People in Oakham and across Rutland as well as the surrounding area, may be asked to take part in a short telephone survey in the coming weeks which is being conducted to enable more to be learnt about local shopping and leisure habits.

The survey is being carried out by NEMS Market Research on behalf of Rutland County Council and is needed to help the Council produce a new Retail and Leisure Needs Assessment for the area.

The Retail and Leisure Needs Assessment is an important document that sets out the type and amount of retail and leisure development needed locally, which will help to inform the preparation of Rutland's new Local Plan.

A Local Plan is a document, drawn up by the local authority, that helps shape how development including housing, business construction and infrastructure such as roads and facilities, can best benefit the local area.

The survey involves randomised calls to people living inside and outside of Rutland, asking where they go for shopping and leisure, how they use local town centres and whether their shopping patterns have changed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Participants will be asked to confirm their age and gender in order to help spot trends in the data collected. However, no personal information will be requested, and no individuals will be identifiable through the survey.

For more information about the preparation of Rutland's new Local Plan, please click here.