B Frisby Consultation Analysis March 2016
Transcription
B Frisby Consultation Analysis March 2016
FRISBY ON THE WREAKE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DROP-IN EVENT 8 March 2016 CONSULTATION ANALYSIS CONTENTS Heading Page Number 1. Background 3 a. Project brief 3 b. Publicity 3 c. Attendees 4 2. Format of Event 5 a. Process on the day 5 b. Display 6 Boards 3. Results a. Housing 7 b. Design 9 c. Heritage 9 d. Open Spaces and Environment 10 e. Community Facilities and amenities 11 f. Employment 12 g. Developer contributions 12 h. Anything else? 13 4. Summary 9 2 1. Background a) Project Brief Yourlocale was commissioned by Frisby on the Wreake Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan Advisory Committeeto assist in the delivery of a drop-in event on Neighbourhood Planning on 8 March 2016. The event took place between 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm at the Village Hall. The aim of this event was to help engage the community in the development of the Neighbourhood Plan and to seek comments on the emerging topics – including Local Green Space and environment; community facilities and amenities; housing and design; and business. b) Publicity The drop-in event was promoted in a variety of ways: Posters were produced promoting the event Details of the consultation were advertised in the village newsletter Members of the Advisory Committee spoke to villagers to inform them of the event and to encourage attendance. 3 c) List of attendees A list of attendees is available separately. xx people attended the event 4 2. Format of Event a) Process on the day Sign in Members of the Advisory Committee welcomed attendees on arrival and asked them to complete a contact sheet to record attendance. The arrangements for the Open event were explained Background The first displays introduced Neighbourhood Planning and described the process that is being followed by Frisby on the Wreake Parish Council. Copies of explanatory booklets were available on the display stands. Information Copies of finalised Neighbourhood Plans were available for people to read as they walked around the displays. Consultation on A series of display boards were spread across the room, each of which focussed key issues on a different topic related to planning and development, including: Housing – potential sites and housing mix, design and heritage Environment – existing designations and Local Green Space criteria Transport Businesses and Employment Community Facilities and amenities Having read the displays, attendees were asked to comment on each topic using post-it notes and to place them on flip-chart paper alongside each display. Visual maps A large map of the Parish was available and people were invited to place up to 3 blue dots on areas of recreation and up to 3 green dots in places enjoying good views. 5 b) Display Boards General Housing Environment Environmental Designations Other themes What have we done and what next? 6 3. Results Housing Comments No objection to a modest development or two – looking back to the Hall Orchard estate it breathed new life into the village but any additional houses need to cater for the young as most houses in the village may be beyond starter home prices. I feel a limit to the number of houses is important to retain the “heart” of the village. Other sites should be considered but not to facilitate adding many more houses than the 40-50 proposed!! Brownfield sites at Brooksby and Dalby airfield should be developed first. The proposals for the development on the north and south sides of Melton should also go ahead. If these sites are developed, additional housing in villages could be considerably reduced. Frisby needs first time buyer properties which will help to change the dynamics of the village but also will impact on village infrastructure especially on the school which is already full. MBC/007/16 should be reduced in size as upwards of 250-300 houses could fit on this site. If the village is developed to this extent it would completely lose its character as a village. More housing needs to be fitted in but the current (possibly) proposal is insensitive and out of proportion. No. 3 is too large an area and if fully developed could swamp the village – needs to be restricted. However, it could be used to create an in and out road/bypass and include parking for the village school, ie resolve congestion at the school. Perhaps small development on the 3 sites. If developments can add other benefits, eg access to school, age appropriate (location/amenities) this would be good. Not keen on any of the sites but site 2 particularly problematic in terms of level crossing and access via Water Lane which is already problematic for residents of Water Lane et al. Houses= Building on No.3, making room for car parking and play area for school – entrance to it on Rotherby Lane. Plot 3 – too big and would totally dominate the village. Too detached. Houses split between several plots and to include a variety of beds. Better access up to school and more parking is needed. Flood risk grade 2 by railway – site 2. Access/level crossing safety. Plot 1 – best of no ideal plots but number should be limited (dwellings) and in keeping with the village. Plot 2 - Flood Plain – cannot be considered. Plot 3 - no longer a village!! Cannot be considered. Affordable housing should not be considered in a village. No amenities/Sparse public transport. Affordable housing should only be considered for towns. The main problem with village housing today is that developers only want to build large detached houses – this will have the result of an age gap between 18 and 38+. Affordable housing is vital for youngsters born and bred here. 7 Plot 2 – band 2 flood plain and traffic congestion. Site 2 – problems: access straight onto level crossing. A safety issue? It’s questionable whether Frisby can sustain a 20% increase in size based on 40-50 new houses. Its classification in the Local Plan is marginal. Neighbourhood Plan should add “local detail” to broader planning policy > local concerns should inform and influence decisions in Local Plan. Not what was said at meeting last week! The entrance to Frisby is the most attractive of the three and a new estate built up there would spoil the view as you come into the village. Site 3 – would beg even further development and would destabilise the centre of the village. Plot 2: Proposal. Closer to geographic centre. Flood band not for building. Village Hall car park provision possible and play area. Cater for all housing in area. Relieve Water Lane congestion. Surely making new communities would be more desirable than bastardising existing communities. The brownfields (Dalby Airfield) appear to be a more acceptable option for large scale development. Notwithstanding the acceptance of smaller/manageable expansion of the villages: 20 houses not 48 please. Please note this scale is different to Plot 2 - 1,500 v 1.2, 500. This land is enormous, and would have the “potential” to have 100’s of houses! NOT WHAT we need. We would prefer a “split” of houses if this is viable – but to safeguard the areas so no future housing could extend after 48+ are built. Plot 3 is a vast area and would swamp the village if built to its full capacity. 3 sites preferred to limit the addition of an estate. 3 sites sympathetically developed with a range of 1,2,3,4 and 5 bed houses, and mix of owner and rented. Best development site is south of the school. Development to include widening the tarmac on Gaddesby Lane, access to site from junction of Great Lane and Gaddesby Lane, car park at rear of school and extension to school to accommodate increased population of children. No sale for “Buy To Let” properties. Low cost 2-3 houses under 200k for old and young. All 3 sites are viable and would add value to the village. Developing any of these 3 sites would ruin the character of the village. Nowhere do I see a statement that the number of houses will definitely be capped to 40-50. If sites 2 or 3 are taken up, my fear is there will be space for far more houses – and far more will be built! Don’t wish for any of the developments. 48 is excessive when only a need for 6 was previously identified. Particularly do not want site 2 – it will spoil the beauty of the surrounding area, cause chaos for access. It will increase the amount of traffic on Water Lane which is already busy at times. If the go ahead is given for 3 building sites the best way forward would be to spread the number between all 3 sites (16 per site). Development south of village to rear of school road connecting Rotherby Lane and Great Lane. Possibility for enlargement of school, car parking and play area. Some housing for elderly. 8 Would like to see the housing divided between the three sites and a new road put up to the back of the school for parking and houses. Plot 2 – Flood plain. Too close to the railway. When will they stop – so! Then what! To avoid a large development consider sharing the housing development across the 3 sites. Consideration of the impact on noise, dust etc of any large scale builds. What number of houses can we absorb? SHLAA site – too exposed and distant from village hall, shop, school, church and pub. Cook site – too exposed and distant from most village services. Alternative sites – a) Wood’s Stack Yard, Rotherby Lane; b) land opposite Wood’s Farm. Plot 3 seems very large compared to other – can’t the building be split? Potential mix of housing types across all 3 sites with sympathy to existing current architecture. Would Site 2 have historical flooding issues and as indicated when looking at Environment Agency flood areas? Design Comments The houses need to be carefully designed to fit in aesthetically to the village Please choose the site that has the least impact on the fewest people. We need to grow, but restrictions must apply. Plot 1 should only be considered and dwellings kept to a minimum. These should be in keeping with conservation area. Consider how new houses can enhance and blend with the present houses. The main issue is that the survey carried out reports there is no need for additional housing in Frisby! GROWTH – it needs to be sustainable. Allow the plot that affects fewest dwellings. Any new houses need to be built in the local style. Not generic boxes with UPVC windows. Heritage Comments Help those with listed buildings. Tyres on rooves. Are there grants? Keep Frisby as a Village Of Importance. When does a village become a small town – keep the villages build on wasteland. Important to Frisby – Preserve and Adore. Rearsby successfully defended development that would have “ruined its status as a village” The “heritage” of the village needs preserving – village life offers us a very different way of life. 9 Open Space and Environment Comments Keep Green Spaces. Retain all existing green spaces, protect and keep all footpaths/bridleways. Ensure Public Rights of Way are protected and improved. Protect all green spaces including open fields surrounding Frisby. Retain village settings and countryside of the Melton borough. Do not allow “creep” of development so that we end up with F.O.T.W cum Asfordby. We have not got the local amenities/drainage/roads in and out of the village to sustain any extra building. Keep villages small as they were always meant to be. No more infill! These are the spaces which give the village its character. Traffic – Water Lane, Main St, Hall Orchard to school. Traffic calming measures: on Great Lane traffic is heavy and no one seems to take any notice of 30mph. Protect existing green space. The bus through the village is a subsidised one and the county council is looking to cutting a lot of the subsidies and would likely cut this service. Make better use of land behind school, eg recreation. Plant trees. Proper play areas for children would be helpful. Open up school playing field out of hours? Good to see that Frisby Lakes footpath is now open again. Keep it Rural, protect our green fields! A play area could be constructed on part of the allotments land. Keep Green Spaces. Play area has been discussed for at least 38 years – every suitable one has always been built on. Vitally important – to be seen and in full view at all times by members of the community. School needs car parking. Keep all internal green spaces within the village. Organically developed village, ie slow and in keeping. Space. Mixed style and size of dwellings. The village needs to grow but must retain green spaces and a “buffer” between other communities so we retain the village identity. Protect existing green spaces. 10 Community Facilities and amenities Comments The village pub is vital to the village and as such its status needs to be protected. The village must grow if we are to keep a shop and pub The village pub is an important asset to the village and all avenues should be explored to retain it. Play area for all children. Post Office to expand! Prioritise school places for local children. Make sure our shop cum Post Office stays open. The infrastructure: school places, pub, shop/PO, transport etc need to expand to meet any increase in housing. The village needs a new village hall. Ensure that pub is kept as a pub! A play area for children (in keeping with the village). The school is too small to accommodate more pupils and will require expansion. Please think about schools if there are new houses. They are oversubscribed already. Retain a shop and Post Office in the village. A community centre with parking and outside space would be well used by the village. Existing use of buildings needs to be protected, ie the public house, shop, etc. We must retain the Post Office and The Bell Inn. Take these away and the village dies. Keep pub as a pub – Do Not Change Use! Please fight against “change of use”. We need services – shop, Post Office, pub. Allow growth to offer support. No spare school places. Local SP15 under pressure. No amenities/facilities for another third growth in population. Employment 11 Comments Anyone wishing to work from home would need a greatly improved broadband connection. 1.29 mbs is totally insufficient. Difficult to work from home without high speed broadband. Broadband is variable and insufficient. Broadband – hopeless, needs improving. Broadband – hopeless! Needs instant action. Broadband is terrible. Pub with a decent host might revitalise it. Broadband needs to be upgraded! Broadband. Developer Contributions Comments Ensure Section 107 monies contribute to facilities within the village. New Development should include parking for the school and a new play area for children. Build a new school. The school is in the wrong place. A new purpose built school with easy access is needed. Fully consider the needs of development of the school to build for a long term future of a more populated catchment area. Enable school to meet the demand for an increase in population. Car parking for parents collecting children from school. Play area long overdue. Play area for children is vital. A safer route for school traffic is required now and would be imperative if extra housing is built. Age appropriate housing and better access to school. Aesthetically appropriate housing. Additional car parking space. More parking please – every house has 2+ cars – no room on the roads anymore! Traffic calming on entry to the village down Rotherby Lane. Traffic calming already required on Great Lane. 12 Developer contributions must be substantial and real. No mention of contributions to health here? Anything else? Comments Having lived for 40+ years in the village – I from choice would not want to move – but would need to downsize. Housing for people who want to downsize. Extend village to try enabling young families to settle here and give it life. Any new development needs to prioritise what we haven’t got much of – smaller/affordable. Protect and enhance Frisby’s status as a “village”. Opening up the railway station could allow people to travel for work or entertainment. Opening the railway station up! Go at a development pace the village can absorb. Better facilities for children – a “safe” footpath to Asfordby Park via river bank. Children’s playground in Frisby! Playground for children. Put in halt stop for trains. Include Cricket Club in amenities. Ensure the pub is open. Ensure pub has a future. Protect the pub from redevelopment (housing, etc). Ensure the pub remains open. On-line access to the Neighbourhood Plan, with ability to further comment and query whilst in draft. Can the Village Plan influence the Melton Plan when the next draft is ready May 2016 and final Jan 2017? Will the Village Plan be available to all villagers for comment? 4. Summary of findings Comments were made which reflected a wide range of opinions. However, people who attended the consultation event demonstrated a consistency of opinion in a number of key areas: Housing – this section generated the most response. 13 Out of a total of 41 comments, 4 expressed concern over any further housing development in the Parish. Concerns included the potential for new housing to destroy the character of the village and in relation to proposed site 2, also spoil the beauty of the surrounding area. Concerns were also expressed over the impact on village infrastructure and amenities, in particular on the already over- subscribed primary school and traffic congestion. The remaining comments accepted and welcomed new housing development on a limited scale. A number of these (4) expressed the desire for new housing to be in keeping with the character and “heart” of the village. 7 respondents referred to the need for smaller homes to meet the needs of young people/families (including those “born and bred” in the village) and older residents. Views were mixed on the need for affordable housing and reflected the need for cheaper housing to place it within the reach of young people, balanced with the cost and availability of local public transport. The need to address potential impact on village infrastructure, e.g. school (roll numbers; access/parking) was referenced by 6, and a further 3 raised the need for road congestion and car parking in general to be taken into account. One person commented that development could provide the opportunity for village amenities to be provided, such as a children’s play area. Generally, in terms of the 3 proposed development sites there was no clear preference expressed for a particular site, (2 in favour of site 1). However, 6 stated that site 2 was unacceptable due to its location on a flood plain and proximity of the railway level crossing, and 3 comments were made that site 3 was not acceptable due to its large size. A total of 8 respondents suggested that development could be shared across the 3 sites. Design Out of the 6 responses in total there was a general desire expressed for housing design to be in keeping with local village style and the conservation area, and with the least impact on people. Business/Employment The 8 comments made focussed on the variable and insufficient current broadband service to the village, and some cited the detrimental impact this has on working from home. Heritage The comments on the heritage display demonstrate the value attached to the character of Frisby and a desire to maintain it. Environment There was a considerable degree of interest shown in the environmental displays, with a total of 23 responses. 10 people specifically wrote about the importance of retaining and protecting open green spaces in and around the built environment of the village. Comments in support of this referred to the desire for keeping the village small with a “buffer” between Frisby and neighbouring communities in order to preserve the appearance and identity of the village and protect the surrounding open countryside. 2 respondents wished for public rights of way/bridleways to be protected, and another suggested that trees be planted. The need to address the impact of development on current village traffic congestion/car speeds was commented upon by 3 people, and the need for a children’s play area was voiced by 3 others. Transport/Access This display also drew a considerable number of responses (21). 6 respondents drew attention to the current issue of traffic congestion in Frisby and the need to address it. Concern was expressed over the potential impact of additional traffic arising from housing development and in particular on the residents of Main Street and Water Lane. A further comment was made which suggested the provision of double yellow lines at the Main St/Water Lane junction in the interests of safety. 2 people commented that there needs to be more parking and better access in relation to the school, and another suggested the re-opening of the railway station. There were a number of comments (5) on the inadequacy and vulnerability of public transport currently serving Frisby, with 1 person specifically referring to the need for village transport to be developed to support low income families to reach their workplaces. 14 Community facilities/amenities This area for consideration generated 20 responses. The village pub and shop/post office were referred to by most people as important community facilities, with some respondents calling for the need to protect and retain both. In relation to facilities lacking, comments mentioned the need for a children’s play area, a new village hall/community centre with parking and outside space and the expansion of the school and the village’s transport system in order to meet any increase in housing. Developer Contributions The most significant responses were about meeting the demands of an increased population: through the new build and better location of the school or development of its current site; better access and parking in relation to the school; the creation of a children’s play area; more car parking spaces in the village generally and traffic calming measures at the Rotherby Lane entrance to the village and in Great Lane. One respondent referred to the need for” age-appropriate” housing and another queried the contributions that would be made to health. Anything Else? In addition to the reiteration of points already raised, 3 respondents asked questions relating to villager’s opportunities for further commentary and influence on the Neighbourhood Plan as it progresses through its draft stages. Another comment asked for inclusion of the Cricket Club in consideration of village amenities. Gary Kirk Yourlocale March 2016 15