RESIDENTS in Callington and Kelly Bray will have their say on the future of planning in their area when a referendum is held on the adoption of a neighbourhood development plan next month.

The referendum will take place on Thursday, November 5, giving eligible voters the opportunity to decide whether Cornwall Council should use the Callington and Kelly Bray Neighbourhood Development Plan when determining planning applications.

Voters will be asked: “Do you want Cornwall Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Callington and Kelly Bray to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”

The referendum covers the same area previously designated as the Callington and Kelly Bray Neighbourhood Development Plan area.

A total of 4,795 people are eligible to vote in the referendum, according to the official information statement issued ahead of the poll.

To be entitled to vote, residents must be eligible to vote in a Cornwall Council election for a division within the referendum area and have a qualifying address within the designated boundary.

The qualifying address is the address at which an individual is registered to vote.

The referendum will be conducted in accordance with the relevant electoral regulations, with a spending limit of £2,644.90 set for referendum expenses.

The limit has been calculated using the number of eligible voters within the referendum area.

Neighbourhood development plans allow communities to have a greater say in how their areas develop by setting out local planning policies and priorities.

If approved by a majority of those voting, the Callington and Kelly Bray plan would become part of the statutory development plan used by Cornwall Council when making decisions on planning applications in the area.

The referendum will give local residents the opportunity to decide whether the plan should be adopted as a framework to help shape future development in Callington and Kelly Bray.