A series of rural community workshops have been hailed a success by Ashford Borough Council planners, organisers and the local community.

The workshops involved a cross-section of local residents and organisations invited by the local Parish or Town Council to discuss the main planning issues affecting their communities, including which potential areas in their village might be suitable for new development.

Their purpose was to enable the council to get an insight into the key planning issues in each settlement and provide a genuine opportunity for local stakeholders to influence and shape the thoughts of the council's planners and members before any decisions have been taken.

There have been 13 workshops in total, at Charing, Hothfield, Chilham, Bethersden, Biddenden, Aldington, Tenterden, High Halden, Woodchurch, Rolvenden, Wye, Challock and Hamstreet. Each workshop (except Woodchurch) was independently facilitated by Keith Nicholson.

Mr Nicholson said: “The council took the decision to canvass the views of local people before asking their officers to prepare plans for the future. This is not the normal plan-making approach but, in my experience of advising councils up and down the country, it is the best one.

“Not only does it acknowledge the importance of local opinion but, by focusing officers’ minds on the most favoured options, it can avoid time and money being spent studying those that are non-starters. Without exception, the workshop events were challenging yet good-humoured and I must thank all participants for the hospitality and respect consistently shown to the officers and myself.”

Cllr John Kemp, portfolio holder for holder for planning and development, said: “Our approach has been replicated by very few other authorities around the country and although it’s been hard work, our officers have found it to be a very constructive and helpful process. We have received some very positive feedback from those involved; they feel they have helped play a vital part in shaping the future development of their communities.”

Tylden Reed, Chairman of the Charing Parish Council, said: “On the day the organisation was excellent, the independent facilitator handled the session very well and I was pleased with the input from the planning officers. Without exception, everyone involved agreed on the way forward - coincidently confirming the view of Charing Parish Council.”

The workshops are the initial stage of preparing the Tenterden & Rural Sites Development Plan Document that will eventually identify which sites outside Ashford will be allocated for new development up to 2021.

An 'Issues and Options' Report is due to be published for general consultation in May and will summarise all the workshop outcomes, so members of the communities not involved in the workshops will get a chance to be involved in the consultation process.

The Executive last week approved the Issues and Options report and agreed for the council to carry out a six-week period of consultation which is provisionally set to begin on 16 May.

Media Release 0121/08

02/05/2008