COTSWOLD residents are being encouraged to take part in a consultation on changes to the Local Plan Submission Draft.

A six week period of consultation on the 'focussed changes' to the draft launches on Monday, January 16, and closes on Monday, February 27.

The changes are set out in a report of 80 pages, together with 18 supporting maps. All this will be available to view on Cotswold District Council's website. Alternatively paper copies will be available to view at the authority's office in Cirencester and Moreton-in-Marsh, as well as at libraries across the district.

Comments will be able to be left on the council's website.

Residents will also be able to discuss issues at a drop in event being held on Tuesday, February 14, between 2pm and 6.30pm, at the Moreton Area Centre, in High Street, Moreton-in-Marsh.

Councillor Nick Parsons, the deputy leader and cabinet member for forward planning, said: “Many people commented on the ‘soundness’ of the submission draft Local Plan and, in many cases, we will be able to make minor modifications to the plan.

"Such modifications would not have a material effect on the plan and can be put to the examining inspector without the need for formal consultation.

"However a small number of representations raised issues that would have a more significant effect on the content of the plan and these do necessitate publishing changes - such amendments are known as 'focussed changes'.

"The quickest route to achieving the adoption of the plan is to run this public consultation on the focussed changes before the plan is submitted for examination. The resulting changes would be appended to the submission draft and they would both be examined at the same time.”

For more details visit the council's website cotswold.gov.uk