There are just a few days left to have your say on the future of Barking and Dagenham.

Consultation on the final draft of the borough's local plan - which sets out what kind of development will be encouraged between now and 2037 - ends on November 28.

These include sites currently undergoing regeneration, such as the Gascoigne estate and Beam Park, as well as other locations which have been earmarked for potential future development.

Hundreds of comments have been received since the first round of consultation began in 2019 and taken into consideration ahead of the publication of the final draft last month.

Cllr Cameron Geddes, cabinet member for regeneration and economic development, said: “I cannot stress enough how important the local plan is – it will help to determine the scale, pace and quality of development that takes place in the borough over the next 20 years and sets out how we will ensure that local people really feel the benefit.

“We’ve strengthened this plan very significantly since the last draft, in response to the hundreds of comments and suggestions we’ve received. So, I must thank everybody that responded, but ask them to take a final look before we submit the final draft at the end of the autumn.”

Every local planning authority is legally required to have a local plan which sets out where the council expects growth to occur and what kinds of growth it will support.

It is a technical document but it is used by planners to determine whether investors, developers and builders’ plans are permissible.

Last month, Dagenham and Rainham MP Jon Cruddas raised concerns about the impact on services in the borough if the 44,000 homes proposed in the plan's current draft go ahead.

The draft plan will be submitted to an independent planning inspector for examination after the final public consultation closes on November 28.

The draft is available online at lbbd.gov.uk/local-plan-review and in every library in the borough.