LEDBURY residents are being asked to have their say on the future of the town.

The Ledbury Neighbourhood Development Plan is open to public consultation, with residents invited to discuss issues relating to future development in the town.

This is a partial revision and not a comprehensive review and the aim is to address specific important matters not covered in the current adopted plan.

For greater background, more detail on each of the issues can be found on the neighbourhood development plan page of the town council’s website at www.ledburytowncouncil.gov.uk on the Supporting Documents page.

The key issues for the review are:

  • Defining a settlement boundary for the town
  • Addressing the lack of sufficient football playing fields
  • Provision of new sites for employment
  • Improving access to Ledbury railway station, particularly the eastbound platform
  • supporting the town centre
  • Safeguarding and enhancing green space and "promoting good design in the built environment ".

Ledbury Town Council is in favour of a settlement boundary for a number of reasons.

Council documents about the plan say: "There are both advantages and disadvantages, but Ledbury Town Council believes that Ledbury would benefit from a settlement boundary as the lack of one in the current NDP has resulted in unplanned development permissions."

Having no settlement boundary offers more freedom to develop and no restrictions on space, but allows for less community protection.

The other options are to use the current settlement boundaries proposed in the existing neighbourhood plan or to extend it westwards incorporating the Riverside Park, and areas for recreation and employment to the south of Little Marcle Road.

The latter option is the council's preferred solution.

To have their say, residents are invited to complete an online survey.

This can be done at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/LedburyNDP_Issues_Options.

Questionnaires must be completed by midnight on Friday, July 16.

For a paper copy, contact Ledbury Town Council.