"Victory" for the Capercaille

The P and J reports

THE capercaillie gained a victory yesterday when officials said that proposals for more than 70 homes in the Highlands should be refused because of the impact on the endangered bird.

Planners for the Cairngorms National Park said that proposed mitigation measures at the site of 77 homes at Boat of Garten in Strathspey would not significantly reduce the risk to the bird...

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"Poetry Please"

Out of the mouths of babes...

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"...strong interest in Inverness in moving upmarket to new luxury homes."

Courier reports:

The final home has been sold in Inverness's most expensive housing development and now its builder, Tulloch Homes, is set to begin work on another project of similar price levels.

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Courier reports that 'Campus Masterplan gets go-ahead

THE masterplan for the new Inverness Campus at Beechwood - including controversial access plans - has been agreed.

Highland councillors today approved detailed plans for phase one of the campus, which received planning permission in principle earlier this year.

This includes plans for a new crossroads junction between the existing A9 slip road and Culloden Road.

Community councils had campaigned for a roundabout or an alternative to a crossroads, which they feared would lead to traffic congestion.

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HWLDP Reporter's October Report

From 'Development Planning in Highland' blog

Reporter's October Report

"The reporters have been taking stock of the evidence heard during the hearing discussions last month, and looking at the subsequent submissions on the matters raised. Some have also taken leave. As the examination is now largely in its reporting stage, that is, writing up the individual responses to the schedule 4 documents, consideration is being given to any final information requests that might be needed from the council, and whether any site inspections are outstanding.

Proof reading is taking place for schedules already completed, and these are submitted to administrators compiling the final report. Once the schedules are completed there must be a comprehensive checking to ensure there are no internal contradictions that could invalidate any of the conclusions. Each reporter works independently on his allocated issues, but general discussions take place on overall policies and the approach to the plan.

The reporters still hope to make their end of November deadline, after which the final checking will be completed ready for submission to the council".

For more details of the Examination of the Highland wide Local Development Plan please see our website.