The Highland Council amended the Development Plan Policy Guidance on Housing in the Countryside in March 2006. The guidance is used to highlight how The Council will interpret and implement the policy set out in the Highland Structure Plan relating to the development of housing in the open countryside. The DPPG largely covers the implementation of policy within the most pressured “hinterland of towns” area.
The reason the Guidance was amended was to take into account the publication of Scottish Planning Policy 15 - Planning for Rural Development, Planning Advice Note 72 – Housing in the Countryside and Planning Advice Note 73 – Rural Diversification. by the Scottish Executive earlier this year. The revised policy issued in SPP 15, PAN 72 and PAN73 places particular emphasis on the additional support which should be offered to allow for the following types of development in rural areas:
- The provision of housing associated with existing and new businesses;
- The conversion or replacement of redundant agricultural buildings;
- The re-use of derelict sites for housing.
Whilst the overall policy of The Council in relation to housing in the countryside as set out in Structure Plan Policy H3 remains unchanged, a number of small changes have been made to expand on existing guidance in relation to the above and to improve the structure and “readability” of the document.
The latest version of the document is available below:
Development Plan Policy Guidance: Housing in the Countryside - March 2006 (pdf 1436kb)
The Council has begun a further review of the document and a report on that was considered by the Planning, Environment and Development Committee in September 2008. Further information about the review will be made available on this website in due course as the review progresses.
If you would like to discuss the document further please contact Malcolm Macleod on 01463 702 506 or by e-mail to malcolm.macleod@highland.gov.uk.