PEOPLE can have their say over the future of Bingley through a plan for the town.

Bingley Town Council has submitted an initial neighbourhood area application to Bradford Council to start preparing a neighbourhood development plan for the town.

Following a public consultation, the Town Council will then draw up a neighbourhood development plan for the area.

The plan, which could take up to three years to develop, will create policies to shape future development in the area. It may cover subjects including history and heritage, business, the economy, housing, traffic, recreation and leisure.

It also includes a proposed boundary for the town’s neighbourhood area and a brief statement on why the boundary is appropriate.

Under the 2011 Localism Act, neighbourhood development plans let residents have a greater say on any form of development in their communities. These powers were created by the Government.

Bingley Town Council is applying for a grant to pay for an expert consultant who will advise them on its plan.

A working group will also be created, to include residents with relevant skills and knowledge.

The public consultation on the Bingley application, which began on July 13, will close on Thursday, August 10, at 4pm.

A neighbourhood plan for the area would also lead to increased revenue for new developments in the district. Bradford Council currently receives 15 per cent of any Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), but with a neighbourhood plan, Bingley itself would receive 25 per cent.

Councillor Mark Truelove, chairman of the Bingley Town Council’s Planning Committee, who is leading the proposal, said: “There is great enthusiasm for a plan as it will enable us to have a say in what type of development happens in our area.

“We hope to enlist the skills and experience of residents in creating the plans. It’s a considerable undertaking but will be of great benefit to our community.”

Ten communities in the Bradford district have become neighbourhood areas, while a further eight, including Burley-in-Wharfedale, are actively preparing their neighbourhood development plans.

Go to bradford.gov.uk/consultations for consultation documents and comment forms on the Bingley application.

Hard copies of the application are available to view at Bingley Library and the Council’s main office at Britannia House, Bradford.

Send comment forms on email to planning.policy@bradford.gov.uk or send to: Local Plan Team, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, Fourth Floor Britannia House, Broadway, Bradford, BD1 1HX.

Anyone with any questions on neighbourhood planing or the Bingley consultation, can call Bradford Council’s development plans group on 01274 433679 or email planning.policy@bradford.gov.uk.