Inner Moray Firth Local Development Plan Consultation – Creating successful places with safeguarded and enhanced greenspaces
The Covid-19 Pandemic has presented the opportunity for many people to reflect on their local neighbourhood and the quality and usability of greenspaces and has created a renewed interest in the relationship between ‘place’ and ‘health and well-being’. It has given many of us the chance to explore our local greenspaces but in some cases has highlighted where things could be improved.
The review of the Inner Moray Firth Local Development Plan is now underway and it provides an opportunity to reflect and discuss our relationships with the places where we live. Moving forward our ambition is to create sustainable, good quality, well designed and connected communities and neighbourhoods, whilst protecting our greenspaces. Well designed places with integrated useable greenspaces can encourage good physical and mental health, help to reduce health inequalities and support economic development.
Scott Dalgarno, the Highland Council's Development Plans Manager said: “We need to go back to the idea that places need to primarily be designed for people. This means making sure our green and open spaces form a central part of our day to day lives. It also means ensuring new places we create are safe, distinctive and easy to move around. The Main Issues Report proposed a way forward to protect valued greenspace and to ensure developers deliver high quality future places. It is therefore important that anyone with an interest in protecting greenspaces in their area, or looking to improve the quality of the future built environment, reads the Main Issues Report to get involved in planning the future of their area.”
The fastest and easiest way to read and comment on the Main Issues Report is online via www.highland.gov.uk/imf
All comments on the Main Issues Report need to be received by The Council no later than 5pm on Thursday 1st April 2021.