RELIEF roads, a swimming pool, a music festival and dementia-friendly streets are among ideas for Cullompton’s future, according to the group behind the town’s Neighbourhood Plan . . . but only if people speak up.

The plan is being produced by a steering group of representatives of community groups with support from the town council.

They are urging people to have their say on the town’s future as they prepare to showcase a Neighbourhood Plan exhibition at The Walronds on December 4-6 and 11-12.

The exhibition’s aims include improving the pedestrian experience in the town, more parking restrictions and better footpaths, and it has been developed from questionnaires completed in the past six months.

Steering chair Michael Speirs said: “If the question is how do we deliver better leisure facilities for Cullompton and you think the answer is floodlit MUGAs or more community halls, you need to drop in and have your say.

“If you don’t you might get a swimming pool and tennis courts, but nowhere to skateboard or have a dance.

“The Cullompton Neighbourhood Plan, which will control development in the parish for the next 20 years, can only be based on what the community says it needs.”

The exhibition will address every aspect of living and working in Cullompton, from leisure and tourism to housing and jobs.

The draft plan is expected to be drawn up some time next year, though a fixed date has not been set.

Mr Speirs said: “At the exhibition you can vote for suggested objectives or add your own, which others can then vote on, too.

“This is a unique opportunity to influence how Cullompton develops as a place to live, work and be educated – how you’ll commute and what will be here for your retirement, what will be preserved from the historic town and what will be created for the future.”

The Neighbourhood Plan covers the use and development of land, and associated social, economic and environmental issues, which developers and planning applicants will have to take into account for development anywhere in the town council area.

The draft plan produced from questionnaires and consultations will be subject to independent inspection and will then be put to the people of Cullompton in a referendum to accept or reject.