A WIDE-RANGING plan is to be drawn up to protect the environment in a North Yorkshire district.

It will identify measures to improve quality of life, and conserve resources, laying down guidelines for future action.

A programme of consultation has been launched by Hambleton District Council, taking in schools, parishes, businesses, community groups and voluntary organisations, to look at ways of promoting green projects.

The authority has already drawn up measures to make its own activities more environmentally-friendly.

Community planning officer Rhona Pringle said the council was looking to use organically-grown local produce in its canteens and at civic functions, promoting car sharing, bikes and public transport and only using recycled paper.

Now she said it was looking to extend this approach beyond its own premises and staff.

She said: "Our internal action plan is a set of realistic, but challenging, actions, which will move the council towards sustainable policies.

"Now we are looking to the public for help in formulating the external plan.

"Sustainability is not about achieving environmental goals whatever the cost, but about a coordinated process to ensure the economic, social and environmental well-being of our community."

Plans are in hand to pilot a kerbside recycling initiative and the authority is also to examine energy-efficient transport systems and making homes more environmentally-friendly.

Workshops are being run with schools to look at ways they can help, and parishes are being encouraged to conduct surveys to highlight important issues. The authority has recently completed part of a new cycle route through Northallerton among moves to encourage people to leave their cars at home for short journeys.

And grants are on offer to encourage landowners to conserve the countryside.

Ms Pringle said: "Adoption of these actions needs to strike the right balance. We want to create a better environment for the people of Hambleton."

The consultation exercise is expected to be completed by the end of this month and the plan will be officially adopted by the end of the year.