Highland residents get chance to help shape rural housing guidance

Members of the public are being given the chance to help shape the guidance on how Highland Council will handle rural housing applications across the region.

The revised draft Housing in the Countryside Supplementary Guidance was approved for consultation by the authority's economy and infrastructure committee in September.

The guidance is being revised to make it clearer and more concise, and to refine the criteria for small-scale housing development in the countryside.

Full details of all the changes and how to participate can be found on the council’s consultation portal , and comments should be submitted by Friday, December 18.

Covid-19 restrictions mean the council is unable to run any face-to-face public meetings and it is unable to offer hard copies of the guidance for public viewing. Instead, the authority has produced a short video outlining the main changes along with information on how to get involved.

Further information is available at www.highland.gov.uk/housinginthecountryside

Anyone wishing to discuss any aspect of the consultation should phone the council service centre between 9am and 4pm, Tuesday to Friday, on 01349 886608, or email devplans@highland.gov.uk

Following the public consultation, an updated version of the guidance will be presented to the economy and infrastructure committee in 2021.

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