Highland Council scales back Masterplan Consent Areas

Council members were updated this week on progress with the MCA programme, which is designed to speed up housing delivery by granting planning permission in advance of a formal development plan allocation, provided developments align with a jointly authored masterplan.

Following the recent consultation, the council has reduced the proposed housing numbers at all three pilot sites:

• Ardersier MCA — now 400 homes (down from 600)
• Essich Road, Inverness — now 315 homes (down from 400)
• Embo — now 60 homes

Feedback will also shape the next iteration of the masterplans, with key requirements including 25–35% affordable housing, depending on location; safeguarded land for community facilities; strong obligations around schools, transport, active travel, drainage and environmental mitigation; and Good Neighbour Agreements to ensure developers are held accountable.

Members agreed to progress MCA schemes for all three sites and to appoint an independent masterplan adviser to support co‑authoring between communities, developers and the council. Draft masterplans will return for further consultation before going to planning committees for approval.

The council also highlighted several parallel initiatives aimed at boosting supply across the region, including the development of a mid‑market rent model to expand affordable private rental options, expansion of the council’s landbank, currently capable of delivering around 1,800 homes over the next decade, and a developer round‑table scheduled before the end of June to explore further opportunities to accelerate delivery.

Homebuilders have publicly backed the council’s decision, with Springfield Properties confirmed as delivery partner for Ardersier and Tulloch Homes leading the Essich Road project.

Innes Smith, chief executive of The Springfield Group, said the endorsement marked a major milestone: “The endorsement of MCA sites is a pivotal moment for the region and will help unlock the pace and scale of delivery urgently needed to tackle the housing challenge across the Highlands.

“By embracing the MCA model at an early stage, The Highland Council is sending a clear signal that it is serious about turning ambition into homes, jobs and investment.”

Both the Ardersier and Essich Road developments remain subject to planning consent, but the MCA framework is expected to streamline the process and provide greater certainty for communities and developers.

The endorsed sites now move into the next phase of the MCA process, with joint masterplan development between the council, developers and local communities. Further consultation will follow before any final decisions are made.