Plans for Lymm Fire Station and Safety Centre
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Plans for Lymm Fire Station and Safety Centre: Public Consultation 14/7/14 Page 1 of 12 Summary Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service intends to submit planning permission in 2014 to build a new integrated fire station and safety centre on land off Cliff Lane, Lymm. The Service was keen to gauge public opinion about the plans in advance of the formal submission. To do this the Service organised a public exhibition in the area at Lymm Village Hall and invited people to comment about the plans online via the Service’s website. Key findings were: • 26 of 32 respondents supported the Service’s plans to build a fire station and safety centre in Lymm. • 26 respondents liked the proposed design of the fire station and safety centre. • 27 respondents supported the Service’s plans to target the safety centre towards school groups, new parents and carers. • 28 respondents supported the type of activities and programmes that the Service plans to undertake at the safety centre. • Main concerns raised relate to access and traffic concerns onto the A50 and concerns over the Green Belt status of the proposed site. Background In 2012-13 Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) carried out a detailed review into how its frontline emergency response services could be best provided in the future. The aim was to ensure the Service could continue to protect and improve the safety of local communities while taking into account risk and activity levels and the major cuts in its funding. Following a major public consultation programme, a wide-ranging Emergency Response Programme was agreed in principle which involves building some new fire stations, keeping the same number of fire engines, but making significant changes in how they are staffed. Implementing the programme over the next four years will enable the Service to improve its 10 minute response standard overall as well as helping to achieve some of the budget cuts it needs. 82% of members of the public surveyed (of 1,206 respondents) supported the Service’s overall plans, while 82% (of 1,201 respondents) supported the proposals to build the additional stations - at Alsager, Penketh, Lymm and near the M53 / M56 interchange. These stations are scheduled to be completed by the end of the 2016-17 financial year. Members of the public, CFRS staff and stakeholders were also consulted on a proposal for the Service to build a safety centre specifically for young people 14/7/14 Page 2 of 12 in Cheshire during the consultation on the Integrated Risk Management Plan for 2014/15, which took place in late 2013. 77% of members of the public surveyed (from a total of 581 respondents) supported the proposal to build the safety centre. Following this consultation, proposals for the safety centre were further refined and it was decided to expand the scope of planned activities to incorporate new parents and carers to offer a more holistic approach to improving safety among communities. This report focuses on the plans for a fire station and safety centre in Lymm and more specifically what people in the area think about our plans to build on land off Cliff Lane and also gauge public opinion in relation to the proposed development of a safety centre on the site. How the Service has gauged public opinion It has been important for the Service to find out what the public thinks about our plans before we formally submit them. For this reason we have held a local event in the area where people have been invited to come and see the plans and complete a short survey to tell us what they think. The event took place on Friday, March 7 at Lymm Village Hall between 2.30pm and 6pm. This was publicised in the Warrington Guardian and press releases were also sent to the local radio stations. Twitter, Facebook and the Service’s website and Alert System were also used to plug the event. In addition the Service distributed leaflets to neighbouring properties to encourage people to come along to the event and see the plans. Part One of this report looks at the feedback given during the event. This was given via a short survey completed at the event or completed at a later date and returned via Freepost. Part Two of this document reflects on the comments posted onto the Service’s website www.cheshirefire.gov.uk in relation to the plans. 14/7/14 Page 3 of 12 Part One: Feedback from the consultation event. 1. Who responded? A total of 32 people completed the forms. These were either completed at the consultation event that took place in Lymm (Lymm Village Hall) or completed and returned using our Freepost service. The following images include the content of the display boards and photographs that were taken at the event: 14/7/14 Page 4 of 12 19 respondents were men (63%) and 11 respondents were women (37%). A further 2 people preferred not to say. 93% of people who responded described themselves as ‘White British’. The map below plots the postcodes of the people who completed questionnaires. It should be noted that not all respondents provided a complete postcode. The following chart shows the age range of those who completed the survey: 14/7/14 Page 5 of 12 Results of the feedback. i) Quantitative feedback Question One: Do you support our plans to build a fire station and safety centre in Lymm? Support 81.3% (26 people) Oppose 15.6% (5 people) Not sure 3.1% (1 person) This question was answered 32 people. Question Two: Do you like the design of the proposed Lymm fire station and safety centre? Like it 83.9% (26 people) Don’t like it 12.9% (4 people) Not sure 3.2% (1 person) This question was answered by 31 people. Question Three: Do you support our plans to target the safety centre at schools, new parents and carers? Support 84.4% (27 people) Oppose 6.3% (2 people) Not sure 9.4% (3 people) This question was answered by 32 people. Question Four: Do you support the type of activities and programmes we plan to undertake at the safety centre? Support 87.6% (28 people) Oppose 9.4% (3 people) Not sure 3.1% (1 person) This question was answered by 32 people. 14/7/14 Page 6 of 12 ii) Summary of comments. Most of the comments were positive. People liked the design and were in general supportive of having an improved emergency response in the area. However, there were some negative comments. These focused on the following concerns: • Green Belt: Some residents raised the issue of Green Belt protection and also highlighted the existence of a clause/agreement that stipulated the proposed site must be returned to Greenfield status as part of the agreement to build the current truck stop. • Traffic: Concerns were raised over access in relation to potential traffic congestion around the truck stop and roundabout leading to the motorway. • Sirens: Some were concerned that the siren noise may be an issue. iii) Comments in full. Please view Appendix One for a full list of the comments received via way of the feedback on the questionnaires. These have been split into ‘Positive’, Negative’ and ‘general’ categories. Part Two: Feedback via the Service’s website. The plans for the proposed station and safety centre in Lymm were published on the website www.cheshirefire.gov.uk People were invited to comment on the plans. The comments posted in the main reflected the issues that came out of the consultation event. Please see Appendix Two for the list of comments and how the Service responded. 14/7/14 Page 7 of 12 Appendix One Comments received via way of the feedback on the questionnaire: Positive Comments • Fantastic plans. Electric car charging points a must for real life use and training! • Because I am disabled I could not go to Lymm Village Hall to see the plans, but from what I can see on this leaflet they look very good. • This is very positive forward-looking thinking about safe living. Education is most important to dispel the alarming ignorance. • Whole plan fantastic. Electric car charging points must be included! • Excellent proposal. • Is a circular plan cost effective to build compared with a conventional design of building to achieve the same objects? The site location is perfect to achieve the objects of the proposal. • I particularly like that there going to schools to teach them about safety. The building layout looks great. That they're going to be hitting response times. • Not only is there an operational fire station giving greater coverage in the area, the educational/training centre will greatly benefit the wider community as a whole. Training centre will also benefit the other emergency services for training and multidisciplinary training. The location is positioned well and should increase service coverage and effectiveness. • Perfect spot for you - excellent communications, roads, motorway etc. No negative comments - well thought out. • I wholly support the plans and the proposed activities and access to make people aware of hazards on the road and in the home. Looking forward to this. Well done! • Great position next to 2 motorways and still near to Lymm residents. Great plan for educating the children. • Great position to 2 motorways and still near to Lymm residents. Great plan for educating the children. • Excellent proposal 14/7/14 Page 8 of 12 • I think it’s a good use of the proposed site, but knowing the road at that spot I think that you would need a traffic light system when leaving in an emergency.