Highland-wide Local Development Plan

Background documents

The following is a list of background information for the HwLDP (adopted April, 2012). Please visit our consultation portal to view the current Main Issues Report (September, 2015) and supporting documents.

We published a Main Issues Report and Statutory Public Notice in 2009 and sought comments from members of the local community on the main strategic issues and potential policy options.

The purpose of the Main Issues Report is to highlight the choices that can be taken in planning for the development of the Highland area over the next 20 years.

We subsequently published a Proposed Plan (including a Proposals Map) and invited representations on it.

Monitoring reports

When producing a local development plan we need to consider a wide range of evidence and carry out assessments on the plan. We were required to produce a Monitoring Statement.

Strategic environmental report and post adoption assessment

As with all plans, policies and strategies we produce, the Highland-wide Local Development Plan is subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment to judge the level of significance of any environmental impacts.
As the Highland-wide Local Development Plan has now been adopted, the Environmental Report has now been finalised and a Strategic Environmental Assessment published. The post Adoption Statement has also been prepared and published.

Habitats regulations assessment (HRA)

For the Parliamentary Order to be passed it had to be clear that the retained elements of the adopted local plans have met the requirements of European Community Law with respect to Habitats Regulation Appraisal (HRA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment. The Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) considers all the policies and proposals of the adopted local plans which are intended to be retained in force.

Equality impact assessment

To accompany the Highland wide Local Development Plan Main Issues Report we have produced an Equalities Impact Assessment and revisions.

This document helps us to identify how the Highland- wide Local Development Plan will affect people. We have produced a Screening Report and we have determined that a full Equalities Impact Assessment is not required.

Inverness, Nairn and A96 corridor transport study

A study has been undertaken to assess the likely impacts of development promoted in the Local Development Plan.  This study was undertaken by us, but involved significant involvement from Transport Scotland. You can read these reports.