Young people from the Sid Valley area will be prioritised for affordable homes, if the Sid Valley Neighbourhood Plan is approved.

A referendum on the plan will take place on Thursday, September 19. The plan will be used by East Devon District Council to help it decide planning applications in the Sid Valley.

One key part of the plan is making sure affordable homes in the valley go to local people, particularly the area's young people.

If the plan is passed affordable homes will only be allocated to people who have a connection to the Sid Valley. These connections are set out in the plan:

-People who have been living in the Sid Valley permanently for at least three years before they take on the new home.

-People who have lived in the valley for at least five consecutive years at some time in the past.

-People who have worked permanently in the Sid Valley (regarded as 16 hours or more a week, not including seasonal work) for a continuous period of at least one year before they take on the new home.

-People who have a close family connection to the Sid Valley. Specifically, people who have close family members living in the area for at least five years prior to taking on the property or where a person can demonstrate they are caring for a family member in the area.

Deirdre Hounsom Chair of the Sid Valley Neighbourhood Plan Steering group said: "When we asked people in Sidmouth for their views on housing many people told us that they have children of 30 still living at home due to the difficulty and expense of buying a property in the Sid Valley.

"All the plan's policies are interconnected. We are also encouraging more start-up businesses into the valley to provide opportunities for young people, giving them everything they need to live and work here.

"It's very hard for the Sid Valley's young people returning to the town, perhaps from university, to find a home and work in the valley.

"We hope younger people will be able to get on the housing market and we hope our tourism measures will will bring more opportunities for those young people.

She added: "We want to increase the number of young people living in the Sid Valley. We want this area to become much more vibrant and attractive to people from a range of generations."

Here is the policy in full from the Sid Valley Neighbourhood Plan:

Policy 13 – Local Connection

allowed by Policy 10, a local connection will be required which means one or more of the

1. Persons who have been permanently resident in Sidmouth Town Parish for a continuous period of three years out of five years, immediately prior to their occupation of the new dwelling.

1. Have been formerly permanently resident therein for a continuous period of five years at

some time in the past.

1. Having his or her permanent place of work (normally regarded as 16 hours or more a week and not including seasonal employment) within the Sidmouth Town Council area for a continuous period of at least 12 months immediately prior to the occupation of the new dwelling; or

1. Persons who can demonstrate a close family connection to the Town Council area in that the person's mother, father, son, daughter or sibling has been permanently resident there for a continuous period of five years immediately prior to the occupation of the new dwelling and where there is independent evidence of a caring dependency relationship.

If you would like to find out more about the Sid Valley Neighbourhood Plan, click the red button below.