PEOPLE living in the Catshill and North Marlbrook Parish are being urged to have their say in a referendum on their local Neighbourhood Plan on Thursday, October 7.
Neighbourhood plans enable communities to shape future developments in their area by giving local people the chance to have their say on what happens where they live.
The documents are developed by the local town or parish council and, once finalised, a community’s plan must be considered by the district council when planning applications in the parish area are being determined.
The Catshill and North Marlbrook Neighbourhood Plan is the culmination of five years of hard work, undertaken by the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group.
Membership of the steering group includes lay members from the local community and parish councillors.
Chair of Catshill and North Marlbrook Parish Council, Coun Bernard McEldowney, issued a rallying call to those living in the area to vote on Thursday.
He said: “We are urging local residents to vote in favour of the plan.
“If you vote yes it will give it the same legal status as the Bromsgrove District Council Local Plan.
“One of the main benefits of the plan is that it gives the parish, legal influence over future proposed planning and development in our parish area.
“A positive vote for the plan will also help safeguard green spaces and open areas like the Meadow, protect and enhance the environment and wildlife, develop a strategy for footpaths, cycleways and green corridors, control any potential future housing development and protect and safeguard local businesses, employment, local services and amenities.”
All local household will have received ballot cards and will have been notified of the locations of the polling stations, which will be open from 7am to 10pm at the Catshill Methodist Church Hall, Golden Cross lane, Catshill Social Club, Meadow Road and at St Luke’s Church Centre, Braces Lane, Marlbrook.
Click here for more on the Catshill and North Marlbrook Neighbourhood Plan.
