RESIDENTS of two Malvern Hills districts will have the chance to vote on whether or not to back plans which give them a say in how their area is developed.
Chiefs at Malvern Hills District Council have given the green light for Kempsey Parish Neighbourhood Plan and Clifton-upon-Teme Parish Neighbourhood Plan to be put to a public referendum.
Both districts will be the first to vote on the plans when the poll takes place on Thursday, October 5.
Kempsey Parish Council and Clifton-upon-Teme Parish Council have been responsible for drawing up and submitting their respective plans which have been subject to public consultation and examination by an independent planning inspector.
The Kempsey plan proposes a number of policies including protecting the significant gap between Kempsey and Worcester from development and proposing new community, recreation and sports facilities.
Meanwhile, the Clifton-upon-Teme plan covers a number of themes ranging from supporting investment in the economy, tourism and home working to protecting community facilities and significant views.
Both plans also include policies to guide the development of new housing.
Councillor Melanie Baker, portfolio holder for sustainable development and infrastructure on Malvern Hills District Council, said: “These plans are the first in the district to reach the referendum stage and it is a huge feather in the cap for everyone involved.
“Neighbourhood Plans give our communities greater influence and control over how the place where they live is developed in future.
“There are a number of other communities across the district also developing Neighbourhood Plans and we look forward to putting them to a public vote at the earliest possible opportunity.”
Neighbourhood plans are a key part of the Government’s localism agenda to give local people more of a say on issues such as where new homes, shops and offices should be built, and the design of new developments.
More than 50 per cent of those voting in Kempsey and Clifton-upon-Teme will have to support the plans for them to be officially adopted by the district council and used when deciding planning applications.
Visit www.malvernhills.gov.uk/neighbourhood-planning to read the plan in full.
