Caithness Map :: Links to Site Map Great value Unlimited Broadband from an award winning provider SAT 19TH JUL 2025    12:28:46 AM BST
This site uses cookies, by continuing to use this site you accept the terms of our privacy policy
Back To Top
Caithness.Org Quick Links
Home
Construction
Leisure
Manufacturing
Misc.
Primary
Professional
Public
Retail
Tourism
Transport
Site Map
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Feed 2.0 Loading...

Councillors to consider Highland Investment Plan update

24th March 2025

Highland Councillors will be asked to consider a new approach on the future of the Highland Investment Plan (HIP).

Approval is being sought for the allocation of funding for the first phase of proposed projects for 2024/25 to 2029/30 which will help improve local public facilities and sustain local communities and population.

The Highland Investment Plan commits to the establishment of a new generation of integrated community facilities (PODs) which will be complimented by a refreshed operating model for services across Highland Council and with key partners, such as NHS Highland.

A report to the meeting of The Highland Council on 27 March will provide Councillors with an update on the progress of the Council's ambitious Highland Investment Plan. The report outlines that the establishment of Community PODs is linked to plans to modernise service delivery and are a key driver for the future operating model of the Highland Community Planning Partnership.

The HIP commits £2.1 billion of capital funding over a twenty-year period based on the ring fencing of 2% council tax per annum, or an equivalent revenue stream.

The Plan will be used to tackle the major challenges that Highland Council faces with transport and roads; schools and community facilities; depots and public offices across Highland communities.  

Highland Council Leader Cllr Raymond Bremner said: "Included in the recommendations to Council, will be that Hub North Scotland Ltd be taken forward as the chosen Highland Investment Plan delivery partner; and that a Commissioning Approval Board be set up and chaired by the Assistant Chief Executive - Place. He added: "The wider context of the HIP is to establish a prospectus of investible developments that can attract private sector partners and gain more leverage for public sector investment in local communities."

The Committee will also be asked to agree the allocation of capital funding to the first group of Phase 1 projects at Beauly, Charleston, Dingwall, Dunvegan, Fortrose, Inverness High and Thurso and the proposed project delivery timescales. Councillors will also be asked to agree an option to move to a Community POD development for St Clement's and Dingwall Primary schools, on the basis that this provides the greatest educational benefits for both schools, and the maximum economic benefit for the wider community.

The report to Councillors invites them to note that ‘the relocation of St Clement’s School will require a statutory consultation to locate a replacement building for St Clement’s School on the new Dingwall Community POD site. If approved, the new Community POD development is prioritised for the earliest possible delivery, with construction commencing early in 2027 and the new building being operational by the end of 2028/29.

Convener of the Council, Cllr Bill Lobban added: “All work to date by the Council on the Highland Investment Plan has taken into account the views of local people and local issues and priorities. Members will have the opportunity to discuss the report on Thursday and if the recommendations regarding St Clement’s and Dingwall Primary schools are agreed, the Council will immediately commence an informal consultation period of engagement with relevant stakeholders from both schools. In addition, if agreed by Council, work will also start on a Strategic Outline Case for Lochaber Adult Care Provision."

Members will also be updated on the Thurso Place-Based review which will determine a preferred model for a Thurso Community POD. If agreed, this project’s recommendation is that it should be prioritised for the earliest possible delivery with an estimated operational timescale in 2029/30.

In addition to the ongoing development of the Tain Campus, Nairn Academy, Broadford and Tornagrain projects, five previously prioritised Phase 1 projects are being progress with the following earliest operational dates at: Beauly Primary (2027/28); Charleston Academy (2029/30); Dunvegan Primary (2027/28); Fortrose Academy (2029/30); Inverness High (2029/30).

Funding of the Highland Investment Plan formed part of the Council Tax and budget decisions on 6 March 2025 when Council agreed its revenue budget for 2025/26, within which 2% of council tax income was agreed to support the HIP.

More information on the Highland Investment Plan can be found on the Council’s website: 

https://www.highland.gov.uk/highlandinvestmentplan 

 

Related Businesses

 

Related Articles

Renewable energy firm ENERCON welcomed to Wick Business Park
Wick Business Park has welcomed wind energy technology company ENERCON as the first occupant of one of four new units completed last year.   ENERCON specialises in designing, producing, installing and servicing onshore wind turbines and has been operating in the Caithness area since 2013.  
3/7/2025
Bringing more empty homes back into use
Additional empty homes officers are being recruited to bring more privately owned houses back into use.   The new posts are being supported as part of a £2 million investment through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership in 2025-26 which will see staff take a more proactive and targeted approach to tackling local housing issues.  
2/7/2025
Community-Led Local Development Fund distributes over £900k to support projects in Highland
The Highland Strategic Local Action Group (LAG) met in June 2025 and considered and agreed funding for 28 projects submitted to the Community-Led Local Development fund (CLLD), which makes up part of The Highland Council Community Regeneration Fund (CRF) programme.   CRF is an umbrella term used to cover multiple external funding programmes administered by The Highland Council.  
2/7/2025
Community benefits funding delivers educational resources to Highland schoolsThumbnail for article : Community benefits funding delivers educational resources to Highland schools
Highland Council has provided 12 ‘Talking Tub' resources for use in primary schools across the Highlands, in partnership with Union Technical who deliver community benefits as part of the Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme programme.   Chair of Highland Council's Education Committee, Councillor John Finlayson, said: "This is a fantastic initiative being rolled out across Highland primary schools which brings innovation and inspiration to early years children.  
1/7/2025
Additional bins will help keep popular visitor spots tidy
Visitors will find it easier to dispose of their litter at several popular spots across Highland after the rollout of additional bins.  The rollout has been planned to support the tourism season as part of the Council's ongoing commitment to improve and support sustainable tourism in the area.  
27/6/2025
Accounts Commission commends Highland Council's culture of transformation
Members of the meeting of The Highland Council (26 June 2025) have considered and agreed the Accounts Commission's Best Value report, which was published in April 2025 and highlights organisational improvements across leadership, performance management and community engagement.   In April’s report, the Accounts Commission recognised and welcomed significant progress within the organisation since the 2020 Best Value Assurance Report (BVAR) and commended the embedded culture of transformation.  
27/6/2025
Thurso masterplan and community POD progress update
A new generation of community facilities is being planned for the Highlands.   At a meeting of The Highland Council (Thursday 26 June), elected members approved the work to date in progressing the Highland Investment Plan workstreams - masterplan for Thurso and agreed to nominate the current Thurso High School site as the preferred location for the new Thurso Community Point of Delivery (POD).  
27/6/2025
Highland Housing Challenge partnership makes positive strides
At a meeting of The Highland Council (Thursday 26 June 2025), Members received a progress report on the partnership approach and important successes since declaring a Highland Housing Challenge in November 2023.   Since establishing the ambitious Highland Housing Challenge, important successes included: A call for sites delivered 250 sites, with a potential 25,000 housing units which will support delivery against the target of an additional 12,000 houses over the next 10 years.  
25/6/2025
Highland Council to deliver housing energy efficiency upgrades with ECO funding
The Highland Council will deliver a transformative programme of energy efficiency upgrades across Council housing supported by a £9.2 million Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding proposal secured by Union Technical.   The funding proposal will deliver approximately 1,000 individual energy efficiency measures to Council owned properties across the Highlands.  
18/6/2025
Look to See - a Refugee Week exhibition by young people
As part of the Highland Council's celebration of Refugee Week - 16 to 22 June - we are delighted to announce that a sharing of photographs, taken by separated young people seeking asylum living within the Highlands, is to be shown at Eden Court Arts Centre, Inverness.   Look to See, which ties in with the theme for this year’s Refugee Week - Community as a Superpower - emerges out of a collaboration between multiple agencies working alongside separated young people seeking asylum, embodying the importance of community and connection, when looking to support all young people in the Highlands.