Council set to showcase major masterplan for Dingwall and the surrounding area that is part of the 20-year £2.1 billion Highland Investment Plan
Highland Council will host a public event to showcase a major masterplan for Dingwall and the surrounding area with the town set to be a test bed for a new way of delivering services.
The drop-in session will be on Thursday from midday to 7pm in the Royal British Legion in Dingwall with displays of the options for the future master-planning for the Dingwall & Seaforth area.
Earlier this year, Highland Council unveiled its Highland Investment Plan - a programme of work on schools, roads, housing and service delivery over 20 years worth £2.1 billion.
A financial rethink described as “one of the biggest investment programmes in Scotland and the largest ever for Highland” has been approved by the local authority.
Dingwall has been selected as one of the priority locations to develop a local place-based masterplan and this event will provide an opportunity to view the work that has been carried out to date.
The council is looking closely at how it delivers services and in particular is considering sharing facilities where feasible with other bodies in a bid to minimise costs in Pods – or Points of Delivery.
For example, a council road depot such as is in Dingwall could theoretically be used as a Pod for police road patrols or even ambulances while a community centre could also host a GP surgery located near a care home.
Now after some consultation with significant plans to rebuild not just the long overdue St Clement’s Special School but also Dingwall Primary it is expected that some initial plans may come forward.
The council said of its ‘Highland Investment Plan – A Masterplan for Dingwall’ that it is a “a highly significant, long term infrastructure investment programme for the Highland area”.
The local authority believes that it is “a radical solution to the significant challenges the council faces in reducing, maintaining, and renewing our asset base, and is closely linked to plans to modernise council service delivery”.
One of the key elements of the plan is to establish the Pods so that one place can serve a wide range of council services that can be delivered alongside other partner and community services as part of a future integrated operating model.
There will be short presentations on the Highland Investment Plan (HIP) at 12.30pm and 4.30pm. As well as the drop-in event on 7 November, two virtual online public events have also been arranged for 12 and 13 November at 7pm on MS Teams.
Council officers and others will be present to explain the proposals and answer any questions while the council says an “integral part” of the day will see the Mid-Ross Community Partnership host a Community Networking Event from 2pm – 4pm.
Local groups and organisations will be available to showcase their activities and projects, with the opportunity to network, connect and explore potential partnership working.
There will be short presentations on the Highland Investment Plan (HIP) at 12.30pm and 4.30pm. As well as the drop-in event on 7 November, two virtual online public events have also been arranged for 12 and 13 November at 7pm on MS Teams.
But the event is not solely about Dingwall as it will also present information the council thinks is relevant to the future planning of Conon Bridge, Maryburgh, Muir of Ord, Tore and the wider area as it seeks views on what else should be considered.
