Consultation on Local Plan is ‘Wider, Deeper, Longer’ Than Any Before

Published on: 7 Oct, 2013
Updated on: 12 Oct, 2013

Flo Churchil (left), who is overseeing the consultation, talks to two visitors to the ‘Get involved…’ stand yesterday.

The council’s “Get Involve…” consultation on the Local Plan is well underway.

Yesterday (October 6th) a stand erected on the rotunda at the bottom of North Street was attracting a steady stream of people willing to give their views on the good and bad points of Guildford and what the town really needs. The day before, Saturday, views had been collected from Ash residents.

One respondent deep in thought as she completes a questionnaire.

Cllr Monika Juneja (Con, Burpham) lead councillor for planning and governance, visiting the stand, said: “This consultation is a key driver in formulating a new Local Plan for Guildford.

“In order to get all views we know we have to reach out, with this kind of activity, to the whole community of Guildford borough.”

Another councillor monitoring progress was Cllr Caroline Reeves (Lib Dem, Friary & St Nicolas). She said: “It was good to see so many younger people and families with their children getting involved with the consultation yesterday, after all it’s their views that we need to discover, not just the regular contributors.

“The consultation documents can be daunting, and I have found with my own residents that talking them through the process helps enormously. These public consultations are a vital part of the decision making process.”

Soup and other refreshments were on offer at the stall, kindly donated by nearby Jamie’s restaurant.

Flo Churchill, the interim local planning manager, responsible for overseeing the consultation said: “This is a wider, deeper and longer consultation than I have seen on any subject, in any borough.”

Tuesday will see the launch of the ‘Get involved’ shop at 25 Swan Lane so that everyone visiting the town centre during business hours will have the chance to drop in, find out more about the process and add their own views.