Postal voters urged to complete ballot papers

An attempt to stop the referendum on the Winslow Neighbourhood Plan taking place has been lodged in court.
Winslow Neighbourhood Plan PNL-141007-093550001Winslow Neighbourhood Plan PNL-141007-093550001
Winslow Neighbourhood Plan PNL-141007-093550001

But this should not stop postal voters, who receive their papers over the next few days, from voting.

Gladman Developments, a company with interests in at least three sites on the edge of Winslow, has secured a hearing at the administrative court in Manchester on July 22 to request an interim injunction to stop the referendum on July 24.

Llew Monger, a parish and district councillor in favour of the neighbourhood plan, said: “This is a disgraceful attempt by a disgruntled developer to stop the democratic process taking place, and David Gladman and his fellow directors should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.

“Calling for a judicial review is one thing, but trying to stop people expressing their democratic right to vote is beyond the pale.

“Regardless of this situation, it is vitally important that those with postal votes do complete their ballot and return it to AVDC. They should not await the outcome of the court hearing.”

The neighbourhood plan has been developed by the town council over 18 months, with input from consultants, businesses and local organisations. Open days, workshops, an eight week consultation period and a hearing day ensured residents had their say, and it is hugely popular.

The plan,for the next 15-18 years, includes up to 450 new homes, with 20% of them built on brownfield sites.

If approved by the community in the referendum on July 24 the plan would prevent speculative development on sites all around Winslow.

Gladman Developments has expressed an opinion that Winslow should take more than 2,600 houses in the same time period.

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