Deadline for Bromyard to shape its future

Bromyard residents who just miss the deadline for completed questionnaires on the important Shaping Our Place consultation – will still have their views taken into account.

Herefordshire Council has confirmed that, although the deadline for the end of the eight-week consultation is Friday 12 March, submissions that arrive after the weekend or during next week will still count. Thousands of residents across the county have already responded in what is likely to be Herefordshire Council’s most successful consultation ever

The consultation says that Bromyard is trying hard to capitalise on tourism and promotes itself well as the Jewel in the Downs, but needs to consider options for new, high quality employment land, as well as several small scale employment sites, to create new jobs. Around 250 new homes could be added on sites to the north or west of the town over the next 15 years, in a way that minimises the impact on the town’s picturesque environment.

Several villages in the wider area could see development designed to increase affordable housing and sustain essential services, including schools, and new shops, along with rural transport improvements. The options are also to encourage the creation of new jobs, particularly creative industries and environmental technologies to boost the economic viability of villages.

“Bromyard and surrounding villages are sharing their views on how the market town will be safeguarded and developed for the future”, said Councillor Jarvis, cabinet member for the environment and strategic housing. “But we want to ensure that as many people as possible complete a questionnaire and pop it in the post. Everyone has a view and a voice that needs to be heard”.

“We don’t want to deny anyone their contribution if it arrives just after the deadline, so any questionnaires arriving after the weekend, or until the end of next week, will still count”.

The Shaping Our Place 2026 consultation documents have been showcased at a road show and at public events and meetings in Bromyard and surrounding area. Around 40 public meetings, events or workshops have taken place in the city, the market towns, villages, parishes, schools and businesses across the county.

Views will be analysed and proposed policies developed and presented back to the council’s cabinet later in 2010 and publicised, before being submitted to the Secretary of State, who will arrange for a public examination and inspector’s report with final adoption anticipated in 2011.