Eligible voters in the parish of Colyton go to the polls on Thursday, December 2, to decide whether or not to adopt its local neighbourhood development plan.
The referendum will mark the final stage in the preparation of the Colyton Parish Neighbourhood Plan 2020 - 2031.
It has been six years in the making by a steering group of dedicated volunteers and an independent examiner, Deborah McCann, appointed by Colyton Parish Council. It represents a shared community vision for the future of the parish that will help to shape its development and growth whilst protecting what matters to local people.
Voters will be asked for a straightforward “Yes” or “No” in answer to the question: “Do you want East Devon District Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Colyton Parish to help decide on planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”
Neighbourhood planning enables communities to play a much stronger role in the areas where they live and work. If more than 50 per cent of those voting in the referendum support the plan, then the local planning authority must bring it into force.
Once in force following a successful referendum, it carries real legal weight and decision makers are obliged to consider proposals for development in the neighbourhood against the Neighbourhood Plan
As one of the largest parishes in the East Devon district, adopting a neighbourhood plan would be of some significance. It is about the use and development of land plus proposals for improving the area, whilst dealing with a wide range of social, economic and environmental issues, for example: housing, employment, heritage and transport.
Adopting the Colyton Parish Neighbourhood Plan would increase the proportion of community infrastructure levy made available by the district council to the parish for projects which benefit the wider community.
Collected from developments occurring within the parish of Colyton, the amount would rise from a maximum of 15 per cent to 25 per cent of the CIL receipts. Full documentation of the plan can be found on the Colyton Parish Council’s website https://colytonparishcouncil.co.uk/neighbourhood-plan.php or by visiting Colyton Library where a hard copy is available to view. Polling stations open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday, December 2 at the Colyton Town Hall and Colyford Memorial Hall.