Changes to the determination of local planning applications will be introduced later in the year to speed up the decision-making process and encourage inward investment.

The Highland Council has agreed a Scheme of Delegation and establishment of a Review Body, which it has presented to the Scottish Government for approval and implementation by 3 August.

More local decisions and major applications which are not contrary to the Development Plan will be delegated to planning officers and appeals against refusals, or conditions applied to approvals in respect of smaller local developments, will be heard by a Highland Review Body, comprising nine councillors. There will be three from each operational area - Caithness, Sutherland and Ester Ross; Ross, Skye and Lochaber; and Inverness, Nairn and Badenoch ad Strathspey. The effectiveness of the Review Group will be reviewed after nine months.

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National and major applications which are significantly contrary to the Development Plans will be considered by the full council.

Councillor Ian Ross, Chairman of the Council's Planning, Environment and Development Committee, said: "The reforms are aimed at improving the efficiency of the planning system - particularly in terms of the speed of decision making process and an important feature of this will be a greater emphasis on delegation to planning officers.

"There will still be the opportunity for appropriate referral of local planning developments to the Council's Planning Applications Committee for decision by elected members and delegated decision can be appealed to a new Council Review Body."

He said that there would be a strong emphasis on additional training, with all Council members receiving training to familiarise themselves with the new planning arrangements and the responsibilities of elected members within the planning process.

(GK/JM)