Wilmslow Town Council has decided to make use of its powers under the Localism Act 2011 to initiate the production of a "neighbourhood plan" designed to give Wilmslow's residents the opportunity to shape the future development of the town.
The Town Council has co-opted a Neighbourhood Plan Group comprised of volunteer residents who will carry out the consultation and engagement activity with residents, businesses and other stakeholders.
Over the next year, a group of local volunteers will be engaging with Wilmslow residents, businesses, employees and community groups to find out what you think your town needs to be a great place to live, work and visit.
The initial stages of consultation aim to find out in broad terms what you think is great about Wilmslow and what you think needs to be improved.
You can express your views on the things you think are most important to the town including housing, employment, transport, the town centre, leisure, health, education and the natural environment.
Sharon Steele, the Neighbourhood Plan Group's Publicity Officer said "Thinking big and getting some creative and innovative suggestions at this stage would be a real advantage to the consultation."
To find out these preliminary views, the Neighbourhood Planning Group will be out and about at key local events between now and the end of July and delivering questionnaires to your home, as well as offering the opportunity to give your feedback through an online survey.
This initial general consultation will be followed by more in-depth focus groups and detailed exploration of development and land use ideas later in the year which will shape the creation of a draft Neighbourhood Plan.
Prior to being adopted, the Neighbourhood Plan will then be voted on by the residents of Wilmslow in a referendum.
Brian Donohue, Chair of the Neighbourhood Planning Group said "The Wilmslow Neighbourhood Plan will establish a strategy for the development of our town based on what we as a community want. As well as giving local residents the power to influence what our town looks like in the future, the creation of this Plan will unlock vital funding which will help us improve Wilmslow."
The volunteer residents on the Neighbourhood Plan Group have adopted a formal constitution and appointed officers, including a Chair and Treasurer. Elected members of Wilmslow Town Council who are on the Group attend as volunteers who live in Wilmslow.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
What 3 topics are most important to you.
One topic is Housing. So tick the box, BUT does that mean more or less housing, or more affordable, or more bungalows or less apartments for assisted living? Etc.
To ultimately find out that housing is an important issue doesn't help us produce a neighborhood plan, unless the underlying reason is stated.
The figure can be used to justify whatever answer is desired, ultimately by CEC, eg 1,500 new homes on greenbelt, rather than our agreed 400.
Whilst a reasonable assumption would be housing (the number and where to build them) was important, the point of the process is that the Group need to prove they haven't just made assumptions and they have based the Plan on what residents want it to be based on.
The next stage of consultation, once you have the focus, is to then define the detail in each area- again based on the views of people in the town.