The consultation period for Winchester's revised draft local district plan has begun.

It will last six weeks and it will include a series of exhibitions throughout the district.

The city council says the document will be used as the basis for all planning decisions taken within the Winchester district.

Consultation since the first draft plan was introduced in 2001 has led to nearly 3,000 representations.

As a result of these, council planners have agreed various changes to the document and comments on these are now being sought.

Changes relate to a number of issues, including housing, countryside and the environment, transport, town centres, the Broadway/Friarsgate area in the Winchester town centre, as well as limited changes to some settlement policies.

The plan also makes changes in relation to the MDA - major development area - west of Waterlooville and also identifies a site for the potential Winchester City (North) reserve MDA.

The comments can only object to, or support, the changes that have been made since the draft 2001 plan, all clearly shown in the revised plan.

Copies of the revised plan are available at Avalon House, Chesil Street, Winchester, or at reference and libraries within the district, as well as at public libraries at Waterlooville, Fareham, Fair Oak and Chandler's Ford.

The document, and various related publications, may also be viewed on the council's website, www.winchester.gov.uk

A council spokesman said: "This is achance to have a say about the way in which the community and the district as a whole should develop and change over the next 10 years."

The exhibition visits Winchester, Bishop's Waltham and Denmead this week and goes to Alresford, Wickham, Sutton Scotney and Waterlooville next week.