East Suffolk Council
Rendlesham neighbourhood plan referendum
On 8 January 2015 the District Council formally accepted the recommendations of the independent examiner for the Rendlesham Neighbourhood Plan. This decision enabled a neighbourhood planning referendum to take place.
The referendum was held on 5 March 2015. The question asked in the referendum was:
"Do you want the District Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Rendlesham to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?"
The referendum area and the area covered by the neighbourhood plan was the parish of Rendlesham.
A person was entitled to vote in the referendum if on the 5 March 2015:
- He or she is entitled to vote in a local government election in the referendum area; and
- His or her qualifying address for the election is in the referendum area. A persons qualifying address is in relation to a person registered in the register of electors, the address in respect of which he or she is entitled to be registered.
The referendum expenses limit that applied in relation to the referendum was £2,489.20. The number of persons entitled to vote in the referendum by reference to which the limit has been calculated was 2,156.
The referendum was conducted in accordance with procedures which are similar to those used at local government elections.
Referendum result
1,012 votes were cast in favour of 'Yes' and 33 in favour of 'No'. The turnout was 47%.
Following the positive referendum on 5 March 2015, East Suffolk Council, at its full council meeting on 19 March 2015, resolved to 'make' the Rendlesham Neighbourhood Plan.
This means that the Rendlesham Neighbourhood Plan has been brought into legal force, forming part of the statutory Development Plan for the district. Consequently, decisions on whether or not to grant planning permission in Rendlesham need to be made in accordance with the Rendlesham Neighbourhood Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
Specified documents
The specified documents which were required to be made available through the referendum period are:
- Draft Rendlesham Neighbourhood Development Plan (as modified)
- Report of the independent examiner
- Summary of representations submitted to the independent examiner
- Statement by Suffolk Coastal District Council that the draft plan meets the basic conditions and conventions (Decision statement)
- Statement that sets out general information as to town and country planning including neighbourhood planning and the referendum (Information for voters)