The Highland-wide Local Development Plan (HwLDP) outlines our vision for the entire area, excluding the Cairngorms National Park (which has its own plan). It sets out how land can be used by developers over the next 20 years. The HwLDP should be read alongside National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) and the Area Local Development Plans.
Plan review
We began reviewing the HwLDP with a Main Issues Report consultation in 2016. Based on initial feedback, an interim position on the issues was agreed by the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Committee on 17 August 2016. This interim position informed our submissions to National Planning Framework 4.
In December 2017, the Scottish Government published a Planning Bill outlining potential changes to the planning system. We decided to pause the HwLDP review until more information about these changes was available. The Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 was later enacted. Additional details about new arrangements for Development Plans, introduced in May 2023, have been released. The Scottish Government has also prepared, adopted, and published NPF4. For the first time, NPF4 forms part of the Development Plan, which may lead to fewer policies in the Local Development Plan. We contributed to the development of NPF4.
We are now progressing with the review of the HwLDP and our three Area Local Development Plans by creating a new, single Highland Local Development Plan, beginning with evidence gathering.
Background Documents
Other relevant background documents include:
- Fragile Areas Map, Highland and Island Enterprise 2015 (see Policies 36 and 57)
- Housing Need and Demand Assessment
- Equalities Impact Assessment
- Strategic Environmental Assessment
- Monitoring Statement
For more information, contact devplans@highland.gov.uk.