New way of keeping informed on Development Plans for the Highlands

25th February 2015

The Highland Council has created a new way of keeping people up-to-date on the preparation of Development Plans in Highland and giving information of how and when people can get involved.

The Development Plans Newsletter provides detailed information on what is happening across the Highlands in a more readable and accessible way making it more appealing to communities and stakeholders. The Newsletter also acts as the Council's Development Plan Scheme that is submitted to the Scottish Government.

The new look Development Plans Newsletter includes up-to-date information on a number of important developments including:

· the final steps for adopting the Inner Moray Firth Local Development Plan


· current and future stages of preparing the Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan (CaSPlan) and the commencement of the West Highland and Islands Local Development Plan (WHILDP);

· the early stages of review of the Highland-wide Local Development Plan (HwLDP);

· the preparation of Supplementary Guidance and other advice;

It also provides a statement explaining the steps the Council will take to involve people in the preparation of Development Plans and provides an indicative programme of work for the next 5 years. As well as being accessible from the Council's website, the annual Development Plans Newsletter will be submitted to Scottish Ministers for their consideration.

Chair of the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Thomas Prag said: "This new style way of sharing information with communities across the Highlands is a great improvement and is more in tune with what people have been looking for. It highlights the Development Plan's role in informing decision making, and the various ways in which people can influence this through each stage of preparing plans. The public have really engaged with recent consultations and their involvement is not only very important, but much appreciated."

The Development Plans Newsletter is available now on the Council’s website -
http://www.highland.gov.uk/downloads/file/3025/final_development_plan_scheme_2015