Local Planning
Western Isles Local Plan
Plan Inquiry
Introduction
A number of objections received as part of the consultation process have been resolved through negations and/or proposed modifications to the Plan. The remaining unresolved objections were considered by a Reporter from the Scottish Executive Directorate for Planning & Environmental Appeals via a Local Plan Inquiry (written submissions).
The appointed Reporter was Mike Culshaw.
Inquiry guidance is set out in circular 32/1996 code of Practice for Local Plan Inquiries and Code of Practice - Interim Supplementary Guidance (PDF 131KB)
Meetings
An initial business meeting (PDF 25KB) was held on 2 February 2007 in the Council Offices, Stornoway. A pre inquiry meeting was held on 22 March 2007 in the Council Chamber Stornoway. The 82 individuals/bodies who had made consultation representations to the Local Plan were invited to attend. (Pre Inquiry Meeting Agenda (PDF 17KB)) The Reporter outlined the procedures and timetable for the inquiry in the Pre-Inquiry Meeting Note (PDF 50KB)
Subsequent to the Pre Inquiry Meeting, no objectors indicated to the Reporter that they wished their objections to be considered at formal LPI or informal hearing. However 7 objectors indicated to the Reporter that they wished their objections to be considered via written submissions. Accordingly arrangements were made for all unresolved objections to be considered by the Reporter via written submissions. The objections that were considered included those submitted by the 7 objectors who confirmed maintenance of their objection to the Reporter as well as 42 other objectors who did not indicate withdrawal of objection to either the Reporter or the Comhairle.
Inquiry Reporter’s Recommendations and Comhairle Response
The Comhairle submitted its Statements of Case (PDF 6MB) to the Reporter on 8 June 2007 in response to the maintained or assumed maintained objections.
Following consideration of the objections the Reporter’s Inquiry Report (PDF 333KB) was submitted to the Comhairle on 30 August 2007. The Comhairle response to the Inquiry Report (PDF 80KB) is contained in the report to the Sustainable Development Committee on October 2007.
