Masterplan for town’s development to be unveiled

PEOPLE are being given the chance to comment on a newly-published 15-year vision for development in a South Yorkshire town.

Rotherham’s “Core Strategy”, which outlines where new housing, business and retail developments should be sited in the borough, will be formally published on Monday.

From that date, members of the public will have six weeks to make their views known on whether they think the strategy is sound and whether it has been produced in line with the necessary legislation.

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A spokesman for Rotherham Council said: “The Core Strategy, which is the central document in Rotherham’s local plan, will set the vision, objectives and strategic policies for Rotherham up to 2028.

“It establishes, in broad terms, where new development, including homes, jobs and retail, should be provided across the borough. This is the document that the local authority intends to submit to Government and eventually adopt.

“However, at this point the public are not being asked to comment on the sites required to deliver the strategy – that opportunity will come later in the year.”

At this point, people are being asked to view the strategy and submit their comments either online, or using hard copies of response forms which are available at each of the authority’s customer service centres and libraries.

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After the closing date of Monday, August 6, all responses will be sent to the Government and examined by a planning inspector.

The council spokesman added that the local plan – formerly known as the Local Development Framework – is a “statutory requirement, but one that gives local people a say in how the borough is developed”.

Coun Gerald Smith, Rotherham Council’s cabinet member for regeneration and development, urged people to “make their views known”.

He added: “We know this a long and complicated process but, under Government rules, we have to ask the public if they believe the Core Strategy has been produced correctly and whether they believe it is actually sound.

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“This means whether it is justified, effective and consistent with national policy and whether it has been prepared in a positive manner.

“At this moment we are asking the public to hold fire on their views on the actual sites being proposed.

“Later this year we will consult again on the detail of what this means for local communities.

“We will be looking again at which specific sites should be developed.

“There will also be further opportunities to make comments at the public inquiry, which we anticipate will be held next spring.”