People in St Ives say the town has reached its “natural limit”

A neighbourhood plan states new housing should focus on land within the town boundary.

Concerns have been raised by people in the town that St Ives has “reached a natural limit” and that new development is “not appropriate”.

A draft Neighbourhood Plan aims to address some of these concerns by influencing where new homes will be built as well as promoting other things that can help to improve the town for people living there.

The draft plan sets out a new vision for the future of St Ives to make the town more attractive to residents and visitors by celebrating the history, diversifying the town centre, improving biodiversity and encouraging more walking and cycling.

One of the policies sets out that new development should be focused on reusing brownfield land within the built-up area of the town, in order to try and remove the need to extend further into the open countryside.

If adopted, the plan will be used to help determine planning applications in the area up to May 2036.

The full draft Neighbourhood Plan can be viewed on the town council’s website here.

A consultation is currently being run by St Ives Town Council to give people the opportunity to share their views.

You can have your say until December 1 2023, via the town council website, by email at np@stivestowncouncil.gov.uk, or by post to the Town Hall.