Amport Parish Council

08/05/2026

Amport Parish Delivers Resounding “Yes” to Neighbourhood Plan

What a tremendous result for Amport Parish — and one that will have real significance for the future of our community.

The referendum result is now official, with over 90% voting in favour of adopting the Amport Neighbourhood Plan. This is an overwhelming endorsement from local residents and gives the Plan strong democratic weight as part of the statutory planning framework for the Parish.

After four years of hard work, detailed research, consultations, meetings and community engagement, we finally got there.

A very special thank you must go to Tim Grimshaw, Geraldine Grimshaw, Clare Hemmings, Robert Talbot Rice, Howard Dix and Heather Bourner, who devoted countless hours to steering this through from start to finish. Their dedication and persistence have been extraordinary.

Most importantly, thank you to everyone in Amport Parish who took the time to vote. This Plan now belongs to the community. It will play a vital role in helping to shape future planning decisions and in protecting the character, environment and identity of our Parish for years to come.

This is an important moment for Amport — and a powerful example of what a community can achieve when people come together with a shared purpose.

10/04/2026

Amport Neighbourhood Plan
Information Statement

A Referendum relating to the adoption of the Amport Neighbourhood Plan will be held on 7th May 2026.

A Neighbourhood Development Plan contains policies for the use of land in a designated neighbourhood area. In 2022 Amport Parish Council decided to produce a Neighbourhood Plan and public consultation has taken place on the draft Neighbourhood Plan. The Amport Neighbourhood Plan has been prepared for the designated Amport Neighbourhood Area.

There is a statutory process which must be followed for the making of a Neighbourhood Plan. The process involves the holding of a Referendum. The question, which is specified in the Regulations, which will be asked for the Referendum is:

“Do you want Test Valley Borough Council to use the Neighbourhood Development Plan for Amport to help it decide planning applications in the designated neighbourhood area?”

If more than half of those voting in the referendum vote ‘Yes’ in response to the question above, then the Neighbourhood Plan must be ‘made’ (adopted) by Test Valley Borough Council and the Neighbourhood Plan will be part of the Development Plan. This means that the Plan will be used in the determination of planning applications for the designated area of Amport Parish.

The Referendum area is identical to the area which has been designated as the Amport Neighbourhood Plan area.

A person is entitled to vote in the Referendum if on 7 May 2026:
• He or she is entitled to vote in an election of any Councillor of Test Valley Borough Council whose area is in the Referendum area; and
• His or her qualifying address for the election is in the Referendum area.

The Referendum will be conducted in accordance with procedures which are similar to those used at local government elections.

10/04/2026