Consideration of Delnies planning application is deferred

Members of The Highland Council’ s Inverness, Nairn and Badenoch and Strathspey Planning Applications Committee have decided to further defer the consideration of a planning application by Cawdor Maintenance Trust for a major housing and leisure development at Delnies, near Nairn, until after the Examination Report into the Highland wide Local Development Plan is received by the Council.

Members took this decision based on their view that circumstances have changed since the Committee deferred this item on 5th July 2011 for a site visit.  This deferral also means that the planned site visit will not take place on the 30th August, and this will now be rearranged for a later date. 

Councillor Sandy Park, the Vice Chairman of the PAC, explained that although Members previously felt that the Council would be in a position at that time to determine the Delnies planning application ahead of the Examination report into the Highland wide Local Development Plan, there are two key issues which have become clearer since July.

He said: “Firstly, the Scottish Government-appointed Reporters have arranged a Hearing session as part of the Examination on the issue of the Nairn Housing land supply generally and the land at Delnies specifically – this is due to be held on 28th September 2011.  Secondly, the Examination into the Highland wide Local Development Plan is well underway and all current indications are that the Reporters’ Report will be issued to the Council by the end of this year.  Once we are in receipt of this report everyone will be given much greater certainty and we will be able to determine the application as soon as practicably possible after that.”