It means that community-led planning has come to Ingatestone and Fryerning and we can implement the policies within our Neighbourhood Plan. The Parish now has the authority to play a much stronger role in shaping the areas we live and work in and supporting new development proposals.

The Localism Act introduced this new right for a Parish Council to produce a plan, setting out policies against which traditional planning applications could be judged. Development will happen in the future, whether there is a plan or not. But through our Neighbourhood Plan, we are seeking to ensure that we can influence change for the better, with our community’s interests in mind. So, this is an exciting time for us as a community.

Your ‘YES’ vote means that policies in the Neighbourhood Plan can start to be used, so that any future changes deliver on these ambitions. And any funding received by the Parish Council can be targeted towards improvements to the quality of our streets, lanes and spaces, green spaces and community infrastructure. The Neighbourhood Plan identifies a range of potential opportunities that we could influence. This will be kept under review with you.

Now is a good opportunity for you to step forward and be part of our future. If you wish to be part of this and join one of the working groups, please contact the Parish Council office.