Residents will get the chance to vote on Kent’s first urban neighbourhood plan.

The Arches ‘Chatham’ Neighbourhood Plan will go to a referendum at this week’s local elections, alongside the vote on Kent’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) this Thursday (May 2).

The initiative is similar to the council’s Medway-wide local plan, which is still being created, but on a more localised scale, covering an area from The Brook in the north, taking in the whole area of Luton and ending at Shipwrights Avenue.

The plans were not designed by the authority, instead having been put together by the Arches Chatham Neighbourhood Forum (ACNF), a management committee overseen by residents, businesses and stakeholders who live and work within the “Arches” boundary.

Registered voters within the area concerned will be asked if they approve of the plans.

If supported, the referendum will legally bind the council and developers to stick to the applied policies when making applications in the area.

Certain buildings and sites are highlighted in the designs, including the former Go Outdoors and Buzz Bingo on Chatham High Street, and a set of garages in Bright Road.

Some are to be prioritised for commercial and green spaces, while others will be focused on regeneration into housing.

The plans also set out design principles for the area, meaning any developments have to fit in with the already existing style and height of Chatham.

Aside from development, the neighbourhood plan also details community spaces which should be protected, such as the Magpie Centre and Community Cafe, St Paul with All Saints’ Church, and Richard Cobden Irish Pub, among others.

Additionally, it outlines the necessity for additional infrastructure and services, including leisure centres and outdoor sports facilities.

The Arches Local project began in 2012 as part of the national Big Local partnerships, which aim to support local residents and community groups to make lasting improvements to their areas.

Since then it has supported weekly activities and delivered urban greening projects, but the Big Local scheme is due to conclude in 2026.

The neighbourhood plan was first started in collaboration between Arches Local and ACNF in 2019, and, following several consultations with the public, a draft version was submitted to the council in late 2022.

It went out for representations in spring last year, before being submitted for council officers’ approval in the summer.

At a cabinet meeting in December, the council agreed to put the slightly amended plans out to a referendum for the approval of residents.

A spokesperson for ACNF said: "We've been creating a Neighbourhood Plan born out of a need to get a better deal from the planning system.

"Our plan has its limitations - we can't override local or national policy, such as being anti-development or setting our own parking standards, nor do we have the power to demand the vital infrastructure improvements we need.

"But the plan is a significant step towards addressing some of our challenges.

"It ensures that affordable housing is indistinguishable from market housing, protects family homes against conversion and preserves Chatham’s historic architecture.

"Without our Neighbourhood Plan and in the absence of an up-to-date Medway Local Plan, we're helpless."

To see more planning applications and other public notices for your area, click here.

The vote will take place on May 2 along with the Kent PCC election and will appear on ballots for those who live within the Arches boundary.