Green For Go Blueprint For The Highlands
27th July 2011
An innovative new approach to planning will guide future major development in the Highlands and in particular the Inverness and Inner Moray Firth areas.
The Highland Council and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) have been working to produce guidance on 'green networks' to complement the Highland-wide Local Development Plan.
Green networks are webs of green spaces and green corridors within and around towns and villages and the wider countryside. These help enhance an area's wildlife and quality of life for people in the area.
The new guidance sets out how developers can take green networks into account in design proposals, the council's role in assessing planning applications, and ways in which developer contributions can be sought.
These green networks will also make the most of the Highlands' spectacular scenery and tourist attractions. This includes providing an opportunity for a new network of paths and trails to make it easier to access the outdoors.
This connectivity is also vital to many plants and animals as it allows them to migrate from one place to another, or in the case of native plants, to colonise other areas.
Creating new active travel routes will provide more options for people who want to walk and bike to work or at the weekend. Both are essential in helping to tackle climate change.
Councillor Ian Ross, the council's Planning, Environment and Development Committee chairman, stressed: "Green networks are important in planning; we perhaps don't think about them often enough. They are widespread on the continent and provide a stimulus for economic recovery by attracting businesses, home owners and visitors. We are pleased to have worked closely with Scottish Natural Heritage to deliver this important piece of guidance."
And Anne Murray, the SNH officer leading the project, confirmed: "As the Inverness area is poised to undergo dramatic changes in the next few years - including development in the A96 corridor - we believe that green networks in and around the city are vital to providing a healthy environment and healthier communities.
"People, and of course wildlife, will benefit from the planned future green networks to extend from Inverness and Nairn to Helmsdale, and from Wick eastwards to Thurso as well as around Fort William and Portree".
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Members have considered an update on the Council's medium term financial plan and the impact of the UK and Scottish Governments’ budgets on the coming year’s funding settlement. The position is currently looking more positive than initially planned for, however more detail needs to be worked through.
In November, The Highland Council launched a public statutory consultation to seek views on the proposed introduction of a Visitor Levy scheme across the Highlands. The Council has announced an extension to this consultation period, which will now give businesses, visitors and communities until 31 March 2025, an additional seven weeks, to take part and have their say.
In the light of the financial forecast for 2025-26, Highland Council is inviting you to tell us more in the budget preparation for the coming financial year. The budget engagement builds on extensive budget participation which took place in the winter of 2023-24.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
Every year Highland Council invites all tenants to have their say on the rent levels for the following year. The Council encourages everyone that lives in a council house to take this chance to have their say.
Communities and Place Committee met yesterday (Wednesday 27 November 2024) and Members agreed the Highland Local Child Poverty Action Report which includes actions for delivery in 2024/25. Reducing child poverty is a priority for the Council and its partners.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
Members of the Highland Council's Community and Place Committee have given their support to an action plan focusing on the operating of public conveniences over the next 10 years. Whilst not a statutory function, the Council is the main provider of public conveniences located throughout Highland, operating 74 sites.
A report published on 27 November 2024 by LGIU (Local Government Information Unit) looks at the state of funding for councils by the Scottish Government. Confidence in the sustainability of council finances is critically low.
At today's (Wednesday 27 November 2024) Communities & Place Committee, Members agreed the most appropriate long-term strategic direction for residual waste management is to continue to utilise a merchant provider solution. Communities & Place Committee Chair, Cllr Graham MacKenzie said: "After careful consideration and analysis it has been agreed that a merchant provider solution is considered the most appropriate long term solution to our statutory waste management obligations, and that an energy-from- waste facility within the Highlands is not considered to be a suitable course of action.
