RESIDENTS can have their say tomorrow, Thursday, on the Knutsford Neighbourhood Plan.

A referendum on the Plan’s adoption posing the question: “Do you want Cheshire East Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Knutsford to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”

Polling stations open from 7am until 10pm, and voters will have received polling cards detailing their polling stations.

Voters should attend the polling station they usually vote at - The Curzon, Manor Park School, St John’s Wood School, Knutsford Leisure Centre, 5th Knutsford Scouts and Booths Hall.

Voters who usually vote at St Vincent’s School will vote at Manor Park School. Voters who previously used Bexton school will vote at 5th Knutsford Scouts.

This week the town council looks at Environment and Open Spaces, Sports and Leisure, Health and Wellbeing and Traffic, Transport and Movement.

The Environment and Open Spaces section of the plan looks to ensure the green and open spaces and landscape setting of the town are protected.

Town clerk Adam Keppel-Green said: “These policies add protection to the network of green corridors and require that applicable applications improve these networks by providing new open spaces, planting trees and designing in wildlife.

“These policies resist existing wildlife habitats being blocked off and require the impact of pollution to be considered.

“The Neighbourhood Plan designates 41 open spaces – including the Heath, community greens on Ashworth Park and Manor Crescent and St John’s Wood - as Local Green Space.

“This gives these areas greenbelt like protection and indicates they should be preserved.

“The Sports and Leisure policies set guidance for provision of new open spaces requiring they are included in all applicable development and details facilities that should be improved through planning contributions.

“The policies look to encourage the development of an improved leisure centre, a skatepark, improved sports club facilities and new community halls.

“The Traffic, Transport and Movement policies look to promote healthy, safe and sustainable travel around Knutsford.

“These policies require developments to link to the town’s network of public rights of way and footpaths and to set out how they will support cycling by providing appropriate cycle parking or offices providing changing and shower facilities.

“A cycle plan has been created which identifies how the cycle network will be improved.

“The plan commits the town council to working with partners to explore the future delivery of a relief road.

“These policies also require new development to demonstrate it can be easily and safely accessed by public transport and supports the idea of creating park and rides and improvements to the railway station. Policy T4 requires all developments to ensure they include sufficient off-road parking.

“The Health and Wellbeing policies supports development which provides dentists, additional GP places and improvements to facilities.

“The Bexton Road hospital site is protected for the expansion of healthcare facilities.”