A second public consultation is being held in Bungay to give residents the chance to have their say on the future development of the town.
The consultation will be held at the Co-op on Hillside Road East, Bungay, from 8am to 6pm on Saturday, September 2.
Information will be available about the Bungay Neighbourhood Development Plan and residents can have their say on what they want the town to look like in the next 20 years.
The plan is being developed by groups of individuals who live and work in Bungay, with the project expected to take two to three years to complete. It will look at all aspects of town life, including heritage, housing, design, leisure, employment, nature and community spirit.
A post by the steering group on the Bungay Neighbourhood Development Plan Facebook page says: 'A Neighbourhood Plan is the most powerful tool that any town can harness to ensure that the town itself has control over future planning matters. Unlike a Town Plan, a Neighbourhood Plan has statutory weight and real legal force. This means that the town decides for itself what is acceptable and very importantly sustainable.
'To give an example, if Bungay puts a Neighbourhood Plan in place, we would have much more control over the proposed development of any land within the designated area. As a town we can determine for ourselves the parameters of any such proposed development, possibly ensuring all new houses are as eco-friendly as possible, cycle paths are included, whether new surgeries and schools need to be created to cope with the increase in demand.
'Many of these elements are of course already covered to some degree within the existing Local Plan for the whole area, but what is clear is that the development of planning power to specific communities ensures that they are tailored to that community by the very people who know it best.'
The first consultation was held at St Mary's Church in February, where visitors were asked to fill out questionnaires. Feedback showed that the majority wanted a community centre, more parking and a bank to bring shoppers back to the town.
For further information visit www.bungayndp.org.uk or www.facebook.com/bungayndp
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