Development Planning

• Highland Development Plan Scheme & 'Keep us in the picture' competition
• Structure Plan
• Local Plans
  • Badenoch & Strathspey | Caithness | Inverness | Nairn | Ross and Cromarty East | Sutherland | Wester Ross | West Highland and Islands
• Development Plan Policy Guidance
• Houses in Multiple Occupation  - Draft Supplementary Planning Guidance  
• Open Space Supplementary Planning Guidance
• Housing Land Audit
• A96 Corridor Masterplan
• Briefing Notes

A key function of the Planning and Development Service is to formulate policies relating to land and resource use in Highland. These policies are published in various Development Plans, including the strategic Structure Plan and more detailed Local Plans.

The Planning and Development Service has prepared a Housing Land Audit as part of its commitment to carry out regular monitoring of housing completions and the availability of effective land for housing.

In addition to producing the actual planning documents, guidance is offered on a range of planning issues. The balance between protecting and exploiting the natural resources of the area is an important aspect of this work and expertise exists in the fields of fisheries, aquaculture, forestry and minerals.

Sustainability is a key principle of planning policies and a small team covers matters relating to sustainable development, biodiversity and Local Agenda 21.

The natural environment is, of course, one of the key resources of Highland and much work has been carried out to investigate the best way to manage the environment for the benefit of wildlife, local communities and visitors.

Much of this policy work is backed up by in-depth research and the supply of information to the public and other agencies goes hand in hand with the production of plan documents.