Progress on a new joint local plan in the Chilterns and South Bucks districts has reached a key stage as an initial consultation prepares to get underway next week, with two more planned before the plan is considered in 2017.

Both South Bucks and Chiltern district councils agreed to prepare a joint plan, which will shape future development in both districts up until 2036, in November last year and a public consultation will finally begin on January 19 at 5pm.

The local plan will set out policies that will be used to decide planning applications, site allocations or proposed new development (housing or employment) and land designations such as Green Belt areas.

The first public consultation stage in the joint local plan’s preparation, which will run until March 14, will be called the ‘initial (regulation 18) consultation incorporating issues and options’ and includes twelve potential options for distributing new development.

From January 19, residents will be able to review the options and evidence on the councils’ websites and give their feedback.

Councillor Peter Martin, cabinet member for sustainable development at Chiltern district council, said the local plan is an “important opportunity” to steer future development in both districts.

He said: “Future growth needs to be planned to ensure that we create the sort of confidence that will help attract major investment and ensure that people living in Chiltern and South Bucks reap the benefits of new business, jobs, affordable housing and other facilities.

“This consultation will give people the chance to help shape the joint local plan by telling us what they think of our ideas, and raise any issues they think need addressing.”

Every council in the country needs to create a local plan and Councillor Nick Naylor, cabinet member for sustainable development at South Bucks district council said creating a joint plan for both districts will “speed up” the preparations and help them meet Government targets by 2017.

He also said a joint plan will have the “least financial impact” while still reflecting both council’s “similarities and geographical differences.”

Both councils are also planning to set up a consultation database, to keep interested residents up to date with the latest developments in the plan.

To sign up or find out more, visit http://www.southbucks.gov.uk/article/4877/Consultation-Database.