WARMINSTER Town Council is encouraging residents to vote in favour of the town’s neighbourhood plan at a referendum to be held on Thursday, November 10.

The council believes that although the plan has changed since it was first written three years ago, after several consultation periods, it would be a disaster for the town if it does not go through.

The plan, which spans the period up to 2026, has been drawn up to enable the town to take a new approach to the development of the town as more houses are built and allows the community to have its say in the type and scale of development.

Cllr Rob Fryer said: “Everyone agrees that they would like to have the neighbourhood plan stronger, but we’ve had lots of consultation now and we should just get on with it.

“I know it’s not as perfect as we all wanted it to be, but to refuse it on the basis that it isn’t completely perfect would be ridiculous.

“I don’t see any argument not to go ahead with it and I want to see lots of people voting in the referendum to show that they care about the future of the town.

“If it is approved, the town council will get 10 per cent more from developer contributions, or Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), which means a better deal for the town – who wouldn't want that?"

Since the neighbourhood plan scheme was launched across the UK, 238 plans have gone to referendum with all of them being passed, and town clerk Heather Abernethie is hoping that Warminster will follow the trend.

She said: “The plan doesn’t include everything we wanted but it’s still very good and if it goes through we will have something to refer to when planning applications come before us.

“We have been writing the plan for three years now and have had very good feedback from Wiltshire Council, mainly because we have written it ourselves and not gone to a consultant, which is very rare.

“If this plan does not go through, the town will not have a clear vision and could fall behind.”

Polling cards will be issued in the build-up to the referendum.

For more information, visit Warminster Town Council's website.