Several public drop-in sessions are being held across Caithness during February with displays of options for the future masterplanning for the area. Council officers will be on hand to explain the proposals and answer any questions.
The content of each session will vary slightly, with a mix of displays focussing on the draft Caithness Area Place Plan, the Highland Investment Plan, the Highland Local Development Plan and the Visitor Levy consultation.
Communities and Place Committee Chair, Cllr Graham MacKenzie said: "These collaborative community events are an excellent opportunity for the public to come along and find out more about the future masterplanning for the area and ask questions and suggest ideas. It also opens the opportunity to connect and discuss further partnership working within our communities."
Plans on display and for discussion are:
Highland Investment Plan - In May 2024 Highland Council approved the £2.1 billion twenty-year Highland Investment Plan. This is a highly significant, long term infrastructure investment programme for the Highland area and is a radical solution to the significant challenges the Council faces in reducing, maintaining, and renewing our asset base, and is closely linked to plans to modernise Council service delivery.
A key element of this approach will be to establish Community Points of Delivery which will be places where a wide range of Council services, including education, can be delivered alongside other partner and community services as part of a future integrated operating model for partnership working.
Thurso has been selected as one of the priority locations to develop a local place-based masterplan and this event will provide an opportunity to view the work that has been carried out to date and to gather feedback from members of the community. Further engagement with stakeholders will take place thereafter, and prior to reporting on the outcomes at a Council meeting in June.
Highland Local Development Plan (HLDP) - The Highland Council is gathering evidence including the views of the public and local organisations to help formulate a new, statutory land use plan for Highland. This Plan will shape future planning application and other building investment decisions. The events will display and present the information we think is relevant to the future planning of Thurso, Wick, nearby large villages and the wider Caithness area but we want your views on what else we should consider. Planning staff will be available in Wick and Thurso to discuss the Plan and explain how to find out more and make comment. A consultation launched on 31 January on evidence, runs to 12 noon on 31 March 2025; a call for development sites launched the same day runs until 12 noon on 02 May 2025. For those that can't make the events then more details of the Plan and access to the current consultation are available here
Caithness Area Place Plan (APP) - drafts of the Caithness Area Place Plan will be available. This plan will capture the priorities for the area set out in other plans and those identified through previous community engagement sessions. The APP provides the basis for place-centred service delivery and will act as a tool for funders, guiding investment into the area.
Visitor Levy - a public consultation is currently underway on the proposal to implement a Visitor Levy in Highland Visitor Levy Consultation | Visitor Levy | The Highland Council (external link) and officers will be present at the sessions in Wick and Thurso to informally answer any questions about the proposals and the consultation process.
See https://www.highland.gov.uk/visitorlevyconsultation
The drop-in sessions are as follows:
Wednesday 12 Feb 2025 - Public Engagement Drop In - Pulteney Centre, Wick -1000-1530
Tues 18 February 2025 - Public Engagement Drop In – Thurso Library – 1500-1930
Weds 26 February 2025 - Public Engagement Workshop – Lybster Community Hall - 1400-1700
For those who can't attend any of the sessions, there will also be an on-line evening event on Wednesday 19 February 2025 – to book a place please click here https://www.highland.gov.uk/hldp