Published: Tuesday, 26th September 2023
The result of the parish referendum on the neighbourhood plan for Burnham Market has been declared, with 80% of the voters saying the plan should be accepted.
In the past few years neighbourhood plans have become a key tool in helping communities to shape how they will develop. More and more parishes are creating their own plans and another two are due to be put to local residents in the autumn.
The borough council’s Principal Planner, Michael Burton, said:
“These plans give local people a say in shaping the future of where they live because their neighbourhood plan sits alongside the council’s Local Plan, meaning that they will be taken into consideration when deciding planning applications.
“A number of our West Norfolk communities are already feeling the benefits of having their own plan and it’s good to see that we have more coming through to their final stages soon.”
In the past year Neighbourhood Plans submitted for independent examination included Burnham Market; Gayton & Gayton Thorpe; Grimston, Roydon & Congham (joint); Old Hunstanton; Stoke Ferry and Watlington. A further two (Holme Next The Sea and South Wootton) were reviewed, through minor modifications/ updates. Of the six Neighbourhood Plans that have undergone/ are currently undergoing examination, those for Burnham Market and Stoke Ferry have been recently passed at referendum. In the coming months, referenda are anticipated to take place for Gayton & Gayton Thorpe and Watlington (autumn 2023), with those for Grimston, Roydon & Congham (joint) and Old Hunstanton expected to take place in early 2024.
The Burnham Market referendum was held on Thursday 21 September. 203 votes were cast, of which 201 were valid, representing a 32% turnout. 80.1% of the electorate voted to adopt the proposed neighbourhood plan.