News / Isles’ future up for consultation
SHETLAND Islands Council is to launch its biggest ever island-wide consultation on the future development of the isles.
The Main Issues Report will go out to the public on 26 March, looking at issues such as where new housing should be built and the future of key sites in Lerwick.
The report will also examine economic development, ways of protecting and promoting shops and businesses, biodiversity, agricultural land, car parking and planning for the future as the islands’ population gets older.
The report gives a range of alternative options, identifying a preferred option, and then seeks public comments, with new ideas welcome.
Landowners are also being invited to provide planners with information on sites of over half a hectare that they would like to be considered as future development sites.
The council is especially looking for sites that may be suitable for housing, employment, retail or community uses over the next five to 20 years. Not all sites will be suitable for development, but it will help the planners to know where sites are available, they say.
The report may evolve into an annual survey influenced by the responses to this consultation.
Site survey information forms and details on the report are available at www.planshetland.org
Paper copies of the documents will be available to view during normal office hours at the SIC’s infrastructure services department, at Grantfield, in Lerwick; the Lerwick library; all SIC community work offices; and all leisure centres from 15 March.
The consultation will go on from now into May. Planners will be holding an information day on 27 March 2010 at 175 Commercial Street (the shop next to Boots).
An exhibition will take place at the Shetland Museum and Archives during April.
The council will also be visiting communities and working with local community learning and development workers to share information to ensure everyone knows what this is about and how important it is for everyone to join the debate.
Planning board chairman Frank Robertson said: “This is the most important public consultation for many years.
“The Local Development Plan is a significant factor in the sustainable economic development of communities. The results will shape the future for development in Shetland over the next 20 years, and I urge everyone to join the debate and participate by giving their views on the issues and options, including the alternatives put forward in the Main Issues Report.”
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