THE Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan is out for public consultation.

People have the chance to help shape the future of Melksham and Melksham Without.

Last week (December 2) Wiltshire Council launched the public survey into the Joint Melksham Neighbourhood Plan which is seven years in the making.

Neighbourhood Plans lets communities have a say in the future vision and aims of their local community.

Responses to the draft must be in by Wednesday, February 3, 2021 and will be made publicly available on the council website.

A steering group made up of members from Melksham town council and Melksham Without parish council have shaped the plan over the last five years.

Adrienne Westbrook, who represents the Melksham town council in the group, said: “Hopefully we can get the Neighbourhood Plan through this year.

It has to go to referendum and obviously there’s some issues over referendums and Covid.”

Once they have the Neighbourhood Plan in place, Cllr Westbrook hopes Melksham and Melksham Without will be further protected from unwanted development. She pointed to Wiltshire’s lack of a five-year land supply as a source of concern.

“Without a five-year land supply Melksham is in a very precarious position in terms of housing allocations,” she said.

“I hope the Melksham people will get behind the Neighbourhood Plan.”

Cllr Westbrook added that the process was more complicated than other Neighbourhood Plans as the two councils making decisions the better the wider communities.

“But it was right and proper for the whole of the Melksham area are part of the Neighbourhood Plan. To have one without the other would be self defeating.”

Following the six week consultation the plan will be examined by an appointed planning inspector.

They will issue a report on whether or not the Neighbourhood Plan meets the basic conditions or if changes need to be made.

The final step in approving and then adopting the Neighbourhood Plan will be a public referendum. Which will be subject to any Covid-19 restrictions at the time.

To download the plans and for information on making comments please click the following link www.melkshamneighbourhoodplan.org/