People in a Norfolk village have backed a blueprint for future development in their community.

A referendum was held in New Buckenham on Thursday over a new neighbourhood plan for the Breckland village.

That plan, put together by the parish council, set a framework for development and village life until at least the year 2036, including the types of housing which would be deemed appropriate.

There was a turnout of 44pc in the referendum, with 92pc casting their vote in favour of the plan and 8pc against.

The plan states that development which involve ongoing preservation of heritage assets through conservation, renovation, remodelling, extension or adaptive reuse will be supported where appropriate.

It states new buildings should be well-designed and use good quality materials which reflect other materials already used nearby.

Development proposals should respect the historic boundaries of the village, including the line of the town ditch and the medieval street grid layout.

New development should also respect important village views and maintain or enhance the open countryside setting of the village.

Now the neighbourhood plan has been approved, Breckland District Council will need to take account of it in determining whether to grant permission for planning applications in the New Buckenham area.

In their neighbourhood plan, villagers in Heacham recently voted for tight restrictions to curb the number of second homes in their area, amid mounting concerns over their impact.