Building enough houses to make sure everyone in our area has the chance for a roof of their own, while also making sure we protect and enhance our rural landscape and way of community life is often a difficult balance.

That’s why I’ve long been a strong advocate of Localism and the importance of giving local communities and councils a greater say in how they grow and develop in the years to come – and why, throughout my time as local MP, I’ve supported many Mid Norfolk towns and villages as they go about developing their own Neighbourhood Plans.

Over the years, I have actively supported and encouraged Watton Town Council and the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group as they have set about developing their own Neighbourhood Plan (meeting with members and attending the first public events way back in 2017 as I helped get the efforts underway – see here).

I am therefore delighted that, following the Referendum last Thursday, the Watton Neighbourhood Plan will be adopted – with 90.9% of those that voted supporting it.

This is a hugely positive step and I look forward to working with the Watton Community to take this key piece of work forward.

The Plan can be viewed in full on the Breckland website here (and below by clicking on the image).

To stay up to date with all of my wider work on ‘Planning and Protecting Our Rural Landscapes and Heritage’, please visit my website here.

I very much look forward to hearing the Referendum’s outcome. In the meantime, to stay up to date with all of my work on ‘Planning and Protecting Our Rural Landscapes and Heritage’, please visit my website here.