Action note of Caithness Joint Ward Forum (Wick, Thurso and Landward)
held on Tuesday 8th September 2009
Present:
Councillor Robert Coghill (Chair), Landward Ward Member
Councillor Graeme Smith, Wick Ward Member
Councillor Donnie Mackay, Thurso Ward Member
Councillor Willie Mackay, Landward Ward Member
Councillor The Lady Thurso, Thurso Ward Member
Councillor David Bremner, Landward Ward Member
Councillor David Flear, Landward Ward Member
Councillor Katrina MacNab, Wick Ward Member
Councillor Bill Fernie, Wick Ward Member.
Billy Manson – Halkirk Community Council
Jean Lipa – Thurso Community Council
Bert Macleod – Thurso Community Council
Elizabeth Geddes – Castletown Community Council
Bill Brown – Caithness West Community Council
Donald Henderson – Tannach and District Community Council
Elizabeth Henderson – Tannach and District Community Council
James Macdonald – Watten Community Council
Anne Alexander – Watten Community Council
Neil Buchanan – Berriedale and Dunbeath Community Council
Elizabeth Cameron – Berriedale and Dunbeath Community Council
John Green – Dunnett and Canisbay Community Council
Irene Hendrie – Dunnett and Canisbay Community Council
Alan Roberts – Bower Community Council
Alistair Traill – Rector, Wick High School
Grant Ramsey- Chairman, Pulteneytown Peoples Project
Catherine Patterson – Milton Residents Association
Inspector Angus MacInnes – Northern Constabulary
Ian Hargrave – Corporate Manager, Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, Highland Council
David Sutherland – Ward Manager (Wick, Thurso and Landward), Highland Council
Robbie MacIntosh – Ward Managers Team, Highland Council
Alex Macmanus – Ward Managers Team, Highland Council.
David Cowie – Principal Planner, Planning and Development Service, Highland Council
Katie Briggs – Planner, Planning and Development Service, Highland Council
Ian Grant – Press
26 Members of general public.
1. Apologies
Coreen Campbell – The Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council
Lorna Simpson – Ormlie Community Association, Thurso
Janet Mowat – Halkirk Community Council
Councillor John Rosie, Thurso Ward Member
2. Highland-wide Local Development Plan (HwLPD) – David Cowie (DC) and Katie Briggs (KB)
Changes to Development Planning (DC)
All comments on the Main Issues Report for the HwLDP should be sent into David Cowie at Highland Council.
Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006 indicates new arrangements for preparing Local Development Plans
Scottish Government Website provides more information
Local Development Plans should be updated every 5 years
Focus is given to complicated developments and main areas of change
This reform is intended to speed up handling of planning issues
Highland’s new Plan is a pilot of the new integrated approach to Plan preparation
National Planning Framework 2 (NPF2) is the document that ‘sets the scene’ for National priorities
Highland Structure Plan will be replaced by the new plan which will be high level outlining major issues for Highland.
Local plans will be consolidated to allow more frequent reviews to be carried out
8 Plans will be reduced to 4, the first to be prepared being the HwLDP.
Caithness and Sutherland Plan due to start 2011- will provide the detail for the area.
Main Issues Report (KB)
Stakeholder contribution to the draft plan is important.
Partnership working important, particularly: within the Council across the services; with outside agencies; and through community engagement
Consultation on Main Issue Report (MIR) from August 2009 - November 9th on preferred and alternative options, Proposed Plan will be the next stage, and is the first full draft of the plan after considering responses to MIR
Content of the HwLDP
1. The Vision for Highlands reflects the Councils Corporate Plan, and helps establish a number of plan objectives
2. The Spatial Strategy covers:
• Where growth should go, identifying priority sites, our pressured countryside (hinterland), and our fragile areas
• A96 corridor (Inverness east towards Nairn) is important area for the whole Highlands.
• Recent loss of jobs in Caithness and North Sutherland need to attract investment into the area e.g. tourism, marine energy, transport links.
3. General Policy to cover whole of Highlands to include waste management, flooding, renewable energy etc
At the same time we are consulting on our Local Housing Strategy, Coastal Strategy and Local Transport Strategy.
Council now have Blog on internet to keep up to date with progress at - http://hwldp.blogspot.com/
Workshop 1 x 2
Action – Thinking about development of the Highlands and of Caithness:
• identify and place on map of the area things that have happened during the last 20 years;
• identify and place on map of the area things that are important for the next 20 years.
Summary of issues identified is provided on the map which is available via http://hwldp.blogspot.com/ (enables zooming in for easier reading).
Regenerating Caithness (DC)
Key to regenerate Caithness
Key site at Dounraey which has potential for future use.
Marine Renewable Energy potential
HIE masterplan for John O’Groats due to be unveiled tomorrow and fits in with HwLDP Main Issues Report
Harbours at both Scrabster and Wick highlighted as key assets and may well require further investment.
Transport links are an issue with the Scottish Government dealing with their priority list (Strategic Transport Projects Review).
Local level issues are dealt with by Highland Council.
Draft Local Transport Strategy is posted on internet and is also being consulted on at present- /yourenvironment/roadsandtransport/transportplanning/localtransportstrategy.htm
Main Issues Report is important document and questions raised in it should be responded too.
Providing for Housing (KB)
Housing in Countryside Policy is also being reviewed.
More potential within housing groups
Could include up to 100% growth on smaller groupings
Spacing use as guide now rather than strict requirement
More protection required for countryside in the Hinterland areas around major towns due to development pressure
Current preferred approach is to review this aspect for Caithness given that key priority is regeneration
Policy criteria and guidance to be prepared in a Section 2, Design and Siting of Houses in the Countryside, which will recognise the differences in local vernacular throughout the Highland’s, and appreciate the need to support sustainable designs
Feedback
Concern expressed over roads standards requiring urban pavements and street lights for rural small scale developments - The council is currently revisiting its road guidelines
Concern that old existing builds and crofts which were part of settlements are not supported for a new house on that site - The council presume in favour of reuse/redevelopment of the buildings and land where buildings substantially complete having walls to wall head level
Sustainable villages are important but loss of people in villages is putting them in jeopardy - The council’s spatial strategy will look at the role of settlements, and we ask for feedback on this.
Workshop 2
Ideas from Housing discussion
Concern that there should be more opportunity on vacant / derelict sites within boundary of Thurso – With recent changes there will be more opportunities within existing housing groups, and there is a presumption in favour of reuse/redevelopment of the buildings and land where buildings substantially complete having walls to wall head level
There should be financial incentives to encourage local vernacular
People want to live within 3 miles of Wick/Thurso - This is understandable however the problem with relaxing the approach within the immediate area is that it will stymie future settlement expansion.
Ideas from Regeneration discussion
Thurso bypass to support role of Scrabster in regeneration (Developer contributions).
Better educational facilities, arts & sports. (encourage people to stay – youngsters/workforce)
Develop/Decentralise public services outside Inverness to Caithness.
A9 investment (whole route) and rail investment, including Dornoch Rail Link.
Archaeological Tourism generally and water sports.
Releasing assets to support private sector initiatives.
Broadband.
Support Town Centres.
Grid enhancement.
Renewable Energy (DC)
Council does have a renewable energy strategy (HRES) and were ahead of the game in producing it.
Scottish Government guidelines now differ from Highland Council ones so they need to be realigned.
National Grid is the key driver for windfarms
A network of sub-sea cables is needed and is part of the NPF2’s vision.
Numerous targets to meet for renewable energy development
Scottish Planning guidelines to identify broad areas of search for developers and to identity areas of cumulative impact – including areas where ‘enough is enough’
Consultation due on Council’s new Wind Energy Planning Policy and Guidance of which people have been waiting- coming soon.
Council has a list of people to notify/ consult once these documents are published for consultation- let David Cowie know if you wish your details to be added to the list.
AECOM and Metoc plc are leading on Marine Spatial Planning work on behalf of Scottish Government for the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters.
‘Framework for a Marine Spatial Plan’ is due out for consultation in Autumn 2009.
Micro renewables such as bio-mass boilers planned for schools with projects being taken forward by the Council.
Heat Map of the Highlands due to be produced- identifying opportunities to use Renewable Heat.
Coastal Development (KB)
The Coastal Development Strategy is one of the documents being consulted on alongside the Highland wide Local Development Plan.
The coastal zone is from 1 km inland of the coast to 3 nautical miles.
The main overriding purpose is to set out a vision for the sustainable use and development of this major resource.
It will help review what has happened in our coastal zone and help develop a vision for the future
Considers the key opportunities in each of the three coastal areas – north, east and west
Classifies the coast by the level of human interaction, level of development, presence of road, rail etc and uses this to determine planning policy approach
Key information about the current consultations
The purpose of the Main Issues Report is to highlight the choices that can be taken in planning for the development of the Highland area over the next twenty years. It is seeking the views of the community, the development industry and other interested parties as to the options for how development can be delivered in a way which fits with an overall vision and strategy.
In doing so, the Main Issues Report seeks to address the issues where the Council is seeking help in finding the best way forward.
The Main Issues Report and associated documents can be viewed online at /developmentplans.
You will also be able to view and make comment on the Council’s Coastal Development Strategy, Local Transport Strategy and Local Housing Strategy here.
Questions
Q.1. - Scottish Planning Policy 6 - Annex A ‘Spatial framework for wind farms over 20 megawatts’ states that proposals should not be permitted if they would have a significant long term detrimental impact on the amenity of people living nearby. It goes on to say that Scottish Ministers would support a separation distance of 2km between turbines and the edge of cities, towns and villages.
Clarification sought from Minister Jim Mather on this issue endows the same level of protection on single dwellings as cities, towns and villages both within and out with the 2km separation distance.
How does Highland Council propose to incorporate this essential piece of planning policy clarification into the Local plan so affording a level of protection to local residents?
A.1. - The Council is working to identify Broad Areas of Search for windfarm sites, as part of new policy and guidance for wind energy development, in accordance with Scottish Government’s SPP6 Annex A methodology. The intention under SPP6 is that the broad areas of search will be areas where there are no significant constraints on windfarm development, with possibly a stronger steer being given towards particular areas.
Nevertheless, beyond those broad areas of search, whilst the Scottish Government’s policy indicates that there will be certain areas afforded significant protection it also says that there will be other areas where the approach will be to consider applications on their merits against clear criteria.
The approach to preparing a spatial framework referred to above and set out in Annex A of SPP6 is for windfarms of over 20 MW. The extent to which considerations set out in Annex A are relevant to proposals below 20 MW will be dependent on the scale of development proposed, and the Council will need to cover this in its policy and guidance.
In preparing the new policy and guidance, the Council is certainly having regard to windfarm development activity across the Highlands.
Whilst the Highland wide Local Development Plan “Main Issues Report” itself provides a limited amount of background information about windfarm development activity, some additional information is available in the Monitoring Statement which has been published alongside the Main Issues Report and is available on the Highland wide Local Development Plan webpages of the Council’s website.
The Council will undertake public consultation on the new policy and guidance for wind energy development once a full draft is ready.
Q.2. – Caithness Windfarm Information Forum’s question to the Ward Forum is this:
Given that the status quo exists, will the Members agree that a much more useful approach to consultation on future onshore wind development in Caithness would be for Highland Council to positively identify and consult on those areas of Caithness which do not have the constraints for which earlier developments were refused, which would not impact unacceptably on residential amenity, and which would not contribute to cumulative visual impact?
This approach is consistent with the Scottish Government’s requirement for Councils to identify “broad areas of search” and would give clear guidance to developers instead of having a free-for-all which is driven simply by the availability of land for windfarm development regardless of how unsuitable the location might be.
A.2 - In a letter dated 24 April 2009 to Pat Wells of the Stop Highland Windfarms Campaign, the Council’s Director of Planning & Development Mr Stuart Black sets out the Council’s position on the matter of separation distances. In doing so he refers to the letter sent to Mrs Wells by Alison Hurd of Scottish Government on behalf of Jim Mather MSP.
A separation distance of 2 km between turbines and the edge of cities, towns and villages is suggested by Scottish Government solely as a mechanism for steering proposals to broad areas of search.
The Council interprets this as suggesting that broad areas of search ought not to include land within these ‘2 km zones’. Scottish Government is not suggesting there be a 2 km zone from which wind farms or individual wind turbines would be excluded. Neither is it suggesting that the 2 km zones are areas to be afforded significant protection in respect of considering windfarm proposals over 20 MW.
Rather, proposals could still come forward on sites within the 2 km zones and would continue to be judged on a case-by-case basis; the fact that they fall within the 2 km zone would potentially constrain the wind energy development rather than necessarily prevent any wind energy development.
The Scottish Government suggestion, as noted above, is to apply ‘2 km zones’ to cities, towns and villages; it does not suggest defining such zones around individual dwellings in the countryside.
Scottish Government’s suggested approach may help to reduce the instances of conflict between proposals and communities. However, in order to ensure that proposals are not permitted if they would have a significant long term detrimental impact on the amenity of people living nearby (within dwellings in any location and including dwellings which are part of a settlement or which are individual), broad criteria would need to be defined which set out the considerations that developers should address in relation to local communities.
These matters will be addressed in the policy and guidance which the Council is preparing for wind energy development and which will be published for public consultation once a full draft is ready.
NB. Stuart Black’s letter, referred to above, has been included by the Caithness Windfarm Information Forum in background material to its question put to this Ward Forum
Ward Manager requested confirmation from those who had submitted the questions and had it confirmed that they were happy that they had been answered previously.
Q. 3. - Would it not make sense to have a moratorium on windfarm development in Caithness until the results of this consultation and the consultation on the revised HRES are concluded and adopted?
A.3. – This can not happen as the Scottish Government rules (SSP6) dictate otherwise.
3. AOB
None
4. Question and Answer Session
Q1. How important is it for the realisation of the local development plan for Caithness that the local educational infrastructure is fit for the 21st century?
A1 The ECS Service is committed to ensuring that the educational infrastructure is fit for the 21st Century across the whole authority. This is however constrained by the allocation of resources from Government, and the need to prioritise needs across the Highland authority area.
Q2. The Education department spends in the region of £4 million (£3m from its own resources) on Gaelic education. What strategies can be developed so that Caithness benefits from its fair share of this resource?
A2 The Gaelic Language Plan represents the way in which the Council will ensure that the Gaelic language is given its place in all aspects of the Council’s operation.
It is unreasonable to see this budget as a pie that Caithness should get a slice of, instead as Gaelic language demands evolve and develop the resources will be made available.
Q3. I noted that in secondary education there is still 18.30 additional posts; none in Caithness. Why has the decision taken by the Education committee on the 12th February not been fully implemented?
A3 The removal of additional teacher posts is an ongoing process, but has to be managed along with the delivery of the curriculum. A draconian removal of
additionality would have prevented delivery of the curriculum in some schools and as a consequence, posts have had to be left in post.
Q4. The development of the Option Appraisal Process will be crucial for the improvement of Caithness schools and in particular, the campaign for a new school at Wick.
What inputs have local councillors had with regard to the methodology to be adopted in this process. (ref: Resource Committee 19th August 2009 - Capital Programme Review Update - Develop Option Appraisal Process paragraphs 2.6 and 2.7)?
A4 The Option Appraisal process to examine future educational provision in
Caithness will take place during 2010. The methodology adopted will that be used successfully for determining future educational provision in Maryburgh/Conon and the Greater Fort William area. In both instances all stake-holders, including local members, were fully consulted throughout the process.
Q5. The revision of the governance framework for schools will present an opportunity for a more fair and equitable distribution of resources. Will councillors see that this revision brings about a long overdue equalisation of provision?
A5 There is currently no suggestion that devolved budgets are unfair or inequitable. Instead the revised governance framework will ensure that appropriate monitoring of the devolved budgets is in place, along with clear guidance and expectations on budget holders to operate within the budget.
Q6. The Highland Council has indicated through press coverage that efficiencies of £20 million are required to balance the books for next year. How has this come about and what ideas have local councillors come up with?
A6 The Highland Council has asked Service Directors to identify savings targets of 5%, 6% and 6% in each of the next 3 financial years. This level of saving is required in response to the anticipated level of funding that will be allocated to local authorities by the Scottish Government over the next 3 financial years.
This must be seen within the overall UK economic position where central government is reducing public expenditure in order to mitigate the impact of the current recession.
Service Directors are in the process of finalising savings proposals that will be submitted to the Director of Finance in early September. Thereafter elected members within the ruling Administration will consider these initial proposals.