A new strategy has been unveiled on how to develop rural housing and energy on the Orkney Islands.

The 'Housing in the Countryside' supplementary guidance and the 'Energy' supplementary guidance has been published for public consultation today, 15 December.

The first strategy outlines the Council's proposed approach to single houses and new housing clusters in the countryside. Key features include enabling housing opportunities while protecting productive farmland, as well as the landscape.

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The 'Energy' supplementary guidance provides guidelines for balancing impacts of energy developments – including heat networks, energy from waste, district heating, fuel and energy storage and all renewable energy including onshore wind energy – with economic and other positive impacts.

Feedback on the two documents can be provided until 02 February 2017.

The council's Planning Manager Stuart West said: "The supplementary guidance details how planning applications involving energy or housing in the countryside will be considered and determined by the Council once the emerging Local Development Plan is adopted.

"These are always matters of great interest in the community, so through this consultation we'd encourage people to look at the updated guidance we're publishing in draft form, and get in touch with their views and ideas."

To view the documents, visit here.

(LM)