Young people urged to share their views on North Somerset’s local plan

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North Somerset Council is currently consulting on the next phase of its local plan and young people are being encouraged to get involved in the process.

The new Local Plan Preferred Options document, identifies where development can and cannot take place in North Somerset and guides investment and funding for new housing, jobs, transport and community facilities until 2038.

The plan shows how  seriously the council is taking its commitment to tackling climate change and becoming carbon neutral by 2030. This includes consideration of environmental issues through the location and form of good quality development, promoting renewable energy, minimising car use, encouraging green infrastructure and biodiversity, avoiding sensitive areas such as areas at flood risk and minimising waste.

Cllr Ciaran Cronnelly, North Somerset Council's youth champion is urging young people to share their views through the consultation process.

“This local plan is going to set the future direction of housing and development in North Somerset and although 2038 feels like a really long time away (I’ll be into my 40s by that point!) the opportunity to get involved in how the future looks is happening now. It will be the young people of today that will be home owners or renters of the future so it’s really important that they can help shape that.

"Often when there are consultations of this nature I see very low responses from young people and I’m keen to try to improve that. If you’re a young person or the parent or carer of a young person please consider completing the consultation and sharing your views.

The consultation is split into several elements so people can complete all of it or some of it. You may want to just comment on the policy about housing affordability, or you may want to provide feedback on the broad areas identified for development near where you live. This is fine, you don’t have to comment on everything – choose what interests you the most.

If 100 young people completed this consultation – even if you commented on one policy - that would be more than we’ve ever had before. Please get involved”

The consultation runs until 5pm on Friday 29 April and can be accessed on the council’s website www.n-somerset.gov.uk/newlocalplan