Local residents and businesses have formed a new group to create a neighbourhood plan for the Rotherhithe and Surrey Docks area.

The aim of the Rotherhithe and Surrey Docks Neighbourhood Planning Forum is to provide an organisation where local residents and businesses can plan the economic, social and environmental development of the Rotherhithe and Surrey Docks area.

The neighbourhood forum has applied to Southwark Council to be recognised as a designated body under the Localism Act.

“This would be a major step forward for local people both council tenants and residents along with businesses to ensure that the local community benefit from the developments currently being planned for the area,” said chair Pauline Adenwalla.

Vice-chair Brian Hodge added: “We have seen a considerable amount of development in the area without the promised community benefits being delivered. Key to the future of the area is affordable housing and jobs not just jobs in retail although they are important the nature of retail is changing so some of the focus needs to be on the provision of other jobs. There is still a lot of development to come and our aim is to give all the local community a major say.”

The neighbourhood forum says that it will be working over the next year to involve as many local people as possible and will hold its first AGM in 2014 when recognised as the formal neighbourhood planning forum for the area.

Anyone interested in getting involved can contact the forum by emailing [email protected]