An innovative new approach to planning will guide future major development in the Highlands and in particular the Inverness and Inner Moray Firth areas.

The Highland Council and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) have been working to produce guidance on ‘green networks’ to complement the Highland-wide Local Development Plan.

Green networks are webs of green spaces and green corridors within and around towns and villages and the wider countryside. These help enhance an area's wildlife and quality of life for people in the area.

The new guidance sets out how developers can take green networks into account in design proposals, the council’s role in assessing planning applications, and ways in which developer contributions can be sought.

These green networks will also make the most of the Highlands’ spectacular scenery and tourist attractions. This includes providing an opportunity for a new network of paths and trails to make it easier to access the outdoors.

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This connectivity is also vital to many plants and animals as it allows them to migrate from one place to another, or in the case of native plants, to colonise other areas.

Creating new active travel routes will provide more options for people who want to walk and bike to work or at the weekend. Both are essential in helping to tackle climate change.

Councillor Ian Ross, the council’s planning chairman, stressed: “Green networks are important in planning; we perhaps don’t think about them often enough. They are widespread on the continent and provide a stimulus for economic recovery by attracting businesses, home owners and visitors. We are pleased to have worked closely with Scottish Natural Heritage to deliver this important piece of guidance.”

And Anne Murray, the SNH officer leading the project, confirmed: “As the Inverness area is poised to undergo dramatic changes in the next few years – including development in the A96 corridor – we believe that green networks in and around the city are vital to providing a healthy environment and healthier communities.

“People, and of course wildlife, will benefit from the planned future green networks to extend from Inverness and Nairn to Helmsdale, and from Wick eastwards to Thurso as well as around Fort William and Portree.”

(GK/BMcC)