An independent examiner has given its verdict on the Neighbourhood Plan submitted by the Titchfield Neighbourhood Forum. T

he examiner has confirmed that, subject to a number of modifications, the Plan should progress to the next and final stage which is a public referendum.

Titchfield Neighbourhood Forum was formally designated as a neighbourhood area on 6 March 2017.

The Forum submitted its Neighbourhood Plan to the Council on 22 October 2018. A consultation on the Neighbourhood Plan was held by the Council between 23 November 2018 and 11 January 2019. It was then submitted for independent examination.

On 26 April the independent examiner’s report confirmed that a number of modifications to the plan were needed to ensure it meets the basic conditions.

The report will now be presented to the Council’s Executive Committee in June of this year. Once approved, the Plan would be the subject of a referendum; anyone who is eligible to vote in a Local Election, and lives within the appropriate area, will be able to vote.

Cllr Evans, Executive Member for Planning and Development, said: ‘This is the first Neighbourhood Plan to be submitted in the Borough and will possibly lead to the first referendum. If people then vote for the Neighbourhood Plan to be made, it will carry equal weight to the policies contained within the adopted Local Plan.’

For more information about the Titchfield Neighbourhood Plan please visit: http://www.fareham.gov.uk/planning/titchfieldneighbourhoodplan.aspx.