VOTERS in the Teignbridge village of Ipplepen will have the chance to vote on how the parish should plan for future developments, employment and community facilities. 

A referendum is being held on Thursday, May 4, on the Ipplepen Neighbourhood Plan following a consultation last autumn.  

It will be used to determine planning applications in tandem with the Teignbridge Local Plan .

Writing the foreword for the 80-page document, chairman of the Ipplepen Neighbourhood Plan steering group, Steve Rattlidge said: ‘Our objective from the outset (just over five years ago) was to provide a sustainable community – safeguarding the past, improving the present and shaping the future. 

‘This can be summarised by the six key issues raised by the steering group: namely future developments, employment, character and appearance, car parking, accessibility and community facilities.  These form the basis of our vision for the Neighbourhood Plan.

‘It was also our intention, if possible, to allocate potential sites for any future residential and employment development, thus enabling parishioners to have a say over where development goes and what it looks like rather than leaving it to the local district council.’

Recommendations from an independent examiner have already been accepted by Teignbridge District Council, Ipplepen Parish Council and the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group.

Only people who live in Ipplepen and who are on the electoral register will be eligible to vote and if more than 50 per cent of voters support the plan, Teignbridge District Council must bring the plan into force.