Residents across the borough’s 7 towns will soon have a stronger say in how places change, following the introduction of a new charter.
The ‘community-led regeneration’ charter sets how residents should be included right from the start of any regeneration project. It lays out clear roles and responsibilities for the council, developers, and the community, and defines how regeneration projects should be implemented.
It also ensures that more people who are often not heard, or who feel left out of conversations about their area, have more chances to take part.
Councillor Shital Manro is the council’s cabinet member for good growth and new homes. He said: “Local people know their neighbourhoods best, and this work shows what’s possible when communities lead the way. By putting residents at the heart of decisions, we’re not just improving places – we’re also strengthening the pride, connection, and shared purpose that make our towns thrive.
“This is about regenerating with our communities, not for them, ensuring every voice helps shape a fairer, more vibrant borough.”
Clear standards for everyone involved
The charter acts as a guide for anyone working on regeneration projects. It explains what the council will prioritise when leading a project and what standards other developers must also meet if they want to work in the borough.
This includes sharing information early, keeping people updated, and making sure residents can shape designs for homes, streets and local spaces.
It sets out 15 priorities that were co-created with the community at a series of engagement events from August 2025. The priorities range from putting sustainability at the forefront of thinking, protecting existing communities, respecting identity, heritage, history, and place, and ensuring long term stewardship of the borough.
The charter reflects the council’s ambition to ensure regeneration creates places that support good health, learning, jobs, culture, and community life. The charter will help achieve that aim by encouraging projects that bring long-term benefits to local people, and by linking investment to the things that make the most difference in daily life, like well-designed homes, nearby green spaces, and good community facilities.
What’s next?
Over the next few months, the council will work closely with a steering group made up of residents, community organisations, and other local groups to co-create an engagement toolkit. The toolkit will outline how and when communities will be able to get involved with regeneration projects and how residents should be engaged. It will also establish rules on how decisions should be made and how community views should be used to influence plans.
Building new homes
