Development guidance - Aquaculture

• Aquaculture planning guidance

In advance of the review of the Highland wide Local Development Plan, draft Aquaculture Supplementary Guidance was consulted upon to provide early opportunity for engagement. The consultation ran from 25 May to 19 July, 2015 and the comments received can be seen here.  These are helping to shape the next stage of the process. The detailed guidance will support an updated aquaculture policy in the revised Highland Wide Local Development Plan.

The aquaculture guidance contains sections on a spatial strategy and a set of 6 development criteria. It will guide fish farming (including shellfish) development to those locations that are considered to have fewer constraints to development, or to where those constraints can be mitigated through sensitive equipment design, siting or working practices. The guidance will also assist in streamlining the process of preparing, submitting and determining aquaculture planning applications.

The wider review process will update both the HwLDP and supporting guidance as appropriate. This includes the existing Aquaculture Framework Plans. While these processes are underway, the plans listed below are supplementary planning guidance that are material considerations in the determination of planning applications:

• Loch Torridon aquaculture framework plan
• Loch Nevis aquaculture framework plan
• Loch Eriboll Aquaculture Framework Plan - August 2000
• Loch Bracadale Framework Plan - October 2002
• Loch Bracadale - Report of Consultation - October 2002
• Loch Hourn Aquaculture Framework Plan- September 2001
• Loch Inchard Framework Plan - March 2001
• Loch Sunart - Report of Consultation - September 2004
• Loch Sunart Framework Plan - September 2004