I must voice my unease with the current proposal advocating cross boundary cooperation at such a critical juncture. Although collaboration between authorities is essential, it should not come at the expense of our local community’s needs. Increasing housing and job allocations while ignoring the consequences on local infrastructure is an unreasonable approach. We risk turning our town into a mere extension of others’ plans, losing our local character, and compactness in pursuit of larger strategic goals. Further, prioritising external unmet needs could complicate environmental protections we already have in place. Therefore, a more measured, cautious approach is necessary to ensure that we preserve the unique aspects of our locality.

I believe that proper community consultation is required to create a truly inclusive plan reflecting our residents’ voices before adopting any far-reaching collaboration.