A PUBLIC meeting will be held to explain how villagers can help shape the future of Ashtead.
Ashtead Community Vision (ACV) is organising the meeting at the Peace Memorial Hall, at 7.30pm tonight (Tuesday), to outline its efforts to draw up a Neighbourhood Development Plan.
Such plans are being created in many parts of the UK following the Government's Localism Act, which plans to put more power in local hands, and the finished plan will work alongside Mole Valley District Council's policies when planning applications are being considered.
Group founder Andy Ellis wants as many locals as possible to get involved.
He said: "I think it's important. Most people in Ashtead actually arrive here in their 30s and 40s and they tend to stay forever.
"They might move within the community but they tend to stay, so most people should be interested. There will be change, so let's make sure it's change we want."
Mr Ellis said the council needs to permit about 30 to 40 new houses a year in the village over the next 15 years to meet targets.
"It's not about stopping development, it's about ensuring that the appropriate development takes place," he said.
"There is an expectation there will be some pressure on the green belt on the edges, so we have got to come up with plans."
ACV has so far set up a "forum" of more than 30 people and a working group of 20 people.
One key question will be whether to favour higher-density development or encroach on green spaces.
Working group member Caroline Cardew-Smith, who is also secretary of environmental group Transition Ashtead, said: "If we can get more housing density then we don't have to spread out so much.
"I might not like it so much personally, but from a sustainability point of view, higher density housing may be better because people will be closer to shops so they will be more likely to bike and less likely to use a car."
Council planning officer Jack Straw will speak at the meeting and there will be an opportunity to sign up to the forum, which meets four times a year and is looking to recruit more women, especially those with children, and people in rented accommodation.
