A NEIGHBOURHOOD plan is now set to influence planning in the Kinver area after being voted for by residents in a referendum which was the first of its kind for the district.

Villagers living in the Kinver parish had chance to vote on the plan in a referendum held at the Edward Marsh Centre on Thursday August 24.

The turnout was 17 per cent but 86.9 per cent of people who had their say voted ‘yes’ to approve the plan.

Drawn up by a steering group for the parish, which covers Kinver, Stourton, Iverley and Lawnswood, the community plan will influence planning decisions in the area.

It contains policies ranging from housing, sustainable design, to climate change and local green spaces.  Councillor Victoria Wilson, deputy leader and cabinet member for business enterprise and community infrastructure, said ‘The parish council must be very proud to be the first in the district to get their Neighbourhood Plan across the line. It shows that local communities can have a real say in the planning for their area.”

Neighbourhood plans help communities to influence the planning of their local area. They are led and written by the community, but must be in line with national, and local planning policies in their planning council’s Local Plan.

The Kinver Neighbourhood plan was examined by an independent planning inspector ahead of the referendum.

Following its approval by the community in the referendum – it now needs to be ratified by the local planning authority, South Staffordshire Council, which has eight weeks to do so.