A series of 14 Information Days will take place across the Highlands to give people the opportunity to find out how they can get involved in shaping the future of the Highlands.
The Highland wide Local Development Plan will update and replace parts of the Highland Structure Plan as well as parts of existing Local Plans which cover strategic policy issues. It will set out:
- the spatial strategy and vision for the area
- clear policy guidance for development of all types (including reference to Supplementary Guidance where appropriate);
- the development principles of key action areas (including the A96 Corridor).
The preparation of this new Local Development Plan will assist with the delivery of economic development for the area, whilst making sure that the quality of the built environment in Highland matches that of the natural environment.
The Highland Council was chosen as one of the pilot authorities to deliver a new local development plan based on partnership working with SEPA, SNH, Scottish Water and Transport Scotland. The aim is to demonstrate the benefits of a partnership approach to the preparation of a new-style, concise, map-based plan. In the coming months the Highland Council will deliver a development plan which will:
- Be up to date to provide investors and communities with greater certainty
- Focus resources of the private sector onto matters of greatest significance
- Lead to improved planning applications that help speed up response times from the public sector
- Create a simpler and more transparent planning process
- Enable a greater understanding and co-operation across the public and private sector
- Deliver better developments more efficiently through partnership working.
For Further information on how we are producing our plan please read our Development Plan Scheme 2009.
Main Issues Report
Responses to the Highland wide Local Development Plan Main Issues Report
The Highland Council have produced and published a Main Issues Report for the Highland wide Local Development Plan. We are seeking comments from members of the public and private sectors and the community at large on the main strategic issues and potential policy options for the Highland wide Local Development Plan.
The purpose of a 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 can be downloaded below.
For ways of getting involved please read on…
Over the coming weeks you will also be able to view and make comment on the Council’s Coastal Development Strategy, Local Transport Strategy and Local Housing Strategy.
We appreciate that everyone is asked to look at a large number of consultation documents, but we hope that you will find the time to respond to this important consultation. Members of the Development Plans team will be attending Ward Forums over the next couple of months to highlight some of the main issues set out in the document. We will also be holding events all over Highland on the following dates between 10am and 6pm;
31 August WICK Assembly Rooms*
02 September DURNESS Village Hall
03 September THURSO Town Hall - Caithness Horizons
09 September FORT WILLIAM Lochaber House - Chamber
11 September PORTREE Community Centre
15 September ULLAPOOL Village Hall
16 September TAIN Duthac Centre
21 September DRUMNADROCHIT Blairbeg Hall
23 September GAIRLOCH Community Centre
24 September MALLAIG Mallaig & Morar Community Centre
02 October NAIRN Community Centre
05 October INVERNESS Town House
06 October DINGWALLTown Hall
09 October GOLSPIE Community Centre
*10am - 5pm
We will also be holding special events at the Eastgate Centre, Inverness on the 12th September and Court House, Nairn on 26th September.
If you would like to assist us in promoting the Information Days for the Highland wide Local Development Plan please feel free to download one of the posters below and circulate them around your local area.
We may also be able to attend some interest groups meetings. If you feel that would be useful, please get in touch as soon as possible.
Strategic Environmental Assessment
As with all Plans, Policies and Strategies the Council produces, the Highland wide Local Development Plan will be subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment to assess the level of significance of any environmental impacts. The Scoping Report sent to the Consultation Authorities is available for download below (Appendix 6 of the Environmental Report).
The Environmental Report and its appendicies can be downloaded below
We have also produced a Monitoring Statement which looks at how the Highlands has changed since we started using the Highland Structure Plan in 2001. You can download this below
Equalities Impact Assessment
To accompany the Highland wide Local Development Plan Main Issues Report we have produced an Equalities Impact Assessment. This document helps us to identify if the Highland wide Local Development Plan will affect different groups of people in different ways. We have produced a Screening Report which can be downloaded below and we have determined that a full Equalities Impact Assessment is not required.
To make sure we are meeting requirements on Strategic Environmental Assessment, Equalities, use of the Gaelic language, and community engagement we have produced a checklist which is used by the Development Plans team. A completed checklist can be viewed below which sets out how we have or how we aim to meet requirements in the production of the Main Issues Report Stage of the Highland wide Local Development Plan.
Housing Need and Demand Assessment
Our Housing Need and Demand Assessment shows the number of homes that will be required in the future and is available to download at:
Housing Need and Demand Assessment
Getting Involved
We would like you to get involved in the production of your Highland wide Local Development Plan and we would like to make it as easy as possible for you to get involved. To let us know what you think you can either come and see us at one of the events listed above or by getting in contact with us;
Freepost
Director of Planning and Development
The Highland Council
Freepost SCO5568
Inverness
IV3 5BR
E-mail
devplans@highland.gov.uk
Fax
(01463) 702298
Questionnaire
You can fill in our questionnaire which you can download below;
or fill in our online questionnaire by clicking on the link below;
Blog
You can keep up to date with the work we are doing and give us further feedback on our blog;
Closing date for responses is 9th November at 5pm
If you want to be added to our consultation database or if you have any questions or queries on the Highland wide Development Plan please contact the Development Plans Team.
E-mail - devplans@highland.gov.uk
Telephone - (01463) 702261 or (01463) 702506