The need for affordable housing has
been a recurring theme at a series of meetings currently being run by Kennet
District Council. Former Channel 4
journalist and local resident, Elinor Goodman, dropped in to the Pewsey event
last week and contributed to the housing debate. Elinor has been championing the cause of
affordable rural housing and has recently chaired the government's
Affordable Rural Housing Commission.
Local people are making their mark on how
their towns and villages should look in the future. Kennet's current exercise to encourage the
public to discuss what they think the key issues are and how they wish to see
their communities develop is already providing valuable information. Two weeks into the project and discussion
groups held in Marlborough, Pewsey and Devizes have pinpointed a range of
concerns that the council needs to address in its local development framework.
Issues that have been identified as
important for the future by residents in addition to the need for more affordable
housing includes the need for:- housing in villages to maintain vibrant local
communities; improvements to public transport connections between settlements;
the means to provide local health and
social care facilities; ensuring the viability of town centres; maintaining the
identity of Devizes and dealing with waste.
The consultation period is open until 16th
April and a further meeting will take place in Tidworth on 2nd April. Information packs on the issues facing Kennet
can be found at all libraries and leisure centres in the district as well as
the council offices and on-line. Ed
White, Head of Forward Planning said "we are really pleased with the response
we have had so far, but we would particularly like to hear from those people
that don't wish to attend meetings. We
urge them to get hold of our information packs and complete the questionnaires
either as paper copies or on-line, whichever suits them best."
