Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

The Regional Spatial Strategy and the Wiltshire Core Strategy.
These documents may sound boring but, between them, they could have a dramatic effect on our local area.

The Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) is a planning tool used to decide where development goes in the South West region of England. It's published by the government and details how much new housing should be built in each of the region's towns and elsewhere. It is the document that the Conservatives have pledged will be made redundant if they win the general election. Input to it included developers and land owners - no local politicians were elected to it; they were 'chosen' to serve on it.

The Wiltshire Core Strategy (WCS) is a more detailed planning document for the county, replacing the old district plans and the Local Development Framework.

Interestingly, even the government (keen as it is on regionalisation) has been surprised by the scale of opposition to the RSS, and has announced a delay in its production, so that it can "carry out a new Sustainability Appraisal, to ensure that alternatives to its proposals are properly tested. It expects the new Appraisal to be completed early in the New Year."

The WCS is due out for consultation soon and you will be able to see it at >a href="http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk"> the WC web site. In addition, exhibitions will be held throughout the county. Our nearest will be at the Civic Hall, Trowbridge on November 16 between 1.00pm and 7.00pm.

I'm told that some of the land in Hilperton that was identified for possible development in the Issues & Options paper last year, have 'fallen off the list'. Please be sure to contact WC if you support the amended stategy and, obviously, if you oppose it.