THE FINAL consultation is underway on the East Meon Neighbourhood Plan and residents are being encouraged to give their views on it, or suggest changes.

The final draft is now with the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA), who launched the six week public consultation on Friday, January 27.

It is also open to relevant statutory bodies, such as Hampshire County Council, who are invited to comment on the draft document.

A spokesman for the plan steering group said: “The East Meon Neighbourhood Development Plan builds upon the goals and views expressed by residents in the 2013 parish plan.

“Although a neighbourhood development plan (NDP) has many components, perhaps not surprisingly housing, landscape and traffic have again been the topics most frequently raised by residents.

“Specifically, the plan will serve three principal functions, to allocate sites for residential development until 2032, to ensure that new development meets local needs, and is of suitable layout and design, and to protect the village and landscape from inappropriate development both in location and design.”

After this most recent, and last, consultation, views and comments will be analysed and considered for inclusion in the final version.

The plan with then be studied by a government appointed independent examiner, who decide if any more changes to the document are needed.

Once he has approved it, residents living ion the parish of East Meon will take part in a yes or no referendum to decide if they back the plan or not.

The spokesman said: “The referendum is organised and paid for by our local planning authority, East Hampshire District Council and it’s unlikely to happen before June.

“The referendum question is simply; do you want the South Downs National Park Authority to use the neighbourhood plan for East Meon Parish to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area.”

If the vote is in favour, SDNPA planners will be obliged to consult the plan to help them decide planning applications within the parish boundary until as least 2032.

Work on the plan began in earnest in 2014 using the 2013 parish plan review as a starting point, and it is expected it should be use by the end of this year.

Residents wishing to comment on the plan during the review should visit the SDNPA website and follow the link; www.southdowns.gov.uk/planning/planning-policy/neighbourhood-planning/neighbourhood-development-plans/east-meon-neighbourhood-plan/