A meeting of Planning, Development, Europe and Tourism Committee will take place on Wednesday, 14 March 2007, at 10.30 a.m.
You are invited to attend the meeting and a note of the business to be considered is attached.
Yours faithfully,
Alistair Dodds
Director of Corporate Services
Declarations of Interest – Members are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting. Any Member making a declaration of interest should indicate whether it is a financial or non-financial interest and include some information on the nature of the interest. Advice may be sought from Officers prior to the meeting taking place.
Preliminaries
1. Apologies for Absence
Resources
2. Revenue Expenditure Monitoring 2006/07
There is circulated for noting Report No. PDET-14-07 dated 6 March 2007 by the Director of Planning and Development setting out the Revenue Monitoring position for the period to 31 January 2007 and the projected year-end position.
3. Capital Expenditure Monitoring 2006/07
There is circulated for noting Report No. PDET-15-07 dated 6 March 2007 by the Director of Planning and Development outlining the gross capital expenditure and income to 31 January 2007 and the projected out-turn for the Year 2006/07 Capital Programme.
Development Control
4. Amended Application - Development of Class 1 (Retail) Store, Petrol Filling Station, Creation of a Vehicular Access, Car Parking, Landscaping and Ancillary Works at Knockbreck Road, Tain, for Asda Ltd. (06/00665/FULRC)
The Committee is invited to determine this application in accordance with the Hearing Procedure. Members are reminded that, in the determination of a planning application which is the subject of a Hearing, to be entitled to participate in any vote you must be present throughout the whole of the proceedings.
Members will recall that, at its meeting on 31 January 2007, the Committee agreed that this application be deferred to allow full consideration of additional information provided by the applicant at short notice. In this regard, there is circulated Report No. PDET-16-07 dated 5 March 2007 by the Director of Planning and Development informing Members as to developments undertaken since the 31 January meeting.
The Committee is asked to note:
i. the extent of further consultations undertaken following the submission of additional information by Asda Stores Ltd;
ii. the approval given for a Lidl store in Tain; and
iii. the Council’s proposed policy on energy gain and grey water systems within large developments including superstores (item 9 of this agenda refers).
There is also circulated Report No. PDET-17-07 dated 6 March 2007 by the Director of Planning and Development addressing the amended application from Asda Ltd for the development of a 2,973m2 Class 1 Retail Unit (Supermarket) and Petrol Filling Station on a 6.5ha site at Knockbreck Road, Tain.
The recommendation is to refuse the application for the reasons as set out in the report.
Policy and Consultations
5. Planning Etc (Scotland) Act 2006
There is circulated Report No. PDET-18-07 dated 5 March 2007 by the Director of Planning and Development advising Members of a number of the provisions of the Act which are to be implemented with early effect.
The Committee is asked to:
i. note the early changes associated with the Planning Etc. (Scotland) Act 2006; and
ii. approve the advertising of the Notice of Intention to Prepare a Highland wide development document, and the formal commencement of the work to deliver it.
6. A96 Corridor – Masterplan
At its meeting held on 31 January 2007, the Committee approved the principles of the proposed implementation framework for the A96 Corridor and also arrangements for another round of consultations during February 2007, for reporting back to this meeting.
There is circulated Report No. PDET-19-07 dated 7 March 2007 by the Director of Planning and Development summarising the statutory background and Corridor master-planning work since its inception in 2004, including the consultations undertaken at each stage.
Following continuing dialogue by the Council’s consultants Halcrow with the principal development interests, a revised implementation scheme covering the overall phasing, infrastructure funding, developer contributions protocol and delivery mechanisms has been prepared. As agreed by the Committee, another round of public and agency consultations was carried out in February and the latest representations are outlined in the circulated report (a complete set of all submissions has been lodged in the Members’ Library).
The Committee is asked to agree:
i. amendments to the draft A96 Corridor masterplan, as recommended in the circulated Consultations annex. A concise Strategy document can then to be issued as interim guidance, pending (iv) below;
ii. that priority development status is accorded to the proposed Inverness College/UHI Campus and associated amenity/sports provisions at Beechwood, to enable implementation of this strategic project prior to 2011, having regard to policies 2.8(vii), 2.41(v) and 3.1 of the adopted Inverness Local Plan;
iii. a revised developer contributions protocol for the A96 Corridor, to be applied as the interim framework for negotiation of essential s.75 infrastructure Agreements on qualifying sites within the Corridor, pending (iv) below; and
iv. that the revised masterplan be fed into preparation of the strategic Highland Local Development Plan scheduled for later in 2007, subject to consideration of outstanding Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) consultation responses from the statutory agencies by the incoming Council; this to facilitate the early completion of statutory plan-making procedures, including provision for any objections to be heard at an independent Public Local Inquiry.
7. Infrastructure for Sustainability in Large Scale Developments
(Council, 8 February 2007, item 5)
There is circulated Report No. PDET-20-07 dated 5 March 2007 by the Director of Planning and Development responding to the resolution at the Highland Council meeting on 8 February 2007 to require all large developments to install energy gain systems and grey water systems. It defines the planning policy context for these requirements, defines what they may be, and recommends conditions to be attached to planning permissions to secure their provision.
The Committee is asked to:
i. adopt the terms of the report as a draft policy guideline for the provision of infrastructure for sustainability in large scale development;
ii. approve the use of the conditions specified at paragraph 3.2 of the report in the issuing of outline and full planning permissions for large scale development; and
iii. agree to review the policy guidelines following receipt of views from the development industry and 12 months experience in operating the draft guidelines.
8. Affordable Housing – Development Plan Policy Guideline
There is circulated Report No. PDET-21-07dated 2 March 2007 by the Director of Planning and Development commenting that the Affordable Housing Development Plan Policy Guideline has assisted in the delivery of a wide range of affordable housing schemes since it was first approved by the Council in 2002. Following the publication of the Planning Advice Note on Affordable Housing back in 2005, there is a need to update the Guideline to reflect changes in definitions, the changes in thresholds already in place in Wester Ross and proposed for the new Local Plan areas, and to clarify the delivery mechanisms for affordable housing.
The Committee is asked to agree the changes suggested to the Guideline, which will be issued for public comment following the local government elections in May 2007.
9. Scottish Water – Update
There is circulated Report No. 9 PDET-22-07 dated 2 March 2007 by the Director of Planning and Development setting out the progress that has been made in working with Scottish Water to deliver solutions to key water and wastewater constraints affecting the area. Members are asked to welcome the progress being made in a number of constrained areas, whilst at the same time pressing Scottish Water and the Scottish Executive to deliver solutions for all constrained areas in Highland, particularly in the more rural areas which have existing problems and only more modest developer pressure.
The Committee is asked to:
i. welcome recent progress in investment by Scottish Water;
ii. continue to press Scottish Water for delivery dates of the strategic solutions for water supply constraints and to work closely with them to help achieve them;
iii. continue to lobby the Scottish Executive and Scottish Water to recognise the critical importance that relatively low levels of development have on the sustainability of our most fragile communities and that the investment programme, particularly as it relates to water supply, must recognise this; and
iv. continue to stress the fact that constrained areas, particularly in Skye and Lochalsh, that do not currently feature in the Q&S3 programme must be continually monitored in order that pragmatic solutions might be brought forward where appropriate.
10. European Union Developments – Structural Fund Update and Network Activity
At its meeting held on 24 March 2004, the Committee agreed that a report on the development of EU Regional Policy post-2006, and in particular progress on the case for Objective 1b status for the Highlands and Islands, be brought to each future meeting of the Committee.
There is circulated Report No. PDET-23-07 dated 6 March 2007 by the Director of Planning and Development updating Members on development of the European Union Structural Fund Programmes for the Highlands and Islands post 2006, and providing a briefing on the activities of the European networks in which the Council has been actively involved.
The Committee is asked to:
i. note the content of the report;
ii. recommend that the Council makes representation to the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) concerning the potential delays in implementing the European Fisheries Fund;
iii. recommend that the new Council administration considers, at an early meeting, how best Council and Highland priorities should be promoted via European networks; and
iv. agree that the European Team report to a future Committee on the strategic alliance with Shetland and Sogn og Fjordane.
Operational Issues
11. Partnership Agreement with VisitScotland
There is circulated Report No. PDET-24-07 dated 7 March 2007 by the Director of Planning and Development updating Members on progress towards the objectives of the Partnership Agreement between The Highland Council and VisitScotland for the financial year 2006-07 and outlining proposals for concluding a Partnership Agreement for the year 2007-08.
The Committee is asked to consider the report and:
i. agree that the Director of Planning and Development, in consultation with the Chairman and Depute Chairman (Tourism), be authorised to conclude a Partnership Agreement with VisitScotland for 2007-08, incorporating the services detailed in Appendix 1 to the report;
ii. approve payment to VisitScotland of £385,000 for the financial year 2007-08 in four equal quarterly instalments following receipt of the signed Partnership Agreement, the remaining £110,000 to be made available on a project by project basis; and
iii. approve the revised guidelines for disbursement of funds from the Council’s Tourism Development budget.
12. Working for Families
There is circulated Report No. PDET-25-07 dated 5 March 2007 by the Director of Planning and Development summarising the development of the Scottish Executive’s Working for Families Initiative throughout the Highlands from its inception in 2004, and anticipating how in the future it will be delivered as part of the wider Workforce Plus: An Employability Framework for Scotland.
The Committee is asked to:
i. note the progress made during the first three years of Working for Families in engaging with and moving towards or into employment disadvantaged parents by breaking down childcare and other barriers; and
ii. agree to continue to prioritise staff time to manage the Working for Families Initiative and develop it in context of the Workforce Plus framework to co-ordinate and improve employability services.
13. World Mountain Biking Championship – Access Exemption
There is circulated Report No. PDET-26-07 dated 1 March 2007 by the Director of Planning and Development advising that an application has been made by the Nevis Range Development Company Limited for an Exemption Order under Section 11 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 for the Mountain Bike World Championships 2007, to restrict public access rights to the Witch’s Trail, Leanachan Forest, Torlundy. An Exemption Order which extends for more than 6 days requires confirmation by Scottish Executive Ministers.
The Committee is asked to:
i. remit consideration of objections or representations received in relation to the proposed World Mountain Bike Access Exemption Order to the Director of Planning and Development in consultation with the Chairman of the Planning, Development, Europe and Tourism Committee, the Lochaber Area PDET Chairman and the Local Member; and
ii. agree to forward any objections and representations received, together with the Council’s considered response, to Scottish Executive Ministers.
14. Proposed Lease of Strathpeffer Pumproom
There is circulated Report No. PDET-27-07 dated 26 February 2007 by the Director of Planning and Development and the Director of Property and Architectural Services drawing Members’ attention to the proposed lease of Strathpeffer Pump Room and seeking approval for the property to be leased on terms and conditions to be agreed by the Director of Property and Architectural Services.
The Committee is asked to agree to the leasing of Strathpeffer Pump Room on an annual basis to a private operator on terms and conditions to be agreed by the Director of Property and Architectural Services in consultation with the Director of Planning and Development.