Residents have voted in favour of two neighbourhood plans being adopted by the council.

Some 93 per cent of voters in the Hove Station area and 89 per cent of voters in Rottingdean Parish voted to back their respective neighbourhood plans in referendums on Friday, February 9.

Following the public votes, the plans will now be formally made at the next full council meeting and then become part of the city’s planning policies.

Councillor Alan Robins, chairman of the culture, heritage, sport, tourism and economic development committee on Brighton and Hove City Council, said: “Neighbourhood plans sit alongside other local planning policies to guide development and to help decide the outcome of planning applications in the area.

“We would like to thank both the Hove Station Neighbourhood Forum and Rottingdean Parish Council who have developed these plans in consultation with their local communities - and, of course, the residents in each area whose votes will help shape the future of their community.

“These are the first neighbourhood plans to complete the process and become part of our planning policy.

“Consultation is currently underway on the Brighton Marina Neighbourhood Plan and we hope other areas of the city will soon follow suit and bring forward their own plans.”