A REFERENDUM will be held to give residents a final say on their first neighbourhood plan.

A vote will take place in Blackrod on the new planning document which sets out what type of housing should be built, how public transport should be improved and which heritage sites should be protected.

It is the first of the borough’s towns to reach this stage with Horwich and Over Hulton still formulating its own plans.

Bolton Council's executive cabinet member for strategic housing and planning, Cllr Toby Hewitt, paid tribute to staff and volunteers who worked on the new neighbourhood plan.

He said: “It’s for the people of Blackrod, within the planned area, to take a view on the plan and the recommendation by the independent examiner which will affect them and it is for this chamber to enable them to have the power and agency to have a full and final say on whether this plan is acceptable to them.

Cllr Susan Baines supported a proposal to put the new plan to a vote at Wednesday's full council meeting.

Fellow Horwich and Blackrod Cunliffe councillor Ann Cunliffe congratulated the residents of Blackrod.

She said: “This opens up of a new era and opportunity for Blackrod to be actively involved in their planning applications for their future.”

The referendum was approved but a date for the vote has not yet been set.

The plan is available to view online or at Blackrod library.