A public inquiry is being held from January 28 to February 12 on the vision for the future growth of St Edmundsbury - including plans for 6,000 new homes in Bury St Edmunds.

The Secretary of State has appointed Roger Clews as Independent Inspector to take charge of the examination of St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Vision 2031 documents.

The documents, compiled through three years of public consultation, were submitted for examination on October 24.

The public inquiry is taking place at the Apex in Bury and Haverhill Leisure Centre in Haverhill.

The Planning Inspector will focus on whether the documents are legally compliant and sound (fit for purpose).

Having read all of the submissions received during the final consultation last summer, he has now decided which topics he would like to explore further through informal hearing sessions.

The hearings are open for the public to observe, but they will not be able to take an active part unless the inspector has previously invited them to do so.

For more information visit the borough council website.

Once completed, the Planning Inspector will report back his findings to St Edmundsbury and any modifications that he requires will have to be consulted on.

The final stage is for a meeting of the full council to adopt Vision 2031 as council policy.

Councillor Terry Clements, cabinet member for planning at the borough council, said: “Once adopted, Vision 2031 will provide the structure for sustainable, acceptable growth in the borough and protect it from undesirable growth that we would otherwise not have grounds to refuse.

“The public consultation has revealed the deep allegiance of our residents to all that is good in the borough. This plan seeks to protect that by ensuring that inevitable future growth is desirable and appropriate.”