Residents, businesses and community groups are being invited to help shape the future of Wiltshire as the first consultation on the new Wiltshire Local Plan launches today (2 September).

The Local Plan will guide where homes, jobs and infrastructure are provided across Wiltshire in the years ahead, ensuring future growth takes place in the right locations and is supported by the services and facilities communities need. The plan will also address the supply of minerals and provision of waste management facilities.

When planned carefully, development can help communities thrive by supporting new homes, jobs, services and infrastructure where they are needed. Current Government policy requires Wiltshire to plan for around 3,500 new homes each year, making it important that local communities help to shape this growth.

The first stage of public engagement, known as the scoping consultation, runs from 2 to 30 September. It will seek views on what the new Local Plan should contain, as well as how people would like to be involved as the plan develops.

People will be able to take part in the consultation and submit their comments via an online survey on the Wiltshire Council website. There will be a series of public engagement events taking place during the consultation, giving people the opportunity to find out more and share their views, as well as a public webinar that is open for to all to sign up to:

• Chippenham Market – Friday 4 September, 8.30am to 4pm
• Salisbury Market – Tuesday 8 September, 8.30am to 3pm

• Royal Wootton Bassett Library – Wednesday 9 September, 1.30pm to 6.30pm

• Devizes Market – Thursday 10 September, 9am to 3pm
• The Shires, Trowbridge – Tuesday 15 September, 10am to 3pm
• Public webinar – Thursday 17 September, 6pm to 7pm

Cllr Ian Thorn, Leader of Wiltshire Council and Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, said: “Today marks the start of an important conversation about Wiltshire’s future, and I would encourage everyone with an interest in our county to get involved.

“The new Local Plan will influence how Wiltshire grows over the coming years, including where new homes, jobs and infrastructure are provided. It will also address the supply of minerals and provision of waste management facilities. We want communities to help shape that vision from the very beginning.

“The consultation is an opportunity to influence how growth happens, rather than simply whether it happens, so that development works as well as possible for local places.

“Whether you live, work, study or run a business in Wiltshire, this consultation is your opportunity to tell us what matters most to you and what issues the plan should focus on as it develops.

“So please do come along to an engagement event, sign up for the webinar, or simply fill in the survey – but please do let us know your views as we start on this journey to creating a new Local Plan.”

To take part in the consultation and find out more, visit: www.wiltshire.gov.uk/local-plan