A DATE has been set for the referendum on the Milland Neighbourhood Plan.

The referendum will be held in Milland Memorial Hall from 7am to 10pm on Thursday, May 5, which is the same date as the election of the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner.

The plan has been through two public consultations and a report by an independent examiner to make sure it complies with the relevant planning policies.

The editor of the Milland Neighbourhood Plan, Val Porter, said: “The independent examiner has done his stuff and we’re now ready to have the referendum.

“I sincerely hope that we get a good turnout, as if only three people vote then two people will have the final say.

“We have consulted the public all the way through. Milland has a population of about 800 people and about 600 people have had a direct say at some point.”

One of the aims of the plan is to prioritise the natural environment and general character of the parish.

Val said: “Those are priorities of the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA), and the plan has to comply with the park.

“A lot of people we spoke to said they moved to Milland because of its environment.”

Infrastructure is another key issue, and a number of projects have been included in the plan.

Val added: “We have a lot of narrow lanes and a lot of problems with lorries meeting cars, so we can’t encourage more traffic.

“We have the shop, the school and couple of pubs, but there are no jobs and the public transport is erratic.

“There are a couple of brownfield sites on the edge of the village which are perfectly suitable, and affordable housing for local people has to be the priority.”

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

A printed copy of the plan is in Milland Stores, and an electronic version can be downloaded from the SDNPA website.