The Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) Regulations 2012
Neighbourhood Planning aims to help local communities play a direct role in planning their local area. Neighbourhood Plans are voluntary and in the Derbyshire Dales, these can be prepared by Town or Parish Councils. The plans can set out how the community would like land to be used and developed in the area it covers and to set other local planning policies.
Once a Neighbourhood Plan has been prepared, an independent examiner checks it to ensure that it meets the right basic conditions. The relevant Local Planning Authority will consider the Examiner’s report and organise a referendum on any plan that passes examination. This means that the community has the final say on whether a Neighbourhood Plan is made by the Local Planning Authority and becomes part of the development plan for the area it covers.
Neighbourhood Plan Referendum
Once a Neighbourhood Development Plan has been submitted to the Local Planning Authority and has gone through due process, a referendum must be held asking the local electorate whether or not they support the Plan.
The Regulations make the following provisions regarding a referendum:
- It is the responsibility of the Counting Officer at Derbyshire Dales District Council to organise a referendum within its boundaries even if the Council is not the Local Planning Authority (LPA) as is the case with Parishes within the Peak District National Park where the National Park Authority is the LPA
- All voters appearing on the register of local government electors on the date of the Poll are eligible to vote.
- Voters must be 18 or over.
- The question to be asked at the referendum is set in legislation and cannot be altered either by the Town/Parish council or by Derbyshire Dales District Council.
- The Counting Officer for the referendum will be the Returning Officer for Derbyshire Dales District Council
- The poll may be combined with another election or referendum if the Counting Officer thinks fit.
- An Information Statement and Specified Documents must be published not fewer than 28 days before the date on which the referendum will be held.
- The Information Statement is equivalent to a Notice of Election and the Specified Documents include the draft plan or order, the independent examiner’s report and various statements issued by the LPA.
- A referendum campaign may be conducted by a ‘campaign organiser’ to promote or procure a particular outcome in relation to the question being asked. Expenses incurred during such a campaign are limited. The limit is £2,362 plus £0.059 per elector on the relevant register.
- Hours of poll are between 07.00 and 22.00.
- Polling observers may be appointed and counting observers must be appointed
- A poll card must be sent to every eligible voter and proxy.
- Those electors who have opted to vote by post or proxy in elections are entitled to do so at the referendum.
- he counting of the votes must take place as soon as practicable after the close of poll and the date, time and location of the count must be advised to any counting observers in writing by the Counting Officer.
- The Counting Officer is not obliged to conduct the count on a Saturday or Sunday.
- If more than 50% of those voting in the referendum have voted in favour of the plan, then the LPA must bring the Plan into force.
Hartington Town Quarter Neighbourhood Plan Referendum
As the Local Planning Authority for the Parish of Hartington Town Quarter, the Peak District National Park Authority has asked the Counting Officer to arrange a referendum in respect of the Hartington Town Quarter Neighbourhood Plan
A referendum will therefore be held on Thursday 27 November 2025.
The question that will be asked in the referendum is:
Do you want the Peak District National Park Authority to use the neighbourhood plan for Hartington Town Quarter to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?
The referendum area is identical to Hartington Town Quarter Neighbourhood Area and Hartington Town Quarter civil parish
View more information on the Hartington Town Quarter Neighbourhood Plan on the Peak District National Park Authority Website
Key Dates and associated documents
Publish Information Statement - 20 October 2025
Publish Notice of Referendum - 23 October 2025
Deadline for applications to register to vote - 11 November 2025
Deadline for applications for new postal votes or to cancel or amend postal and proxy arrangements -12 November 2025
Publish Notice of Poll and Situation of Polling Stations - 12 November 2025
Deadline for applications to vote by proxy - 12 November 2025
Deadline to apply for a voter authority certificate - 19 November 2025
First date to replace lost postal votes 21 November 2025
Polling Day Thursday 27 November 2025 from 7am to 10pm
Referendum Result
129 electors voted YES, 18 electors voted NO - Therefore over 50% of those voting voted FOR the Hartington Town Quarter Neighbourhood Plan - Turnout 50.17%
