The financial contributions that new developments will be required to make towards facilities including schools, roads and the provision of affordable housing in the Highlands have been updated following the approval of new planning guidance.

Members of the Highland Council’s environment, development and infrastructure committee yesterday agreed to adopt the Developer Contributions Supplementary Guidance (DCSG) after a public consultation was undertaken in early 2018.

The local authority said the new guidance confirms its approach to securing financial contributions and managing the impacts of development on services and infrastructure. Developers will be encouraged to refer to the new guidance to get an early understanding of the contributions that are likely to be required.

Cllr Allan Henderson, chair of the council’s environment, development and infrastructure committee, said: “The new guidance provides an updated methodology to help people assess the service and infrastructure needs required relating to future development and it provides developers with financial costs which should be budgeted for when buying land and working out project costs ahead of the submission of any planning application.

“It is vital that developers and communities are well informed about what may be required of new developments in terms of developer contributions by the planning authority. This new guidance will help both developers and the council to identify and deliver what is needed for Highland’s infrastructure at the outset of any development proposal.”

Councillors agreed to adopt the finalised DCSG, which has now be submitted to Scottish Ministers for a minimum 28 day clearance period. Following this the DCSG will be adopted as Supplementary Guidance to the Highland-wide Local Development Plan and it will form part of the council’s statutory Development Plan.