Referendum 22 September 2022

LATEST NEWS: Westminster City Council adopts final version of the Pimlico Neighbourhood Plan

The Neighbourhood Plan Referendum is the final stage of six years work (click on the picture to read the Plan, click on the Planning drop down menu to read about the previous stages). The whole history can be read in the Announcements. This work has been led by the volunteers in the Steering Group of the Pimlico Neighbourhood Forum with the help of a consultant and working closely with residents associations, local businesses and other volunteers: thank you to everyone who helped us get this far! 

Under the Localism Act 2011, the Pimlico Neighbourhood Forum was created in 2016 to produce a Neighbourhood Plan for the Neighbourhood area as defined by Westminster City Council. This area doesn’t include the Churchill Gardens Estate, which has its own Neighbourhood Forum. 

Following a first round of consultation in 2016 with resident groups, the Forum agreed on a Vision for Pimlico in early 2017. The Forum held a wider consultation of local residents and other stakeholders on how to fulfil this vision, with an exhibition in November 2017. 

In July 2019 the Forum published a draft Neighbourhood Plan (68 pages) which was subject to a consultation of a wide range of local and other interests who made extensive comments on the draft Plan.

Despite inevitable disruption from the Covid-19 pandemic, the Forum continued its work. A revised version of the Neighbourhood Plan (80 pages) was published and subject to a formal consultation by Westminster Council in Summer 2021. We have all experienced Pimlico in different ways in the last 2 years, but the Steering Group believes this time has confirmed the Vision agreed 5 years ago.

The revised Plan was sent to an Independent Examiner for assessment and to check that it was consistent with National and Local Planning Policy. These stages lasted from October 2021 to July 2022, resulting in the final version of the Pimlico Neighbourhood Plan decided by the Examiner and a local referendum set for Thursday, 22 September 2022. You can read it (80 pages), print it or download it here. 

The Plan sets out a lot of background about our area and sits alongside Westminster’s City Plan. It has specific policies that we think are needed for our area to help deliver the vision: for example, ensuring that key ideas in the Pimlico Design Guide are complied with for altering historic buildings and policies to help promote and protect the various retail and hospitality areas and the green and open spaces. And it sets limits on the height of future developments. Most importantly, it will really help in future planning decisions in getting the feel of Pimlico and its differences from Victoria across to people taking decisions.

Who can vote and where, how to register?

To vote in this referendum, a person must:

  • be registered to vote in the Pimlico Neighbourhood Plan area
  • be at least 18 years old on the day of the referendum (22 September 2022)
  • be a British citizen, a European Union citizen or a Commonwealth citizen who has or does not require leave to remain in the UK

Being registered with the council for other services and paying council tax does not automatically mean that a person is included on the register of electors. Registration to vote in this referendum, if not already registered, will close at midnight on Tuesday 6 September 2022.

British citizens living overseas cannot vote in this referendum.

The vote is open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 22 September 2022There are three different polling stations depending on where you live, St Gabriels Church (Warwick Square), Lillington Gardens Estate and St Saviour’s in St George’s Square: find yours here! Postal and Proxy vote are also available.

The question that will be asked in the referendum is ‘Do you want Westminster City Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Pimlico to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?’.

Reasons to vote YES

The reasons to vote YES will be outlined in successive Announcements on this website and Newsletters to Forum members and subscribers from the end of August 2022 (register here!):

  • preserve Pimlico’s character and village feeling
  • restrict new development above the characteristic height of building nearby
  • protect and improve our public realm, and our open and green spaces
  • ensure new housing meets the needs of families in Pimlico
  • support and enhance our retail areas
  • increase our share of CIL money (the Community Infrastructure Levy the Council sets on new developments)

Campaign material

Pimlico Neighbourhood Plan & Referendum factsheet (A4, to print / download)

 

Postcard distributed to the residents of the Neighbourhood Area in early August 2022

Poster (exists in A3 and A4, for shop windows, community boards etc.)

Referendum Poster