Fenland District Council is inviting comments on how it consults and engages with communities on planning matters.

The council has drafted a new Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) which sets out how it will consult on planning applications, emerging planning policy and neighbourhood planning.

That includes its Local Plan and Neighbourhood Plans, which help to guide where different types of development such as housing, retail or industrial estates should be.

Cllr Dee Laws, Fenland’s portfolio holder for planning, said: “This is an important document that affects everyone.

“It describes how we consult on planning matters that dictate what is built and where – from certain individual home improvements, such as extensions to large scale house, retail and business estates.

“Within this policy document we advise developers to consult local communities on plans before seeking planning permission because we know that leads to better developments and a better Fenland for everyone.

“This is us consulting with communities about how those processes work. We urge people to look at the document and tell us what we’ve got right and what we can improve within it, to contribute to good planning of our area.”

The SCI is a statutory document, required by national legislation. Once approved the new SCI will replace the SCI adopted in 2018.

The draft document incorporates Government guidance and planning law.

View the draft SCI and have your say at www.fenland.gov.uk/consultations

Paper copies are available to view at:

Chatteris Library, 2 Furrowfields Road, PE16 6DY

March Library, City Road, PE15 9LT

Whittlesey Library, 31-35 Market Street, PE7 1BA

Wisbech Library, Ely Place, PE13 1EU

Boathouse Business Centre, 1 Harbour Square, Nene Parade, Wisbech, PE13 3BH

South Fens Business Centre, Fenton Way, Chatteris PE16 6TT

The consultation is open until Sunday October 1.

The draft SCI will then be updated and go back before Fenland’s Cabinet for approval.