Councillors could be making a return to visiting proposed shops, warehouses and wind farm sites to help them make decisions on planning applications.
Members involved in planning would often go to areas for development to give them a flavour of how they would fit into the surroundings.
However the practice was stopped as part of rules brought in to stop the spread of Covid.
At a meeting of the planning committee this week, SNP councillor for Buckie Sonya Warren asked when site visits would be reintroduced.
She said: “Sometimes you get a lot of vital information actually seeing the site and feeling the impact.
“Also information you get from officers during site visits is very useful as well.
“I find that not having them is a big loss and sometimes it’s a lot harder to judge a planning application without one.”
Committee chairman and Conservative councillor for Keith and Cullen Donald Gatt shared Ms Warren’s concerns. However, because the decision to halt site visits was taken by full council, it would be up to them to change it.
Legal services manager Aileen Scott told the meeting a report was expected to go before the full council after the summer recess.
She said: “It’s appreciated that members do prefer site visits, and that has always been our preference up to the pandemic.
“We have taken steps to make sure members have as much information as possible in front of them, and they have the opportunity to say if they have insufficient information.
No substitute for site visits
“I don’t want people thinking decisions have been made without proper information being made available to members.
“As you say there is no substitute for a site visit, but that decision will be up to full council.”
The first meeting after the summer break is expected to be held on August 10.
Are you interested in more exclusive and breaking Highland and Islands news from the P&J? If so, why not join our dedicated Facebook page HERE
Conversation