ONE of the most rural communities in the BCP Council area is being asked to share its views on a series of policies and projects which could shape the future of where they live and work.
Hurn Parish Council is currently consulting both residents and businesses on its draft neighbourhood plan.
If progressed and adopted, the document, which is written by a community rather than the local planning and civic authority, will provide policy guidance for planning applications in the area.
Hurn Parish Council chairman Margaret Phipps said: "We think it is very important that we have policies within a neighbourhood plan taking us forward.
"There is going to be the new BCP Local Plan. Any neighbourhood plan will hold weight and sit alongside the new Local Plan.
"We thought it was very important to have our own neighbourhood plan to listen to what residents and businesses in the Hurn parish want and put forward our own policies.
"It will set out local policies for Hurn that we want to see. When any planning applications come forward, with an adopted neighbourhood plan, our policies will need to be taken into account."
The current consultation on the draft neighbourhood plan runs until March 14.
A drop-in event took place at Hurn Bridge Sports Club on Saturday, February 12, and another is planned for Wednesday, February 16, from 2pm to 4.30pm.
"We have had some feedback already," added Cllr Phipps.
"We have an online survey and we have sent a parish newsletter to every home in Hurn with a précis of our policies.
"They can fill in a hard copy of their feedback if they do not want to do it online. An email has gone to as many businesses in the parish as we got find addresses for, including those at the airport and local businesses. We are doing our best to get as many responses as we can."
The parish council carried out a survey of residents and businesses prior to creating the draft policy and project document.
After taking on board the responses from the consultation, the neighbourhood plan will be submitted to BCP Council, who will appoint an independent examiner to assess the policy document.
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If all is satisfactory, a referendum will be held to take a vote on if it should be adopted.
Discussing the key areas of the draft policies, Cllr Phipps said: "We do find in Hurn that residents are very protective of the environment and the open space. We have a lot of forested areas and a lot of heath lands. It is quite a rural part of the BCP Council area and residents are keen to protect that.
"We have tried to reflect that within the policies with what can happen here while respecting the environment."
For more information about the neighbourhood plan, visit hurnparishcouncil.org.uk
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