A MORAY COMMUNITY is being asked for views on what their town may look like in five years – with suggestions possible contributing to development that actually take place.
The innovative forward planning exercise ‘Forres 2020 Vision’ is being managed by a small committee of volunteers with the support of Moray Council. Suggestions made by locals will directly contribute to planning development of green spaces and publicly owned land and buildings over the next five to ten years.
A nationally recognised process known as Planning for Real® will be utilised, using a 3-D scale model of the town that will be a visual aid to steer discussions about how Forres might look in the future.
Local residents will be able to register their views on a range of topics and areas using small flags and the flagged suggestions received will inform the development of an Action Plan for the future. The Action Plan will in turn be used to help shape the Moray Local Development Plan and the Open Space Strategy for Moray for 2020 and onwards.
Throughout late October and November, townspeople of all ages are being invited to Forres Town Hall to get hands on with the process to help make the 3-D scale model. Refreshments will be provided with children and adults alike encouraged to paint, stick and create paper buildings of local landmarks to form the virtual planning map.
Once complete the model will become mobile, visiting schools and community groups and be available at open sessions throughout the town making it as accessible as possible for everyone to contribute their ideas.
Anyone wishing to help with the construction of the model, to find out more or to have the Forres 2020 Vision model visit your group is asked to email forres2020vision@gmail.com or call 07843 842890.
Public session will take place at Forres Town Hall from Tuesday, October 27 with sessions each Tuesday from 10am to 12pm and Thursday evenings from 7pm to 9pm.