Durham County Council’s Cabinet members will be asked to agree on the next major stage of public consultation for the County Durham Plan when they meet today (15 June).
Known as the ‘Issues and Options’ stage of the process, the council is seeking views on the amount of new development needed and is consulting on four potential options for guiding where this development could go in the county. This development includes housing, potential job creation, future retail and the infrastructure needed to support these such as transport, schools and green space.
The options are based on the potential opportunities available and the issues facing the county up to 2033. However, as part of the consultation, people will be asked if these are the right options and are also invited to suggest their own.
As well as the options themselves, Cabinet will also be asked to approve the evidence base which has informed them. There will then be a six-week consultation, starting on 24 June, with the four options guiding a range of questions to ensure that the needs of people’s communities are taken into account.
Throughout this consultation, anyone interested is being asked to not only answer as many questions as they feel relevant but suggest any other issues or opportunities that they want the council to consider.
Cllr Neil Foster, Cabinet member for economic regeneration and culture, said: “The County Durham Plan is the future of our county so it’s vital that everyone gets involved so we can make sure their needs and aspirations are taken into account.
“With the plan guiding development of County Durham to 2033 it’s essential that people let us know what they think of the options we’ve identified or if there’s anything else that they would like us to consider.”