Slaugham backs neighbourhood plan

Residents of the parish, which includes the villages of Handcross, Pease Pottage, Slaugham and Warninglid took part in a referendum on Thursday July 25.

They were asked the following questions: “Do you want Mid Sussex District Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Slaugham to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”

A total of 430 residents voted yes (77.5 per cent), with 125 voting no, on a turnout of 24.2 per cent.

Neighbourhood plans are a way for local people to decide the future of their towns or villages, with town and parish councils working alongside residents to produce the plans, which set out general planning policies such as where new homes and offices should be built and what they should look like.

Once a neighbourhood plan is complete a referendum is called to ask residents what they think of it.

If more than 50 per cent of voters back the plan it is used to determine future planning applications.

The district council will now meet on September 25 to consider whether the neighbourhood plan should be ‘made’.

Once the plan is made it will be used by MSDC to decide planning applications in the parish.

For more information on the neighbourhood planning process contact the Mid Sussex District Council planning policy team on 01444 477391 or email [email protected]