Exciting plans for a new car park and improvements to Northleach market place have been rubber stamped.

Last week, residents gave the Northleach with Eastington Neighbourhood Plan a huge thumbs up with over 90 percent voting to adopt the plan.

District councillor for Northleach Chris Hancock, who chaired the steering group tasked with delivering the plan says the council now has a fantastic opportunity to deliver for the community.

“This plan gives the parish the opportunity to deliver on the things the community considered important," Chris said.

"A new tourist car park, improvements to the market place, support for our town centre, more space for our school and pre-school provision, a design code to protect our heritage, designation of green spaces around the town and the establishment of a green ring.

"As well as the right to receive 25 percent of the community infrastructure levy from new development.”

The process for a neighbourhood plan began in late Autumn 2013, when when a public meeting in Northleach determined that the parish should prepare its own plan to ensure its future.

A strong group of volunteers have been working on the plan since early 2014, engaging in the community in open days, workshops, drop-in sessions and meetings.

And on Thursday, March 21, 447 voters had their say with 90 percent voting in favour of the proposal.

Cllr Hancock said: “My thanks go to everyone for their contributions, particularly those town councillors, our town clerk, and steering group members who have given so generously of their time – without generous community engagement we could not have delivered this plan.

"Our plan now has the same legal status as the district plan in planning terms and will now be part of that statutory plan.

"The task now is to ensure we deliver.”

The plan is the third so far to have been delivered in the Cotswolds alongside Lechlade and Tetbury.