Your Future Exmoor Feedback Reports: Ready to View

Nearly 1000 people turned out to express their views on how they wanted to see their community in Exmoor evolve over the next 15 years. The first three months of 2010 saw 21 events in the various towns and villages throughout the National Park. There were also 13 school and college events and activity sessions that taken together gave Exmoor residents a real opportunity to influence the new planning document for Exmoor called ‘Your Future Exmoor’.

The results show that the communities of Exmoor are supportive of measures to tackle climate change and are most supportive of renewable technologies that operate on a micro scale. Local residents were also keen on treating all identified villages equally to allow for new development appropriate to the size, character and need of each village and its parish. There was support for current policies on affordable housing, supporting the local economy and many settlements showed a desire for more allotments.

Your Future Exmoor Feedback reports have now been produced for each event along with a report summarising the collated findings from all 21 events. Feedback reports have also been sent to all of the schools that participated in these events. Copies of these reports can be viewed online at your_future_exmoor or reports are available through town and parish councils and local services. Alternatively people can request a copy of the reports by contacting the Policy and Community Team on 01398 323665 or ldf@exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk. The closing date for feedback on the reports is 1st October 2010.

In addition to the Your Future Exmoor events, visitors had the opportunity to participate in a visitor survey to give their opinions on the future of Exmoor. More than 130 people completed the survey and were entered into a prize draw. Jayne Ford from Bideford was the lucky winner and received an Exmoor hamper from Andrea Davis, Deputy Chairman of the National Park Authority.

Jo Symons, the Policy and Community Manager, said: “I’d like to thank all those who have participated in these events as the information and views will help to shape the planning policies for the years to come. There will be further opportunities for participation in the autumn when topic group discussions will take place", she added: " A document setting out the preferred policy options will then be produced and consulted on next year providing further opportunity to make your views known.”