Press Release

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Last revised: 1 May 2008

GREATER community involvement in
planning the future of Kennet

Kennet District Council has adopted guidelines for strengthening community involvement in making planning decisions. The Council has adopted a code of practice called the Statement of Community Involvement (pdf, 871 KB)which commits the Council to a series of standards and principles for involving the community when preparing planning policies and considering important planning applications.

These include:-

  • making sure that the community is involved at the earliest opportunity;

  • ensuring all sections of the community are given the chance to be involved and make their opinions known;

  • providing feedback to the community on how their views have been taken into account in taking decisions; and

  • using different ways to involve people such as hands-on exercises, visits to schools, competitions, recording views electronically and attending community events.

The Statement of Community Involvement benefited from good levels of community participation resulting in changes being made to the content. Representations on the document were considered by an independent planning inspector who tested it for 'soundness'. In considering the document, the inspector made one binding recommendation to the Council. This involved the title of one of the appendices to the Statement of Community Involvement.

The Inspector's Report was considered by the Planning Policy Executive meeting and the Statement of Community Involvement was formally adopted on 15 th September 2005 (as amended by the Inspector). Forward Planning Team Leader, Ed White said "the Statement is the first of the local development documents that will make up the Local Development Framework . This is due to replace the Kennet Local Plan by 2007".

The document can be viewed and/or purchased at the Council Offices with reference copies available at all local libraries. Alternative please call 01380 734779 where a member of our staff will be happy to send a copy out in the post.

Forward Planning and Transportation, Planning Services, Kennet District Council, Browfort, Bath Road , Devizes
Wiltshire SN10 2AT