Planning events coming to East Sutherland

Public consultation events are continuing, where people living and working in Caithness and Sutherland are being encouraged to help influence a new Local Development Plan for the area, known as CaSPlan.  

Development Plans set out how places should change and what they could be like in the future. For example some land might be reserved for housing, while other areas may be set aside for business development or open space, in order to help deliver the big vision for the area. What the Plan says is important when the Council comes to dealing with planning applications from developers.  

Upcoming events include:  

• Brora on 2 December at the Community Centre, Johnstone Place;
  
• Dornoch on 4 December at the Social Club, School Hill.

At Brora there will be a drop-in session between 2pm and 5.30pm. A round table discussion at Brora will be held at a later date, on 12 January starting at 6:30pm.  

At Dornoch there will be a drop-in session between 2pm and 5.30pm and a round table discussion which starts at 6.30pm.  

Everyone is welcome to attend these events. David Cowie, Principal Planner in the Development Plans Team, explained: “At these events the planners will have with them information about various settlements in the local area, not just information about the town or village where the event is being held. So people from the wider local area are welcome to attend in order to find out more, ask questions and discuss issues for their local area.”  

The consultation document, which is called a Main Issues Report, highlights that one of the things that the Council would intend to do is to continue to work closely with partners such as HIE to deliver superfast broadband. This is important to the economy of the area, by opening up business opportunities, and also to reducing the need for people to travel in order to access services.  

Although paper copies of the CaSPlan Main Issues Report are available at each Council Service Point and Public Library in the area, the Council is keen that as many people as possible use the online version at www.highland.gov.uk/casplan where comments can also be submitted.  

David Cowie added: “Using the internet, members of the public can access the consultation documents – and comment on them – at a day and time that suits them. Citizens Online will be joining Council staff at the events in Brora and Dornoch next week and are available to assist anyone who requires help with accessing the interactive Main Issues Report or using the online form.” 

Any comments on the Main Issues Report need to be received by The Council no later than 12 noon on Thursday 29th January 2015.