Advanced Local Plan Aims For Sustainable Growth Of The West Highland And Islands Area
A new draft of the Local Plan for the West Highland and Islands area has been published by The Highland Council and is currently open for consultation.
Councillor Ian Ross, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Planning, Environment and Development Committee said: “This is the land-use Plan which the Council wishes to use to guide development and investment in the West Highland and Islands area over the next few years. A growing population requires homes, jobs, services and facilities and the Plan aims for these needs to be met effectively.”
“By preparing and implementing the West Highland and Islands Local Plan, the Council can make significant progress with its Programme, “Strengthening the Highlands”. However, achieving everything set out in the Plan will require many other organisations and individuals to play their part too.”
“We originally drew up the policies and proposals following consideration of the many comments received from the public and other interested parties and organisations on earlier issues and options papers. We have since made some changes to the policies and proposals following consideration of representations received on the Pre-Deposit Draft Local Plan. We are grateful for that interest. We are committed to continuing and effective opportunities for participation and now invite the submission of representations on this Deposit Draft Local Plan.”
The Deposit Draft Local Plan documents are now available for the public to view throughout the consultation period at The Highland Council Service Points, Public Libraries and Post Offices across Lochaber, Skye and Lochalsh, at village halls in Achmore, Duror, Elgol, Glenuig, Kilmuir and Laggan and at Onich Stores. Arrangements have also been made for them to be available from 3.30-5.00pm on weekdays only at Canna Primary School and at Macdiarmid Primary School, Carbost. The documents have also been deposited at the Area Planning and Building Standards Offices in Fort William, Portree and Kingussie, at the Planning and Development Service Headquarters in Inverness and on The Highland Council website
The Revised Environmental Report that relates to the Local Plan is also available to view at the Planning and Development Service Headquarters (Glenurquhart Road, Inverness) and on The Highland Council website.
Representations on the Local Plan Deposit Draft and comments on the Revised Environmental Report should be sent in writing to the Director of Planning & Development, The Highland Council, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness IV3 5NX, or submitted by e-mail to whilp@highland.gov.uk or by fax to 01463 702298.
As the Local Plan has been published just before the Christmas/ New Year period, the Council has decided to have an extended consultation period. The deadline for responses is therefore 5 pm on Friday 13 February 2009.
Details of the consultation arrangements are given in the public notice in the press and on the Council’s website www.highland.gov.uk
Tim Stott, Principal Planner explained: “The Deposit Draft (December 2008) version of the West Highland and Islands Local Plan now published supersedes the versions published as the Deposit Draft (December 2007) and the Pre-Deposit Draft (May 2008). We are writing to those who submitted representations on those earlier drafts and asking them to consider and indicate which remain unresolved and are maintained and confirmed as representations to the new Deposit Draft (December 2008).”
“We are also writing to people who are close neighbours of sites that are newly proposed for development in the Plan, or where the boundary of the site has been significantly extended or the proposed type of development changed since the earlier draft of the Plan. This helps to raise people’s awareness of what is in the Plan and of the opportunity to give us their views now.”
Members of the public seeking further information about this Local Plan may telephone 01463 702265 and ask for Tim Stott or another member of the West Highland and Islands Local Plan Team or may contact by e-mail to whilp@highland.gov.uk.