YORK residents are being invited to have their say on the future shape of their city, at a series of workshops which start tonight.

The four sessions will form part of a huge consultation on York's ten-year Local Development Plan (LDP), which includes issues such as the city's first long-term green belt boundary and allocations for housing and open space.

Changes to the LDP proposed last November included alterations to the provision of affordable housing and the re-use of brownfield land.

As well as the workshops, which are being run by City of York Council, residents are being offered the chance to register their views by completing consultation forms, available from a number of outlets from February 3, or by attending nine planned LDP exhibitions.

Council leader Coun Dave Merrett said: "The consultation period offers an opportunity for all residents to have their say on how they would like to see York evolve.

"The plan is absolutely key to this - it sets both the overall framework and the specific policies against which individual planning applications will be judged in the future, so it's critical to get it right.

"The exhibitions and workshops have been organised for local people and organisations, and are intended to help York residents understand the local plan, and how they can have an effective input into the process."

The workshops will run from tonight until February 4. Tonight's is a planning aid workshop at the Priory Street Centre, from 7pm to 9pm.

Tomorrow's is the same workshop, but at Oaklands Sports Centre, Cornlands Road, Acomb, also from 7pm to 9pm.

There are two exhibitions on February 5, the first in Parliament Street, York, from 10am to 4pm, the second at Poppleton Community Centre, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

The next will be in St Sampson's Square, York, from 10am to 4pm on February 8.

Consultation forms are available from 9 St Leonard's Place, The Guildhall, all York libraries or www.york.gov.uk/environment.

For a full list of workshops and exhibitions, phone the council on 01904 613161 or go to www.york.gov.uk.

The cut-off date for residents' responses is 5pm on March 17.

Updated: 11:45 Wednesday, January 22, 2003