THE consultation for the Wiltshire Local Plan begins next month and Wiltshire Council is holding a drop-in event at the Leighton Recreation Centre on Monday 16th October so you can find about more about the plans for Westbury.
The council will also host a live webinar-style event on Tuesday 10th October which will feature a presentation followed by an opportunity to ask questions. The consultation officially begins on Wednesday 27 September.
The Local Plan sets out the vision and framework for housing, infrastructure and land for employment growth for the next 15 years. Once adopted, all planning applications will be determined against the plan, making it the most important place-shaping document for Wiltshire.
The drop-in event is an informal session where people can meet officers and find out more about the Local Plan and how to respond to the consultation. The online session will feature a presentation, followed by an opportunity to ask questions; people should sign up for the online event beforehand on the council website.
The council’s latest Local Plan proposals for Westbury could see a further 570 houses built in the town up to 2038, with a suggestion of a new country park, and a focus on the town centre, improving transport links to the centre of town and the railway station, addressing traffic issues and improving air quality in the town.
Cllr Nick Botterill, cabinet member for strategic planning, said, “This is the final consultation stage for the Wiltshire Local Plan before the examination in public next year, and so it’s important that people take the time to have their say.
“We are also holding an online session, and people will be able to read all of the Local Plan documents on our website and at our main offices, and the plan will also be available in many Wiltshire Council libraries. People can share their views through our online portal, and anyone without internet access can visit a library to use the computers there or contact our team to get a written copy of the representation form and find out how to view the documents.
“This is the most ambitious and environmentally conscious Local Plan Wiltshire has ever produced, with zero carbon standards for new homes and policies to increase biodiversity at all new developments. We’re also ensuring we only build the homes we need to over the Plan period to 2038 and no more, while also maximising brownfield sites and ensuring developments have their fair share of affordable homes. I’d urge anyone with an interest in the future of Wiltshire to take part in this consultation and share their views.”
The consultation begins on Wednesday 27 September and ends at 23.59pm on Wednesday 22nd November. To find out more and to sign up for the online event, people should go to www.wiltshire.gov.uk/local-plan.
