The Lochalsh Collaboration
/In Lochalsh, we are working with the local Community development trusts, Community Councils and other groups to implement the Lochalsh Community Action Plan.
This was launched last year after support for engagement from the programme and funding from the Investing in Communities Fund. It is already leading to local services being developed such as sustainable community transport and food waste reduction and anti-poverty measures. It’s also addressing strategic issues like where and how to develop new housing – the top priority in the action plan.
Their plan will provide the community engagement evidence for The Highland Council to inform there place based planning and also inform the work of Community Planning partners like the NHS and Police, in line with the duties of the Community Empowerment Act. The Lochalsh Collaboration is about to embark on a process of dialogue with all CPP agencies to look at what they are doing on the issues identified in the Community Action Plan and where there might be potential to work jointly on these.
In parallel, the group are currently developing the physical and spatial aspects of there Action Plan by developing a Local Pace Plan for Lochalsh under the terms of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019. This is looking at the nature and location of physical development in relation to infrastructure and services across the communities that make up Lochalsh.
By linking all other locally based planning dialogue to their own Community Action Pan the Lochalsh Collaboration are working to ensure they retain influence across the “planscape” whilst at the same time work constructively with those able to invest in the area.
