The residents of Little Baddow have voted in favour of a proposed Plan for their local area in a referendum.
A Neighbourhood Plan is a document which sets out policies for development and use of land in a neighbourhood.
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 17 August, the referendum asked residents one question:
Do you want Chelmsford City Council to use the neighbourhood plan for [Little Baddow] to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?
Little Baddow saw a 23% turnout, with 260 residents voting ‘yes’ and 22 voting ‘no’.
What’s next?
Now that this has been approved by residents, the Neighbourhood Plan will become part of the Local Plan, with equal legal status.
Neighbourhood Plans for South Woodham Ferrers and Writtle have already been adopted. Plans for Boreham, Broomfield, Danbury, East Hanningfield, 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.