Neighbourhood plans voted in by Writtle and SWF residents

The residents of South Woodham Ferrers and Writtle have voted in favour of proposed plans for their local areas in a referendum.

A Neighbourhood Plan is a document which sets out policies for development and use of land in a neighbourhood. The plans include locations of new homes and workplaces and what they should look like.

Unlike the Local Plan, which comes from the city council and sets out the vision for the whole of Chelmsford, neighbourhood plans are led by parish or town councils with help from the city council.

Results of the referendum

Held on Thursday 21 October, the referendum asked residents one question:

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"Do you want Chelmsford City Council to use the neighbourhood plan for [Writtle/South Woodham Ferrers] to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?"

South Woodham Ferrers saw a 17% turnout, with 73% voting ‘yes’ and 27% voting ‘no’. In Writtle, 93% voted ‘yes’ and 7% for ‘no’ with a 23% turnout.

What’s next?

Now that the plans have been approved by residents, they will become part of the Local Plan, with equal legal status.

Currently, there are eight neighbourhood plans in development around Chelmsford. Plans for Boreham, Broomfield, Danbury, East Hanningfield, Little Baddow and Sandon are all in progress.

To learn more about neighbourhood plans and other ways that you can control the future of your local area, visit Chelmsford City Council’s website.