CREDITON Town Council says it is pleased to announce the referendum on the Crediton Neighbourhood Plan.

All Crediton electors can vote on the Plan.

Over several years, the Town Council’s Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group has conducted surveys throughout the town with people of all ages.

It has held public consultations and exhibitions and gathered evidence and specialist advice.  All this has contributed to producing the Plan.

Following approval of the plan by an independently appointed examiner and by Mid Devon District Council, a referendum will take place on Thursday, September 22.

Electors will be asked to vote Yes or No on this question: Do you want Mid Devon District Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Crediton to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?

The plan provides policies to guide development alongside existing district and national policy documents.

Its objectives are to:

• Facilitate housing, businesses and infrastructure that fulfils economic, social and environmental ambitions for Crediton

• Promote a strong sense of community, where people enjoy living and working

• Improve the quality and quantity of sustainable transport options

• Be more resilient to climate change

• Promote Crediton as an attractive town to do business in

• Maintain and enhance our heritage

• Maintain Crediton’s unique setting between the rivers Yeo and Creedy, and its green infrastructure and biodiversity.

Crediton Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group Chair, Cllr Liz Brookes-Hocking said: “It’s been a long haul getting to this point.

“Things we thought would be easy to solve through a planning policy often turned out to be much more complicated than we expected.  But it has been worth persevering.

“We feel we have achieved a good plan that will help to make Crediton the kind of town that people have told us they want to see.

“Thanks to everyone on the Steering Group, past and present, and to all the individuals, groups and community organisations who have contributed their thoughts and expertise.”

If more than 50 per cent of people voting support the Neighbourhood Plan, it will be adopted.

It would then mean that these policies will have to be taken into account by Mid Devon District Council when decisions on planning applications are made.

You can find the plan in paper form at: Crediton Town Council Offices, The Bungalow, 8 North Street, Crediton and at Crediton Library, Belle Parade, Crediton.

You can view all the documents online at: www.middevon.gov.uk/residents/planning-policy/neighbourhood-planning/crediton-neighbourhood-plan , at: www.creditonnp.co.uk or: Neighbourhood Plan (crediton.gov.uk) . On Thursday, September 22, polling stations will be at Lords Meadow Leisure Centre and Crediton Congregational Church from 7am to 10pm.

For more information on the plan, contact Town Clerk Rachel Avery on 01363 773717 or email: [email protected] .

Crediton Town Council Questions and Answers about the Plan

What is a neighbourhood plan?

A neighbourhood plan is a community-led planning framework for guiding the future development, regeneration and conservation of an area. It is about the use and development of land which typically includes a vision, aims, planning policies, and specific proposals for improving the area or providing new facilities. A neighbourhood plan, once adopted, will become part of the statutory development plan for the area. This statutory status is important as it means neighbourhood plans have more weight than other local documents such as village design statements or parish plans.

How will our neighbourhood plan fit into the planning system?

Neighbourhood plans must be in general conformity with other statutory policies. Once adopted, the neighbourhood plan will become part of the development plan and will be used to determine applications and guide development in the area alongside the other statutory policies.

How did we engage with the community?

Neighbourhood plans are led and developed by the community. Finding out what people think and using their local knowledge has helped to develop our supporting evidence. Planning legislation requires publicity and consultation to take place on emerging neighbourhood plans and we have held a range of community consultation events including:

- Household, school and business surveys

- Public displays and consultation events

- Meetings with groups, organisations and individuals

- Newsletters and press releases

- Steering group meetings.

What is in the neighbourhood plan?

The plan focusses on helping to:

- Advocate for housing, businesses and infrastructure that fulfil economic and environmental ambitions for Crediton

- Promote Crediton’s strong community spirit, to make it an even better place to live and work

- Improve sustainable transport options

- Be more resilient to climate change

- Make Crediton attractive to businesses

- Maintain and enhance Crediton’s heritage

- Maintain Crediton’s rural setting, its green infrastructure and biodiversity.

What is the referendum for?

Now that the neighbourhood plan has passed its legal tests, including being accepted by an independent examiner, Crediton voters have their chance to vote on whether they would like the neighbourhood plan to form part the policies that supports development of the designated area.

What does voting yes mean?

If accepted, the neighbourhood plan will be adopted by Mid Devon District Council as part of its development framework and will be used when assessing proposals in the designated area.

What does voting no mean?

If not accepted, the policies in the neighbourhood plan will not be used to determine planning applications.