A BLUEPRINT for the future of the Bere Peninsula has reached the final stage of a public vote — the first in West Devon to do so.

After more than five years of work by residents, the Bere Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan has reached the final hurdle of a parish referendum, which will be held next week.

A neighbourhood plan is a document that gives communities direct power to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and shape the development and growth of their local area.

Work started on the Bere Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan in 2013, continuing the groundwork which started in 2010 on a more modest parish/community plan, as a result of government legislation introducing neighbourhood planning in 2012.

It was initiated by the late parish and borough councillor Mike Benson, whose driving force was an ambition to ensure that future development in the Bere Peninsula should protect and enhance its unique area and not rely only on speculative development and planning battles and appeals.

More than 70 residents have volunteered their services for varying periods during the plan preparation, contributing knowledge and expertise to a steering group working under the auspices of Bere Ferrers Parish Council. The programme of work followed a prescribed sequence laid down by statute and involved expensive consultation with many parties, including two formal consultations with residents, West Devon Borough Council (WDBC), Devon County Council, more than 25 other statutory bodies and local businesses. Finally, the plan had to pass the scrutiny of an independent examiner before being approved for referendum by WDBC.

The public referendum will be held on Thursday, September 27. Publicity for the referendum began in August with the Bere Alston Trekkers running group distributing leaflets to all 1,450 homes in the parish during a training run.

If the referendum approves the plan — by a simple majority of the poll turnout — it means that the local planning authority (WDBC) must give weight to it when deciding future planning applications in the peninsula.

Co-ordinator for the Bere Peninsula Plan Group Ralph Maycock said: ‘This referendum is the culmination of over five years of work by a team of local residents, all volunteers, who have an interest in the future of our unique environment in the Bere Peninsula. They have discussed and consulted widely with all interested parties on important issues raised, initially by a questionnaire distributed to all residents and their conclusions have been scrutinised by an independent examiner.

‘The plan is an attempt to satisfy many conflicting needs and aspirations while also conforming to constraints resulting from the area’s AONB status and other statutory designations.

‘I know I speak on behalf of all volunteers, past and present, in saying how pleased we are to have reached this final stage of a long process. On behalf of our sponsors, Bere Ferrers Parish Council, I thank them all for their sterling efforts. Naturally, we hope that residents of the parish will approve the plan at the referendum on September 27.’