NORTHWICH residents are being urged to make their voices heard as the final stage of the town’s Neighbourhood Plan (NP) process approaches.

Residents go to the polls on Thursday, June 21, for a referendum on whether or not Cheshire West and Chester Council should endorse the plan.

But what exactly is it, and what impact could it have on you?

A fairly new concept, a NP allows residents to help shape development in their area by creating new policies.

Acting as a planning advisory document, the NP allows planning officers and committee members to take residents’ wishes into consideration when deciding on applications to build things like new housing or business developments.

While the NP itself cannot stop plans being approved, it can help shape the development of the town through to 2030 and make sure developers give something back to the community.

The document, available to view at northwichplan.org.uk or at the library, is the result of years of dedicated effort by volunteers and consultation by residents.

Cllr Sam Naylor, a member of the steering group, said: “There is a hell of a lot of work gone into this and it would be a pity if people didn’t take the opportunity to vote on it.

“Five years’ work and a lot of consultation across the age spectrum – it’s a vision for the future, and this is a one-off opportunity to enter into that process.”

Voters will be asked a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question on Thursday, which would either see the plan endorsed or sent back to the drawing board.

David Roberts was appointed resident lead of the NP steering committee in 2013.

He said: “Never before has the whole community been able to express their opinions and lay out a vision of how they would like to see Northwich develop over the next 13 years and beyond, but that’s exactly what the Neighbourhood Plan allows.

“We are certain that when adopted, it will have benefits for the entire community, not only within the parish of Northwich, but for all the nearby villages.

“Northwich is a town with perhaps the most untapped potential of any in the north west.”

He added: “This is a critical time for Northwich, and it’s important that we get this right now, and make Northwich the place we want it to be.”