THE latest round of public consultation on changes to a document that will guide where houses will be built in the borough over the next 15 years is set to open tomorrow.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is inviting residents across the borough to comment on the latest version of the borough’s Local Plan in a public consultation which runs until June 13.

No new housing sites have been added to the draft plan, and councillors from the borough council have decided to stick to a previously-agreed annual housing figure of 748 new homes per year.

The borough council’s development control committee decided to go with the agreed figure of 748 despite a recommendation from council officers to increase the annual figure to 807 new homes per year in January.

Parts of the Local Plan have been revised in response to feedback, including changes to the boundaries and the number of homes that are proposed for the future housing development at Manydown.

The number of homes proposed for the Kennel Farm development, off the A30 Winchester Road, has increased from 250 to 310 homes after Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communi-ties and Local Government, over-ruled the wishes of councillors who wanted to reject a planning application from developer Wates.

The allocation of homes to be built on land to the east of Basingstoke, at Old Basing, has also been reduced from 900 to 450 homes.

The Local Plan, which has to be approved by a Government planning inspector, will guide decisions on all future planning applications. It also contains policies on where new homes and business premises will be permitted in addition to policies which will protect existing communities and the countryside.

Over 1,300 comments were made by residents, organisations and groups on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Local Plan in October last year, when the draft version went out for the first period of public consultation.

For more information on the changes to the Local Plan, visit basingstoke.gov.uk/go/localplan.