A village will go to the polls to approve proposals that will shape future development in their community.

Capel residents can take part in a referendum to adopt a Neighbourhood Plan prepared by the parish council and its advisers.

The area covered includes Whetsted, Five Oak Green, Tudeley, Colts Hill and Crockhurst Street.

If a majority of villagers who go to the polls approve the ideas, the Neighbourhood Plan will be presented to Tunbridge Wells council for approval, after which it will become part of the adopted planning regulations that will control future development in the parish.

The plan, which has been four years in the making and which can be viewed here, sets out 14 key policies designed to maintain the rural nature of the community and enhance biodiversity.

On housing, the plan calls for smaller homes on any development together with local needs affordable housing.

Ten local greenspaces are listed which will protected from development.

There are policies to preserve the night sky from light pollution, to ensure adequate flood mitigation measures and to insist on wildlife corridors through any developments, as well as policies to preserve the historic character of the area and to protect “significant views” within the villages.

There is also a policy to protect public houses in the area.

However, new community facilities will been encouraged, as well as the provision of electric vehicle charging points.

Voters will be asked to respond Yes or No to the question: “Do you want Tunbridge Wells Borough Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Capel to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”

At least 5% of the electorate must vote for it to be considered valid.

The polls will open between 7am and 10pm on Thursday, September 5.

Postal votes are acceptable.

Parish council chairman Hugh Patterson said: “It is very important that as many Capel parishioners as possible come out to vote on September 5.

“Please ensure you have your say by voting, either in person or by post.”

Meanwhile, Tunbridge Wells council is yet to have its own Local Plan approved.

The Stage 3 public hearings into the plan before a government inspector concluded on July 18.

Webcasts of the hearings can be viewed here.

The inspector, Matthew Birkinshaw, said he would need further evidence from the borough council before he could reach a decision, and that evidence, when submitted, will itself be subject to a six-week public consultation, followed by a further public hearing, so there is no likelihood of a decision soon.

Part of Tunbridge Wells’ original submission had been for a garden village of 2,100 homes at Tudeley, within the parish of Capel, but the inspector has already rejected that on the grounds of insufficient evidence to justify it and the borough officially withdrew it from the proposed plan in December last year.

That, along with 1,000 homes originally proposed for Paddock Wood that have also been dropped, has left the plan light in housing numbers, so if and when it is adopted, it would run only for 10 years rather than the normal 15.

There is always the danger, therefore, that Tudeley Garden Village could resurface in a review of the borough’s Local Plan which must happen within five years of the plan being adopted - especially now the new Labour government intends to greatly increase the annual housing target for Tunbridge Wells from 660 per year to 1,045 per year - a whopping hike of 58%.