The Highland Council has launched the preparation of the new Highland-wide Local Development Plan which will tackle the strategic issues across Highland for the next 20 years.

This follows a recent meeting with the Scottish Government's Chief Planner Jim Mackinnon, who has agreed that Highland be one of two pilot projects being undertaken across Scotland to demonstrate the "Delivering Planning Reform" agenda. The other is the South East Scotland Strategic Development Plan.

Councillor Ian Ross, Chairman of the Council's Planning Environment and Development Committee, said: "The new Highland Local Development Plan will help to deliver a faster more efficient planning system with up-to-date, slim-line, map-based development plans. This new style of development plan will lead to a simpler and more transparent process for both planning applications and public consultations."

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A paper will be taken to the Council's Planning Environment and Development Committee on Wednesday 18 March detailing the timescales for production of the Development Plan and how the public can get involved.

Meanwhile, in an initiative designed to help deal with the challenges arising from the current economic downturn, the Council is also issuing new guidance on delivering effective pre-application planning advice to the development industry.

'Delivering Major Developments - A Pre-Application Guide' will enable the council to take a more corporate approach to giving advice to developers before they submit a planning application.

Councillor Ross said: "This guidance will allow developers to engage early with the Council on major projects throughout Highland. It also allows for any difficult issues to be ironed out up front, reducing cost to both the developer and the Council. In the past gathering this information may have been done on a less formalised basis.

"By putting in place more effective links, we can make sure that community consultation is built into the process early, as well as ensure that a full assessment has been made of the potential impact on existing infrastructure and identify what new provision might be required."

(GK/JM)