A plan to help shape planning decisions in Newtown over the next 15 years has been sent to Powys County Council for approval.

The Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Place Plan's main focus is land-use, town planning and development, however, it also highlights wider issues of local concern and help set priorities for how funds are spent in the future.

Place Plans were introduced by Welsh Government, as a way of encouraging greater community engagement in local planning decision making.

Councillor Richard Edwards has been leading the project at Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Town Council. He said: "As the Place Plan is very much a community-based plan, we worked with county council officers to find ways of accommodating in this final draft, the amendments that people had requested.

"We look forward to officially launching the plan in the summer."

Work on the Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Place Plan, the first of its kind in Powys, started in early 2019. More than 7,000 comments were received at various events in the town and a public survey, including collecting evidence from local organisations, groups, schools and pupils.

Residents gave their views on topics including community facilities, vacant buildings, health and well-being, housing and climate change during a consultation held in March this year which received more than 70 comments and suggestions.

NLlTC said there had been a small pause last year in the work on the place plan while officers supported the Covid-19 response.

The final draft of the place plan will be submitted to Powys County Council Cabinet for adoption on June 22.

The latest draft can be viewed on the town council website: www.newtown.org.uk/consultations/placeplan