People are being asked to use a special website to put forward their views on the future of rural Britain. The development charity, RuralNet UK, has issued the invitation and wants to gather thoughts and ideas on what the countryside will look like in 2020 to influence policies for development.

The site will allow anyone to offer their views to build on more than 200 personal visions for the future which RuralNet collected from delegates to the Action for Market Towns conference in Skipton, Yorkshire, earlier this month. Those offer a range of ideas on topics including housing, transport, sustainability, employment, skills and opportunities.

The charity wants people using the site – www.2020vision.ruralnet.org.uk – to consider what aspects of the countryside they would like to see changed or preserved as well as new developments or activities. Simon Berry, the chief executive of RuralNet UK, said,”We want to do this collectively because many heads are better than one or two – and there is a great deal of significance to something that has been created by hundreds of people.”

He said visions could not only inspire and motivate but could inform policy and help to shape future strategies. “This is an opportunity for people to contribute to a collective vision for rural Britain, something quite unique and special,” Mr. Berry added.