What's New!

News and information from the Planning & Development Service.

January 2013

The Highland Council, including Planning and Development is moving from its base in Market Place in Wick to temporary accommodation in nearby Girnigoe Street in preparation for the £8 million redevelopment of the Market Place site as modern Council office accommodation. Offices in Market Place will close on Friday 18 January at 3pm and reopen at Girnigoe Street on Monday 21 January. Find out more on the news release.

Heads of Planning Scotland have been working together with the Scottish Government jointly to develop a new framework for measuring and reporting performance. This Planning Performance Framework also sets out the Service’s Improvement Plan for 2012/13. It can be accessed here.

The Effect of Focal Length on Perception of Scale and Depth in Landscape Photographs: The Implications for visualisation standards for wind energy developments; University of Stirling May 2012.
The Planning & Development Service is in the process of implementing the Council’s Payment Strategy which means that from 1 July 2012, Planning and Building Warrant fees and other charges will not be able to be paid for by cheque or cash. A Notice for Customers (pdf 81kb) and information on ways to pay (pdf 20kb) are available.
In June The Planning & Development Service implemented a redesign of its pages within the Highland Council website. It is hoped that taking a task based approach to the layout of the pages will allow customers to find the information they need quickly and easily regardless of their level of experience of the Planning system. This is an ongoing process and we would be grateful to receive any feedback on the initial changes. You can complete a short customer survey to let us know what you think.

On 5th April 2012 The Highland-wide Local Development Plan was adopted by The Highland Council. The Highland-wide Local Development Plan (HwLDP) sets out the overarching spatial planning policy for the whole of the Highland Council Area, and replaces the Highland Structure Plan (2001), except for the area covered by the Cairngorms National Park.

Further details on the HwLDP and related changes to other Local Plans can be viewed on the Development Plans webpage.

From Wednesday 7th March a new approach to customer care is to be trialled for all Planning and Building Standards customers in Sutherland and Easter Ross. Customers will now be able to make general enquires or book an appointment by telephoning 01349 886608. Enquiries will be dealt with by Customer Service Advisors or a Duty Officer. Customers with ongoing applications will still be able to contact their case officer by phone or email.

Major changes to rules governing which alterations and extensions to private houses and flats require planning permission come into force on 6 February 2012. See our Householder Permitted Development section for more information on these changes.