INTRODUCTION 4. This work was awarded to Halcrow Group Ltd whose final report was delivered during 1. This report was drawn up by a Working 2003. Their investigations covered potential Group comprising the following Members of sectoral developments up to 10 years ahead, The Highland Council; and then compared the most promising Cllr A S Park industry requirements with the particular Cllr R W Durham assets and attributes of the portfolio of Cllr V MacIver established large scale marine sites stretching Cllr J S Gray around the Firth. The report also pointed to the Cllr R MacIntyre need for collaboration and partnership work by Cllr R Wynd the area’s Harbour Authorities. 2. Mr J MacKinnon, Chief Planner at the 5. In its consideration of the report, Highland Scottish Executive chaired the Group and the Council was particularly mindful of the following parties contributed at one or more emerging opportunities to develop a renewable sessions: energy cluster in the Inner Moray Firth, and S Black, Chief Executive, IEHE the specific potential of the facilities centred on K Gray CFPA the yard and graving dock at Nigg. It was R Fea CFPA agreed to form a Working Group to engage K Clifton, Development, Scottish Water with the key agencies and owners. The remit of G Cook, Planning Manager, Network Rail the Group was to draw together an integrated G Cox, Chief Executive, RACE strategy for the ports and major sites and to S Cumming, Chief Executive, HIE help secure early implementation. M Forsyth, Trunk Roads, Scottish Executive 6. This Strategy 2050 document draws from S Lonie, Development, Scottish Water the presentations made and discussions A McCreevy, Competitive Locations, HIE minuted at the Working Group’s meetings as D MacDiarmid, Global Connections, HIE well as substantial existing policy J MacLennan, Acting Chief Executive, RACE documentation. It has four main purposes; M Macleod, Chief Executive, Inverness Harbour • to shape future collaboration by the parties D MacNeill, Global Connections, HIE • to help steer public investment priorities S Robertson, Telecommunications, HIE • to maximise regional development potential C Slater, Marine Manager, CFPA • and to identify key implementation actions. Provost W Smith, Chair, Inverness Harbour Tr. J Walton, General Manager, HIAL CONTEXT A Whiteford, Chair, Cromarty Firth Port Auth 7. The Scottish Executive’s Framework for Public consultations occurred during Oct. Economic Development (2000) and National 2005. Planning Framework (2004) provide the over- arching context for strategic thinking about the BACKGROUND Inner Moray Firth through to 2025 and beyond. 3. The Inner Moray Firth sub-region (see page Both support the targeting of investment in 10) experienced a catastrophic contraction of infrastructure and area regeneration. its oil and gas fabrication sector during 1999- Balanced development must be achieved 2000. Closure of the yards at Nigg and by improving business competitiveness, Ardersier resulted in the loss of 5000 highly job skills and infrastructure whilst acting paid jobs and £100m. per annum from the to overcome regional barriers, reduce economy in related expenditures. Following social exclusion and protect a high quality discussions with the then Energy Minister, environment. Brian Wilson, it was agreed that Highlands & Islands Enterprise, the DTI and Highland 8. The National Planning Framework sets out a Council would jointly sponsor a detailed study spatial strategy, which supports the into the future development of major sites development of Scotland’s cities as growth and port facilities in the area, as follows; centres and main drivers for the economy. It recognises these cities as the hubs of wider • Nigg Oil Terminal, Platform Yard & Site regional economies in which the surrounding • Invergordon Delny towns and rural areas can offer attractive • Queens Dock, Invergordon locations for a wide range of economic • Highland Deephaven, Evanton activities. Such city-regions have the potential • Inverness Harbour to become a focus for key industries and • Ardersier Fabrication Yard. Inverness Airport/Business Park. • strategic business clusters. The planning in smaller towns, villages and countryside system is charged with allocating suitable locations. development sites and with facilitating the The Inner Moray Firth functions provision of infrastructure to foster these increasingly as an integrated journey to priority clusters. work, business networking and single Inverness & the Inner Moray Firth is housing market area. designated as one of the nine key 12. Local Plans for Easter Ross, Inverness and regional economic development zones in Nairn seek to consolidate development in Scotland. larger, established communities where 9. In A Smart Successful Scotland – The services, employment and facilities are most Highlands & Islands Dimension (2002 and convenient and economical to provide. review), HIE unveiled a regional development However, growing congestion and capacity blueprint which draws attention to the problems will require consideration of the remarkable turnaround in repopulating the scope for development of new settlements in Highlands since 1971. Notwithstanding recent the medium term. These pressures will be successes in the emergence of Inverness as most evident and best accommodated in the an administrative, retail and service ‘capital’ Inverness-Nairn corridor, but may also emerge city, it is not a wealthy place by UK or in the arc of communities around the Cromarty European standards, and urgently requires to Firth north of the city in later years. diversify its economic base. HIE seeks to Consultants have recently been commissioned promote an outlook where economic growth is to prepare outline masterplan and seen as proceeding on an irreversible and implementation frameworks for the A96 generative basis. Corridor expansion area as identified in the Development Plan. Better mechanisms are Further diversification of the Highland required to overcome acute shortages of economy is essential to close up regional affordable housing and the increasing burden income gaps and maximize the of pre-funded infrastructure costs being placed contribution made to the output of on developers/landowners. Scotland plc. Long term planning will ensure stocks of 10. The Highland Community Plan (2004) land in locations around the Inner Moray denotes the region as “the natural place to Firth suitable for both expansion of be”. It is a welcoming society with a existing settlements and development of distinctive culture which continues to attract new communities – these should adjoin incoming businesses and families. A strategic road/rail links and be situated remarkably high percentage of the population conveniently for access to jobs occupying is satisfied or very satisfied with Highland as a large-scale industrial/business sites. place to live, learn, work and relax. However, declining birth rates and migration trends 13. The Inverness City-Vision (2003) applauds suggest a downturn in future population levels the transformation of Inverness over recent and an increasingly aged composition. A decades from a marginal provincial place into a policy-led approach would reverse the loss of burgeoning mainstream city region. Growth population by promoting a level of net inward has however been slowing. Action is needed to migration. increase the population and skills-base of the sub-region by increasing the retention of The Inner Moray Firth has good image young people and attracting returnees and and track record – it has sustained strong other in-migrants. Success in developing a growth of about one third in its modern UHI campus, relocation of Government population and economy over the last 30 agency HQs such as Forest Enterprise and years. Scottish Natural Heritage, and start-up of new 11. The Highland Structure Plan (2001) knowledge-based businesses are lynch-pins in distinguishes the Inner Moray Firth as a building and diversifying the economy. More distinct sub-region, which is undergoing rapid people are required to address continuing transformation. Future demographic changes labour and skill shortages. A bigger population are expected to be more modest although would create the necessary demand base to accompanying rates of household formation better sustain local enterprises, to stimulate will remain high. Economic growth, transport development of new technological clusters and improvements and personal choice have to generate higher order specialist services in fuelled ever widening patterns of commuting, and around the Highland capital. and have stimulated dispersed housebuilding The Inner Moray Firth sub-region needs to regain rapid expansion in order to achieve sufficient critical mass for self- sustaining growth, increasing possibly from 125,000 to 170,000 inhabitants by 2050. LOCATIONAL FACTORS 14. Location and quality of development are increasingly paramount. To be internationally competitive, the Inner Moray Firth needs to offer stimulating, attractive and distinctive places to residents and visitors alike. The exceptional scenic, natural and cultural environment here provides a strong foundation on which to build diverse confident and well-designed communities. The limited but growing market for leisure and visitor berthing has traditionally been met at smaller harbours such as Nairn and Avoch as well as within the Caledonian Canal system. There are growing opportunities for more intensive redeve-lopment of surplus assets in settlement cores and worldwide