The Highland Council is calling on the Embo community to participate in a public consultation regarding a potential Masterplan Consent Area (MCA) Scheme.

An MCA is a streamlined planning mechanism that grants advance consent for significant sites, designed to accelerate the delivery of housing and essential infrastructure.

The initial concept for the site, situated adjacent to Embo, outlined a phased development of up to 150 homes. However, the prospective developer, Coul Enterprises, has recently issued a clarification reducing the anticipated scale of the project.

In a letter to the community, Edward Abel Smith of Coul Enterprises explained that the current working proposal has been scaled back to approximately 50 dwellings. The letter stated: "our current working proposal … is for a much smaller, phased development in the region of 50 homes, delivered over time in a way that respects the character and scale of the village. This figure is not fixed and will be informed by community feedback, infrastructure capacity, and detailed design work, but it reflects the scale of development we are actively planning for at this stage."

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The proposed development aims to include a mix of detached, semi-detached, and terraced housing, alongside affordable homes. Plans also feature biodiversity enhancements, community woodland, food growing areas, and amenity open spaces.

Councillor Ken Gowans, Chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, welcomed the clarification, stating: "The Council welcomes the prospective developer's clarification of the intended scale of the proposal at Embo. I encourage everyone with a view to attend the scheduled local events."

Public Engagement Events The first consultation event will take place on Thursday 29 January at The Old School, School Street, Embo. The format will consist of two informal drop-in sessions:

- Afternoon: 3:00pm – 5:00pm

- Evening: 6:00pm – 7:30pm

Council officials and representatives from Coul Enterprises will be present to discuss the principle of the development. A second public event is scheduled for 5 March 2026 at the same venue.

Residents can submit feedback via email to [email protected] or through an online form on the Highland Council website. The initial deadline for comments is 13 February 2026, with a final closing date of 31 March 2026. All submitted views will be considered by the Economy and Infrastructure Committee later this year.