SWINDON residents indeed do have the chance to make a big impact on the new rules for house building (February 22), but they need to hurry.

The council is in the first stages of drawing up a new planning framework to guide future growth and change in the borough for the period up to 2026. This will affect everyone who lives, works in or visits the borough.

The regional strategy for the South West, which is being prepared by the South West Regional Assembly, proposes about 35,000 new homes and 32,000 jobs for Swindon up to 2026. If the Government agrees these figures, then we must plan for the new homes in the most sustainable way.

The council want to hear your views early on in the preparation of the Core Strategy concerning a vision for Swindon and what you consider to be the main issues and options that should be addressed in the Core Strategy.

To do this a questionnaire has been drawn up for the public to feedback to the council. This can be done online from www.swindon.gov/uk/environment.htm or call 01793 466513 for a hard copy. The deadline for this is March 9.

Swindon Climate Action Network is encouraging everyone in the town to respond to this consultation.

It is vitally important that all planning in Swindon is done in a sustainable way which meets the future needs of the town and its people, by addressing the issue of climate change and the need for the drastic reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

For a quick guide to SCAN's view of the document on building regulations please see our website www.swindonclimate.org.uk.

D JOFFE.

Wanborough