PREPARATIONS are well underway for a Neighbourhood Plan for Dymock, near Ledbury, as fears grow about how the rural village can be protected from speculative housing development applications.

When in place, the plan will form a planning blueprint for how Dymock may or may not be developed over the next two decades or so – and there will be boundaries to protect certain sites from being built on.

And a period of public consultation is about to begin.

Part of the concern among Dymock residents, and councillors, has arisen because of the extent that nearby Ledbury is currently being targeted for big new estates.

Cllr Andrew Perry, chairman of the Dymock Development Plan Committee, writing to residents in the most recent parish magazine said: “That location (Ledbury) is already threatened by the prospect of nearly 2000 new homes.”

Dymock is just over the border, in Gloucestershire and, unlike Ledbury, any Neighbourhood Plan for the village would be considered by the Forest of Dean District Council, not Herefordshire Council.

Cllr Perry said: “Dymock must be able to show what development we would be happy with, an accept, and what sort of development we would not want.

“A robust and evidence-based Neighbourhood Development Plan will show the Forest of Dean planners what we, as parishioners, wish for our parish.”

And work has already started.

Cllr Perry said: “The first two meetings have already been held and plans will soon be getting underway to obtain the views of all parishioners.

“It is vitally important that the whole community is involved in planning for the the shape of our village and hamlets for the future.

“Everyone will be asked to make their views known and to comment.”

Cllr Perry added: “The Neighbourhood Plan is essential for our parish if we are to have a say in the development of Dymock in the future.”

For more news on planning developments in the Ledbury area, visit our website, ledburyreporter.co.uk