Thursday 16 May 2013

URGENT NEWS: Inner Moray Firth Local Development Plan - UPDATE


From THC News Release:

...Today (16th May 2013), The Highland Council has launched a focused consultation looking at further alternatives that are being considered for the Inner Moray Firth Local Development Plan. The consultation closes on 30th June 2013. 

Between April and July 2012 the Council carried out a consultation on the first stage of the Inner Moray Firth Local Development Plan, known as the Main Issues Report. The Main Issues Report gave details of sites that were considered to be suitable and unsuitable for future development. During the consultation the Council received comments from around 900 individuals, groups and organisations. Some people who made comments promoted sites that had not previously been considered through the Call for Sites process (which preceded the Main Issues Report) or through previous Development Plans. Other people proposed alternative land uses on certain sites that had been included in the Main Issues Report. In addition comments were received suggesting further changes to the Hinterland around Towns boundary; likewise to the Special Landscape Area (SLA) boundaries as well as suggesting entirely new SLAs.

The consultation includes suggestions relating to the following settlements; Alness, Beauly, Cawdor, Conon Bridge, Contin, Cromarty, Dingwall, Drumnadrochit, Evanton, Fortrose, Invergordon, Inverness, Muir of Ord, Munlochy, Nairn, North Kessock, Seaboard Villages, Strathpeffer, Tain, Tore. The consultation also considers the suggested changes to the Hinterland around Towns and Special Landscape Areas.


The Highland Council have made initial preferences and assessments but we would like you to tell us what you think about these initial preferences and your own.

To aid the decision making process an addendum to the Strategic Environmental Assessment has been prepared and we are welcoming expressions of opinion on this as well.

The consultation document is available online using our Interactive Online Local Development Plan.

This is available on the link www.highland.gov.uk/additional-sites-consultation or visit the Inner Moray Firth Local Development Plan webpage at www.highland.gov.uk/imfldp

Comments submitted will be considered alongside others submitted during the Main Issues Report and will help us to prepare the next stage of the Plan, known as the Proposed Plan. The comments received will help us to decide whether any of these alternative sites or land uses are suitable and should therefore be identified as additional or alternative sites to those included in the Main Issues Report. 

Sunday 12 May 2013

Don't forget Events in Inverness on Tuesday 14 May



Scottish Government web site tells us:
We are holding a series of events around the country during May and June to support the public consultation on the NPF3 Main Issues Report and the draft SPP.
Drop In Events
At each location, there will be an opportunity to see what the Government is proposing for the development of Scotland over the next 20-30 years.  The events will be informal ‘drop-in’ sessions – anyone can come along for a discussion with the team during the hours below.
Scottish Government Staff will be on hand to answer questions.
Inverness
Eastgate Centre
Tuesday May 14, 2013
9 am – 6 pm


Much of interest on the forthcoming PED agenda



From THC web pages here


'A meeting of the Planning, Environment and Development Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Wednesday, 15 May 2013 at 10.30am.'


Amongst the agenda items:

10. Update on National Planning Framework 3 and Scottish Planning Policy

11. Highland-wide Local Development Plan – Annual Update on Action Programme 

12. Planning Appeals – Annual Summary of Decisions

15. Nairn South Strategic Masterplan

16. Scottish Government Consultation: The Legislative Framework Governing Allotments


It certainly looks like THC is pushing on 'Full Steam Ahead'