A REFERENDUM is on course to be held in Lydney as district council endorse the town’s neighbourhood development plan.

The plan which sets out housing, education, industry and infrastructure needs for the Severnside town is the first to reach this stage in the whole of Gloucestershire.

Following its endorsement by the Forest of Dean District Council, a referendum will now be held, which will cost around £11,200 and is expected to take place in February next year.

Brian Pearman, chairman of the NDP, was delighted with the endorsement.

He said: “The vote was unanimous and once through the referendum stage scheduled for mid-February the plan will become a statutory planning document in its own right.”

Councillor Patrick Molyneux (Hewelsfield and Woolaston, Con), district council leader, said: “I think Lydney have done an awful lot of hard work on this.

“It is an excellent piece of work and will bring a lot of benefits to Lydney and its surrounding area.”

Cllr Tim Gwilliam, (Berry Hill, Lab) chairman of West Dean Parish Council’s NDP, said: “I would like to congratulate the Lydney NDP committee for their hard work and diligence.

“I would encourage all our areas to look at this document and get the communities behind it.”

For the full story buy The Forester.