WILTSHIRE council has suspended the referendum it was planning to hold on the Marlborough neighbourhood plan. 

The plan would set out a series of planning policies that will be used to determine applications in the area until 2036.

READ MORE: Marlborough set for referendum to decide future housing plans

The decision comes after an environmentalist’s calls to take the council to court amid plans to build an equine centre on Poulton Mill, which sits in the North Wessex Downs Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty.

Local environmentalist Martin Ephson, who owns a patch of land nextdoor, has been highlighting his concerns for several months, amid fears it would cause damage to the environment; namely the River Og which sits between the sites.

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald: 'Gin clear' River Og. Bay Meadows where the equine centre could be built to the left, and Martin Ephson's property to the right.'Gin clear' River Og. Bay Meadows where the equine centre could be built to the left, and Martin Ephson's property to the right.

He said in June: “The Marlborough Town Council recently voted in favour of the application in the full knowledge that the area had been earmarked for special protection in the Marlborough Neighbourhood plan and sets a precedent that AONBs in this part of Wiltshire is open for business development."

READ MORE: Concerns that plans for an equine centre in Marlborough will cause 'irreversible' damage

A month later, he then explained he believed that the council had broken the law by removing the green space protection status in the area - which prevents new developments from being built unless it is under special circumstances.

Last week, he said that the council had until Monday (09/08) to cancel the referendum before he officially takes them to court.

READ MORE: Landowner to take council to court over equine centre plans

And it has now been confirmed that the referendum on whether Marlborough will adopt the Neighbourhood Plan has been suspended for the time being.

Martin Ephson said: “After much work by many people the MANP provides our community with an excellent framework to guide planning policy for years to come.

“It’s too important to have its impact undermined before it even gets adopted.

“It was important to stop the council making material changes without public consultation after the plan was signed off by the independent examiner and before our vote.

“I raised this with the council in person and in writing but unfortunately they brushed my concerns aside which is why I have been forced to resort to the courts.”

Terence Herbert, Counting Officer, said: “The council has received a claim for judicial review relating to the Draft Marlborough Area Neighbourhood Plan.

"I have been instructed to suspend the Referendum due to be held on 11 August 2022 following an order of the court until further notice.”

Councillor Nick Botterill, Member for Strategic Planning, said: “We appreciate this will be a disappointment to the local community who have worked really hard to prepare the plan. However, it is important that the legal proceeding is resolved, and a neighbourhood plan is in place for the Marlborough area as soon as possible.”