On 6th May, Stone residents will have the opportunity to vote in the referendum to determine whether Stafford Borough Council should use the Neighbourhood Plan for Stone Town to help it decide planning applications in the area.
The Stone Neighbourhood Plan process began back in 2015 with the final plan produced by the community, led and brought together by Stone Town Council.
It is based on the views of the residents of the town, obtained via a number of consultation events, on a wide range of issues that will influence the well-being, sustainability and long-term preservation of the community. It proposes planning policies for the area and identifies open spaces that residents would like to protect from development.
A copy of the Neighbourhood Plan can be downloaded from the Town Council’s website and there are also links to a whole host of information about the plan at https://www.stonetowncouncil.gov.uk/stone-draft-neighbourhood-plan-for-referendum/. Copies are also available for viewing during opening hours at the Town Council’s Offices, Stone Library, and the Civic Centre in Stafford.
The plan document is a hefty document, weighing in at over 100 pages, but the key parts are around the policies that the plan would introduce. These begin from page 29 onwards when the plan sets out the vision for Stone and then goes onto describe the policies and how they meet those aims.
The referendum allows the opportunity for Stone residents to have their say on whether the Neighbourhood Plan should be adopted or not. If at least 50% of residents voting in the referendum support the Plan then it will come into effect immediately – to be clear this percentage relates to those who cast a vote, not just those eligible to vote.
Stone Town Council is urging all residents to use their vote on 6th May to answer the question “Do you want Stafford Borough Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Stone Town to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”
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