A COMMUNITY is being urged to have its say on a blueprint which will help shape future development.

Public consultation is underway over the proposed neighbourhood plan for Wilsden.

The village's parish council has spent nine years preparing the document, including two formal consultation periods on draft versions.

Now its final proposals have been submitted to Bradford Council, and comments are being invited from residents and organisations.

Following the consultation, the plan will undergo an independent examination, to ensure it meets legislative requirements.

Subject to the outcome of that and the conclusions of the examiner's report, Bradford Council can then hold a referendum in the community for the public to decide whether the plan should be adopted.

If the vote is in favour, the document will then become part of the statutory development plan for the district and be used to help determine planning applications in the Wilsden area.

Councillor Peter Allison, chair of the Wilsden Neighbourhood Plan Group, says: "We are pleased that the development of the plan has now reached the final stages.

"When we started the process of creating a local plan for Wilsden, we consulted widely to establish what the community wanted. Over the intervening years national planning policy has evolved, and this plan now incorporates a number of policy areas that would not have been possible when we started the process. We hope the neighbourhood plan can now move forward to final adoption as rapidly as possible."

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s executive member for regeneration, planning and transport, says: "I’d like to thank Wilsden Parish Council for the work it has undertaken in getting the neighbourhood plan to this stage, as well as those who have engaged with the process over the last nine years. I’d encourage members of the community to have a look at the plan and take part in the consultation."

The consultation documents are available to view and comment on at bradford.moderngov.co.uk/mgConsultationDisplay.aspx?ID=662

Paper versions are available for inspection by appointment at Britannia House, City Library, Bingley Library and Wilsden Post Office.

Electronic comment forms should be emailed to planning.policy@bradford.gov.uk or printed and posted to Local Plans Team, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, 4th Floor, Britannia House, Broadway, Bradford BD1 1HX.

The consultation closes on Monday, March 18.

Anyone requiring further information, or with queries about neighbourhood planning or the consultation, should contact the Local Plans Team on 01274 433679.