Caithness and Sutherland Proposed Local Development Plan

The Highland Council has launched a proposed template for growth in the Caithness and Sutherland areas over the next 20 years and beyond.

The public is being encouraged to have their say on the Caithness and Sutherland Proposed Local Development Plan, also known as CaSPlan, which sets out the Council’s view on how and where the Caithness and Sutherland area should grow in the future. The Proposed Plan focuses growth on larger settlements, with organic growth of smaller settlements to help strengthen those communities and support sustainable rural growth. Once adopted, the Plan will replace the existing local plans for Caithness and Sutherland.

The Proposed Plan takes account of feedback gathered through previous consultations including a Main Issues Report which ran from October 2014 to February 2015. For the first time, the Highland Community Planning Partnership have also endorsed the plan and agreed to working with the Council in monitoring its delivery.

Chair of the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Audrey Sinclair, said: “The Council and its Community Planning partners have agreed this Proposed Plan as the framework for growth in this important part of the Highlands. I urge anyone with an interest in the future of the area to look at the Plan and tell us what they think through the online consultation.”

An 8 week public consultation runs from today until 18 March 2016. Anyone wishing to submit comments is encouraged to do this via the Council’s consultation portal at consult.highland.gov.uk.

A copy of the Plan is also available at public libraries (including mobile libraries) and the Council’s service points within the Plan area (and Tain), and at planning offices in Wick (Caithness House), Golspie (Drummuie Offices) and Inverness (Council HQ) during the consultation period.

Comments must be received by the Council no later than 12 noon on Friday 18th March 2016.