St Edmundsbury Borough Council launched a consultation on its new Local Development Framework (LDF) on Friday and people are being asked to put forward their ideas for how the area should develop in the next two decades.

The framework, which will replace the authority's current Local Plan, will set out where homes and jobs should be created across the borough until 2031.

Under Government plans, the area needs to find enough land for at least 10,000 new homes by 2021 and another 5,300 by 2031, with about half of these already built or planned for.

Options include urban development concentrated in Bury St Edmunds and Haverhill, increased building in rural areas, a new settlement of 3,000+ homes or continuing with the borough's current strategy, although Ian Poole, planning policy manager, said the framework could combine all of the options.

Residents can comment on the plans at www.stedmundsbury.gov.uk where they can also find details of drop-in sessions where planning officers will be on hand to talk about the plans.

The council is also taking bookings for a workshop in Bury, to be held in the evening on April 9. Anyone wishing to attend the workshop should call 01284 757368 and any comments should be submitted by April 25.