PEOPLE living in Oldbury are being encouraged to start thinking about the future of the village.

Situated on the banks of the River Severn, Oldbury could be mistaken for a sleepy rural spot, however, with plans for a potential new nuclear power station gaining momentum and growing concerns about affordable housing, community leaders want residents to start speaking out.

Later this month a special meeting is being held to start an Oldbury Parish Plan, which when completed will act as a blueprint for the future development of the village.

Barry Turner, chairman of Oldbury Parish Council, said: "Over the next few years a power station is going to be decommissioned and potentially another one is going to be built, so there are two issues that people must have some ideas about.

"There is also the business of affordable housing, there are the problems with the power station road and the long term future of the school."

During the evening representatives from South Gloucestershire Council will be on hand to explain how a parish plan is written. A resident from Hawkesbury Upton will also be present to talk about how the village wrote its plan.

Mr Turner said it was important for the plan to be written by the people of Oldbury.

"The most important thing is that parish plans are not created by a few parish councillors but they require the input of a lot of people.

"There are no set rules about what goes in a parish plan, it is up to the people of Oldbury to come and give their points of view," he said.

The Oldbury parish plan meeting will be held at Oldbury Memorial Hall on Monday, November 23 (7.30pm).

The meeting will be preceded at 6.30pm by a presentation from Digital UK, who will be giving information about the digital switchover taking place next year.