YORK’S draft local plan is hugely important. It will shape the way this city develops over the next 15 years and more: determining how much new housing should be built and where; what should (or should not) be protected as green belt; where travellers sites and wind farms and new commercial and industrial developments might go.

These are things that affect everybody in the city. Because we live in a democracy we get a chance to have a say about them. And it is enormously important that we make use of that right.

Many people may be put off doing so by the fact the whole local plan consultation process is so complicated.

York people were first asked to have their say on the original draft plan last year.

Now we are being asked to comment again – this time on proposed additions and amendments to that original plan.

We have until Wednesday to comment on these. Then, once the city council has digested the feedback and produced a final draft plan, we’ll be asked to comment on that too.

But do stick with the process. The draft plan seeks to identify land on which to build 22,000 homes by 2030 (including two complete “new towns” at Whinthorpe and Earswick), several travellers sites and wind farms, news shops and offices, and even a “freight transport hub” at Askham Bryan.

Chances are at least some of these will be near you. So if you care about that, or if you think York needs even more new houses than proposed, or fewer wind farms, or more protection for the green belt... well, then it’s up to you to say so. There’s no point complaining afterwards if you don’t.