On HwLDP Blog 29 Jan 2010
"Over the next few weeks we will be meeting with each of the Key Agencies to discuss their responses to the Main Issues Report and how we would like to continue to work in partnership with them on the production of the proposed plan.
We will be speaking to each of the Key Agencies in turn and we will also be having a joint meeting with all of the Key Agencies present to discuss our timescales for production of the proposed plan. We will then report our progress on the production of the Highland wide Local Development Plan and a summary of the main issues arising from the consultation on the main issues report at Planning, Environment and Development Committee on March 17th 2010. This will include information on the Development Plan Scheme 2010."
Click through on link from this blog or click here
For the latest on the City Vision meetings click through to the Council's blog here
I am still 'snowed under' so posting will be less than usual. Please do stay in touch
APTSec
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Taking a break
Pressure of work means that APTSec has to take a short blog break.
If you have any questions that you would like to raise or comments to make on anything you have read please contact us via the e mail given on the blog.
Why not take this opportunity to re-read some of the older items which may still be of interest?
Look forward to hearing from you.
If you have any questions that you would like to raise or comments to make on anything you have read please contact us via the e mail given on the blog.
Why not take this opportunity to re-read some of the older items which may still be of interest?
Look forward to hearing from you.
Why not take a look
APTSec has made reference to this before but I think it is worth providing the link again:
"Development Viability
The Scottish Government agreed to work with the private sector to develop a firm programme to better explain the importance of development economics in planning. A Draft Guide on Development Viability has been prepared with the intention of finalising it following a series of dissemination events"
The draft guide can be found here
APTSec is currently awaiting some additional information from the Planning Directorate as to when and where these 'dissemination events' will be held.
"Development Viability
The Scottish Government agreed to work with the private sector to develop a firm programme to better explain the importance of development economics in planning. A Draft Guide on Development Viability has been prepared with the intention of finalising it following a series of dissemination events"
The draft guide can be found here
APTSec is currently awaiting some additional information from the Planning Directorate as to when and where these 'dissemination events' will be held.
Councillors Code of Conduct
APTSec would once again like to direct readers to the current consultation:
Proposal for Amendments to be made to the Councillors’ Code of Conduct
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
Ward forums to discuss budgets
It has come to this:
The next Black Isle Ward Forum, which takes place on Thursday (21 January), will focus on The Highland Council’s budget and take a look at the financial challenges facing Local Government and the rest of the public sector over the next four years.
For item click here
The next Black Isle Ward Forum, which takes place on Thursday (21 January), will focus on The Highland Council’s budget and take a look at the financial challenges facing Local Government and the rest of the public sector over the next four years.
Joining the Forum from The Highland Council will be Alistair Dodds, Chief Executive, Alan Geddes, Director of Finance and Cllr Sandy Park, Convener. Also present will be the Black Isle Ward Members, including Cllr David Alston who is the Council’s Budget Leader.
During the discussion and question and answer session people attending will be asked for their views on what the Council’s priorities should be when it has less money to spend on services.For item click here
Council's Asset Rationalisation
Highland's strategic planning committee (the PED Committee) will be asked to approve the assets listed in Appendix 1 (of the committee report) as surplus to the operational requirements of the Planning and Development Service at their meeting on 20/01/2010
Extract:
"The Planning and Development Service manages a wide variety of assets including countryside car parks, buildings and structures, vacant urban and industrial sites, footpaths, community woodlands and amenity land. In total these number some 225 sites throughout Highland. Some of these properties have been purchased for particular reasons, while others became the responsibility of the Service at the time of local government reorganisation in 1996 or subsequently due to Council Service restructuring.
In support of the Council’s Corporate Improvement Programme Asset Management Project, Planning and Development will be undertaking a staged review of the Service asset portfolio in order to rationalise this in relation to resources and service delivery priorities."
To view the full list of the surplus assets in the committee report click here and for the PED meeting agenda click here
Note: Agenda item 2 deals with the subject of access to high speed broadband
Extract:
"The Planning and Development Service manages a wide variety of assets including countryside car parks, buildings and structures, vacant urban and industrial sites, footpaths, community woodlands and amenity land. In total these number some 225 sites throughout Highland. Some of these properties have been purchased for particular reasons, while others became the responsibility of the Service at the time of local government reorganisation in 1996 or subsequently due to Council Service restructuring.
In support of the Council’s Corporate Improvement Programme Asset Management Project, Planning and Development will be undertaking a staged review of the Service asset portfolio in order to rationalise this in relation to resources and service delivery priorities."
To view the full list of the surplus assets in the committee report click here and for the PED meeting agenda click here
Note: Agenda item 2 deals with the subject of access to high speed broadband
Monday, 18 January 2010
"Successive governments asleep at the wheel..."
Another concise but very thought provoking item from Planning Magazine's Huw Morris:
"Shortly after becoming prime minister, Gordon Brown announced ambitious plans to build three million homes by 2020.
The initiative was effectively dead within months as the recession, credit crunch and collapse of the house building industry took hold. Last week, he was at it again with the Crown Estate's approval of nine giant offshore wind farms."
To carry on reading click here
"Shortly after becoming prime minister, Gordon Brown announced ambitious plans to build three million homes by 2020.
The initiative was effectively dead within months as the recession, credit crunch and collapse of the house building industry took hold. Last week, he was at it again with the Crown Estate's approval of nine giant offshore wind farms."
To carry on reading click here
Where does Inverness City fit in this?
Below is an extract from a report entitled Cities Outlook 2010
"A more realistic attitude to growth
Rather than swimming against the tide, and trying to attract an even spread of high-value businesses and jobs to all cities, Government policy to strengthen the recovery should take into account places’ differing strengths. This is particularly important in a time of fiscal constraints, where the effectiveness of public spending needs to be maximised.
Cities that do not have a high-value business base, or sufficient knowledge assets, may need
to adjust their economic aspirations. Rather than undertake poorly-targeted investments
to promote innovation and high-value sectors, residents of cities in this position, such as Rochdale or Barnsley, may be better served by attracting businesses that can generate jobs for
the local population, and connecting to higher value economic opportunities in nearby economic growth centres, like Manchester or Leeds."
The report ranks the economic performance of 64 of the UK's largest cities and towns and also includes an analysis of the economic performance of the City Regions, a wider definition of urban areas and a summary of City Regional devolution to date. It was an independent report financially supported by the Local Government Association. Scottish Cities included were Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
So where does Inverness fit in with this?
For more information on 'The Centre for Cities" click here
"A more realistic attitude to growth
Rather than swimming against the tide, and trying to attract an even spread of high-value businesses and jobs to all cities, Government policy to strengthen the recovery should take into account places’ differing strengths. This is particularly important in a time of fiscal constraints, where the effectiveness of public spending needs to be maximised.
Cities that do not have a high-value business base, or sufficient knowledge assets, may need
to adjust their economic aspirations. Rather than undertake poorly-targeted investments
to promote innovation and high-value sectors, residents of cities in this position, such as Rochdale or Barnsley, may be better served by attracting businesses that can generate jobs for
the local population, and connecting to higher value economic opportunities in nearby economic growth centres, like Manchester or Leeds."
The report ranks the economic performance of 64 of the UK's largest cities and towns and also includes an analysis of the economic performance of the City Regions, a wider definition of urban areas and a summary of City Regional devolution to date. It was an independent report financially supported by the Local Government Association. Scottish Cities included were Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
So where does Inverness fit in with this?
For more information on 'The Centre for Cities" click here
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
A little help from West Virginia
Whilst researching for the 'confused about renewables' strand APTSec came across an amateur blog called:
Allegheny Treasures
APTSec has corresponded with the author of the blog who has kindly provided some information:
"Allegheny Treasures began some weeks ago as a counter to the lack of balance in the reporting of issues surrounding proposed wind installations in the Appalachian mountains, of which the Alleghenies are a part. While focused on local issues I've discovered an excellent network of individuals very interested in distributing factual information expressing the unreliability, cost and environmental impact of industrial wind."
The author recommends :
You find them linked under his category on the blog.
APTSec has corresponded with the author of the blog who has kindly provided some information:
"Allegheny Treasures began some weeks ago as a counter to the lack of balance in the reporting of issues surrounding proposed wind installations in the Appalachian mountains, of which the Alleghenies are a part. While focused on local issues I've discovered an excellent network of individuals very interested in distributing factual information expressing the unreliability, cost and environmental impact of industrial wind."
The author recommends :
You find them linked under his category on the blog.
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
Planning could be fun?
Just to lighten the load for a moment APTSec has been thinking up some planning related 'song titles' (a very loose description) and was hoping the that visitors to the site could do a much better job.
I came up with:
'Midnight Train to Dalcross' by The Aspirations
'I Can't Give You Anything but Love' by The Moneymen
'River Deep and Mountain Higher' by The Surveyors and Engineers
I came up with:
'Midnight Train to Dalcross' by The Aspirations
'I Can't Give You Anything but Love' by The Moneymen
'River Deep and Mountain Higher' by The Surveyors and Engineers
Using social networking sites for consultation
Intrigued by the numbers of responses that a post entitled:
"Planning 2.0 revisited"
Achieved on the Planning Daily' blog I have posted a comment of my own which at the time of composing this post is 'awaiting moderation'. I quote from the blog:
"Why not see this shift in the way we communicate as an opportunity to change the way planning is done? Why not publicise applications on Twitter, map the locations on Google StreetView and invite comments via Facebook? Don’t leave it for residents to find the information themselves but push it out there, and explore new ways to canvas opinion."
More information can be found here
"Planning 2.0 revisited"
Achieved on the Planning Daily' blog I have posted a comment of my own which at the time of composing this post is 'awaiting moderation'. I quote from the blog:
"Why not see this shift in the way we communicate as an opportunity to change the way planning is done? Why not publicise applications on Twitter, map the locations on Google StreetView and invite comments via Facebook? Don’t leave it for residents to find the information themselves but push it out there, and explore new ways to canvas opinion."
More information can be found here
Monday, 11 January 2010
Money for Highland
The latest from the Scottish Government web site:
A European cash injection of more than £34 million will be invested in programmes to develop Scotland's workforce and safeguard and create jobs.
Funding of £18 million will go towards 43 projects in the Highlands and Islands area which will provide more than 5,000 individuals with help and support to enter employment.
The allocations of European funding for projects in the Highlands and Islands are:
* Argyll & Bute - £200,000 from the European Regional Development Fund
* Highland - £1,280,000 from the European Social Fund and £2,441,000 European Regional Development Fund
* Moray - £287,000 from the European Social Fund and £53,000 European Regional Development Fund
* Orkney - £3.7 million from the European Social Fund and £176,000 European Regional Development Fund
* Shetland £2.7 million from the European Social Fund
* Eilean Siar (Western Isles) - £3.7 million from the European Social Fund and £1.1 million European Regional Development Fund
The funding will be used to assist Community Planning Partnerships (CPPS) ongoing work to support employability in their areas.
Convener of The Highland Council Councillor Sandy Park said:
"These latest approvals will greatly enhance the capacity of Highland based organisations to assist some of the region's most deprived and excluded communities to access support services and employment."
For the full item click here
Argyll and Bute council have produced a fairly straightforward description of this type of EU funding to access this click here
A European cash injection of more than £34 million will be invested in programmes to develop Scotland's workforce and safeguard and create jobs.
Funding of £18 million will go towards 43 projects in the Highlands and Islands area which will provide more than 5,000 individuals with help and support to enter employment.
The allocations of European funding for projects in the Highlands and Islands are:
* Argyll & Bute - £200,000 from the European Regional Development Fund
* Highland - £1,280,000 from the European Social Fund and £2,441,000 European Regional Development Fund
* Moray - £287,000 from the European Social Fund and £53,000 European Regional Development Fund
* Orkney - £3.7 million from the European Social Fund and £176,000 European Regional Development Fund
* Shetland £2.7 million from the European Social Fund
* Eilean Siar (Western Isles) - £3.7 million from the European Social Fund and £1.1 million European Regional Development Fund
The funding will be used to assist Community Planning Partnerships (CPPS) ongoing work to support employability in their areas.
Convener of The Highland Council Councillor Sandy Park said:
"These latest approvals will greatly enhance the capacity of Highland based organisations to assist some of the region's most deprived and excluded communities to access support services and employment."
For the full item click here
Argyll and Bute council have produced a fairly straightforward description of this type of EU funding to access this click here
"One affordable home per church"
Planning Daily reports:
Up to 10,000 rural affordable homes could be built if churches sold land and buildings to housing associations, according to the National Housing Federation (NHF).
The article quotes Federation chief executive David Orr as saying:
"If rural parishes could deliver an average of one affordable home per church they would go a long way to helping us end the rural housing crisis."
For the full item click here
The National Housing Federation represents 1,200 not-for-profit housing associations in England and campaigns for better housing and neighbourhoods. for more information visit their web site here
Up to 10,000 rural affordable homes could be built if churches sold land and buildings to housing associations, according to the National Housing Federation (NHF).
The article quotes Federation chief executive David Orr as saying:
"If rural parishes could deliver an average of one affordable home per church they would go a long way to helping us end the rural housing crisis."
For the full item click here
The National Housing Federation represents 1,200 not-for-profit housing associations in England and campaigns for better housing and neighbourhoods. for more information visit their web site here
Towards Carfree Cities
The World Carfree Network (WCN) has announced that:
"...the Towards Carfree Cities IX conference will be held in York, England, from Monday 28 June to Thursday 1 July 2010, followed by the World Carfree Network AGM on Friday 2 July. This will be the first time that the conference has come to the UK, and we are ready to make it a great one.
We invite you to join us for this global gathering. We’ll be promoting practical alternatives to car dependence and work to transform our towns and cities into human-scaled environments rich in public space and community life. The focus is on strategy, collaboration and exchange, assisting the practical work of conference participants – whether it be organising carfree days, promoting urban cycling or building the carfree cities of the future."
For more information click here
"...the Towards Carfree Cities IX conference will be held in York, England, from Monday 28 June to Thursday 1 July 2010, followed by the World Carfree Network AGM on Friday 2 July. This will be the first time that the conference has come to the UK, and we are ready to make it a great one.
We invite you to join us for this global gathering. We’ll be promoting practical alternatives to car dependence and work to transform our towns and cities into human-scaled environments rich in public space and community life. The focus is on strategy, collaboration and exchange, assisting the practical work of conference participants – whether it be organising carfree days, promoting urban cycling or building the carfree cities of the future."
For more information click here
News on the Inverness City Vision?
One of the last entries on the Council's City Vision blog was:
"We can now confirm that the one-day visioning events, which will be facilitated by the British Council and attended by various community representatives, will take place on 20th, 21st and 22nd January 2010.
Events will take place at the following:
20th January 2010 - Ironworks, Inverness
Does anyone know anyone who has been invited to attend?
The City Vision blog can be found here
"We can now confirm that the one-day visioning events, which will be facilitated by the British Council and attended by various community representatives, will take place on 20th, 21st and 22nd January 2010.
Events will take place at the following:
20th January 2010 - Ironworks, Inverness
21st January 2010 - Merkinch Community Centre, Inverness
22nd January 2010 - Spectrum Centre, Inverness
It is anticipated that the event on 20th January will be held primarily for youths to ensure that their opinions are considered, this will allow for the other two events on the 21st and 22nd January to be attended by other community representatives and professionals."Does anyone know anyone who has been invited to attend?
The City Vision blog can be found here
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