HURN residents have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the new neighbourhood plan. 

Residents voted in a referendum to accept Hurn Neighbourhood Plan that saw 89.63 per cent in favour with a turnout of 23.24 per cent. 

Once approved by full BCP Council in December, it will become part of the statutory development plan for the area.  

This statutory status will give the plan weight in the BCP planning process and its policies must be taken into account when planning decisions are made in Hurn Parish. 

The plan has seven policies with one of them identifying a “local gap”, to ensure the future maintenance of a visual separation in the fields between Hurn village and the airport. 

Hurn Parish has a small electorate of 581 with 264 households. However, it covers a very large area of just over eight square miles comprising mainly protected heathland, forest, river terraces, flood plain and farmland with the centre of the village being a conservation area.  

It also includes an extensive area of employment land associated with Hurn Airport and the adjoining business park. 

Parish chairman and ward councillor Margaret Phipps said: “I am absolutely delighted at the referendum result.  

“It has taken over four years and a lot of effort from Hurn residents and parish councillors to put this plan together.  

“We applied for grants to fund the whole process and engaged a local planning consultant to help us. 

“The policies in the plan will give us influence in the planning process to help preserve the historic and rural nature of the parish."

The vote was held on October 24.