Villagers urged to vote for local plan

BRAILSFORD Parish Councillors is urging villagers to turn out on

May 6 to approve its neighbourhood plan as it finally reaches the referendum stage.

The document, which will steer the community’s future and give parish councillors more control over important decisions, will reach its final stage alongside the county council elections next month.

Villagers from Brailsford, Ednaston, and a cluster of outlying settlements will have been sent voting cards and they will be invited to approve or not approve of the neighbourhood plan as they visit their polling stations.

The parish council chairman, Pat Laughlin, says getting the word out about the importance of the document during a pandemic has been a challenge.

She said: “Our plan is designed to keep the village environment and to protect it, if possible, from over development but particularly to ensure that the conservation area is ring-fenced and protected as are our open spaces.

“There is an increased emphasis on the homes people want - in our case it was bungalows and properties suitable for down sizing as well as reasonably priced homes.

“Greater emphasis on green building issues and layouts which encourage wildlife and the seriousness of the current issues relating to surface water drainage, persistent flooding in wet weather and the capacity of the drainage and sewage systems.”

A leaflet has been posted through doors in the area explaining the importance of the neighbourhood plan.