Residents will have a chance to have their say on Stoke-on-Trent's new planning blueprint at a series of consultation events.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has launched a six-week consultation on the draft version of its local plan, which will guide all development in the Potteries up to 2040.

The local plan includes site allocations for 18,528 homes, with more than half of these allocated to 11 'broad locations' in the Green Belt. Stoke-on-Trent has been set a target of building 948 homes a year by the government.

The local plan also includes site allocations for employment land, with 84 hectares needed over the 20-year plan period, as well as policies on transport, heritage and the environment.

A series of 23 consultation events will be held across the city in September and October to give people a chance to learn more about the local plan and have their say.

The drop-in sessions will take place on the following dates:

Wednesday 10 September 11am-12:30pm Smallthorne Community Lounge – Salem Methodist Church, Ford Green Road, ST6 1NT

Thursday 11 September 9:30am-12pm Bentilee Community Lounge – Bentilee Neighbourhood Centre, Dawlish Drive, ST2 0EU

Monday 15 September 10am-12pm Meir Community Lounge – Meir Matters, Sandon Road, ST3 7DJ

Tuesday 16 September 10:30am-12:30pm Blurton Community Lounge – The Hive, formerly St Alban's Centre, Finstock Avenue, ST3 3JU

Wednesday 17 September 10am-12pm Longton Community Lounge – Bethel Church, Dunrobin Street, ST3 4NA

Thursday 18 September 10am-12pm Hanley Community Lounge – ASHA, Unit 7, Hanley Business Park, Cooper Street, ST1 4DN

Thursday 18 September 2pm-4pm Cobridge Community Lounge – The Angel at Austin's, 240 Waterloo Road, ST6 3HL

Thursday 18 September 4pm-7pm Trentham Learning Centre, Allerton Rd, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 8PQ

Friday 19 September 10am-12pm Burslem Community Lounge – Tommy Cheadle's, Port Vale FC, Hamil Road, ST6 1AW

Monday 22 September 9:30-11:30am Baddeley Green Community Lounge – Baddeley Green WMC, Leek New Road, ST2 7HG

Tuesday 23 September 10am-12pm Fegg Hayes Community Lounge – The Hub@ST6, Fegg Hayes Road, ST6 6QR

Wednesday 24 September 9-10:30am Abbey Hulton Community Lounge – St John's Community Church, Greasley Road, ST2 8JE

Wednesday 24 September 2-4pm Burslem Community Lounge – Swan Bank Church, Swan Square, ST6 2AA

Thursday 25 September 10am-12pm Fenton Community Lounge – Temple Street Church, ST4 4NW

Friday 26 September 10.30am-12.30pm Tunstall Indoor Market, 35 Butterfield Pl, Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 5TP

Monday 29 September 10am-12pm Stoke Community Lounge – West End Community Centre, London Road, ST4 5AW

Tuesday 30 September 4pm-7pm Heakley Hall Farm, Ball Lane, Norton Green, ST6 8PN

Wednesday 1 October 10am-12pm Blurton Community Lounge – Affordable Foods, Meaford Drive, ST3 2BB

Friday 3 October 11am-1:30pm Hanley Market Family Hub, ST1 1PW

Tuesday 7 October 10am-12pm Longton Community Lounge – Moony Club Café, Longton Exchange, ST3 2HT

Tuesday 7 October 4pm-7pm Tunstall Library, 142 High St, Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 5TP

Wednesday 8 October 3pm-6pm City Central Library, Two Smithfield, Leonard Coates Way, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 4FD

Friday 10 October 2pm-5pm Longton Library, Sutherland Institute, Lightwood Rd, Stoke-on-Trent ST3 4HY

Cllr Chris Robinson, cabinet member for housing, planning and governance at the city council, urged residents to take part in the consultation.

He said: "The local plan is all about making sure our city is fit for the future – fit to house a growing population, both young and old, so that families can stay together, and to tap into the thousands of exciting job opportunities we are on target to create.

"It's about making sure that people can be proud of the place where they live and know that any development will be sustainable, ensuring our very green city remains just that for generations to come.

"And it's also about making sure that development isn't piecemeal but fits into the bigger picture of a long-term vision for growth and prosperity, that benefits all of us.

"With all this in mind it is absolutely critical that people feedback on this draft version of the plan as we look to create a city that is economically stronger, healthier, fairer and inclusive for everyone – while supporting the sustainable development that we need for our growing population."

The consultation will run until October 20. Once the consultation is finished, feedback will be used to inform a final draft version of the plan, which will be subject to a further round of consultation next year.

Residents can have their say on the local plan by visiting www.stoke.gov.uk/localplan.