A six week consultation which seeks to collate the views of residents and businesses on how Falmouth should develop over the next 15 years was launched on Monday.

Falmouth Town Council has taken the lead on creating a neighbourhood plan which will give the community “some real influence” on how the area develops and will link into an Article 4 Direction which is being sought to control the spread of houses of multiple occupation.

A leaflet and questionnaire is being delivered to every household and business across the town and there will be two drop-in exhibitions next month where people can find out more and talk to one of the neighbourhood plan team.

A website, www.planforfalmouth.info, has also been created where people can find out more and where they are being urged to complete the questionnaire on-line to keep costs down.

“We want local people involved as deeply as possible in the creation of a neighbourhood plan for the town to guide future development,” said Councillor Candy Atherton, who leads the neighbourhood plan stakeholder group for the town council. “This new type of plan, made under new council powers from the Localism Act 2011, gives everyone who lives in the area the right to be involved in drawing up the plan.

“When it’s written, the plan has to be agreed through a local referendum, and then becomes ‘made’ in law and must be taken into account when important planning decisions are made by Cornwall Council or planning inspectors.

“It will give local people a real say in how their community develops and support the things that make Falmouth a pleasant place to live, work, learn and visit. It will also be the means by which we create the planning policies that will back up the proposed Article 4 Direction.

“This questionnaire is the just the first chance to have a say in what the plan should deal with. We’ll be coming back for lots more community involvement as the plan develops. After the feedback to the questionnaire has been analysed, we will be asking for local volunteers to work in ‘theme teams’ to work up ideas and draft planning policies, and holding workshops to collect views on various options, so please watch out for more news.”

The drop in exhibitions will be held between 10am and 7.30pm in the foyer of the Municipal Buildings on The Moor on April 9 and at the Watersports Centre in Grove Place on April 29.