A NEW town plan for Buntingford is being looked at by councillors, more than 20 years after the last one was drawn up. The plan would cover issues such as schools, leisure, housing, parking, and shopping. It would take two to three years to complete. Dep

A NEW town plan for Buntingford is being looked at by councillors, more than 20 years after the last one was drawn up.

The plan would cover issues such as schools, leisure, housing, parking, and shopping. It would take two to three years to complete.

Deputy town clerk Eddie Plume said: "It would be very useful to have an up-to-date plan that could go towards quality status but it's a massive job.

"The biggest problem is the sheer scale of it."

The proposal has been discussed at a town council meeting, and will now be considered by the resources committee.

The current plan was produced in 1986, and there are fears that it no longer reflects the needs of the town.

Town clerk Jill Jones said that if a new plan was to be drawn up, it would involve a lot of public consultation.

She said: "We would be setting out to see what the electorate wants. It would be very comprehensive."

Expansion is likely to be one of the issues addressed in any survey of residents. Planning restrictions have made growth of the town a problem.

Cllr Pat Whittaker said: "The town is looking sad.

"The High Street hasn't been touched for 16 years and it's a conservation area.