Pods Focus Group

22/03/2026

Thurso Community Council and Highland Council would like to invite representatives from sports clubs and community groups to share their views on the plans & what they would like to see in and around the new school/s and potential town improvements.

The informal meeting will be held on Tuesday 31st March from 5.30pm to 6.45pm in the Pentland Hotel Ballroom before Thurso’s Communtiy Council meeting. Please email [email protected] with your group name and number of attendees planning to join.

You may know the community have already had a chance to share their opinion in a survey that was open from November to February. This meeting is another chance to provide feedback to the Highland Council specifically on sport and community groups wants and needs.

Thurso Community Council would like to take this time to thank the volunteers that spend much of their free time planning activities for the people of all ages in and around Thurso. It is so important we all have a space to come together, connect with friends and new people and share our stories with each other. Whether that’s indoors or outdoors, it’s so valuable to our wellbeing.

We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday 31st at the Pentland Hotel if you can make it.

02/01/2026

--- Worker Village Consultation ---

The second consultation for the proposed worker village at Pennyland closes on the 5th January.
Now is your last chance to submit your views on this landmark development for Thurso!

Murphy's worker village marks the beginning of transformational change for the county. 500 workers are coming to town to kick off energy transmission infrastructure forming the groundwork for billions of pounds of investment in renewables in the region.

2026 will mark the end of an era for Thurso and the beginning of a new chapter of development on a scale not seen since the beginning of Dounreay.

A link to the survey is in the comments below. 👇

20/12/2025

Are you part of a sports club in town?
Do you use the games hall at Thurso highschool?
Is there anything at all that could be done to improve facilities for your clubs use of that space?

Maybe filling in the survey could help steer the design towards better outcomes for your club?

How could the PoD better serve the community? Does Thurso even really need a town hall or events venue??? Or do you feel that the Thurso is already well served in community spaces and facilities!

Put your thoughts to the team, the link is in the comments.

18/12/2025

🚧 Update on Murphy’s Workers Village 🚧

We welcome the new layout design for Murphy’s workers village. It really looks as if Murphy’s have taken onboard the public’s comments from the last consultation—especially by extending the road closer to Provost Cormack Drive (PCD).

Why does this matter?

Traffic is already a growing concern in town. The new PODs development at the high school, cycle lane proposals for Ormile Road and parking restrictions all add pressure. Once the new schools are delivered, getting around Thurso will be more difficult. Any effort to reduce congestion is a step in the right direction.

Of course, not everyone is happy about the workers village. But Murphy’s team have been upfront about their intentions, with clear communication, regular updates and a genuine sense that they’ve listened to the community.

With renewable developments accelerating across the county and Thurso entering a period of transformational change, it’s vital that the community knows its voice matters.

We’re not just sitting ducks in the face of unprecedented change. We can shape what’s happening and we must make sure our views are heard.

That’s why contributing to ongoing consultations is so important. Every response, every comment, every bit of feedback helps ensure that local people are part of the decisions shaping our future.

👉 Let’s keep showing up, speaking out and making sure Thurso’s community voice carries weight.

14/12/2025

One of the ideas being put forward for the POD is a new cycle path along Ormlie Road and Princess Street. While many see this as a fresh proposal, it’s worth remembering that cycle routes for Thurso High School were first considered back in the 1970s, and revisited in the Thurso Travel Masterplan Refresh (TTMR) in 2018.

The TTMR suggests narrowing roads to create cycling lanes. But this raises challenges:

- Parking pressure: Princess Street is already at capacity and reducing spaces could push cars into back streets.
- Safety concerns: The busy B874 may not be the safest option compared to the quieter back road (Road Bridge → Janet Street/Lovers Lane → High School).
- Alternative routes: Janet Street has long been used by cyclists and with modest widening could be viable (blue line/as above).
- Existing infrastructure: Ormlie Road already has a 3.8m pedestrian walkway—far wider than standard paths.

Another option could be a cycle path along the Mall (Road Bridge → Miller Academy → Lovers Lane), which would protect pedestrians and cyclists while preserving parking on Princess Street.

The reality is that Thurso has far more pedestrians and vehicles than cyclists, especially in winter. So the question remains:

Should traffic be restricted on the busy B874 for a small number of cyclists or should safer back-road alternatives be prioritised?

We’d like to hear your views. Share your thoughts below—your input helps shape better, balanced solutions for our town.

Thurso

10/12/2025

10/12/2025

Today is your last chance to meet the team behind the new £100 million investment in Thurso at North coast visitor center 2-4pm.

Don't worry if you can't make it—you can still click on the link below to put your thoughts to them in your own time by filling out this survey.

Please do give Focus North a follow to keep up to date with 'official' announcements on this. We hope updates will be more frequent now that it appears there's momentum building behind the development 🤞🏼

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=brXwiRZt6E-duhdvqUD3yb9DDf18FqlAg7ePAxfDOMdUQ0g0WEtOMEYwUEhQWTlYTkdOU0xQNFZFQi4u&fbclid=IwT01FWAOmHo1leHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR7gDHM5zrPDl3azu4HXt8rG-zzuowZgmgEk1aT18rJP6_z9AA7BuUQaWuVjGw_aem_mDfu1VsK7lkuKlvFaiuNaQ

09/12/2025

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

🕑 Tuesday 9 December—Gallery Room, North Coast Visitor Centre, 2-8pm
🕑 Wednesday 10 December—Gallery Room, North Coast Visitor Centre, 2-4pm

Who’s been and/or attending later?

08/12/2025

📢 HIGHLAND COUNCIL COMMUNICATION 📢

Note that benefits of the POD include:

• safer walking routes with better separation from traffic
• improved cycle and walking routes along Ormlie Road

What about the roads and traffic management as a whole?

Other projects being considered include:

• a learning campus linked to UHI and local schools
• housing for key workers
• a new Caithness depot POD
• reviews of office and leisure facilities
• shared spaces for partners

Thoughts?

Remember, public consultation dates as follows:

🕑 Tuesday 9 December – Gallery Room, North Coast Visitor Centre, 2 pm to 8 pm
🕑 Wednesday 10 December – Gallery Room, North Coast Visitor Centre, 2 pm to 4 pm

Updates on new school building

04/12/2025