Residents have voted 'overwhelmingly' in favour of the Congleton Neighbourhood Plan.

A referendum was held in Congleton on Thursday, August 27, with voters asked 'do you want Cheshire East Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Congleton to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?'.

In the end, 2,760 voted yes, with 258 voting no.

The result means that the Congleton Neighbourhood Plan has received the support required at the referendum and will now be formally adopted as part of the statutory planning framework for Congleton.

David McGifford, chief officer at Congleton Town Council, said: "Today's result is the culmination of many years of work, and I would like to thank everyone who has played a part in bringing the Congleton Neighbourhood Plan to this point.

"It is easy to underestimate the huge number of volunteer hours that have gone into developing the plan. Many individuals and community representatives have given their time, knowledge and experience throughout the process, helping to shape a plan that reflects the issues and opportunities facing Congleton.

"I would also like to thank our town councillors, who have dedicated many hours to reviewing the policies and documents as the plan developed, and our planning consultants, Urban Imprint, for their guidance, professional expertise and support throughout what has been a complex process.

"The plan has also benefited from the involvement of residents, local organisations and businesses who contributed through the various stages of consultation. Achieving this result has truly been a collective effort, and everyone involved should be proud of the part they have played."

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The Neighbourhood Plan has been developed over a number of years and sets out locally specific planning policies to help guide future development in Congleton.

It covers a range of issues affecting the town, including housing, design, the town centre, green spaces, the environment, accessibility and community infrastructure.

The plan went through extensive consultation, formal submission and independent examination before being put to the people of Congleton in the referendum.

The referendum result represents the final major stage in the Neighbourhood Plan process and provides a clear mandate for the plan to become part of Congleton's planning framework for the future.

Once formally made, the plan will form part of the Development Plan and will be used alongside the Cheshire East Local Plan and national planning policy when relevant planning applications are considered.