HUNDREDS of Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge residents are going to the polls today (September 20) to vote in a referendum on a Neighbourhood Plan which could set the towns agenda for more than a decade.

Polling stations across the two towns are open to voters until 10pm after which a count will take place in Highbridge Community Hall.

The vote will decide whether the plan should be adopted as part of the planning policy for the area and the results of the referendum are set to be published at around midnight.

Speaking ahead of the vote, Cllr Phil Harvey, who chaired the group of residents who drew up the plan and is a spokesperson for Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge Town Council, said: “Our referendum for the Neighbourhood Plan represents a significant milestone in the development of the area and if more than half the registered, eligible voters in the area vote ‘yes’ on September 20 it will have a massive positive impact on how our community lives, works and plays for the next 14 years at least.

"It will also give us a much greater say on what happens here in our two towns.

“We’re expecting a good turn out on the day as there has been considerable public interest in the Neighbourhood Plan in the build-up to the vote.

"We, Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge Town Council and Burnham Without Parish Council, understand around 60 per cent of eligible voters will be submitting their ballot papers by post, but we still expect to see a good turn out at the various polling stations in the area on the day too."

“Thousands of people have viewed the plan online via www.burnhamandhighbridgeneighbourhoodplan.org or as a hardcopy at the Town Council offices, Burnham Library, Highbridge Library, Highbridge Community Hall, BiARS and the Community Centre in Berrow Road and it will still be possible to look at these on the day of the referendum too.”