Horncastle Neighbourhood Development Plan APPROVED after 65% vote in favour

Residents in Horncastle have backed an important planning document that will shape the future of the town.
HorncastleHorncastle
Horncastle

A referendum was held yesterday (Thursday) on the Neighbourhood Development Plan which, among other things, could restrict new housing development.

Seven hundred and seventeen residents (65%) voted in support of the plan while 387 people (35%) voted against.

The turnout was 21.43% from an electorate of 5,156.

The vote is a huge boost for the working group who drew up the plan along with East Lindsey District Council and Horncastle Town Council who endorsed it.

At the same time, the result is a blow for a campaign group who had called for a No vote, claiming the plan does not offer the town enough protect from future development.

In the build-up to the referendum, ELDC and a Government inspector described the plan as one of the best they had seen.

Horncastle is the first community in East Lindsey to have a NDP which will ‘dovetail’ with the district-wide Local Plan that could be adopted later this year - again after a referendum.