RESIDENTS of a rural parish between Malvern and Upton are being urged to have their say about the future of their communities.

The Hanley Castle Parish Neighbourhood Plan has reached the stage of its final consultation before being submitted to Malvern Hills District Council.

If it is accepted by the district council, the plan, which has been three years in the making, will be the subject of a parish-wide referendum on whether it should be adopted.

Neighbourhood plans are intended to provide a set of policies for planners and developers to ensure that parishes retain their individuality and vitality as well as responding to local needs.

A working party of parish councillors and residents, led by Robert Lamb, have steered the plan from its initial questionnaire and analysis, through two further consultations, followed by the and writing and rewriting of the final document.

Cllr Lamb said: “It has involved hundreds of hours of work by many people, but we know that it has been worth it.

"The parish has adopted an approach of managed growth, allowing development but limiting the scale and specifying the types of homes needed by the community.

"Our approach to sustainable development encourages community integration whilst not over stretching local facilities. We all recognise the benefits that new residents can bring to the parish.’’

The consultation period opened on Friday, April 28, and runs until Monday, June 12. The plan can be viewed online at Hanleyswan.net, and there is a printed copy to views at the village shop in Hanley Swan.