Public to be consulted on CaSPlan changes

The Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan (CaSPlan) which sets out The Highland Council’s vision and development strategy for the area over the next 20 years is to be modified and put out for public consultation.

In a Report presented to both the Sutherland and Caithness Area Committees last week the recommendations on the issues were to defend the Proposed Plan with only minor modifications, which would have seen the Plan progress to Examination as the next stage. However whilst the Area Committees agreed with such an approach in respect of most of the issues, the Caithness Committee decided to propose the removal of two site allocations in Thurso:

• Site TS12 East of Burnside currently shown as allocated for Community/public park use
• Site TS14 Land West of Caravan Park allocated for Business,Tourism & Leisure which was intended to provide opportunity for hotel development.

Due to these significant changes the next stage of the CaSPlan will be a 6 week public consultation on a Modified Plan. Arrangements are currently being drawn up for the consultation, including its timing, and will be advertised shortly.  

Following this further consultation period consideration of the comments received will take place before a report goes to the Area Committees early in the New Year in order that any further pre-Examination consideration and decisions can be undertaken.  After this the next stage will be submitting the CaSPlan to Scottish Ministers for the Examination of any outstanding issues.