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RAIGMORE HOSPITAL
In the objections presented to the reporter IMFLDP 2, 19/Jan/24 regarding INS18 (Knocknagael), the issue of inadequate capacity at Raigmore Hospital was raised. The reporter response was (P505) “lack of health facility capacity in Inverness and wider Highland is an NHS funding, practice and staffing issue and not related to the lack of land or buildings suitable and allocated for that purpose”.
Raigmore hospital is the district general hospital and only acute hospital serving the NHS Highland area and a population of over 320,000. The Highland Council area has a population of approximately 240,000 and is largely all located within the borders of NHS Highland - the non-overlap being essentially NHS Argyll & Bute. While general hospitals in Fort William, Oban and Caithness deal with local care, we understand Argyle & Bute generally refer down to Glasgow for acute patients. Hence, here or there, Raigmore is the District General Hospital serving the Highland Council region of some 240,000 people.
It follows then that the Highland Council challenge for an additional 24,000 houses across the area will have a direct effect on Raigmore, which, assuming 2.5 people per household will add 60,000 to the Highland population over the next 10 years.
A snap inspection of the hospital in October 2024 found it was operating at 103% capacity and a further report in July 2025 noted that Raigmore had declared “code black” [when one or more service is at capacity] on 104 days over a period of a year. Unacceptable ambulance waiting times are becoming the norm.
Summary
We disagree that, from a planning point of view, the capacity of Raigmore is solely an HNS problem. Any issue which places a constraint on the population needs to be taken account of in deciding whether to actively increase that population. Whilst issue can be taken at the crude assessment presented, it is undeniable that 24,000 additional houses in the Highlands will place a huge if not unbearable strain on Raigmore and hence on the quality of life/health of the existing population.
SCHOOLS
Based on our own local knowledge, the local High School (IRA) is nearing capacity. This is before any impact of Ness Castle phases 4 and 5. We do not have the modelling capacity, but adding potentially 400 houses to the local area will have a significant impact on the ability of the IRA to cope.
We understand that Ness Castle primary has potential for more places, but in reality, a parent driving from Esssich Road could find themselves closer to Holm or Lochardil primaries than Ness Castle.
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