Caithness people’s views wanted on series of Highland Council ‘masterplans’
The future of Caithness will be in focus at a series of “masterplanning” events in the county over the coming month.
Highland Council is hosting several public sessions where proposals will be on display and council officials will be on hand to explain the background and answer any questions.
The events will look at the draft Caithness Area Place Plan, the Highland Investment Plan, the Highland Local Development Plan and the Visitor Levy consultation.
The investment plan is a long-term investment project with £2.1 billion approved over a 20-year period. It will focus heavily on “Community Points of Delivery” – known as PoDs – including in Thurso, where a wide range of council services, including education, can be delivered alongside other partner and community services as part of a future integrated operating model for partnership working.
Thurso has been selected as one of the priority locations to develop a local place-based masterplan and this event will provide an opportunity to view the work that has been carried out to date and to gather feedback from members of the community.
The outcomes of this and further consultation will be reported to a council meeting in June.
Highland Council is also gathering evidence - including the views of the public and local organisations - to help formulate a new, statutory land use plan for Highland. This plan will shape future planning application and other building investment decisions.
The events will display and present information relevant to the future planning of Thurso, Wick, nearby large villages and the wider Caithness area, but the council wants to know what else it should consider.
Planning staff will be available in Wick and Thurso to discuss the plan and explain how to find out more and make comment. A consultation on evidence runs to noon on March 31; a call for development sites runs until noon on May 2.
The draft Caithness Area Place Plan (APP) will capture the priorities for the area set out in other plans and those identified through previous community engagement sessions. The APP provides the basis for place-centred service delivery and will act as a tool for funders, guiding investment into the area.
Meanwhile, a public consultation is under way on the proposal to implement a Visitor Levy and officers will be at the sessions in Wick and Thurso to informally answer any questions about the proposals and the consultation process.
Cllr Graham MacKenzie, chairman of the council’s communities and place committee, said: “These collaborative community events are an excellent opportunity for the public to come along and find out more about the future masterplanning for the area and ask questions and suggest ideas.
“It also opens the opportunity to connect and discuss further partnership working within our communities.”
The sessions are scheduled to take place on:
Wednesday, February 12: Public engagement drop-in – Pulteney Centre, Wick, 10am-3.30pm.
Tuesday, February 18: Public engagement drop-in – Thurso Library, 3pm-7.30pm.
Wednesday, February 26: Public engagement workshop – Lybster Community Hall, 2pm-5pm
For those who can’t attend any of the sessions, there will also be an online evening event on Wednesday, February 19 – with booking available here.