MEMBERS of the public are being urged to have their say on a major consultation regarding the provision of housing and transport in the West of England before it closes this week.

The consultation for the Joint Spatial Plan and Transport Study, led by the area’s four local authorities South Gloucestershire, Bristol, North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset, comes to a close on Friday.

Over 1,000 people have given feedback since the consultation launched on November 9 2015, with the hashtag #WEbuildourfuture being used hundreds of times to broadcast opinions of the consultation on social media.

Organisers have been touring the West of England since last November sharing information on various options about where housing and infrastructure could be provided and gathering feedback.

The end result will be a locally created plan that will be used by local authorities to guide housing, employment space and transport provision in their areas until 2036.

Cllr Matthew Riddle, leader of South Gloucestershire Council, said: “Balancing the need for more, affordable communities without creating dormitory villages with inadequate supporting infrastructure is a challenge but it’s one we need to meet if we are going to build a better future for the next generation.”

Estimates state that the West of England will need 85,000 new and affordable homes by 2036, 29,000 more than currently planned. 

There are also an expected 95,000 jobs to be created, in part due to the growth and economic success of the area, which is worth around £26 billion a year to the UK economy.

For more information, visit the website at http://www.jointplanningwofe.org.uk and to share your views before the consultation closes, email comment@jointplanningwofe.org,uk or by post to West of England Joint Planning Consultation, c/o South Gloucestershire Council, PO Box 299, Corporate Research and Consultation Team, Civic Centre, High Street, Kingswood, Bristol, BS15 0DR.