PEOPLE in Petersfield are being urged to have their say on the future development of the town. An exhibition, organised by Petersfield Tomorrow, will be held at Petersfield library on Saturday, January 12, showing the progress of the Town Design Statement, while inviting further comments on issues and recommendations raised. The Town Design Statement – set for ratification later this year – is a supplementary planning document identified as part of the Natural England market town health check, which reflects the views of the community. It aims to assist in improving town facilities for all age groups, providing guidance to landowners, developers and architects before they prepare proposals. It will also improve the quality of new development by making it easier for the planning authorities to seek improvements in applications and raise awareness on local design and environmental issues. After dividing the town into 25 sub-areas, exhibition boards will show analysis of results, including context, landscaping, building materials and characteristics. Central issues such as development, threat to the character of the town, better management of traffic and parking, and the enhancement of green spaces are among the many issues to be highlighted. Philip Haines, of Petersfield Tomorrow – an independent, voluntary group, which is managing the production of the Town Design Statement – has stressed the importance of community interaction. "The whole point of this process is that it's a community-led document, and it is essential that as many people as possible participate. "What we are doing is showing the findings so far from the 25 areas that have been analysed, and we will highlight the issues and recommendations that have come to the fore. "It is up to people to come along to take a look at what is being said about their part of the town and the common parts of the town, and to contribute more views prior to the Town Design Statement being written, which is the next part. "It should be ready in May or June, and once that is published there will be another round of opportunity for people to comment prior to it going to East Hampshire District Council for the adoption process," he explained. Vincent Edberg, chairman of the Town Design Statement working party, continued: "The aim of the next consultation round is to check that people are happy with what summaries we have so far and to pick up key issues in individual areas or group areas. "If you look at the local plan for East Hampshire, Petersfield is not very well detailed, so what we are trying to do is to produce a Town Design Statement to bring in local views to produce a more local document for Petersfield alone. "It is an evolving process, and this document should be based on the views of local people, independent of the local authorities." To examine the evidence online, visit http://www.petersfield.pbwiki.com">www.petersfield.pbwiki.com. Next Saturday's exhibition will be held upstairs at Petersfield library, from 9.30am-12.30pm.
