LESS than two weeks remain for residents and businesses to have their say on new guidelines for future development in the borough.

Consultation on Bury’s Local Plan - a document identifying a range of issues, including the need to address the housing and employment requirements of the borough for years to come and the need for new infrastructure - started on August 7 and closes on Monday, October 2.

The Local Plan’s role will be to guide and manage future growth and development in the borough and will be used as the basis for future planning applications, which will need to confirm with it.

Bury Council says the plan will assist in its goal of increasing affordable housing in the borough by building on brownfield sites.

The local plan will also develop policies to safeguard land for leisure and recreation and protect other sites from development.

It will also consider how the planning system can improve health and wellbeing and promote renewable and low carbon energy generation to improve air quality.

The Local Plan is being drawn up within the context of both national planning policies and policies developed at the city-region level, including a rewritten Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

Together they aim to shape sustainable growth and control development in Bury until 2035.

Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, cabinet minister for housing and finance said: “The Local Plan is important because at this stage we are trying to get as many key issues raised by members of the public so that we can form Bury’s Plan around what matters to local people.

“It’s very much a grass roots document which fits into other frameworks at a Greater Manchester level so it is a chance for local people to be driving forward the issues that matter to them.

“This will eventually be a document that will determine the future of development and how they impact on Bury for many years to come.

“Greater Manchester Spatial Framework is determined at a Greater Manchester level and will sit over the Local Plan.

“The Local Plan can’t contradict the Spatial Framework. They are distinct but the Local Plan will have to abide by the Spatial Framework.

“Whilst the Local Plan refers to issues around housing and green belt land, it’s important to note that it’s much wider than that.”

However, Church Ward councillor Jackie Harris says she has concerns that those who have an interest in the Local Plan may not be aware of the consultation closing date.

“It’s not been publicised in any way at all. The last consultation for the Spatial Framework was a shambles," she said.

“This is very important to the people of Church ward and the people of the whole of Bury.

“If we continue to develop on green belt land then our air quality will be damaged. That is people’s biggest concern alongside traffic pollution and traffic congestion.

“It is very important that people realise what is going on to their detriment before it’s too late.

“My message to people is do not let it happen without registering your comments. If any consultation is not well taken up then people will just say that nobody cared.

“Show you care and make your views known.”

Details of the Local Plan, including how you can make comments, can be found at http://www.bury.gov.uk/localplan.