A NEIGHBOURHOOD plan is set to be adopted by the council after villagers voted in favour of it in a referendum last month.

The Blackrod Neighbourhood Plan was backed by the vast majority of voters in the village on May 6 and will now form part of planning and strategic decisions that affect the area.

It now forms part of the borough’s development plan and the policies contained within them are then used in the determination of planning applications.

Key themes included in the document included that there was not enough suitable housing for the ageing population or homes for first-time buyers and there should be more affordable housing and housing for local people.

It states the development of a minimum of 215 homes in the area over the plan period will be supported.

The plan also refers to the development of between 20 and 60 dwellings for people aged over 55, on land behind Vicarage Road West between the church school and the cricket club, which will be supported.

On transport, the plans states that it will seek the introduction of shared use pedestrian off-carriageway cycleway along the A6, Blackrod bypass.

The neighbourhood plan became part of the development plan for the Blackrod area as soon as the referendum voted in favour of it.

As a result of the referendum, Bolton Council is required, in accordance with legislation, to come to a decision to ‘make’ the neighbourhood plan within eight weeks of May 6

The plan will be formally adopted by the council at a meeting of the directorate of housing and planning today (Tuesday, June 15).