COMMUNITIES in Bridport and the surrounding villages are coming together to create a neighbourhood plan.

Representatives from Bridport, Allington, Bradpole, Bothenhampton, Symondsbury and Walditch are using the neighbourhood plan as an opportunity for local people to shape the development and growth of the area.

The plan will also give communities the chance to set planning policies to determine planning applications. Any neighbourhood plan must support the emerging local plan.

Working groups will be established to look at issues raised as important in recent public consultations, with members of the public invited to have their say.

The neighbourhood plan steering group will host a public launch for the working groups next month.

Phyllida Culpin, chairman of the neighbourhood plan steering group, said the plan must have 'the support and backing of the whole community'.

She said: “The steering group of 13 volunteers drawn from across the plan area is working to deliver the plan.

"This must be a plan that has the support and backing of the whole community, which is why we have a number of consultation stages.

"This summer we have focused on asking people about our vision and objectives and what issues they would like to see covered in the plan.”

Issues raised by local people in the consultation included affordable and low cost housing, the need to protect green spaces, transport, the future of St Michael's Trading Estate and tourism.

Concerns were raised about over-development of the area, set against the concerns on housing and employment availability.

Young people leaving the area because of limited opportunities was also a general theme as was traffic and parking problems - along with losing the character of the town as it grows further.

Ms Culpin added: "Following the responses received to the consultation, the steering group has now agreed to set up a number of working groups.

"We had our first meeting to discuss the working groups last week with interested people and representatives from the Bridport Local Area Partnership.

"We now want members of the public to get involved in the groups by coming along to the town hall on November 6 and November 7."

There are working groups covering the environment, climate change, housing, local economy, community facilities, transport, and land uses.

Members of the public can drop into Bridport Town Hall at any time between 5pm and 7pm on Friday, November 6 or between 10am and 3pm on Saturday, November 7.

For more information on the project, please visit vision-2030.co.uk