VILLAGERS in Ardleigh have voted 'yes' to new Neighbourhood Plans despite a low turnout of just 13 per cent.

Villagers in Ardleigh, and Elmstead went to the polls last Thursday (September 12) to vote on adopting separate Neighbourhood Plans in referendums.

Neighbourhood Plans are a way for communities to create policies to help influence factors such as the right type of development for their community.

Voters in Ardleigh, which has a population of about 2,700, voted 86.5 per cent in favour of adopting its plan, while 13.5 per cent voted against.

Turnout was low at 13 per cent – compared to 29.5 per cent for the Tendring Council elections in May 2023 and 63 per cent turnout for the General Election in July.

Villagers in Elmstead, with a population of 1,684, voted 92.6 per cent in favour of adopting the Neighbourhood Plan, while 7.4 per cent voted against the plan, with a turnout of 21.4 per cent.

The adopted plans have the same legal status as the district wide Local Plan and will be used alongside it in deciding planning applications that fall within that area.