
They said there had been inadequate consultation and permission for the site should not have been granted.
The SPSO declined to uphold 11 complaints and concerns about the council’s handling of the application.
Housing Fair chairwoman Jean Urquhart said: “This is a great indication of the kind of support within the private sector for such a ground-breaking project.
“Dunfermline Building Society are one of the first to come forward showing great foresight to give money and support to the Housing Expo.”
