RESIDENTS across South Worcestershire will have the chance to have their say on the future development of the area over the next few weeks.

Public consultation on the South Worcestershire Development Plan’s Preferred Options - which allocates land for homes, jobs and shops - started on Monday and runs until Monday, December 16. And there is also a series of exhibitions in venues across Worcester, Malvern Hills and Wychavon where residents can meet planning officers and find out more.

The first is at Bredon Village Hall, on Monday, November 11, followed by Tenbury Wells Community Centre on Tuesday, Pershore Town Hall on Wednesday, Droitwich Old Library on Thursday, and Worcester Guildhall on Saturday. The meetings resume the following week at Upton Memorial Hall on Tuesday, November 19, Malvern Lyttleton Rooms on Wednesday, and Norton Juxta Kempsey Village Hall on Thursday.

And the following week, the venues are Rushwick Village Hall on Monday November 25, Throckmorton Village Hall on Tuesday and Evesham Town Hall on Thursday.

The SWDP review covers the period to 2041, and allocates land for houses, jobs and retail. It will also set out planning policies for decisions on new development proposals.

The Preferred Options consultation follows last year’s Issues and Options consultation and it sets out the councils’ draft policies and identifies the sites which the three councils think should be developed for housing, employment and mixed uses.

Fred Davies, planning policy manager at Wychavon and Malvern Hills District Councils, said: “I hope as many people as possible will take the opportunity to attend the roadshows, get the full facts for themselves and then crucially, submit their comments.”

Maria Dunn, planning policy team leader for Worcester City Council, said: “Your comments are important to us and each one will be considered. Comments which raise relevant planning issues will be assessed alongside the evidence gathered to date and may result in changes which will be reflected in the next and final SWDP Review consultation document next autumn.”