Basingstoke and Deane Mayor Cllr Seán Keating has given the neighbourhood plans for St Mary Bourne and Sherfield on Loddon his official seal of approval at a special reception.
The Mayor met representatives of St Mary Bourne and Sherfield on Loddon neighbourhood plan steering committees at the event on Tuesday 19 June to congratulate them all on their dedication in engaging the community in shaping their future development together.
Both neighbourhood plans were drawn up by local people and adopted by the council after 86% of those residents who voted were in favour of St Mary Bourne. Of those residents who voted, 93% were in favour of the Sherfield on Loddon Plan.
The plans now form part of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s development plan for the parishes and will be used when considering planning applications.
Cllr Keating said: “My congratulations to everyone in St Mary Bourne and Sherfield on Loddon who has been involved in the process to bring these neighbourhood plans to fruition.
“A great deal of hard work has been undertaken over recent years by the local communities in order to get the plans accepted.
“Neighbourhood planning allows local people to have a real input into decisions about the future development of their communities and ensures that their needs are met.”
Other neighbourhood plans in the borough include Old Basing and Lychpit Neighbourhood Plan, where residents voted in favour of the plan on June 7, and the Kingsclere Neighbourhood Plan, due for referendum in September.
For more information on neighbourhood planning visit https://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/neighbourhood-planning
