Moray Council has formally started its review of the Moray Local Development Plan 2015, a document that contains land use zonings and planning policies which is used to assess all applications for planning permission.

The current Local Development Plan was adopted by the council in July 2015 and planning authorities are required to replace their plans every five years.

Council planners will review land use designations, consider the need for new designations and review existing policies as part of the review process. This will be presented in a Main Issues Report which will be reported to the council’s planning and regulatory services committee in December 2017.

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The Main Issues Report will then be subject to extensive engagement and the outcomes of the engagement will shape the content of the proposed plan, which will be published in summer 2018 and subject to further extensive engagement.

Councillor Claire Feaver, who chairs the planning and regulatory services committee, said: "The Local Development Plan is a fundamental part of our plan-led towns and country planning system in Scotland and all proposals for development must accord with the provisions of the plan unless there are material considerations for departing.

"The council is now inviting the submission of views and comments on what should be looked at in this review, including suggestions from landowners and developers about future development sites and I would encourage all interested parties to submit their ideas."

(MH/CD)