e-planning system unavailable on Friday 18 January.

Highland Council e-planning system unavailable on Friday 18 January. (16/01/13)

Members of the public will not be able to view or comment on planning application documents using The Highland Council’s e-planning portal at www.highland.gov.uk/eplanning  on Friday 18 January between 8am to 6pm. 

The Council apologises for any inconvenience this may cause. The temporary removal of access to the e-planning service is to enable a system upgrade.

Consultation deadlines will be extended, where relevant, to reflect the time period the e-planning system will be unavailable. This will ensure that people have an opportunity to view documents before making comments on planning applications.

The Council thanks its e-planning customers for their co-operation and will alert its customers when public access is available again via www.highland.gov.uk/eplanning.

Land Reform Review - deadline extended

Extract from here

'The Land Reform Review Group is an independent review group.  It was set up by the Scottish Government to develop innovative and radical proposals that will contribute to Scotland’s future success. 

...In recent years, various approaches to land reform, not least  the expansion of community ownership, have contributed positively to a more successful Scotland by assisting in the reduction of barriers to sustainable development, by strengthening communities and by giving them a greater stake in their future.

To allow the Land Reform Review Group to explore and analyse evidence submitted to it and to enable the Group to identify key themes for further exploration, responses are invited by 11 January 2013.

Extension of Deadline - Due to the large number of responses it has been agreed the the deadline for responses to the Call for Evidence will be extended to midnight on 18 January.

Electronic responses should be emailed to landreformreview@scotland.gsi.gov.uk and for those who do not have access to email, hard copies should be sent to;

Dave Thomson
Land Reform Review Secretariat
B1 Spur
Saughton House
Broomhouse Drive
Edinburgh
EH11 3XD

Scottish Parliament debate on Planning Reform, Next Steps

Scottish Parliament debate on Planning Reform, Next Steps: 

 Planning Minister Derek Mackay will lead this debate in the Scottish Parliament this afternoon at 2:20pm.  You can view the debate live online, on Parliament TV.

This debate will include discussion on the Scottish Government's key actions on planning 


(Taken from S Gov Planning and Building newsletter)

Wind Energy Developments: Highland suggests 'counter to current' minimum separation distances...

13 Renewable energy

13.2

...Benefits and disbenefits for communities  – Scottish Government should consider introducing minimum separation distances to dwellings the occupiers of which are not financially involved  in the wind energy development. It is appreciated that this would run counter to the current approach: that each proposal is dealt with on its merits, based on assessment, with a view to maximising opportunities for renewables. However, it would provide a measure of comfort and certainty as to a minimum safeguard and may 
increase the likelihood that submitted schemes that respect such separation could be supported. It is suggested that only by such an approach being enshrined in national policy (or legislation) can it carry substantial weight in decision-making. It would also be helpful if SPP made it clear that, and 
explained how, safety is largely an issue outwith planning consideration, whilst acknowledging that it is an important matter involving risk assessment for the developer as part of the project design and management process. 

Extract taken from, 'REVIEW OF SCOTTISH PLANNING POLICY' - Report to PED at link here


(REVIEW OF SCOTTISH PLANNING POLICY - Highland states: This report informs the Committee of the review of Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) being undertaken by the Scottish Government.  The Committee is asked to consider the draft Highland Council response on the first stage of the review of the Scottish Planning Policy contained in Appendix 1. )

(A meeting of the Planning, Environment and Development Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness onWednesday, 16 January 2013 at 10.30am.)

PED agenda here

Highland suggest that distinction should be made between types of rural areas

5. Rural Development 


5.1. Whilst the development of rural areas should continue to be supported greater emphasis should be made to those locations where there should be a more restrained approach to rural development. A greater distinction should be made between areas that suffer from depopulation and lack of economic development opportunities with those where development pressures are already significant. Cumulative impacts of development within pressured rural areas should be considered as a factor in considering development proposals.

Extract taken from, 'REVIEW OF SCOTTISH PLANNING POLICY' - Report to PED at link here

(REVIEW OF SCOTTISH PLANNING POLICY - Highland states: This report informs the Committee of the review of Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) being undertaken by the Scottish Government.  The Committee is asked to consider the draft Highland Council response on the first stage of the review of the Scottish Planning Policy contained in Appendix 1. )

(A meeting of the Planning, Environment and Development Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness onWednesday, 16 January 2013 at 10.30am.)

PED agenda here

Highland Council left 'on its own' to defend against inappropriate isolated coastal development...

6.3...As things stand, if a development proposal comes in for an area of Isolated Coast where there is no national landscape or nature conservation designation, the only policy protection is the SPP itself. Even when a development proposal in an area of Isolated Coast is inappropriate – as most of them, by definition, are - SNH tends not to object unless there is a national designation involved. It is then left to the local authority on its own (or possibly also interested members of the public) to resist the inappropriate development proposal and defend the SPP’s position.  Further explanation for the need for a clear policy statement is provided in the Landscape and Natural Heritage section of this response.

Extract taken from, 'REVIEW OF SCOTTISH PLANNING POLICY' - Report to PED at link here


(REVIEW OF SCOTTISH PLANNING POLICY - Highland states: This report informs the Committee of the review of Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) being undertaken by the Scottish Government.  The Committee is asked to consider the draft Highland Council response on the first stage of the review of the Scottish Planning Policy contained in Appendix 1. )

(A meeting of the Planning, Environment and Development Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness onWednesday, 16 January 2013 at 10.30am.)

PED agenda here

DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTIONS SUPPLEMENTARY GUIDANCE

...This report explains the outcome of consultation on the Council‟s draft Supplementary Guidance on Developer Contributions.  The Committee is asked to approve the finalised guidance incorporating suggested amendments in response to comments received and in due course adopt as a statutory Supplementary Guidance to  the  Development  Plan.  Committee is also asked to adopt the document as Supplementary Guidance to the Highland-wide Local Development Plan, subject to feedback from Scottish Ministers.   The  Supplementary Guidance  document contributes to a number of the actions of the Programme of the Administration 2012 to 2017 including directly addressing actions for the economy

The extract above was taken from the Report for PED Agenda item here

We had all best get reading this report then before the councillors discuss this next week

Please look out for references to a separate specialised report to deal with A96 Corridor developments AS WE, including previous committees at the time of their 'approval' of the non-statutory A96 Corridor masterplanning/Framework work, WERE PROMISED WOULD BE IN PLACE AROUND  THE TIME OF THE ADOPTION OF THE HwLDP 

DRAFT HIGHLAND ECONOMIC RECOVERY & DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2013-18

For more details on the  'DRAFT HIGHLAND ECONONOMIC (sic) RECOVERY & DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2013-18' see the report  for Agenda Item  8 on the PED agenda here

(A meeting of the Planning, Environment and Development Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness onWednesday, 16 January 2013 at 10.30am.)

Highland verspend on public local Inquiries

Extract

...£0.305m has been spent on Public Local  Inquiries and related costs to date 

against a budget of only £0.050m and at present this is predicted to overspend at the year end by some £0.350m.  Steps have been taken to meet this overspend 

from elsewhere in the overall budget.  Again it is very difficult to predict estimated 

expenditure in this area and this will be kept under close review. 

For more details on the 'Revenue Budget Monitoring Statement' see the report  for Agenda Item 4 on the PED agenda here

(A meeting of the Planning, Environment and Development Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness onWednesday, 16 January 2013 at 10.30am.)

Anyone out there good at statistics?

From stats 31 May 2012

...Scotland’s population reached its highest ever total last year.

Statistics published today by the National Records of Scotland show that the estimated population of Scotland was 5,254,800 in mid-2011, the highest ever.

The figures, based on 2001 Census data, show a rise of 32,700 people on the previous year’s total.

From the BBC site on 17 Dec 2012

'The population of Scotland on Census Day 2011 was estimated to be 5,295,000. This is a rise of 233,000 on the previous census in 2001 and represents the fastest growth rate between two censuses in the last century. Scotland's population in 2011 was just over half a million (11%) higher than in 1911.'

From the Census Bulletin:

"The latest census in Scotland took place on 27 March 2011."

"The 2011 Census achieved an overall response rate of 94 per cent of the usually resident population of Scotland. The population estimate for Scotland of 5.3 million is estimated with 95 per cent confidence to be accurate to within +/- 23,000 (0.44 per cent). Further information on response rates and associated confidence intervals is included at Appendices 4 and 5."

'Mid-Year Population Estimates

10. The mid-year estimates are an annual series of population estimates. They are on a consistent basis and, accordingly, population change over time should be measured through the mid-year estimates. Up to 1971, the census statistics are the mid-year estimates for the relevant census years. In recent years, it has become acknowledged that the census may not include every person and hence subsequent mid-year estimates, while based on the census, have incorporated adjustments to the census. Thus, in particular, the mid-year estimates for 1991 differ from the census statistics to allow for estimated census under-enumeration. In 1991, this amounted to an estimated 85,000 people. Accordingly, the information presented in this bulletin for 1991 are the mid-year estimates rather than the census estimates.

11. NRS publishes annual mid-year population estimates for the population at 30 June each year. The unrounded 2011 Census population estimates to be published in Release 1C will be used to rebase the 2011 mid-year population estimates. These are scheduled for release in June/July 2013. Following this, the mid-year population estimates for 2002-2010 will also be re-based using the 2011 Census; the re-based mid-year population estimates will be published in October/ November 2013. Reports explaining the difference between the 2011 Census based population estimates and the rolled-forward mid-year population estimates based on the 2001 Census will be published along with these releases.

12. When the rebased mid-year estimates for 2011 become available, it will be recommended that population change between 2001 and 2011 is addressed through the mid-year estimates. In the interim, the adjustments made to the 2001 and 2011 Censuses for under-enumeration, mean that population changes in the range of population characteristics as recorded in the census can be examined through comparison of the 2001 and 2011 Censuses.'

Can anyone out there put this simply?

"The census is not absolutely accurate"

'The statistics provide estimates (rounded to the nearest thousand) of the usually resident population of Scotland on Census Day. It achieved an overall response rate of 94% and the National Record of Scotland says the population is estimated with 95% confidence to be accurate to within +/- 23,000 (0.44%). The figure for England and Wales was broadly similar.


(BBC News Scotland - '11 things we learned from the Scottish 2011 Census')

'People who leave Scotland,...

...and then return, help to increase economic growth 

and the size of the population in Scotland since they tend to be younger, better qualified and more likely to be in work than the general Scottish population and are likely to be in better jobs.  Leaving, even for a short period, and later returning to Scotland appears to be beneficial for those involved, as they are more likely to return to better jobs than those who stay in Scotland.'

(News Release from Registrar General reflecting on Scotland's population changes here)

Looks like planning fees to increase by 20%, amongst other things

From today's 'Planning & Building' Government e newsletter

...Planning Reform: Following discussions with COSLA leaders and other key stakeholders, The Minister for Local Government and Planning Derek Mackay has announced a way forward on various aspects of the reform package.  This includes an increase in planning fees by 20%, the formation of a high level group to review performance, and additional funding to help authorities deal with wind turbine applications. 

Also, 'Inspirational Designs' - range expanded

Also, ...The links below take you to details of current Scottish Government Planning and Architecture Division, and wider Scottish Government work of relevance to planning. It is used by PAD territorial planners to inform planning authorities of current work and provide key contacts.

Maintaining and enhancing the legislative and policy framework

Promoting a high performing planning system

Supporting sustainable economic growth; addressing challenges faced by the development sector

Monitoring  and undertaking environmental assessment for Ministers’ interests

Promoting high quality design and place making

Also:

...Planning and Architecture Division -  Introductory Events: PAD will be hosting more 2 day sessions to help stakeholders gain a better understanding of the role of the Scottish Government in planning. Further information is available in an outline. If you are interested in attending please e-mail Iain McLeod. 

E mail on Scotland's Census

I received this from the 'Scotland's Census' folk today as I had registered for email updates:

...First results from Scotland's 2011 Census now available

The first results from Scotland's 2011 Census are available online on the Scotland's Census website from Monday 17th December 2012.

This first release - Release 1A -  consists of population estimates by five-year age bands and sex for Scotland as well as a total population estimate for each council area. The Scotland's Census website includes the following:-

• The Statistical Bulletin -  providing the main report on the results including commentary and data tables
  
• Information on the methodologies and quality assurance processes used to produce and check the results
  
• Data visualisations, including a "Century of Census" - a series of charts showing how the population of Scotland has changed over the last hundred years

Further detail about the content and timing of subsequent releases can be found in our prospectus.

What the HIghland Council said here 

More turbines than we need?

I have just read here that:

...A Freedom of Information request by the Scottish Conservatives has revealed that 5,528 applications for turbines have been made to the country’s planning authorities over the last five years - the equivalent of about five a day.

And, 

According to the figures, only 790 applications were submitted in the seven years between 1999 and 2006, under the previous Labour administration, marking a seven-fold rise since Alex Salmond became First Minister in May 2007.



I have also just read here that:

...RWE npower renewables' attempts to overturn through judicial review the council’s supplementary planning document  (SPD) on the minimum distance requirements between wind turbines and homes will be given a court hearing, according to the firm.

The SDP (sic) says that wind turbines above 25 metres in height must be positioned at least 350 metres from residential dwellings, with the separation distance increasing to 1 kilometre for turbines higher than 100 metres.If the turbine is shorter than 25 meters, there is no minimum distance requirement, the document adds.

But RWE believe the SDP is contrary to both national guidance and the council’s own policies and has not been through the correct consultation and scrutiny processes.

In September, RWE, which has applications for two wind farms in the Milton Keynes area, threatened legal action if the council did not withdraw the SPD.

I am not sure what the situation is in Scotland re the distance of turbines from residences