Detailed plans are being developed to give the public a say in future housing and industrial developments in North Yorkshire.

The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) will outline how residents, businesses, and organisations can influence the county's Local Plan, neighbourhood plans, and planning applications.

This will cover all areas of planning that involve engagement with the local community.

The council's executive members approved a draft of the SCI on Tuesday and it will undergo a six-week consultation period in the coming months.

After the consultation, the document will be further reviewed before being adopted by the council.

The council is required to prepare a Local Plan, excluding the National Parks of the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales, as well as a minerals and waste plan for the county.

The SCI is one of the first stages in this planning process.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for open for business, including planning, Councillor Derek Bastiman, said: “We must prepare and adopt a Local Plan and the first stage in achieving this is setting out our strategy for engagement. 

"We want this process to be inclusive and engaging.

“The long-term ambition of adopting a Local Plan can affect all services, as it will set the tone for development across the county by allocating sites and policies – the statement of community involvement will give local people a chance to have their say.”

Details of the public consultation will be published on North Yorkshire Council’s website at www.northyorks.gov.uk/your-council/consultations-and-engagement once they have been finalised.