PEOPLE in Colefofrd are being asked how they think the town should develop over the next 16 years.

A review of the Coleford Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) – which is taken into account when planning applications are decided – is underway.

The views of local people about how the town should be shaped is a key element, say the steering group leading the process.

As part of the review, steering group members set up a stand in the town centre recently to talk directly to local people.

Steering group member and Coleford town councillor Marilyn Cox said: “The Neighborhood Development Plan is the plan by which Coleford has an opportunity to make their say about what they think the shape of the settlement and the way in which all the green areas and the transport and the town centre all work.

“We've got a special page on the Coleford Town Council website, which is called the Coleford Neighbourhood Development Plan

page, and on there you'll find a little two minute survey saying, what's your vision for Coleford for 2041?

“We just need all that information because if we're going to make any difference, we have to have evidence and that means evidence of what people think.

“In this survey, we are saying do you want to see the town centre particularly any different?

The way in which the transport works, the green spaces.

“Do you think that there's issues with some of the historic environment? Is it important for you to conserve it?

What changes are there that might make a difference that are not in the NDP at the moment that we might need to put it?

“We know that Coleford’s population, 2001 to 2011 went up by eight. 2011 to 2021 it went up by 916.

That's 10 per cent in the last 10 years – people are coming, we need to think about where are we providing the services for them.

“Are we making sure that we keep the things that we value?”

When a planning application is sent to the town council for comment by the district council, it is checked to see if it conforms to the NDP.

Cllr Cox said: “If it doesn't, we put that back to the district council.

“They always look at our comments. I have to say that they've always done that.

“They don't always agree with what we we might say, or they may have other evidence that they can produce which varies from that.

“But it means that when people are looking at putting in place some sort of planning idea, they know what they're working to and they know that the people of Coleford who voted for this in 2018. are agreeing with that in principle.

“That that's the important thing. We are trying to bring together the evidence from the people and put it together.”

To find out more about the Neighbourhood Development Plan, visit www.colefordtowncouncil.gov.uk