RESIDENTS and community groups are being asked for their views to help mould the way a new community will look.

A public consolation is now open to determine the final plans for the Manydown project, which will have 3,400 new homes built on it.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Hampshire County Council, who are joint owners of a 999-year lease of the land, have brought in a team of specialists to draw up plans of what the area may look like ahead of formally submitting a planning application at the end of the year.

This new consultation comes after more than 380 residents and community representatives gave their initial thoughts to the long term plan at a four-day community design event last November.

Since the announcement for the new community, residents have been involved in the decision making process, which will shape what is included in the borough council’s master plan for the area.

The council’s cabinet member responsible for the Manydown development, Councillor John Izett said both the borough council and country council have a responsibility to make sure it is done correctly.

Cllr Izett said: “This is an enormous task and we need the active interest and ideas of the local and wider community who will live in and around Manydown.

“They will know what will work and what won’t and what will be needed, for example in terms of types of housing, roads and schools.

“We have already received lots of interest and positive ideas through the first part of our engagement programme. We now hope as many people as possible will come along to the events and continue to give us their views.”

The borough council will hold four events as part of the consultation, which runs until March 29.

The events are: • Saturday, February 27 in Winklebury at Basingstoke Sea Cadets and Community Centre, in Sycamore Way, RG23 8AB, between 10.30am and 2.30pm • Monday, February 29 in Buckskin at Buckskin Evangelical Church, in Chiltern Way, RG22 5BB, between 3.30pm and 7.30pm • Friday, March 4 in Oakley at Oakley Village Hall, in Andover Road, RG23 7HA, between 3.30pm and 7.30pm • Saturday, March 5 in Basingstoke town centre in The Malls, outside Primark, between 10.30am and 4.30pm.

To have your say on the Manydown project visit manydownbasingstoke.co.uk.