Success at Planning Awards

The Highland Council has been awarded commendations in three different categories at this year’s Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning, which were held last week in Edinburgh.

In the Development Plans category, the Council’s new outcome-based approach to preparing the Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan was given a Commendation.  Judges highlighted it as a unique template for preparing development plans that reflect priorities for people and places.  The streamlined format with high quality graphic presentation was also considered as being easy to read and accessible to communities.   

A schools engagement exercise for the West Highland and Islands Local Development Plan also received a Commendation in the Community Involvement category.  This project was seen as a good way of empowering young people to help plan for the future of their area whilst also integrating the work with the school curriculum.  

For the Quality of Service category the Council received a Commendation for ‘Leading practice in planning enforcement’ which recognised work undertaken to give enforcement a much higher profile and to transform the quality of service for customers, development industry and elected members.  

Councillor Audrey Sinclair is chair of the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Committee and joined staff at the awards ceremony.  She congratulated everyone involved and said: “This recognition at a national level shows that the Highland Council is helping to lead the way in delivering a more inclusive and efficient planning system.  Well done to everyone for their hard work and great enthusiasm.”