Residents in Knaresborough and Terrington are being invited to help shape the future of their communities with consultations on new neighbourhood plans for the areas now open.
We have received draft proposals from Knaresborough Town Council and Terrington Parish Council which set out where communities want to see development such as homes, offices and shops – and what they should look like.
Local people are being encouraged to have their say on the plans, including how their areas can grow sustainably, the protection of green spaces and preservation of important heritage assets.
Executive member for open to business, Cllr Mark Crane, whose responsibilities include planning policy and local plan development, said: “This is an important opportunity for residents in Knaresborough and Terrington to ensure their voices are heard.
“The consultations are an important opportunity for local communities to have their say on these neighbourhood plans, which will provide a blueprint on how future developments in their communities could look.
“If adopted, these plans can be used to determine future planning applications – so it’s vitally important that everyone has the chance to understand what has been proposed and pass on their views.”
Comments received as part of the consultation will be sent to independent examiners who will assess whether the plans meet legal requirements and if they can progress to community referendums.
Both proposals have been shaped by previous local surveys to reflect the communities’ aspirations and concerns.
In Knaresborough, the protection of community services and facilities emerged as a key issue, while in Terrington, people expressed strong views about preserving the area’s rural and historic character.
If successful at referendum, the council will adopt the neighbourhood plans and use them alongside existing local plans to determine planning applications.
View the Knaresborough consultation documents and comment or view the Terrington consultation documents and comment.
Both consultations will close at midnight on Thursday 25 September.
Printed copies of the Knaresborough documents are available to collect from the Civic Centre, in Harrogate, and Knaresborough Library.
The Terrington documents can be collected from Ryedale House, in Malton, as well as from Malton Library and Terrington Village Hall when it is open for events and activities.