A "VITAL" consultation - the largest ever - is being carried out by Sedgemoor District Council to ask families what they think should happen in the district in the future.

Leaflets will be distributed to households this week inviting them to make their views known on the key issues and development options from now until 2026.

Topics will include how should growth be distributed across Sedgemoor, where housing and job opportunities should be, what is needed in town centres and how village vitality can be kept.

The consultation comes a week after Prime Minister Gordon Brown confirmed housing as the Government's key priority and announced national house building targets would rise from 200,000 to 240,000 new homes a year.

New housing on brownfield sites is also needed and the council will also consulting on a draft Urban Potential Study which, together the householder leaflet, will help form the first draft of the core strategy.

Nick Tait, the council's regeneration policy team leader, said "National and regional house building targets are challenging and we need to make sure that growth in Sedgemoor is accommodated in the most sustainable way - that is the purpose of the core strategy.

"The views of the people of Sedgemoor on how they wish to see their district planned over the next 20 years are a vital part of this process and it is hoped that the householder leaflet will enable as many people as possible to become involved.

"I should stress no decisions have been made in respect of locations or sites but it is important to gain views at this early stage in the process.

"To aid this further we have extended the deadline for comments from August 13 to August 31."

A public exhibition held in Bridgwater's Angel Place Shopping Centre takes from 9am until 2pm on August 3 and 4 where the public are invited to come along and discuss their views with the council's Planning Policy Team.