2 Produced by Moray Council Contents Introduction 4 Whywegotinvolved 4 How we did it 5 How Forres got to this Point 6 What did you say about Forres? 8 PrioritisationEventResults 10 ServicescurrentlyavailableinForres 16 ForresNow 17 LinkstoLocalDevelopmentPlan&DraftOpenSpace Strategy 18 Local Development Plan Map 22 WhathappensnextwithPlanningforReal? 23 Forres2020Vision3 Introduction ThisCommunityActionPlanhasbeenproducedbyand forthecommunityofForresbytheForres2020Vision Working Group, with the support of numerous local individualsandorganisations,MorayCouncilCommunity Support Unit and Moray Council Development Plans. ThePlanningforRealmethodologywasused(www. planningforreal.org.uk/) Why we got involved FeedbackfromtheForres2020VisionWorkingGroup volunteers: “Having worked with the Planning for Real process in the past, I know it is a useful and interesting way of gathering information and opinion about what is important to people about the area they live in. Forres has had many different types of consultation events and meetings over time, but this process enabled everyone to be involved and share their thoughts in a fun and quick way.” “Forres is a vibrant and active community – at present “As a local Councillor with a background in community there are many changes happening: new rail station, development I wanted to support local people to engage proposed new A96, rapid housing expansion and a less with the technique after the idea was brought up by the stable world.” then Chair of Forres Community Council. I also like to keep abreast of what Council staff are involved in and “Community groups want to preserve the past and the compare what differences there are from my training environment but move forward and take advantage of back in the late 70s.” funding opportunities to enhance the area.” “To better understand the community’s aspirations for “There are over 200 groups and innovative ideas can their green spaces, public spaces and buildings and how appear challenging; many feel that there should be these could be promoted and supported in their Local more partnership working and involvement of the Development Plan.” whole community to take ideas forward. Planning for Real has allowed us to offer residents the opportunity “Forres is my hometown and I care very deeply about to open discussion and bring their ideas forward. It will its future. The town has a lot of public land and green provide all the groups with detailed consultation results spaces and, like many people who live here, I wanted and enable us to work with Moray Council and other to voice my opinions about what happens to it over the agencies and most importantly with each other.” next five years and beyond. I was really interested in the visual, ‘hands-on’ side of Planning for Real and the idea “I got involved to help the community come together of building a large scale model of Forres appealed to my to make decisions about the future of Forres. It was an creative nature. Planning for Real is definitely a positive interesting process and I particularly enjoyed working and forward-thinking approach to gauging opinion and on the map with the group. It was interesting talking it presents new ways for the public to engage with the to the public at the consultation as they had very varied town planning process.” opinions and views.” 4ProducedbyMorayCouncil How we did it Theoriginalideaofhavingoneconsultationandplan for the green spaces and public buildings of Forres came fromadiscussionatForresCommunityCouncilin2015. AWorkingGroupconsistingof8communitymembers tookforwardthePlanningforRealprocessinForres. The3Dmapwasbuiltoverwinter2015andinto2016 with bi-weekly sessions in Forres Town Hall. Members of the community were invited to take part in building the model on Tuesday mornings and Thursday evenings and over300folktookthetimetocomealongandhelpor findoutmoreandseethemodel. Theconsultationphasetookplaceoverwinter2016/17, organisedandrunbytheWorkingGroupwithadditional volunteers. They also designed and delivered posters andflyers,setupawebsiteandFacebookandTwitter accounts and promoted through the press. We have had continuedsupportfromtheForresGazettethroughout the project. Local shops and businesses kindly displayed partsofthemodeltopromotetheconsultationevents. Who we consulted with maps and flags • WeheldtwopublicconsultationeventsinSeptember 50 andNovember2016inForresTownHall 50 48 • We held a session with Forres Youth Club in August 45 2016 39 38 40 • Members of Forres Sports Hub were consulted in 35 September2016 • WedidapresentationtotheForresPractitioners 30 NetworkandForresBusinessAssociationaheadof 27 the public events 21 • We consulted with older pupils at Forres Academy in 20 17 December2016 15 14 • Members of Forres Community Council had their say 11 • Over60communitygroupswereinvitedalongtothe 8 10 7 7 public events 5 4 4 • 395peopleintotaltookpartintheconsultation phase 0 0-16 17-24 25-44 45-60 60+ unknown Male Forres 2020 Vision Participation Stats Female by age and gender Unknown Forres2020Vision5 How Forres got to this Point TherearefewareasofScotlandwhichoffersuch Forres displays most clearly the survival of its medieval awideandinterestingrangeofattractionsand layout.Castlehillwherethemotteandbaileycastle historicalinterestastheRoyalBurghofForresandits would have stood, a single long high street with closes surroundings. running at right angles, the Tolbooth and the Parish Church and graveyard. The layout is compared with Forres, an ancient burgh and market town, is situated Edinburghintermsoftherelationshipofcastle,church betweentheRiverFindhornandthewoodedslopes and tolbooth. of Cluny and Sanquhar and there is ready access to beaches, riverbanks, woodlands, mountains and Forresisknownworldwideasthelocationofsomeof moorland. The Grampian and Cairngorm Mountains give theearlieractioninShakespeare’s‘Macbeth’although theareaahighdegreeofprotectionwhichaccountsfor thehistoricalfactshavebeendistortedfordramatic therelativelybenignclimate. effect.Macbethwasaneffectiveandrespectedrulerand DuncanwaskilledinbattlenearPitgavenyin1040. Forres has a rural atmosphere and is steeped in local historyandtradition.Thefloraldisplaysandambienceof Burghrecordsweredestroyedin1390whentheWolf civicprideattractmanyvisitorstothetown. ofBadenochsackedthetown.From1540onwards, when records are available, the thriving market town Thereisarangeofaccommodationwhichiswellused continuedtoberelativelypeaceful,tradeprospered and tourism remains a vitally important component andForresbecameasourceofwood,hempandflax of the Forres economy and helps to support a large whichwereshippedtoEuropefromthenearbyportof proportionofjobsintheretailandhospitalitysectors. Findhorn. Many names of French and Flemish origin are common in the area. TheearliestevidenceofsettlementintheForresarea wasfoundinStoneandBronzeageburialremains.Some WorkonthepresentTolboothbeganin1838onthesite historiansmaintainthefoundationsofForresmayhave ofits12thcenturypredecessor.Itsprincipalpurpose beeninRomantimesbecausemapsdrawnbyPtolemy through the ages has been as a council chamber, almost2000yearsagoshowasettlementcalled‘Varris’. treasury, courtroom and prison. The present Mercat Othersclaimthatthenameisderivedfromtheoldword Crosswaserectedin1844bypublicsubscription. ‘Farues’whichmeans‘nearthewater’. Nelson Tower was built by the Trafalgar Club to AnimpressiveremnantofthepastisSueno’sStone.The commemorateNelson’svictoryattheBattleofTrafalgar 6metrehighPictishcross-slabisthetallestsurviving in1805.Openedin1812,itoffersspectacularviewsover stoneandoneoftherichestexamplesofPictishart theMorayFirthforthoseabletoclimbthe96stepsto inScotland.Itwasuncoveredin1726andgiventhe the top. nameafterSweinForkbeard,KingofNorway.Thebattle depicted on the stone is a mystery but possibly shows The Tolbooth is now operated by The Forres Heritage abattlefoughtin966atForresinwhichScottishKing, Trust which successfully applied for and obtained a Dubh, was killed by the men of Moray. Community Asset Transfer from Moray Council. The group also keeps open for visitors Nelson Tower by TherewasaroyalcastleinForresfromatleast900ADand organisingarotaofover70volunteers. inaround1140ADitbecameaRoyalBurghtoencourage tradeandeconomicimprovement.KingDavidIgiftedthe There are many handsome buildings with noteworthy burgh lands, now Common Good Land, to the people of architectural features several of which were built in the Forres for the friendship and hospitality he had received. 19thcentury:TheMechanicsInstitute,nowtheTown We strive to ensure this welcome is true today and Forres Hall;Anderson’sPrimarySchoolandlocalchurches.A hasrecentlyattainedWorldHoststatus.In1496thestatus generous benefactor in the building of St Laurence and ofForresasaRoyalBurghwasconfirmedbytheRoyal StLeonard’sChurcheswasLordStrathcona,whowas CharterofJamesIV. born in Forres and was a co-founder of the Canadian PacificRailway. 6 Produced by Moray Council In the heart of the town is the Falconer Museum, funded byAlexanderFalconerandbuiltin1869,whichmarks the legacy of Hugh Falconer, botanist, geologist and palaeontologist, who worked with Charles Darwin. He wasaleadingfigureinbringingteaplantsfromChinato India. The arrival and growth of the railways brought major Theparkisthevenueformanylocalevents:Vintage benefittothetownbyfacilitatingtheexportofgoods CarThemeDay;ForresHighlandGames;EuropeanPipe fromanexpandingmanufacturingbaseandbenefited BandChampionships;RotaryClubBonfireandFireworks the movement of agricultural produce from the Display; Colours of Cluny;