Fordam has voted to adopt a new neighbourhood plan with the number of homes in the area set to rise by 30 per cent.

The Fordham Neighbourhood Plan 2016-2036 covers the Fordham Neighbourhood Area which was formally designated by East Cambridgeshire in December 2017 and the boundary of which matches the boundary of Fordham Parish.

Yesterday (November 8), residents voted in favour of using the neighbourhood plan to help decide future planning applications.

According to the neighbourhood plan, it is “clear a significant amount of growth is likely to occur in Fordham.”

The Fordham Neighbourhood Plan is intended to set out a local blueprint for how Fordham should develop sustainably in the best interest of the village, in the context of the wider Local Plan.

The plan reads: “Fordham will maintain its distinct identity – its rural, green and leafy setting will be preserved, including woodland open areas both in and outside of the village, maintaining visual and physical separation from Soham and other nearby villages, and through encouraging the retention of a tight village nucleus, avoiding further ribbon development.”

The plan says the housing requirement for the neighbourhood area is set at 350 dwellings between 2016 and 2036.

This represents growth of more than 30 per cent in total dwelling numbers over the 20-year neighbourhood plan period. The plan says major development proposals for residential use should provide affordable housing on-site in accordance with Local Plan policies.

The plan says: “Access to the countryside along the many public rights of way will be preserved and wherever possible enhanced ensuring that the close relationship between the village and the countryside is preserved.”

As well as this, the plan says proposals for new community facilities or extensions to existing facilities will be “supported in principle, where they are appropriately located and would not likely result in conflict with occupants of neighbouring properties or give rise to any other significant adverse impact”.

Yesterday (November 8), residents were asked “Do you want East Cambridgeshire District Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Fordham to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”, with 435 saying yes, and 64 saying no. The turnout for the Fordham Neighbourhood Planning Referendum was 24.21 per cent.