£100 million Thurso masterplan could launch biggest changes in more than a generation as the ambitious plans involve schools, businesses and major bodies like NHS, police, coast guard and Dounreay
The £100 million Thurso masterplan could usher in the biggest changes the UK mainland’s most northerly town has seen in more than a generation.
The ambitious plans involve some of the most important bodies in the Highlands from the NHS to police and fire service as well as the coastguard and Dounreay.
Thurso High has been identified as the main site of investment for a new complex comprising schools, leisure and community facilities.
On Thursday, councillors will be asked to approve the site as the “community” ‘point of delivery’ or POD through the £2.1 billion Highland Investment Plan (HIP).
While proposals to replace Thurso High have understandably grabbed the headlines, the extent of the proposed changes go far beyond the school.

Most locals will warmly welcome plans for a whole new school after High Alumina Cement Concrete (HACC) meant A Block had to be closed.
The school is the focus of the “community” feature of the new POD system but there are also complexes for “depot” and “business” marking widespread investment.
The idea is that PODs will allow different bodies, such as the police, NHS and others, to share facilities where appropriate and so save money to invest elsewhere.
At the moment the “full scope has yet to be determined” for the school development as “any changes to primary school provision” need “a statutory consultation”.
The two options involve replacing the high school, early learning and childcare (ELC) and additional support needs (ASN) bases with either a combined primary school all on one campus or with one elsewhere in the area.
If members agree to the overall scheme then “the core educational accommodation, community and leisure facilities, and POD accommodation for council services and partners” can move ahead.
That means the school would continue operation while “the construction work is carried out in a phased manner to minimise disruption to the High School.”
For the community POD, there could be co-location options for the council education and social care teams; Highlands & Islands Enterprise; and High Life Highland.
But that is not all, as other partners could be NHS Highland; Police Scotland; Scottish Government; Scottish Fire & Rescue Service; UHI-NWH and nursery operators.
Meanwhile, the “office” POD options include – a business hub; community café; meeting and event space; and UHI-NWH town centre preference.
The sites involved here would be the former M&Co site; Tollemache House; North Coast Visitor Centre; and UHI Environmental Research Institute.
The partners include the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority; NRS Dounreay; Supply Chain; Focus North & Caithness Chamber of Commerce; and self-employed and remotely employed community members.
There are also options for the council itself; HIE; High Life; NHS Highland, the Scottish Government; Police Scotland, the fire service; and Scottish Ambulance Service as well as UHI and SEPA.
Finally the “depot” POD offers storage, maintenance and washdown facilities; fleet overnight parking; EV charging points; office, welfare and meeting spaces for depot staff as well as petrol, diesel and alternative fuel storage.
The potential partners involved here are the council, police, ambulances, fire service, SEPA; SSEN; EMBR; taxi, bus and freight operators; the NHS and HM Coastguard.
Then there are the options for “wider investment” which include a green innovation centre; healthy living, sport and leisure, and energy and connectivity infrastructure; and accommodation.
The council said: “This programme should capture the relevant local, regional and potentially national investments under way or planned along with the relevant strategies and plans that inform the requirements for infrastructure investment and sustainable resources.
“This should reflect all Highland Council projects and initiatives alongside those of partners. The portfolio approach through the place programme supports prioritisation, sequencing, resource allocation and investment planning across all partners in the public, community, third sector and private sector.”