Sleat Local Place Plan 2024

A Local Place Plan is a community-led document that aims to easily convey a community’s proposals for the development or use of land and buildings in their local area.

Introduced by the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (external link), Local Place Plans are a way for community councils or community-controlled bodies to engage with their local community, to think about how to make their place better, to agree priorities, and to take action (often working with others).

For information on the stages of Local Place Plan preparation, from draft, to proposed, to finalised, and then to registered, read our Local Place Plan Preparation Flow Chart.

For information on the Government requirements for Local Place Plans, plus the things that we ask for to aid the Local Place Plan validation process, read our Local Place Plan Template Guidance.'

Highland Council.

Members have agreed that Sleat will adopt a Local Place Plan for the area by December 2024.

Andy Williamson, chair of SCC adds.

'The Local Place Plan is a result of the Planning Act (Scotland) 2019. It gives communities the right to develop a plan about the place that they live to help guide future planning decisions. The formal role of this document is entirely about planning but, in reality, it’s an opportunity to create an aspirational document about what we want our community to look like. This is an opportunity for us to look at how we want to see Sleat developing in the next five to 10 years - our aspirations for housing, jobs, the environment, young people and for public services. A Local Place Plan can serve as a blueprint for the community.

The plan has to be submitted to Council by the end of 2024, which is a very tight deadline. (Edit: submissions can now be passed to Highland Council in the first quarter of 2025.) I’m proposing we develop a plan through an inclusive, participatory approach, we can't just put out a survey and the Act insists that the plan is community generated, comes from the heart of the community through a number of events we hold with communities and key stakeholders. SCC will work with key partners and stakeholders, including Sleat Community Trust, and above all residents, businesses and organisations.

To read an initial brief click this link.

Update 8th December 2024

The draft Sleat Local Place Plan is almost complete and thank you to everyone who has contributed to this important masterplan for the coming decade and beyond.

You can read the document in full at this link

If you are short of time you can read the foreword to the Plan below in both English and Gaelic. It is planned to hold several drop in sessions in Sleat on 12th December. Check our Facebook page for details.

Update 7th January 2025

Tonight’s meeting will update on the final stages for the publication of Sleat’s Local Place Plan and will include mapping of comments made at two drop in sessions on 12th December at An Crùbh and at the SCT offices. Large maps of Sleat were presented, and residents were asked to write their aspirations for future development, of all kinds, on the maps. You can see the list here: https://web-cdn.org/s/1219/file/Local-Place-Plan-2024/Additonal-Comments-mapping-sessions-on-12-Dec-2024.docx

Quick Read

We have created an ambitious plan to shape Sleat’s future. Through communityconversations, we've developed a vision that looks at different local challenges and opportunities over the next 10 years.

Our community faces several significant challenges. Housing is a major concern — there aren’t enough homes for local people, especially young families and workers, and many feelthat there are too many holiday homes. Rather than just building houses, we want to look at facilities.

The area has strong cultural roots, particularly in Gaelic language and education through Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. About 46% of people in Sleat can speak, read or write Gaelic. Instead oftreating culture as separate from other developments, we suggest weaving Gaelic language and heritage throughout new projects – from tourism and business development to community activities.

Basic services need improvement – the water supply is reaching its limits, energy costs are too high and internet coverage is patchy. Transport is another concern, with a need for better bus services and more reliable ferries. We need access to better sports and leisure facilities, and improved healthcare services, particularly for our older residents, who make up nearly a third of our population.

On the positive side, there’s a strong community spirit, outstanding natural surroundings and good potential for renewable energy projects. We have successful community-ownedshops, a community-owned woodland at Tormore and recent housing developments include new affordable homes at Armadale and Kilbeg. Traditional industries like crofting and fishing remain important to our area, alongside tourism and education.

Looking ahead, we want to create joined-up solutions, such as:

Community hubs that combine housing, services and cultural spaces
Creating better links between tourism, environmental protection and local food production
Improving transport and access to services
Supporting traditional industries like crofting and fishing alongside new business opportunities
Using community-led renewable energy projects to benefit the whole of Sleat
Developing better facilities for sports, leisure and healthcare

Our plan works alongside Highland Council’s wider development plans and Scotland’s national planning policies. By taking a joined-up approach, we aim to make better use ofresources while ensuring developments truly serve local needs. Strong community organisations working together will be key to making this happen.

Geàrr-iomradh

Tha sinn air plana àrd-amasail a chruthachadh airson Slèite san àm ri teachd. Tro chòmhraidhean sa choimhearsnachd, tha sinn air lèirsinn a leasachadh a choimheadas ri na diofar dhùbhlan agus chothroman ionadail a dh’fhaodadh èirigh anns na 10 bliadhnaichean a tha romhainn.

Tha dùbhlain mhòra ron choimhearsnachd againn. Tha taigheadas na adhbhar dragh – chan eil taighean gu leòr ann airson daoine ionadail, gu h-àraid do theaghlaichean òga agus luchd-obrach, agus tha cuid a’ faireachdainn gu bheil cus thaighean air an cleachdadh mar thaighean do luchd-turais. Seach a bhith dìreach a’ togail thaighean, tha sinn a’ coimhead air dòighean taighean a thogail le àiteachan-obrach, pròiseactan ath-nuadhachail agus goireasan coimhearsnachd nan lùib.

Tha freumhan cultarail làidir san sgìre, gu h-àraid a’ Ghàidhlig agus foghlam tron t-Sabhal Mhòr. Tha comas labhairt, leughaidh no sgrìobhaidh aig 46% de mhuinntir Shlèite. Seach a bhith a’ dèiligeadh ri cultar mar rud a tha fa leth bho leasachaidhean eile, tha sinn a’ moladh gum bi a’ Ghàidhlig agus dualchas na sgìre air an snìomh tro phròiseactan ùra – bhothurasachd agus leasachadh gnìomhachais gu tachartasan coimhearsnachd.

Tha ùrachadh a dhìth air seirbheisean bunaiteach – tha an solar uisge againn an ìre mhath air ruith a-mach, tha cosgaisean connaidh ro àrd, agus chan fhaighear eadar-lìon, no eadar-lìon math, anns a h-uile ceàrn den sgìre. Tha còmhdhail cuideachd na adhbhar dragh le feum air seirbheis bus nas fheàrr agus seirbheis aiseig nas earbsaich. Tha feum air goireasanspòrs agus chur-seachadan, agus air seirbheis shlàinte nas fheàrr, gu h-àraid dhan fheadhainn as sine san sgìre, a tha mar an treas cuid de mhuinntir an àite.

Air an làimh eile, tha iomadach rud math mu dheidhinn Slèite. Tha spiorad coimhearsnachd againn a tha gu math làidir, àrainneachd a tha dìreach eireachdail agus comasan gu leòragainn airson phròiseactan ath-nuadhachail. Tha sinn, mar choimhearsnachd, air sealbh fhaighinn air bùithtean agus air coille agus tha taigheadas ann an Armadal agus anns a’ Chill Bhig am measg nan leasachaidhean às ùire san sgìre. Tha croitearachd agus iasgach fhathast cudromach dhan àite, a bharrachd air turasachd agus foghlam.

A' coimhead air adhart, tha sinn airson a bhith ag obair còmhla a dh’ionnsaigh fuasglaidhean, mar a leanas:

Taigheadas, seirbheisean agus àiteachan cultarail an lùib a chèile
Ceanglaichean nas treasa eadar turasachd, dìon na h-àrainneachd agus fàs biadh san sgìre
Seirbheisean còmhdhail nas fheàrr agus barrachd chothroman air seirbheisean san fharsaingeachd.
A’ cumail taic ri obraichean nas traidiseanta a leithid croitearachd is iasgach cho math ri cothrom an airson ghnìomhachasan ùra
A’ cleachdadh phròiseactan ath-nuadhachail coimhearsnachd gu math na sgìre air fad
A’ leasachadh ghoireasan nas fheàrr airson spòrs, chur-seachdan agus slàinte.

Bidh am plana againn a’ suidhe ri taobh plana Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd agus planaichean nàiseanta na h-Alba. Le bhith a’ co-obrachadh aig na diofar ìrean, tha sinn ag amas air barrachd feum a dhèanamh à goireasan na coimhearsnachd gu math feumalachdan na sgìre. Tachraidh seo tro cho-obrachadh èifeachdach am measg nam buidhnean coimhearsnachd.