Specialist contractors have concluded a former sand and gravel quarry in Nairn is suitable for use as an amenity space.

A report on the environmental conditions at the former Kingsteps quarry has completed the councils investigation into potential chemical contamination at the site.

The quarry was used as an unregulated local dump and has been informally adopted by locals for dog walking and countryside amenity.

Site works included 38 trial pits, eight hand pits and six boreholes for the collection of soil and groundwater samples.

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In addition, a radiological survey discovered the presence of asbestos at a depth of 0.5m in one sample out of the 92 collected. Appropriate health and safety measures will be required for all future maintenance or ground work at the site.

Work will now begin in collaboration with the local community to identify proposals for site improvements, particularly in relation to upgrading the path network.

Provost Laurie Fraser said: "This is a good news story for Nairn and in particular the residents of Lochloy who make use of the old quarry. It will allow us, and the community, to forge ahead with landscape and footpath improvements for the area.

"Hopefully in a few years we will see more use of the land ,but, bearing in mind that it is still a haven for a number of wildlife animals and this we would want to encourage."

(LM)