More than 90 per cent of those who cast a ballot in the Over Wallop Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) referendum voted in favour of the measure.

The polls were open on Thursday, May 2 with the votes counted on Friday, May 3.

According to an overview published by Over Wallop Parish Council, the NDP aims to ensure that “development has no adverse impact on the historic and rural settings, on views, green spaces or public rights of way, on the trees, hedgerows or biodiversity, on water courses and dark skies”.

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Andover Advertiser: From left to right, neighbourhood plan volunteer Paul Smith, Over Wallop Parish Council chair Councillor Kate Dixon, Test Valley Borough Council Councillor Stewart MacDonald and neighbourhood plan volunteer Marion Short.From left to right, neighbourhood plan volunteer Paul Smith, Over Wallop Parish Council chair Councillor Kate Dixon, Test Valley Borough Council Councillor Stewart MacDonald and neighbourhood plan volunteer Marion Short. (Image: Stewart MacDonald)

The NDP also aims to maintain the separation between the different settlements in the area and increase biodiversity by 10 per cent.

Councillor Stewart MacDonald, who sits on both the Test Valley Borough Council and Over Wallop Parish Council, said: “After three years in the making, I am absolutely delighted that the Over Wallop Parish Neighbourhood Development Plan passed referendum with 90 per cent support.

“Neighbourhood Development Plans are the legal mechanism by which local communities are given a real say on future development in their area - not just in terms of numbers but also where development should be located and what it should look like.

"The Over Wallop Plan aims to ‘preserve, protect and enhance the rural and tranquil nature of our parish, while maintaining economic and social sustainability’.”