Residents are being encouraged to have their say on the future of Dorset.

A consultation on the Dorset Council Local Plan will begin on January 18 and will last until March 15.

Once adopted, the local plan will guide decisions on planning applications in Dorset until 2038.

Cllr David Walsh, Dorset Council portfolio holder for planning, said: "This is the time for local residents to have their say on the future of Dorset. We want to get everyone's views on the draft plan.

"We are working closely with all our stakeholders, our own councillors and town and parish councils to make sure we reach all parts of Dorset."

The consultation is available here.

For people who are unable to access the plan online, there are paper copies available for loan at libraires through their click and collect service. Find out more here.

There will also be a phone line that people can call to ask questions. This number is available Monday to Friday from 10am to 2pm. The dedicated phone number is 01305 252500.

A series of webinars will allow people to phone in and listen to, or view presentations about various sections of the plan. Once published, the webinars will be available to view at any time on Dorset Council's YouTube channel.

Questions can be submitted in advance for the team to answer either as part of the webinar or afterwards. Dorset Council will aim to respond to all questions asked to each webinar on its webpage no later than two weeks afterwards.

There are also bespoke surgeries for particular groups and town and parish councils available upon request.

A series of animations and podcasts have been developed to help explain the Dorset Council Local Plan. These can be found through Dorset Council's social media channels or on the podcast platform Anchor.

The consultation closes on March 15, 2021.

The plan will go through several phases and will include a further chance for feedback on the 'soundness' of the plan. It will also be scrutinised by the planning inspectorate before its adoption.

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