A DATE has been arranged for a referendum on what could be Wiltshire’s first adopted neighbourhood plan.

The Malmesbury neighbourhood planning referendum is now set to take place on November 27 of this year following a long and painstaking process coordinated by Malmesbury Neighbourhood Steering Group.

The plan itself is a mechanism to prevent inappropriate development in the areas of housing, education, retail and business which would have to abide by the plans parameters if it is voted in.

Wiltshire Council authorised several small changes to the plan after feedback from a government inspector including a proposed site near Tetbury Hill Gardens not being allocated for development and adopting a more positive stance towards new supermarkets.

The question put to residents of Malmesbury, St Paul Without and Brokenborough on the ballot paper will be: “Do you want Wiltshire Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Malmesbury to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”

Cllr Simon Killane has led Malmesbury’s steering group throughout the process and was delighted to see the plan reaching its final stages.

He claimed that other towns and villages would look to Malmesbury as an example and suggested there had already been questions from councils in Cricklade, Chippenham, Calne and Great Somerford.

He said: “It’s not for us as a neighbourhood steering group to tell people how to vote.

“People may decide it’s not the kind plan they want as it is pro-housing or they may decide that it’s just what they want because they have a young family.

“It’s just so important, people must, must get out there and vote.”

The vote itself will be a simple yes or no with each side needing a simple majority to win.

Malmesbury neighbourhood steering group is currently building a website to explain the plan ahead of the referendum and will deliver a leaflet to every house in the three parishes which will vote ahead of polling day.

Applications, amendments and cancellations for postal votes must be received by Wiltshire Council before November 12.

Any applications for proxy votes must reach the council by November 19 and emergency proxy votes will be available if a person cannot go to the polling station because of their occupation, a medical condition, illness or disability preventing them after 5 pm on Wednesday, 19th November 2014. Emergency proxy applications must reach the council before 5pm on November 27.

Applications for all of the above should be sent to: Electoral Registration Officer at Electoral Services, Wiltshire Council, County Hall, Bythesea Road, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 8JN.