​​​​​​​Council to inspect street banners and calls on all property owners to inspect their premises.

The Highland Council can confirm that it has arranged for inspections at two street banner locations on Church Street and Academy Street in Inverness.

This preventative action comes following an incident on Thursday 15 March when a piece of masonry was dislodged in high winds from an Academy Street property.

The Council’s Building Standards have confirmed that the risk of danger to the public at Academy Street has now been removed and Building Standards are making contact with the affected property owners to advise them of their responsibilities with a view to having their building inspected by competent persons. 

Building Standards added that the dislodged stonework has now been removed and the void has temporarily been shored up. There is no further risk of masonry falling at this location and the structural integrity of the building is not at risk. The wire ropes that were fixed to the stonework have also been dismantled and removed.

The Council has also arranged for the removal of a banner from Church Street in Inverness and stonemasons will be asked to inspect the fixing locations on Academy Street and Church Street before any banners will be re-erected.

Building owners are reminded that the primary responsibility for ensuring the safety of members of the public in and around their buildings lies with them.

The Council advises that the responsibility of public safety lies with all building owners to inspect their premises whether they are commercial, retail, business, public or privately owned.