The Referendum - Voting papers will be arriving soon!

The Referendum will be held on 7th October and interestingly it follows the format and disciplines of other local and government elections.

Whilst we only need a simple majority of those who vote in favour, a good turnout would be just reward for you Steering Group who have done more than go the extra mile to get us to this stage – so please exercise your vote for this important Community benefit.

Hart at their Cabinet meeting in July voted to accept all the Examiner’s recommendations. We were particularly disappointed - despite making representations at the meeting - not to be able to retain the limit of no more than 50 dwellings per site but in the end decided a degree of pragmatism was necessary to get the Plan to Referendum.

The key elements of our Plan are:
• Selected Sites: now reduced to Pools Yard following the Examiner’s intervention;
• Local Greenspace: In addition to the common land, includes Jubilee Field, the allotments, open spaces at St Mary’s Park and the more recent addition of Church View.

• Distinctive Views: includes the Cricket Green, the view from Star Hill and the approach to the village from Fleet looking across to the rooftops of Mount Pleasant.
• Design Guide: a collaborative exercise involving the Steering Group and the Preservation Society, it sets out guidance for future developments.

It’s worth noting too, that the Plan welcomes developments such as Rural Exception Schemes and care homes to particularly help address the needs of an ageing population and once made has to be taken in to account by Hart when reviewing Planning applications.

So please “Get Voting”!

Chris Farrance
Chairman Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group