BURNHAM-on-Sea and Highbridge residents have voted in favour of adopting a new Neighbourhood Plan which will set the towns agenda for more than a decade.

Residents braved rainy weather and went to the polls in the two towns on Thursday (September 20).

Voters were asked: "Do you want Sedgemoor District Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?"

The people of Burnham and Highbridge voted in favour of the plan, with 2,658 people voting 'yes'.

And 358 residents voted against the plan, it has been confirmed.

There were 17,158 eligible voters and the turnout was 17.62 per cent.

A neighbourhood plan sets out planning policy for a neighbourhood and once adopted by a district council becomes the main document against which planning applications in the area must be judged.

The plan has been created by residents, groups, Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge Town Council and Sedgemoor District Council.

It can:

• identify key priorities for a community that relate to use of land

• define where new homes, commercial premises or other development should be built

• influence what new buildings should look like

• protect locally valued buildings or green space

• add detail to district planning policy as set out in SDC’s Core Strategy

But it can not be used to stop development or override district or national policy.

For more information visit www.sedgemoor.gov.uk/neighbourhoodplanning