TECSC Meeting next week - some parking charges up and some spaces made available

From Council web pages here

A meeting of the Transport, Environmental and Community Services Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday 14 March 2013 at 10.30am.

Amongst the highlights 

6. Scottish Government Grants for Waste Management
    Tabhartasan Riaghaltas na h-Alba airson Rianachd Sgudail

7. Horsemeat and Food Fraud
    Feòil Eich agus Foill Bìdh

12. Extension and Improvement of Cemeteries
      Leudachadh is Leasachadh Chladhan

13. Review of Parking Charges in Off-Street Car Parks 
      Ath-sgrùdadh air Cosgaisean Parcaidh ann am Pàircean
      Chàraichean Far-  Rathaid

There is circulated Report No TEC-27-13 (335kb pdf) dated 28 February 2013 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services reviewing the parking charges in Council off-street car parks in accordance with the Council’s parking policy. 

More development planned for Inverness?

A couple of bits of news just emerging from the Council's and the Courier's web sites.

Firstly, the Council's PR headlines with,

Leader reaffirms Council commitment to Inverness West Link (07/03/13)

With the leader of the Council, Cllr Hendry stating

“I am very pleased with the hugely positive response we are getting to the future development of the lands made available as a result of the route chosen for the road.  This ranges from sporting groups and tourism businesses to house builders and local businesses, who see the potential for the right mix of development in this iconic area of the city."

Full item here

Then the Inverness Courier Tells us that there is a new owner for the Eastgate shopping centre, 

'UK-owned real estate fund manager, F&C REIT, has bought the mall from property development and investment firm Grosvenor.'   'The new owners have pledged to work with the local community in future developments.'

A spokesperson for the new owners is reported as saying, 

"We are delighted to be taking an active role in one of the country’s top shopping destinations and look forward to working with our customers and the local business community to ensure Eastgate is managed and developed with everyone’s best interests at heart," 

Courier here

Getting the Jitters

Well, March is here and according to the Scottish Government's web page we should be getting a 'Main Issues  Report' for the 'Third National Planning framework', NPF3

Now, the content of NPF2, consulted on and published a few years back, had far reaching negative effects on our Local Development Plan in terms of both consultation and examination.  I am anxious to see just what the Government proposes to support in terms of developments in the Highlands and for me the publication of this document cannot come soon enough.  

We are all facing difficult times and people need homes and jobs; will this expected publication fill me with warm fuzzy feelings of confidence and respect or leave me feeling cold and alienated?  Time will tell, but let's hope we are not waiting too long...

Chris Brown blogs on ' House Building Benefit Junkies' and before that on 'Smart Growth'

Lots of good stuff on the 'Chris Brown' blog.  

Why not pop over at the link here and catch up on:

The House Building Benefit Junkies Return

Smart Growth?

(Area planning activists will be very familiar with the local application of the concept of 'Smart Growth'; come along now, yes you are, no really you are...)

Tornagrain - the first 200?

According to this web page on the web site of Ben Pentreath & Associates the architects are working with the landowner and DPZ on a more detailed masterplan for the first 200 dwellings at 'Tornagrain' (shouldn't it say 'New Town near Tornagrain' since there is already a little settlement called 'Tornagrain' in existence) with a planning application expected in early 2013.  BP&A also state on the page here that they have been working at Poundbury for a number of years.  

Why not flick through the drawings on the Poundbury page given that the drawings may provide an insight into what to expect at the 'Tornagrain' site in the not too distant future...

The Herald Scotland 'Voice of Property' (14 Feb 2013) also mentions 'Tornagrain' as part of a section stating:

...This could be the year that sees progress on some of the 11 exemplar projects that make up part of the Scottish Government's Sustainable Communities Initiative (SSCI) which have the potential to provide hundreds of new homes, put new towns and villages on the map, and give the construction industry a boost.

...When complete, Tornagrain, a planned new town in the Highlands between Inverness and Nairn, will be home to 10,000 people. Designed by American architect and urban planner Andres Duany, Tornagrain was granted outline planning permission last September and the detailed planning application for the first phase will go to the council in the spring. 

It all seems such a long time since an initial announcement was made on the BBC (Wed 01 June 2005) and of course it was too be called 'Castle Stuart' then:

...Andrew Howard, managing director of Moray Estates, said the new development was being called Castle Stuart, after the name of the estate on which the settlement would be built.

"This is a great opportunity for Inverness and the Highlands area to plan its population growth and it would be extremely good for the economy," he said.

"By planning this in an organised and structured way it allows everyone to plan what the settlement will look like."

It all seems such a long time ago since PTEa drew up an 'Outline Masterplan' (October 2004)     for 'Castle Stuart'.  

Is interest in planning matters waning locally?

As we approach episode '5 of 8' of the BBC 2 series 'The Planners'  I am filled with a nagging sense that whilst a documentary series, which follows '...planning applications and the contentious processes behind them...', may make good Thursday evening telly for the nation, local interest in planning matters may be waning.

What do readers think?

Latest on Pre-App Consultation and Planning Modernisation

News just in from 'Planning and Building' (Scottish Government e Newsletter) - Extract

With the recent legislative changes on Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) we will be revising Circular 4/2009: Development Management Procedures in this regard.  Also, the one year review of the modernised planning system, published in September 2010, indicated a demand for further guidance on PAC.  We welcome any views on this aspect of the Circular to assist in its revision. Responses to Graham.Robinson@scotland.gsi.gov.uk by March 15, 2013.

• Planning Modernisation Development management System: One Year Review
• Circular 4/2009: Development Management Procedures

Ground investigation work to kick off A9 Dualling

From Transport Scotland web page

Users of the A9 will welcome news a £1.3 million ground investigation contract is expected to be awarded early next month, getting the A9 dualling underway in earnest.

Subject to the mandatory standstill period, Transport Scotland will award the contract to Environmental Scientifics Group Ltd.

When this contract gets underway, it will be the first spade in the ground for the Scottish Government’s ambitious programme to dual the A9 between Perth and Inverness by 2025.

Work should begin next month and last for four months.

Transport Minister Keith Brown said:
 
“Following the public exhibitions and useful feedback we received last December, work to dual the A9 between Perth and Inverness is now being stepped up.
 
“These important ground investigations will give us the detailed information needed to progress the draft orders for Luncarty to Pass of Birnam section next year. They underpin the careful in-depth planning and design required for one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Scotland’s history.”

Progress is also being made elsewhere on the A9 on the Kincraig to Dalraddy section. Tenders for ground investigation work will be sought early next month and these works are expected to start later this year, paving the way for construction to start in 2015/16.

Mr Brown continued:

“It is further good news that we are starting the tender process for the ground investigation work on the Kincraig to Dalraddy section.

 “When completed, the A9 Dualling programme will bring benefits to road users, communities and businesses who live along or use this important route which links central Scotland and the Highlands and Islands.”

News round up - National

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Extracts from e Planning News

The draft Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications and Deemed Applications) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2013 will be laid in Parliament on February 1, 2013.
If approved by Parliament these regulations would come into force on April 6, 2013.
The effect of the regulations is to increase planning application fees by approximately 20 per cent.


Amendments to Planning legislation: Amendments highlighted in November 29 alert, now approved and which come into force on February 2, 2013 - further details of legislation. These changes relate to:

• The removal of pre-application consultation requirements from applications for changes to conditions
• And the ability to agree extension to the period for determination on applications for local development delegated to an officer for decision

Find out more

Stakeholder satisfaction survey You are invited to take part in the Planning and Architecture Division stakeholder satisfaction survey.   We are striving to provide the best service possible to all our stakeholders and would appreciate feedback on your experience. The survey, which should take less than 10 minutes to complete, asks for your views on the quality of service provided by Planning and Architecture staff. The results will be used to inform our service improvement plan for 2013/2014. The survey will be open until March 1, 2013.     Take part in the survey Archive Information on Additional Resources for Panning Authorities - Wind Turbine Applications - Assessment of Bids In June 2012 Scottish Ministers recognised that some authorities were dealing with a significant number of applications for wind turbines which was placing a burden on the local planning system. Following engagement with COSLA and Heads of Planning Scotland, officials invited bids from planning authorities for additional funds to assist them in dealing with wind turbine planning applications.   Archive Information on Additional Resources for Panning Authorities - Wind Turbine Applications - Assessment of Bids Case studies   Do you know any examples of good practice in planning? Sharing your positive experiences can help others across the country to work more effectively, and ultimately, can help to improve the efficiency of the planning system in Scotland. Case studies Good practice Planning and Architecture Division (PAD) - Introductory Events PAD will be hosting more two 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. Introductory events outline

Major Applications

A handy update for anyone in the area 

Report to SOUTH PLANNING APPLICATIONS COMMITTEE

19 FEBRUARY 2013

This report provides a summary of all cases within the ‘Major’ development category 
currently with the Planning and Development Service for determination. This includes
those already submitted for determination and those future applications that  have
submitted a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN). 
While not planning applications, the report also details proposals submitted under s36
or s37 of the Electricity Act 1989 i.e. wind farms over 50MW or hydro power stations 
over 1MW on which the Council is consulted or significant applications for power lines; 
proposals that carry with them a deemed planning permission if approved by Scottish 
Ministers. 

Recommendation - That the current position of these applications is noted

I am not away

Hi

Sorry I have not been posting for a while.

Firstly let me reassure you that planning issues are always uppermost in my mind (probably far too much so) and I continue to expend a considerable amount of physical, mental and emotional energy on planning related issues.  The great sadness for me is that the time I spend yields so very little reward.  

However, that does not mean that I intend to give in to the pressure I feel to discontinue the work; I have to admit that there are occasions when I feel so dispirited and physiologically challenged that my brain just cannot formulate the words I need to use when writing letters and representations and I have to step back.  Shocking isn't it?  

When I started reading about planning I came across phrases along the lines of  "Planning affects people's lives..." well, it has certainly affected my life and my relationship with the planning system has been a blight on my life and potentially on my family's.

The main thorn in my flesh has been the issues that have arisen locally and nationally with respect to strategic planning and the bringing forward of development plans.  I do not intend to go into any great detail now; but suffice to say that I sincerely hope that I have cause to feel better soon - but on my experiences to date I am not holding out much hope.

Highland Council web site appears to be malfunctioning

I find I am unable to access the Council's web pages at the moment from their home page.  I have just tried calling the council to report this - presumably I am not the only one with problems with the site - and they are experiencing high call volumes but the first option when you phone is to press '1' to hear about using the web site.

"Know Your Council"

A very informative and colourful glossy from THC telling you who is who at the Local Authority

Here

Planners on the Telly

'Planning' reports

...A new fly-on-the-wall documentary that promises to 'lift the lid' on the work of council planning officers will be shown on BBC2 next week.

The Planners starts its eight-episode run on Thursday, 31 January, and will focus on planners working in different local authorities across the UK, including in Cheshire, Greater Manchester, the Scottish Borders and Gloucestershire...the series would "show the lengths homeowners will go to protect their properties from disputes with renewable energy companies intent on building wind farms" as well as "battles with developers over large-scale housing developments"...

Full item here