Developer Requirements for Housing
Proposed Burghead Conservation Area
The Council produces supplementary guidance to that contained in the Development Plan on a number of policy matters. The guidance has been through public consultation and therefore constitutes a material consideration in the planning application process.
Developer Requirements for Housing
The Developer Requirements for Housing consolidates and expands on all of the Local Plan policies that will be used when considering applications for housing developments (over 5 units). It advises applicants, developers, landowners what will be required of them in terms of the layouts and designs they submit, in order to comply with policies, with the objective of attaining a high standard of development on the ground.
Proposed Burghead Conservation Area
A consultation on whether part of Burghead should be designated as a conservation area is being held by the Moray Council. The 6-week consultation commences on Monday 12th October and ends on Friday 20th November 2009.
A character appraisal prepared on behalf of the Moray Council has recommended that part of the town should be designated as a conservation area (i.e. an area of special architectural or historic interest). The Council are now consulting on whether the local community support such a proposal and if so, where the boundary should be drawn.
The character appraisal and feedback form are available to download and responses can be submitted via the feedback form online. The documents are also available to view at Burghead Library and the Council’s Headquarters, Greyfriar’s Street, Elgin. Responses can also be submitted by post or returned to the comments box located in Burghead library.
During the consultation period, a drop-in exhibition will be held on Wednesday 28th October at Burghead Community Hall from 2-8pm where officers will be available to answer general queries regarding the proposal.
Have Your Say on Planning Guidance for Housing in the Countryside
A public consultation is being carried out by the Moray Council on draft supplementary planning guidance for proposals for housing in the countryside. The consultation begins on Monday 16th November and ends on Thursday 24th December 2009.
Once approved, the supplementary guidance will be used to help determine all planning applications for new houses and renovations and conversions of existing houses in the countryside. The document supplements the Moray Local Plan policies and provides guidance on the siting, location and design aspects of housing in a rural environment.
The draft supplementary guidance is also available to view at local libraries, access points and the Council Headquarters, Elgin. All comments must be submitted by Thursday 24th December 2009.
Following the end of the consultation period, all comments will be collated, considered and reported to the Planning & Regulatory Committee in 2010.
Moray Council has prepared a Draft Urban Design Guide for consultation purposes. The aim of this Guide is to promote good practice in the design and layout of new developments, and reflects the Scottish Government’s policy of encouraging attractive, lively and well connected places.
The consultation period will end on 22nd January 2010, and all comments must be submitted by this date. All representations will be reported to the Planning and Regulatory Services Committee for consideration, prior to formal approval and adoption. The Guide will become a "material consideration" when assessing planning applications.
Any comments should be submitted to
Gary Templeton Department of Environmental Services, Moray Council, High Street, Elgin IV30 1BX or e mail gary.templeton@moray.gov.uk
Draft Development Briefs have been prepared for sites in Cullen(Seafield Place), Portknockie (Seabraes), and Findochty (Morven Crescent). These sites are already designated for housing in the Moray Local Plan, and the Briefs will provide additional details and technical information on how the sites should be developed. The Briefs are intended to assist developers by providing this data "up front", in advance of a planning application.
These Briefs are currently subject of consultation, and comments are invited from interested parties. All such comments should be received by Friday 22 January 2010. All representations submitted will be reported to the Planning and Regulatory Services Committee for consideration, prior to the Briefs being
Approved and adopted. They will then become a material consideration when assessing planning applications.
Comments should be submitted to
Mark Cross Department of Environmental Services, Moray Council, High Street, Elgin IV30 1 BX or e mail mark.cross@moray.gov.uk
The Council is currently working with partners to develop an Open Space Strategy, as required under SPP11: Open Space and Physical Activity (November 2007). The Strategy process needs to include an audit of open space in Moray's settlements, comprising site assessments and public consultation, in order to meet the statutory requirement.
The Council has produced Trees and Development Supplementary Planning Guidance to:
Guide developers and members of the public as to how to fulfil the requirements for a tree survey, which needs to accompany certain planning applications under Policy E3 in the Moray Local Plan 2008.
Advise developers and members of the public as to the Council’s tree replacement planting requirements for protected trees or trees identified for removal/replacement in a planting scheme.
Raise general awareness of and provide advice as to what needs to be done to comply with other tree protection measures/guidance (e.g. TPOs, Conservation Areas, Planning conditions, Forestry Licence)
A brochure summarising the key requirements and advice in the new Trees SPG can be found here.
Supplementary information has been produced on ‘Native Trees – Characteristics, Tolerances & Suitability’ to support the replacement planting element of the Trees SPG.
Website references/Further research
For further information or queries please contact: Gary Templeton, Principal Planning Officer, Planning & Development, The Moray Council, Council Office, High Street, Elgin, IV30 1BX Tel: 01343 563470 or email: gary.templeton@moray.gov.uk
Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Report (PDF format, 20 pages, 152 KB)(This link opens in a new window)
The Council are currently preparing a Renewable Energy Strategy for Moray. The Strategy is subject to the requirements of Strategic Environmental Assessment.
The Council's Environmental Services and Community Services Departments have produced this Supplementary Planning Guidance. It sets out the Council's procedures for providing affordable housing and the mechanisms for securing such housing. Affordable Housing (This link opens in a new window)
The Moray Council has published Forestry Guidance (PDF format, 23 pages, 212 KB) (This link opens in a new window) in accordance with National Planning Policy Guidance. The Guidance identifies preferred search areas within which forestry may be suitable subject to the detailed consideration.
In 1996 The Moray Council adopted an Environmental Charter following on from a round of public consultation. The adoption of the charter was identified as one of the Local Agenda 21 objectives.
Local Agenda 21
The Local Agenda 21 process in Moray has been progressed through the Moray Council's LA21 Team which has looked at a number of In House actions and externally through the Moray Sustainability Forum. The Council adopted an 8 point strategy in 1996 to promote sustainable development which was reviewed in 2001 and developed into a vision and series of actions which was finalised and published in early 2002. The Council has placed sustainable development at the heart of the Council's decision-making through the introduction in some sections of a committee report sustainability checklist.
For further information on any of these items please phone Hazel Lyons on 01343 553302.