BASINGSTOKE council has won an award for its "people's plan".

The award from the Royal Town Planning Institute is for the consultation process leading to the council's first draft of the Local Plan for 2011, which was carried out during the summer and autumn of last year.

In making the award, the institute said: "We were impressed by the council's commitment in conducting an open and transparent process and its desire to engage actively with the community, using public comments to shape the content of the plan rather than the usual process whereby the authority decides, and then informs the public."

Cabinet member for forward planning, Councillor Paula Baker, said: "We are delighted to receive the award. It's a really well-earned tribute to the staff who put such a terrific amount of hard work into the Local Plan consultation.

"They broke the plan into digestible lumps and came up with ways to make it more accessible and interesting.

"It has been dubbed 'the people's plan' - and I suppose that is a true description. The thousands of comments and suggestions we have received have generated quite a large input into the plan.

"As far as I know, we are the only local authority who have involved the public to this extent."

She added: "The Government is now saying that the way Basingstoke is doing, it is the way local authorities should approach the Local Plan in the future."

On Friday, the council completed seven weeks of further public consultations - receiving thousands more comments.

"Everyone who has made a comment will receive a reply and be kept up to date on how the plan is progressing," said Cllr Baker.

"There is still a long way to go before the final adoption of the new Local Plan - expected some time in 2005 - and people will still be able to make comments and objections.

"We are hoping that a significant number of people's concerns can be resolved - but if not, they can still take objections to a public inquiry before, and an independent inspection that will be held either at the end of next year or the beginning of 2004."

The plan, together with a summary of the latest round of comments, will go before the council's Cabinet early next year.

A revised draft plan based on them will be produced during the summer.

Public comments will then be invited on the revised plan - but only on any changes that have been made to the original draft plan.