A VISION for Ilminster’s future is set to be unveiled this weekend as the latest step in the Ilminster Neighbourhood Plan.

Ilminster Town Council got the ball rolling on the neighbourhood plan in the summer of 2017, when South Somerset District Council announced the formal designation of the area covered plan has been received.

Since then, a group was set up with the help of the public which has been working hard to try and shape the town’s planning policies in the future.

The group is being advised by ECA, which is a planning, architecture and community consultancy who have prepared a number of neighbourhood plans in the west of England.

This includes the Poole Quays Neighbourhood Plan in 2017, for which it won a planning award.

Martha Covell, who is one of ECA team leaders for the Ilminster project, said: “Ilminster Neighbourhood Plan is an exciting community approach to local planning policies.

“It aims to help people play a direct role in improving the town.

“Following events run by the council in 2018, we have drafted our vision and would like your views on this before we prepare more detailed planning policies.

“We intend to have a draft neighbourhood plan by the end of 2019 with adoption planned for some time in 2020.”

The group is holding a free event at The Market House in Ilminster on Saturday, March 16, from 10.45am until 12.30pm.

Residents are invited to meet in the town centre at 10.45am for a briefing followed by a walking tour of the town centre, and you will receive a free leaflet/questionnaire. Workshops are then being run from 1pm until 3pm.

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