Test Valley has launched a consultation on the issues and options for development in the Borough up to 2036. The Local Plan sets out the vision for how land across the borough will be used in planning terms. It stipulates the scale and location of growth, the infrastructure required and how certain areas of the borough will be protected from development. Importantly it is also the document in which individual planning applications are judged against. The main focus of the consultation is on meeting our residents' housing needs in the right locations, but the consultation also covers employment, the environment and infrastructure. It is not about identifying specific sites for development at this stage but we want to ensure that we are able to maximise the benefit of any growth in the borough while minimising the impact on communities and the environment. Feedback from you is absolutely crucial as it will contribute towards the development of detailed policies during the next stage of the Local Plan preparation. You can respond to the consultation online at– www.testvalley.gov.uk/nextlocalplan.

It’s a summer of talking with our residents as the consultation on our new Corporate Plan priorities is still open for you to contribute. I am really keen to hear from Romsey Advertiser readers on what you think our priorities should be for the next four years. You can respond to the consultation online at - https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/TVBCCorporatePlan

If you’re not all consultationed out by this point then Romsey Future have also begun preparations to ask Southern Test Valley residents about what they would like to see in the area south of Romsey town centre. Look out for opportunities to contribute to that process as August and September progress.