ALTON'S Town Design Statement was released this week for public comment. It is the work of the Alton Town Partnership (ATP) with input from the local community. Copies of the draft are available from the Town Hall, East Hampshire District Council's presence office in Cross and Pillory Lane, and Alton Library. It can also be downloaded from the internet at http://www.alton-in-partnership.org/indtds.html">www.alton-in-partnership.org/indtds.html The publication follows extensive public involvement over the last 14 months. It comes as a natural extension and follows three years of work to produce Alton 2020 – a Vision for the future of the town as envisaged by the people who live and work here. That also involved considerable reference to the public. ATP is keen that as many people as possible should read it and comment by the end of the month. Town Design working party chairman Mike Heelis told The Herald: "It is now essential that we make sure we have captured all of the input we have received and it suitably captures an accurate description of the town as it is now and sets out design guidelines for future development. "These design guidelines are now being finalised and will be added to the document shortly. "That there will be development is beyond doubt and the Design Statement is the ideal means of formally setting out our own guidelines of how we see this development fitting in to our lovely town. It will in due course be adopted by East Hants District Council as supplementary planning guidance, part of the new Local Development Framework. "So please, everyone, find a way of commenting either on the internet at the above address or at one of the other three locations in the town. Please make your replies by the end of June." ATP will keep the community informed of any developments.
