COUNCIL bosses are hoping to earmark sites for future development across the Braintree district.

Landowners, developers and the public are being urged to suggest how land could be used to support future growth up to 2041.

The council wants input on how land could be used for either new development or environmental protection.

Braintree Council is reviewing its Local Plan, a blueprint to guide future development in line with government requirements.

The council’s current Local Plan is designed to run until 2033, however it has to be reviewed every five years to see if it needs updating. 

The review will extend its timeframe from 2033 to 2041.

The 'call for sites' is the first step of the council’s review, providing an opportunity for the community to put forward sites considered suitable for development.

The deadline for submissions is 5pm on Friday ,May 24.

Once sites have been submitted, they will be assessed to determine whether they are suitable, available and achievable for development.

Council planning boss Gabrielle Spray said: “While we anticipate that most of the development needed between now and 2041 is already catered for, there may be additional land needed to meet longer-term needs, not just for housing but to create jobs, new infrastructure, healthcare and education. 

“It’s best for us to start planning this now as it is a lengthy process, to ensure our Local Plan is up to date and it remains a robust and sound policy document.

“The council creates and updates the Local Plan to make sure sustainable development is properly planned on allocated sites whilst giving us leverage to refuse inappropriate developments on unallocated sites in the strongest possible terms.

“A call for sites does not guarantee they will be put forward for development but helps us understand potential sites to meet local needs.

"We are keen for residents to be involved and share their feedback to help shape the district’s future, so I’d encourage people to put forward ideas, sites or a development proposal, however big or small.”

People can also email localplan@braintree.gov.uk or visit the council offices for a hard copy.