Thank you for your patience.
The Alton Neighbourhood Plan has been quiet on social media in recent months, so we just wanted to provide you with an update as to progress.
The Steering Group has continued to meet every two weeks but will now take a break for July (notes of meetings are on the Town Council website). The draft plan was approved by the Steering Group and considered by the Full Council meeting in early June, where approval was sought to proceed to the Regulation 14 formal consultation stage, which is where we will seek the views of local people on the draft policies but also key statutory consultees such as Natural England, the Environment Agency and EHDC.
As many of you will be aware, the area which is causing a delay to consulting on the draft plan, is around the difficult subject matter of site allocations for new housing. At the Town Council meeting in June, Members determined that they wished to give a further opportunity for sites to be considered for inclusion and as such this work will be undertaken in readiness for the September Full Council meeting where a site allocations report will be prepared alongside the draft plan.
Please bear with us a little longer. Deciding where to potentially allocate sites for housing is probably the biggest, most important issue for the town in a generation and both the Steering Group and the Town Council have to be comfortable that what comes forward for consultation in the Plan provides the best opportunities and options for the Town.
We will update you again as soon as we are able.