A SERIES of villages have taken their first step to dictating how their area will look 20 years from now.

Iver Parish Council has applied to South Bucks District Council (SBDC) for the entire parish to be declared a Neighbourhood Area.

This is the first step towards the parish council being able to create its own Neighbourhood Plan which, once it is completed, would help guide development in the area.

SBDC will decide within eight weeks of the application whether to declare the parish a Neighbourhood Area. SBDC is inviting written representations up to 5pm on November 27 from residents, businesses, landowners and interested parties.

South Bucks District Councillor Nick Naylor, Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Development, said: “I would like to encourage anyone living in this area to submit their comments on this application before 5pm on Friday 27 November. This is a great opportunity for residents to have a say on potential future developments in their local community.”

Cllr Wendy Matthews, chairwoman of the parish council, said: “This is a once in a generation opportunity for the local community to have a direct impact on the future of their area.”

A Neighbourhood Plan would allow local people to come together and prepare a plan based on their local needs and priorities. If it conforms with the Development Plan and passes examination, the draft Neighbourhood Plan would then be the subject of a local referendum and if the majority of voters agree it can form part of the Development Plan and used to determine planning applications.

Comments can be emailed to ldf@southbucks.gov.uk