The Review of the Moray Local Plan 2000 commenced in 2004.
The proposals in the Consultative Draft were approved by the Environmental Services Committee on 1st July 2005. This included assessment and comment on 'bids' that had been received to have land assignated in the new Plan.
The Consultative Draft was published on 22nd August 2005, with a 6 week period to 3rd October, allowed for representations to be submitted. Approx 1,500 representations were received and these were reported to Committee on 15th June 2006.
The Finalised Version of the Plan was published on 4th September 2006, and formal objections invited by 16th October. This resulted in over 700 objections which were submitted to committee in two stages. Settlement objections were considered on 9th February 2007, with policy objections on 12th April 2007.
Consideration of objections resulted in a number of modifications being proposed. These were published on 4th May 2007, with a 6 week period to 15th June, allowed for objections to be submitted.
These were reported to a Special Meeting of the Environmental Services Committee on 30th August 2007. As a result, a further Schedule of Modifications has been published. These will be available for a six week period, for objections to be submitted.
All outstanding objections to the Finalised Plan, and objections to the Modifications will be referred to a Public Local Inquiry, which took place in November and December 2007.
Post Inquiry modifications were published on 22nd August.
The Council has agreed, as from 1 September 2008, to start using the Emerging Moray Local Plan 2008 as a 'material consideration' to be taken into account in the assessment of planning applications.
The Moray Local Plan 2000 remains the statutory, adopted Plan, but the emerging plan will be used as a valid factor in determining applications.