West Highland and Islands Local Development Plan Plana Leasachaidh Ionadail na Gàidhealtachd an Iar agus nan Eilean Proposed Plan May 2017 www.highland.gov.uk How to Comment and Find Out More | Ciamar beachd a thoirt seachad agus Faigh a-mach Tuilleadh How to Comment and Find Out More This document asks for your views on future development in the West Highland and Islands area, including a vision and spatial strategy, and identified development sites and priorities for the main settlements. Comments must be submitted using our online Consultation Portal(1). In order to comment on the Plan first you have to register. Once registered, you can read the Plan online and make comments by clicking on the "Add Comments" tabs displayed throughout the document. Comments by letter or email will not be accepted unless agreed in advance with the Development Plans Team. If you cannot access the online version please contact the Development Plans Team via [email protected] or 01349 886608 and we will advise on an alternative method for you to read the Plan and submit your comments. All comments must be made within the 8 week consultation period of 5th May to 12 noon on 30th June 2017 inclusive. Please be specific about which parts of the Plan you wish to object to, support or comment on and how you want the Plan changed. Further information is available via the Council's website(2). What is the Proposed Plan? The West Highland and Islands Local Development Plan (abbreviated to WestPlan) is the third of three new area local development plans that, along with the Highland-wide Local Development Plan (HwLDP) and Supplementary Guidance, will form "the development plan" that guides future development in the Highlands. WestPlan focuses on where development should and should not occur in the West Highland and Islands area over the next 20 years. In preparing this Plan, The Highland Council have held various consultations firstly with a "Call for Sites" followed by a Main Issues Report and an Additional Sites Consultation. The comments submitted during these stages have helped us prepare this Plan and are available to view via the Council's website. This Proposed Plan has been approved by the Council as its settled view on where and how growth should be delivered. However, it is a consultation document which means you can tell us what you think about it. It will be of particular interest to people who live, work or invest in the West Highland and Islands area. 1 http://consult.highland.gov.uk 2 http://highland.gov.uk/whildp Proposed WestPlan The Highland Council 1 How to Comment and Find Out More | Ciamar beachd a thoirt seachad agus Faigh a-mach Tuilleadh What is its Status? This Plan can be used as a material consideration in the determination of planning applications. Alongside, the main documents for making planning decisions will be the HwLDP, Supplementary Guidance and the retained parts of the local plans relevant to the area that have been continued in force: Wester Ross Local Plan (adopted 2006, continued in force 2012). Ross and Cromarty Local Plan (part - Achnasheen and its surrounding area) (adopted 2007, continued in force 2012). West Highland and Islands Local Plan (adopted 2010, continued in force 2012). Any allocation and/or text in the HwLDP that relates to sites within the WestPlan area will be updated by its content. WestPlan when adopted will replace the local plans listed above. How to Use the Plan The main parts of the Plan are the Vision, the Strategy, policies that apply generally across the Plan area, and more detailed proposals and priorities for the larger settlements. The Plan is made up of maps and text. If you are interested in finding out what the Plan means for you then you need to read both. To get the complete picture, you need to read the relevant parts of this Plan together with the HwLDP and associated Supplementary Guidance. Conformity with a single policy or proposal in the Plan does not indicate conformity with the development plan as a whole. Appendix 2 contains a list of abbreviations, acronyms and terms used in this Plan and in the related background documents and an explanation of their origin and/or meaning. WestPlan takes account of a wide range of other factors which can also influence the outcome of planning decisions, including: National planning legislation, policy and guidance; The HwLDP, Supplementary Guidance and non-statutory planning guidance; and Other plans, programmes and strategies of The Highland Council and other public agencies. Next Steps The Council will consider everyone's comments on the Proposed Plan and decide whether any changes should be made. Any comments and changes the Council decides not to accept are known as "unresolved issues". These will be passed along with a copy of the the Council's Plan to Scottish Ministers, who will then appoint an independent person known as a Reporter to carry out an Examination of these unresolved issues. The Reporter will recommend changes that the Council has to make to the final version of the Plan. We will adopt this as the West Highland and Islands Local Development Plan. 2 The Highland Council Proposed WestPlan Foreword | Facal-toisich The publication of the West Highland and Islands Proposed Local Development Plan sets out the Council's settled view on how the Plan area should develop over the next10 years and beyond. This Plan seeks to deliver key outcomes for safeguarding and enhancing communities, employment, connectivity and transport, plus environment and heritage. It has been agreed with community planning partners and other stakeholders as a plan for delivering development and investing in infrastructure to support future communities. This Plan was prepared and refined by listening to the comments made to us during its preparation, including the Main Issues Report consultation held during 2016. On behalf of the Council we thank all those who have shown interest in the Plan so far. We would encourage everyone with an interest to visit our website consult.highland.gov.uk and tell us what you think. Councillor Councillor Councillor Drew Millar Margaret Paterson Thomas MacLennan Chair, Isle of Skye and Chair, Ross and Cromarty Chair, Raasay Committee Committee Lochaber Committee An Comhairliche An Comhairliche An Comhairliche Drew Mac a’ Mhuilleir Mairead NicPheadrais Tòmas MacIllinnein Cathraiche, Comataidh an Eilein Cathraiche, Comataidh Rois Cathraiche, Comataidh Sgitheanaich agus Ratharsair agus Chromba Loch Abar Tha foillseachadh Plana Leasachaidh Ionadail na Gàidhealtachd an Iar agus nan Eilean a Thathar a’ Moladh a’ mìneachadh beachd suidhichte na Comhairle mun dòigh sam bu chòir do sgìre a’ Phlana leasachadh sna 10 bliadhna a tha air thoiseach agus thar sin. Tha am Plana seo ag amas air prìomh thoraidhean a lìbhrigeadh gus coimhearsnachdan, cosnadh, ceangalan is còmhdhail, a bharrachd air àrainneachd is dualchas, a dhìon agus a neartachadh. Chaidh aontachadh le com-pàirtichean dealbhaidh coimhearsnachd agus luchd-ùidh eile mar phlana airson a bhith a’ lìbhrigeadh leasachadh agus airson tasgadh ann am bun-structair gus taic a thoirt do choimhearsnachdan san àm ri teachd. Chaidh am Plana seo a dheasachadh is a ghleusadh tro bhith ag èisteachd ris na beachdan a thàinig thugainn fhad ’s a bhathar ga dheasachadh, a’ gabhail a-steach co-chomhairle Aithisg nam Prìomh Chùisean a chumadh ann an 2016. Às leth na Comhairle, tha sinn a’ toirt taing dhan a h-uile duine a tha air ùidh a shealltainn sa Phlana gu ruige seo. Tha sinn a’ brosnachadh a h-uile duine le ùidh, tadhal air an làraich-lìn againn consult.highland.gov.uk agus ur beachd a thoirt dhuinn. Proposed WestPlan The Highland Council 3 Contents Proposed Plan 1 Vision and Strategy | Lèirsinn is Ro-innleachd 6 1.1 Growing Communities | A’ Fàs Choimhearsnachdan 10 1.1.1 Policy 1: Town Centre First 14 1.1.2 Policy 2: Delivering Development 16 1.1.3 Policy 3: Growing Settlements 18 1.2 Employment | Cosnadh 19 1.2.1 Economic Development Areas 19 1.3 Connectivity and Transport | Comas-ceangail is Còmhdhail 25 1.4 Environment and Heritage | Àrainneachd is Dualchas 28 2 Lochaber Settlements | Tuineachaidhean Loch Abar 32 2.1 Fort William | An Gearasdan 32 2.2 Glencoe | Gleann Comhann 51 2.3 Kinlochleven | Ceann Loch Lìobhann 56 2.4 Mallaig | Malaig 60 2.5 North Ballachulish, Glenachulish and South Ballachulish | Baile a’ Chaolais a Tuath, Gleann a’ Chaolais agus Baile a’ Chaolais a Deas 66 2.6 Spean Bridge and Roy Bridge | Drochaid an Aonachain agus Drochaid Ruaidh 75 2.7 Strontian | Sròn an t-Sìthein 82 2.8 Growing and Potential Community Plan Settlements | Tuineachaidhean Plana Coimhearsnachd Fàsmhor agus Comasach 87 2.8.1 Acharacle | Àth Tharracail 87 2.8.2 Arisaig | Àrasaig 88 2.8.3 Ardgour and Clovullin | Àird Ghobhar agus Cladh a' Mhuilinn 90 2.8.4 Duror | Dùrar 91 2.8.5 Invergarry | Inbhir Garadh 92 2.8.6 Kilchoan | Cille Chòmhain 94 2.8.7 Lochaline | Loch Àlainn 95 2.8.8 Morar | Mòrar 97 2.8.9 Potential Community Plan Settlements | Comais Plana Coimhearsnachd Bhailtean 98 3 Skye and Raasay Settlements | Tuineachaidhean an Eilein Sgitheanaich is Ratharsair 102 3.1 Broadford | An t-Àth Leathann 102 3.2 Dunvegan | Dùn Bheagain 112 3.3 Kyleakin | Caol Àcainn 119 3.4 Portree | Port Rìgh 124 3.5 Sleat | Slèite 139 The Highland Council Proposed WestPlan Contents 3.6 Staffin | Stafainn 147 3.7 Uig | An Ùig 152 3.8 Growing and Potential Community Plan Settlements | Tuineachaidhean Plana Coimhearsnachd Fàsmhor agus Comasach 157 3.8.1 Carbost | Càrrabost 157 3.8.2 Edinbane | An t-Aodann