Wenlock votes for neighbourhood plan
The people have spoken - and the people have called for the first ever Neighbourhood Plan for the county to be adopted.
Nearly 1,000 people living in the Much Wenlock parish, more than 40 per cent of the population, went to the polls to vote for or against adopting the plan.
Stacey Ijewsky, the deputy counting officer for Shropshire Council at the referendum, recorded 973 votes.
Some 823 voted in favour while 130 recorded a "no" vote for plans, which could see more than 100 homes built in the town.
Three people voted for more than one answer and 16 papers were unmarked or void for uncertainty.
The turnout was 41.77 per cent and town clerk Sharon Clayton said the town council was delighted with Tuesday's result.
She said: "Many people have worked hard to develop the neighbourhood plan for Much Wenlock and it will now become local policy for the parish which has been shaped and influenced by its residents."
Much Wenlock Town Council agreed to be the front runner to develop the plan in February 2011.
The plans are designed to give town and parish councils more say on local planning matters.
It was approved by the council in April 2013 and submitted to Shropshire Council, which appointed an independent examiner.
The examiner's role was to ensure the plan conformed with local and national policies.
A one-day hearing was held in October 2013 where the examiner made a number of recommendations, one of which was to include a housing target of 130 homes in the town, rather than the whole parish, between 2013 to 2026.
The town council and Shropshire Council approved the examiner's modifications, which led to the 15th referendum of its kind nationally.
Poll cards were sent to about 2,300 electors in the parish, who voted on whether the plan should be formally adopted as planning policy.
The referendum was held on the same day as the European elections, after more than three years of work.
The question on the ballot paper was: "Do you want Shropshire Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Much Wenlock to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?".
David Turner, Shropshire Councillor for Much Wenlock, said: "This result shows a clear and positive outcome for Much Wenlock.
"It will help to preserve its unique character and allow an appropriate and well-managed level of growth to ensure its on-going sustainability as a vibrant and attractive market town."
