Dingwall & Seaforth place planning community event
A public drop-in session is being held on Thursday 7 November from 12 noon until 7pm in The Royal British Legion, Dingwall with displays of options for the future masterplanning for the Dingwall & Seaforth area. Council officers and other partners will be on hand to explain the proposals and answer any questions.
An integral part of the day includes the Mid-Ross Community Partnership hosting its Community Networking Event from 2pm – 4pm. Local groups and organisations will be available to showcase their activities and projects, with the opportunity to network, connect and explore potential partnership working.
Communities & Place Committee Chair, Cllr Graham MacKenzie said: “The collaborative community event this Thursday is 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 – A Masterplan for Dingwall - 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.
Dingwall 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.
There will be short presentations on the Highland Investment Plan (HIP) at 12.30pm and 4.30pm. As well as the drop-in event on 7 November, two virtual online public events have also been arranged for 12 and 13 November at 7pm on MS Teams. A presentation will be shown online and there will be an opportunity to ask questions. Anyone wishing to join can request a link to the meetings from CLestates@highland.gov.uk
For those unable to attend the session on Thursday or the on-line events, there will be information available at https://engagehighland.co.uk/hub-page/dingwall-and-seaforth where you can answer questions or leave ideas
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. This event will display and present the information we think is relevant to the future planning of Dingwall, Conon Bridge, Maryburgh, Muir of Ord, Tore and the wider area but we want your views on what else we should consider. Planning staff will be available to discuss the Plan and explain how to find out more and make comment. There will be short presentations on the HLDP at 1pm and 5pm. For those that can’t make the event then more details of the Plan are available via www.highland.gov.uk/hldp
Dingwall & Seaforth Area Place Plan (APP) – Final drafts of the Dingwall & Seaforth Area Place Plan will be available. This plan captures the priorities for the area set out in other plans and those identified through the past 5 months 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. There will be timed presentations on the APP at 2.30pm and 6pm.