26th August 2015

HONITON: Plans for new town 'blueprint'

by Jack Dixon

IMPROVED parking facilities, tougher speed restrictions and extra cycle paths are among a series of suggestions brought forward as part of a project to plot the future development of Honiton.

Members of the community have called for a series of key local issues to be addressed in the ambitious project, which will culminate in the creation of a planning ‘blueprint’ for the town.

The scheme is designed to give Honiton residents a greater say in the development of the community by setting out their own vision for its future.

Honiton Town Council is steering the ‘neighbourhood plan’, which will eventually become a statutory document that district planners must consider when deciding on whether to grant permission for major developments. Several talking points have already been brought to the council as part of the project’s initial consultation phase.

As well as the ongoing issues to do with parking and speeding in the town centre, members of the community have also called for additional cycle paths and extra open spaces for families and children to make use of.

Other suggestions include finding ways to generate more affordable housing for first-time buyers looking to get on the property ladder, while there have also been calls for Honiton to make more of its cultural heritage.

Councillors took stalls to the Honiton Show and last weekend’s street market to gather suggestions from the community.

Councillor Caroline Kolek, the Mayor of Honiton, said: “Honiton Town Council is starting work on the neighbourhood plan and is asking for the people of Honiton to take the opportunity to have their say and put forward ideas that could be included.

“A ‘wish tree’ was used on the town council’s stand at the Honiton Show, which proved a popular way of encouraging people to share their ideas.

“Obviously not all ideas can be included, but it helps the council’s neighbourhood plan working group to understand what is important for our residents.”

Neighbourhood planning was introduced by the government in 2011 and is designed to give local people more power in the planning system.

With the help of the community, councillors aim to produce a detailed document identifying areas in the town they think should be kept off-limits to developers.

The project could take several months to complete and the plans will ultimately be put to residents for approval in a local referendum.

Announcing the project earlier this year, a town council spokesperson said it was important that as many people as possible play their part in the development of the plan.

“Although the town council is the body responsible for producing the neighbourhood plan for Honiton, it can only do this if the whole community gets involved,” the spokesperson said.

“The plan gives the community more of a say in the development and use of land in their local area.”

PICTURE: LOOKING AHEAD - Mayor Caroline Kolek (left) and councillors (left to right) Peter Halse, Anne Mountjoy and Clare Melbourne are leading a project to plan Honiton’s future development

HONITON: Plans for new town 'blueprint'

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