Setting the direction for the future of Caithness and Sutherland

23rd September 2014

Highland Councillors have given the go ahead for a major public consultation to help prepare a new 20 year Local Development Plan for the Caithness and Sutherland area, to be known as CaSPlan. The Caithness and Sutherland Area Committee agreed the Main Issues Report which will be the first formal stage of preparing the new CaSPlan.

The Main Issues Report will seek people's views on the future priorities for the area such as employment, housing, town centres, the environment and how people travel. It also suggests outcomes that the plan should deliver and options for where future housing, business and industry development should be directed.
Following its approval the Main Issues Report and an accompanying Environmental Report will now be subject to a 12 week public consultation and everyone with an interest in the area is being encouraged to have their say.

Area Leader, Councillor Deirdre Mackay said: "The Main Issues Report is important as it clearly states how we will seek to deliver outcomes that benefit all those who live, work and visit the area, and those who invest in it. The vision we believe in is ambitious and reflects the huge potential there is across our area.

"As well as seeing a strong and diverse economy featuring a renowned centre for renewable energy and world class engineering and marine-based industries, we want to continue to develop as a top class tourism destination which celebrates and promotes our culture, history and stunning scenery. We also want to see our communities grow and become successful and socially inclusive. Key to achieving these ambitions will be ensuring we have the right enhanced communications and transport infrastructure in place.

"At the meeting my fellow Councillors and I stressed that it was essential that communities be given the chance to have an input and really get engaged with the consultation so I am delighted details of how they can take part will be given shortly when the consultation is launched in October."

Details of the Main Issues Report consultation will be made available on the Council's website www.highland.gov.uk/casplan. This will include an interactive version of the document to allow people to make comments online.