Binley Woods Parish Plan Interim Report Presenting The Survey Results

March 2013

“It's a great place to live and I want to stay here forever xx” Isobel, age 4

Foreword by Paul Salisbury

Dear Resident, Last autumn, we issued a Parish Plan questionnaire throughout Binley Woods; some 1140 questionnaires were delivered door-to-door by our dedicated band of volunteers. We subsequently received 459 completed responses, more than 40% of households and businesses in the village. This is a fantastic result and I would like to thank everyone who took the time and effort to complete and return their survey form. We also asked the younger members of our community for their views via three young people’s questionnaires covering pre-school age through to age 18; these results are presented separately at the end of the report. The response rates from these surveys were a little disappointing, but we were encouraged by the eagerness of the pupils (supported by the staff) at Binley Woods Primary School to have their say. In this report you will find the key findings from the Parish Plan surveys presented as a series of charts with accompanying commentary. Where a significant number of respondents expressed concern over a given topic or issue, we suggest some possible actions to address those concerns; these actions are shown in the ‘green box’ at the end of each section of the report. I would encourage each of you to consider the suggested actions and to let us have your views as to their desirability and feasibility. You can provide feedback on the survey results and actions at our forthcoming Parish Plan Open Day in the Village Hall on Saturday, 18th May. This is your opportunity to influence the contents of both the Parish Plan ‘Action Plan’ and the Village Design Statement - key documents for the future development of our community. I hope to see as many of you there as possible. We are also making arrangements to present the findings from the young people’s surveys, together with the identified actions, to the children at Binley Woods Primary School. I look forward to an interesting debate with the youngsters. We still have a great deal of work to do to complete the Parish Plan and associated Village Design Statement, but the publication of this Interim Report represents a key milestone in the project and I would, once again, like to express my thanks to everybody involved – Steering Group Officers and Members and Parish Plan Volunteers for all their hard work and commitment and, of course, you the residents of Binley Woods for your input and continued support.

Paul Salisbury, Chairman, Binley Woods Parish Council

Binley Woods Parish Plan – Interim Report Table of Contents Foreword ………………………………………………………………....…….. inside front cover Section A – Demographics ………………………………………….…... 2 Section B - Traffic, Parking and Speeding ………………………… 3 Section C – Services in Binley Woods ………………………………. 6 Section D – Facilities in Binley Woods ……………………………… 10 Section E – The Environment …………………………………………… 13 Section F – Village Life …………………………………………………..... 18 Section G - Future Development in Binley Woods …………… 21 Section H - And Finally …………………………………………………….. 23 Young People’s Questionnaires ………………………………………. 25 Selected Descriptions of Binley Woods …………………………… inside back cover Illustrations Aerial photograph of Binley Woods ………………………….…….. back cover (© Google Maps 2013) Binley Woods Parish Map by Lynsey Cleaver ………………….. back cover (© Binley Woods Parish Council 2012) Further Information Detailed results and analyses of the Parish Plan main and young people’s surveys can be found on our website: http://binleywoodsparish.wordpress.com. Results of the Binley Woods Housing Needs Survey conducted in March through May 2012 can be found on the Rugby Borough Council website: http://www.rugby.gov.uk. Acknowledgements The authors of this report would like to thank the following:  Binley Woods Parish Council for their sponsorship of the Parish Plan project.  The Parish Plan Steering Group and its Chairman and Officers, who are driving forward the Parish Plan, Village Design Statement and Housing Needs Survey.  The Parish Plan sub-groups, who concentrate upon key areas of the project.  The Parish Plan volunteers, who deliver survey forms, reports and newsletters around the village and help out at open days and other events.  Our Borough and County Councillor, Heather Timms, for her participation and support.  Sarah Fisher and Ross Middleton from the Planning Department at Rugby Borough Council, Louise Boffey and Dan Green from Warwickshire County Council and Sarah Brooke-Taylor from Warwickshire Rural Community Council for their help and guidance.  Midlands Rural Housing for conducting the Housing Needs Survey.

E&OE. Binley Woods Parish Council has sought to ensure that information contained in this report and its associated publications is accurate and not misleading. No liability or responsibility is accepted arising from reliance upon the information contained in this report or in the survey results and analyses published electronically on our website.

Binley Woods Parish Plan 1 Interim Report March 2013

Section A – Demographics

Response Rate People living in respondents' households by age & gender 200 188 191 We delivered 1,140 survey questionnaires to 182 180 households and businesses across the village, 150 and subsequently received 459 completed 88 responses; 40.26% of the village. 100 85

50 35 Age & Gender 19 14 21 20 16

0 The number of people living in respondents’ 0-4 5-10 11-17 18-40 41-64 65+ households totalled 1039, over 70% of whom Males Females were aged over 40 and this age mix is reflected in some of the survey results. How many years have you lived in Binley Woods? 120 Of those 1039 people, the most common age 102 ranges were 65+ (379 residents) and 41-64 (362 100 83 83 residents). 51% were male and 49% female. 80 61 60 Living in Binley Woods 45 40 32 The most common period of time that 20 16 respondents have lived in Binley Woods is 10 0 between 40 and 50 years, with 102 respondents Less than 5 5 to 10 10 to 20 20 to 30 30 to 40 40 to 50 50 to 60 60 years or falling into that band. The next most common years years years years years years years more bands were 20 to 30 years and 30 to 40 years, How did you come to live in Binley Woods? with 83 respondents in each. 43; 9% Almost 50% of respondents have lived in the village for 30 years or more, with 30% having 59; 13% Born here lived here for 40 years or more. Ten Work respondents have lived in the village for 60 Family 250; 55% years or more, with the longest being 83 years Retirement 84; 18% (plus one each of 82 and 81 years). Other

The average length of time that respondents 23; 5% 459 Responses have lived in the village is just under 29 years. As 40.3% of residents one respondent commented, “Once people move here, they never want to leave!” How many motor vehicles are there at your house? 10; 2% 3; 1% 33; 7% When it came to the reason why people came to 51; 12% live in the village, the results were mixed with No vehicles over half of respondents giving ‘other’ as the 1 vehicle reason. Only 9% of respondents stated that they 2 vehicles 3 vehicles were born in the village. 190; 42% 4 vehicles 162; 36% Motor Vehicles 5 or more vehicles The majority of respondents’ households (78%) have one or two vehicles, with 7% having no vehicle and only 3% having four vehicles or Where are those vehicles parked overnight? more. The highest number of vehicles was six, 23; 4% 40; 8% reported by just one respondent. 121; 23% 22; 4% The average number of vehicles per respondent Garage household is 1.6. Drive Other off the road The vast majority (84%) of those vehicles are On the road parked in either a garage (23%) or on the drive N/A (61%) overnight, with only 8% parked on the road. 321; 61%

Binley Woods Parish Plan 2 Interim Report March 2013

Section B - Traffic, Parking and Speeding

A46/A428 Roundabout Effect of traffic lights at TGI island as a driver We asked for your views on the changes made 21; 5% 11; 3% last year to the ‘TGI’ roundabout at the junction 8; 2% of the A428 and the A46. much better 82; 19% slightly better As drivers, 71% thought the situation was ‘much no change better’ and a further 19% thought it was ‘slightly slightly worse better’. That is, 90% of respondents viewed the much worse changes to the roundabout as beneficial to 302; 71% drivers. 424 Responses 37.2% of residents As pedestrians, the picture was not quite so clear cut with 58% thinking that the situation Effect of traffic lights at TGI island as a pedestrian was ‘much better’ or ‘slightly better’ and 38% 8; 2% 5; 2% thinking that there was ‘no change’. However, only 4% of respondents believed that the much better 125; 39% changes had made life ‘slightly worse’ or ‘much slightly better 124; 38% worse’ for pedestrians. no change slightly worse Parking Problems much worse

When we held our first Open Day last year, 324 Responses attendees identified five parking ‘hot spots’ 62; 19% 28.4% of residents around the village: Parking problem hot-spots a) Corner of Ferndale Road / Craven Avenue 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% b) Craven Avenue near the recreation ground Corner of Ferndale Rd / Craven Av 115 54 224 c) Near the shops in Woodlands Road Craven Av near the Rec 48 34 258 d) Near the school in Coombe Drive e) In the vicinity of Elm Close Shops in Woodlands Rd 92 26 242 School in Coombe Drive 59 45 237 We asked if parked vehicles in these areas caused you problems either as a driver and/or as Vicinity of Elm Close 81 27 234 a pedestrian. In each case, a majority of Yes as driver Yes as pedestrian No problems respondents stated that there were ‘no problems’. Other parking hot-spots

We also asked if there were any other areas in 35 29 30 27 26 the village where parked vehicles caused 25 22 21 20 problems. The top five answers were: 15 14 13 15 11 10 a) Outside the Post Office (29 respondents) 10 5 b) The top end of Woodlands Road (27) 0 c) Parking on pavements (26) d) Parking too near road junctions (22) e) Parking on the corner of Oakdale Road and Monks Road (21) Parking Restrictions Possible parking restrictions On all key junctions / corners 154 176 We asked whether parking restrictions should be At other problem areas 74 169 introduced at the identified parking hot-spots or Vicinity of Elm Close 66 223 on all key road junctions and corners. There was School in Coombe Drive 99 200 a majority against in each case, although 47% of Shops in Woodlands Rd 38 249 respondents were in favour of introducing Craven Av near the Rec 49 233 parking restrictions on all key road junctions and Corner of Ferndale Rd / Craven Av 150 183 corners, and 45% in favour of parking 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% restrictions on the corner of Ferndale Road and Yes No Craven Avenue.

Binley Woods Parish Plan 3 Interim Report March 2013

Car Parks / Parking Spaces Possible car parks / parking spaces We asked, if space could be found, whether car 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% parking should be improved at the identified Corner of Ferndale Rd / Craven Av 104 179 parking hot-spots. There was a majority of Craven Av near the Rec 118 155 respondents against in each case. Shops in Woodlands Rd 139 149 Parking Tickets School in Coombe Drive 122 155 Vicinity of Elm Close 89 172

We asked whether the police should regularly At other problem areas 68 136 issue parking tickets when vehicles are parked on pavements / verges or near corners / road Yes No junctions. In both cases, a majority of respondents stated that tickets should only be Should police regularly issue parking tickets? issued if the vehicle causes an obstruction. 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Speeding Cars parked on pavements / verges 67 227 117 At the Open Day last year, attendees identified three roads where there were significant concerns over speeding traffic: Rugby Road, Cars parked near corners / road junctions 135 207 76 Woodlands Road and Craven Avenue.

In the questionnaire, we asked for your views on Yes always Only if it causes an obstruction No speeding and the result was that Rugby Road was the only road in the village where a majority of respondents (56%) thought that speeding was Are you concerned about speeding traffic? a problem. 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% On Rugby Road 224 176 We also asked on which other roads speeding was considered a problem. The most popular On Woodlands Road 140 211 answers were:  Heather Road (26 respondents) On Craven Avenue 104 227

 Monks Road (19) On other roads 123 198  Birchwood Road (15)  Ferndale Road (11) Yes No 16 respondents thought that speeding was a problem on all roads in the village. Should traffic calming be measures introduced? 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Traffic Calming On Rugby Road 114 273 We went on to ask whether appropriate traffic calming measures should be introduced on On Woodlands Road 83 272 those roads which were perceived as having a On Craven Avenue 58 282 problem with speeding. In every case (including Rugby Road where the majority of respondents On other roads 48 262 thought speeding was a problem) there was a Yes No large majority against introducing any form of traffic calming measures. Should there be a 20mph speed limit, except Rugby Road? 20mph Speed Limit

As a possible measure to reduce speeding 129; 29% throughout the village, we asked whether a 20mph speed limit should be introduced on all Yes roads except Rugby Road. 71% of respondents No were in favour of such a move. Conversely, one respondent commented that 310; 71% the speed limit on Rugby Road should be 439 Responses 38.5% of residents increased to 40mph, as it was some years ago.

Binley Woods Parish Plan 4 Interim Report March 2013

Speed Checks Speed checks We asked whether the police should carry out 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% more speed checks in the village. The majority of respondents (60%) were against this. Should the police carry out 170 250 We also asked residents whether they would be more speed checks? prepared to be trained in the use of a speed Would you be prepared to camera and to operate the camera on a rota 30 388 basis in the village (as a number of residents operate a speed gun? currently do in Brandon). 30 respondents stated that they would be prepared to do so. Yes No

Way Forward: Traffic, Parking & Speeding Actions Already Taken:  Forward survey results and residents’ comments on the A46 / A428 ‘TGI’ island to the Highways Agency so that they can be incorporated into future development plans for the island, either as part of the

‘Coventry & Warwickshire Gateway’ proposals or as stand-alone improvements.

 Forward survey results relating to parking to Warwickshire Country Council for consideration when assessing future highway changes in the village. Possible Actions for the Parish Plan: 1. Monitor plans for future changes to the A46 / A428 ‘TGI’ island as part of the Coventry & Warwickshire Gateway proposals to ensure views of Binley Woods residents are taken into account.

2. Monitor the impact on the A46 / A428 ‘TGI’ island of additional traffic from the new Warwickshire

Shopping Park and take action as appropriate.

3. Conduct detailed house-by-house surveys in the immediate vicinities of:  the corner of Oakdale Road / Monks Road  the corner of Ferndale Road / Craven Avenue  the School  the Post Office

This is to determine local residents’ views on parking problems in those areas and whether any improvements should be made. Consider gathering photographic evidence of specific parking problems as part of the surveys.

4. Discuss with the owner of the car parks at either end of the shops in Woodlands Road whether any improvements could be made, for example marking out parking bays or installing appropriate signage. 5. Install signs at the entrances to the Recreation Ground asking users to park considerately. 6. Open a dialogue with the residents of Arden Court to see if residents’ concerns over parking problems on Court Leet can be addressed. 7. Open a dialogue with the residents of Elm Close to see if residents’ concerns over parking problems in the immediate area can be addressed. 8. Ask the Police to conduct a series of regular parking patrols with the aim of ticketing vehicles causing an obstruction, with particular emphasis on the identified parking hot-spots in the village. 9. Monitor parking in the village and, as and when necessary, ask the Police to conduct further parking patrols via the Earl Craven Community Forum. 10. Open a dialogue with Warwickshire County Council with the aim of introducing a 20mph speed limit throughout the village (except Rugby Road). 11. Open a dialogue with the Police with the aim of establishing a residents’ speed-gun team in the village. Focus the team on monitoring the 20mph speed limit if / when it is introduced. 12. Publish an appeal in the Parish Council newsletter and on the village website for residents who stated in the survey that they would operate a speed gun to come forward. Repeat appeals as necessary.

Binley Woods Parish Plan 5 Interim Report March 2013

Section C – Services in Binley Woods

Mobile Phones Mobile phones - Number of subscribers We asked residents which mobile phone 25; 4% networks they used. Three networks were each O2 (inc Tesco, Giffgaf) 175; 29% used by roughly a third of subscribers: 193; 32% Orange/T-Mobile (inc  O2 (including Tesco and Gifgaf) Virgin)  Orange / T-Mobile (now called ‘Everything Vodafone (inc Asda, Talktalk) Everywhere’ and including Virgin) 3  Vodafone (including Asda and TalkTalk) The ‘3’ network came a distant fourth with just 208; 35% 25 subscribers amongst the survey respondents. Mobile phones - Signal strength In terms of signal strength there was one clear 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% winner with 58% of Vodafone customers reporting a strong signal in the village. This O2 (inc Tesco, Giffgaf) 20 49 106 compares to 11% of O2 customers and 7% of Orange/T-Mobile (inc Virgin) 15 38 155 Orange / T-Mobile customers. Not a single ‘3’ customer reported having a strong signal. Vodafone (inc Asda, Talktalk) 112 53 28

Broadband 3 0 4 21

73% of respondents’ properties in Binley Woods Strong Medium Weak have broadband. The supply of broadband in the village is Broadband suppliers 160 dominated by three main companies: 141  BT – 42% of properties 140 120  TalkTalk – 26% of properties 100 88  Sky – 17% of properties 80 56 60 The range of download speeds reported by 40 18 respondents was 0.50 Mbps to 8.00 Mbps, with 20 11 the average being 2.70 Mbps. Upload speeds 0 varied from 0.10 Mbps to 4.00 Mbps with an BT TalkTalk Sky PlusNet Orange average of 0.77 Mbps. In general, the higher speeds were achieved using 3G mobile Broadband average download speeds 3.50 broadband services rather than via the landline 3.04 2.81 telephone network. 3.00 2.70 2.65 2.50 In terms of download speed, there was little to 2.22 choose between the various broadband 2.00 suppliers that serve the village. Sky fared best 1.50 with an average of 3.04 Mbps with BT second 1.00 averaging 2.81 Mbps. 0.50 0.00 Some 61% of respondents considered their Sky BT PlusNet TalkTalk Orange current broadband speed not to be adequate for their needs. Several respondents commented How do you receive your TV services? that the poor broadband speed in the village is a 19; 4% 5; 1% major disadvantage and that high-speed broadband is a ‘must have’. Freeview Television Freesat 165; 36% BSkyB 241; 52% Most respondents (52%) receive their television BT Vision service via Freeview, with a further 36% using Other Sky, 7% using Freesat and 4% using BT Vision. 31; 7%

Binley Woods Parish Plan 6 Interim Report March 2013

Fibre-optic Broadband & Cable TV Use of subscription services We asked, if they were to be made available in 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% the village, whether you would subscribe to high-speed fibre-optic broadband and/or cable Fibre-optic Broadband 121 146 114 TV. 70% of respondents stated that they would ‘definitely’ or ‘maybe’ subscribe to fibre-optic broadband, with 49% stating that they would Cable Television 52 128 185 ‘definitely’ or ‘maybe’ subscribe to cable TV.

Medical Services Yes definitely Yes maybe No We asked which medical services you would use if they were made available in the village. Would you use these medical services? 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% The most popular were a GP, an NHS Dentist and Basic Nursing Services, with 83% of respondents Doctor (GP) 159 215 76 in each case stating that they would ‘definitely’ NHS dentist 193 150 69 or ‘maybe’ use the service. These were closely Chiropodist 89 174 118 followed by an Optician (77%) and a Chiropodist Optician 128 176 91 (69%). Baby clinic 33 30 218 Basic nursing services 185 129 63 The low rate for a Baby Clinic (23%) is probably explained by the ages of the survey respondents Definitely Maybe No (71% of the respondents were aged 40 and over). Use of village bus services

120 108 Buses 92 100 89 86 We asked how often you use the village bus 80 services to get to different types of destinations. 60 42 37 40 29 Shopping proved to be the most popular with 25 26 24 19 14 12 152 respondents using the bus service for this 20 6 9 8 3 2 5 1 2 2 4 4 purpose on a regular basis. This was followed by 0 social events (49), school (43) and work (30). Work School/college Social events Shopping Hospital Other Most days Once week Once month Occasionally Overall bus usage is low and we asked what factors prevent residents from using the service. What stops you using the bus service? The most common reason stated was the 140 122 convenience of using one’s own transport (122 120 respondents), followed by cost (54) and times / 100 frequency of services (33). 80 54 We then asked what would make you use the 60 40 33 bus service, or use it more often if you are an 28 24 20 existing user. The most popular responses were 0 extended operating times in the evenings and/or Own transport Cost Times / Routes / Disability / old at weekends (43 respondents), cheaper fares (37 frequency destinations age respondents) and a wider range of routes and destinations (20 respondents). 15 respondents What would make you use the bus service? 50 43 admitted that nothing would make them use the 45 bus service. 40 37 35 30 There were several comments about the bus 25 20 20 service coming into the village (as opposed to 15 15 13 15 going along Rugby Road). 13 respondents 10 5 wanted the route extended deeper into the 0 village. Others were against, stating that the Extended Cheaper fares Wider range Bus shelters Nothing! Bus route operating of routes around the existing route that takes in part of Heather Road times village should be withdrawn.

Binley Woods Parish Plan 7 Interim Report March 2013

Bus Shelters Respondents who want bus shelters - use of the bus service 204 respondents (51% of those who expressed 60 54 50 50 an opinion) were in favour of bus shelters being 50 installed in the village. Of those, 119 use the bus 40 35 service on a regular basis, but 35 never use it. 30

Some respondents commented that bus shelters 20 15 might attract vandalism and antisocial 10 behaviour, and others were concerned about bus shelters blocking residents’ or drivers’ views. 0 Most days Once week Once month Occasionally Never We asked where bus shelters should be sited. There was a broad range of answers, the most Where should bus shelters be located? popular being Rugby Road outside the Village 45 42 40 38 37 37 Hall (42), and Rugby Road outside the 35 Roseycombe (38). A further 37 respondents 30 28 24 suggested Rugby Road without specifying a 25 20 15 14 particular bus stop or stops. 15 10 37 respondents requested bus shelters at all bus 5 stops, although ten of those stated in the 0 Rugby Rd, Rugby Rd, All bus stops Rugby Rd Rugby Rd, Rugby Rd, Heather Rugby Rd, previous questions that they ‘never’ use the bus Village Hall Roseycombe (not top of top of Road top of service and ‘never’ would in the future. specified) Woodlands Ferndale Oakdale Library Service Mobile library use 16; 4% We asked how frequently residents used the 23; 5% mobile library and other local libraries. 67; 15% Only 16 respondents use the mobile library most Most weeks weeks with a further 23 using it once a month. Once month Occasionally 67 respondents use it occasionally. Never When asked what improvement could be made 340; 76% to the mobile library service to make you use it 446 Responses more often there was a diverse range of 39.1% of residents answers, including:  Different / extended opening times, Use of other libraries 15; 3% primarily opening times outside of 19; 4% working hours (40 respondents)

 Better range of books and services (17) Most weeks 114; 26%  I prefer the old library (9) Once month  Easier access (4) Occasionally Never  Better publicised (4) 295; 67%

Even fewer respondents regularly use other local 443 Responses libraries, with 15 doing so on a weekly basis and 38.9% of residents 19 monthly. However, 114 respondents stated Mobile vs other vs community library usage that they use other local libraries occasionally. 166 We then asked if we could find suitable accommodation for a community library in the 114 village, how often you would use it. Weekly use 73 63 67 went up from 16 for the mobile library to 73 for a community library. Similarly, monthly use went 16 15 23 19 up from 23 to 63 and occasional use from 67 to 166. Most weeks Once month Occasionally Mobile library Other libraries Community library

Binley Woods Parish Plan 8 Interim Report March 2013

Village Shops Use of local shops and amenities We asked how often you made use of shops and 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% similar amenities in the village. The top five BW Convenience Store 58 69 25 183 90 shops and amenities used at least once a week by the survey’s respondents are: Brightly Dry Cleaners 22 204 178  The One Stop (265 respondents) Broad Street RFC 17 152 232

 The Post Office (213) Chinese Tonight 13 67 173 164

 K&P Newsagents (189) Dhaliwal Chemist 4 61 140 200 35  Binley Woods Convenience Store (127) Halo 6 43 57 292  The Roseycombe (94) K & P Newsagents 84 105 26 133 78 The top five shops and amenities used at least once a month by respondents are: Liason Hair Design 7 57 69 269  The Post Office (310 respondents) One Stop 129 136 37 123 14

 The One Stop (302) Post Office 42 171 97 116 19  K&P Newsagents (215) Roseycombe 23 71 49 187 105  Dhaliwal Chemist (205) Scott's Butchers 13 53 42 171 144  Binley Woods Convenience Store (152) Topping the list of shops and amenities that are Most days Weekly Monthly Occasionally Never ‘never’ used by the survey’s respondents are:  Halo (292 respondents) Additional shops in Binley Woods 25  Liason Hair Design (269) 20 20  Broad Street Rugby Club (232) 17 15 We then asked what additional shops you would 11 like to see in Binley Woods. Only 18% of 10 7 respondents expressed an opinion, with a 5 4 bakery (20 respondents), a greengrocer (17) and 0 a fish & chip shop (11) the most popular Bakery Greengrocer Fish & chip Indian Fresh fish answers. shop takeaway shop

Way Forward: Services in Binley Woods Actions Already Taken:

 Forward the mobile phone survey results to the four mobile phone network operators and ask O2, Orange / T-Mobile (Everything Everywhere) and ‘3’ if signal strength can be improved in the village.  Forward the broadband survey results to BT; also to the Warwickshire CC ‘superfast broadband’ project to help with their quest to establish high-speed broadband in the county. Monitor progress.

 Forward the broadband / cable TV results to Virgin Media to encourage them to ‘cable’ the village.

 Forward the NHS dentist results to Binley Woods Dentistry and ask if they are prepared to offer NHS dental services.  Forward library services results to Warwickshire CC Library Service to help improve the service.  Forward the village shops results to all shops covered by the survey to help them improve their services. Possible Actions for the Parish Plan: 13. Use the medical services results to identify and support opportunities to introduce appropriate medical

services in the village. 14. Use the bus service survey results to lobby for no further reductions in the village’s bus services. 15. Investigate the possibility of establishing a ‘community minibus’ for residents to use. 16. Commence a bus shelter feasibility study to ascertain a) which bus stops are most frequently used; and b) at which bus stops it would be practical and desirable to position a bus shelter.

17. Use the community library results to identify and pursue possible opportunities to establish a community library in the village.

Binley Woods Parish Plan 9 Interim Report March 2013

Section D – Facilities in Binley Woods Sports Activities & Play Equipment How often do you use the following? We asked how often you used the play 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% equipment on the Recreation Ground and Village Play equipment on the 15 38 22 76 Green, and the football pitch on the Recreation Recreation Ground Ground. The play equipment on the Recreation Football pitch on the 2 16 8 51 Ground was the slight winner with 75 regular Recreation Ground users, followed closely by the play equipment on Play equipment on the 14 31 22 76 the Village Green with 67 regular users. 26 Village Green respondents regularly make use of the football pitch. Most days Once week Once month Occasionally

We then asked if it was important to retain the Aditional sports facilities / equipment village’s existing sports facilities / play 25 22 equipment. An overwhelming 98% of 20 respondents said ‘Yes’, with just ten saying ‘No’. 15

When we asked about additional sports facilities, 10 8 6 6 5 4 4 a tennis court was the clear winner (22 5 respondents); one respondent even suggested 0 building a tennis court on the Village Hall car Tennis court Better play Bowling Cricket pitch Adult All weather Equipment equipment green / nets exercise sports pitch for younger park. A distant second was better play equipment children equipment (8) followed by a bowling green and a cricket pitch / nets (6 each). Improvements to the Recreation Ground In terms of improvement to the Recreation 18 17 15 16 14 Ground, better play equipment topped the list 14 12 (17 respondents), followed by more benches 12 11 10 7 (15), more bins / bins emptied more often (14), a 8 6 6 4 car park (12) and less dog mess (11). 4 2 There were significantly fewer suggestions for 0 improvement to the Village Green, but topping Improved More More bins Car park Less dog No dogs / Better Better play benches / emptied mess dogs kept paths lighting the list (just) was play equipment for younger equipment more often on leads children (6 respondents) followed by more / better benches, better play equipment and more Improvements to the Village Green 7 flowers / shrubs (suggested by 5 respondents 6 6 each). 5 5 5 5 4 Former Library Building 4 We asked whether the former library building 3 should be kept as a community facility for local 2 1 people to use: 91% of respondents said ‘Yes’. 0 Equipment for Better / more Better play More flowers / Area for older Although the sale of the former library to a third younger children benches equipment plants children party has since been initiated, we asked whether the Parish Council should purchase it on behalf Former library building uses of the community: 90% of respondents said ‘Yes’. 200 185 Some respondents, however, questioned 180 whether having the building as a community 160 140 123 119 facility would be detrimental to the Village Hall. 120 100 99 100 80 58 We asked what community uses residents would 60 46 like to see at the library building. Top of the list 40 20 was medical services (185 respondents) followed 0 by adult education (123), senior citizens’ Medical Adult Senior Youth Library Crèche / Club services education citizens activities toddlers meeting activities (119), youth activities (100) and a room community run library (99).

Binley Woods Parish Plan 10 Interim Report March 2013

Village Hall How often do you use the Village Hall? We asked how often residents use the Village 10; 2% Hall. 28% of respondents use it on a regular 90; 20% 70; 16% basis (daily, weekly or monthly) and a further Most days 52% use it occasionally, leaving just 20% of Once week respondents who do not use it at all. 47; 10% Once month Ten respondents actually use the hall ‘most Occasionally days’. Never We then asked if it was important to retain the 238; 52% 455 Responses Village Hall and its facilities. 99% of respondents 39.9% of residents said ‘Yes’ with just four saying ‘No’. Improvements at the Village Hall We asked what improvements and additional 12 11 activities you would like to see at the Hall. 10 10

In terms of improvements, a better car park and 8 parking facilities came top of the list (11 6 5 5 respondents) closely followed by more 4 4 3 3 information about what’s happening at the 2 Village Hall (10). Better seating and a more 0 modern heating system were requested by five Better car More Better Modern Improved Improved Better respondents each, with four respondents park information seating heating appearance toilets storage suggesting that the building should be given a face-lift. Additional activities at the Village Hall 20 19 Moving on to additional activities at the Village 18 Hall, 19 respondents want to see adult 16 13 education classes, 13 want more social-type 14 12 12 10 events, 12 want more keep-fit / exercise classes, 10 9 10 want more dancing and nine wish to see 8 more activities for children. 6 5 4 2 Youth Club 0 Adult More social Keep fit / Dancing Activities for More evening We asked parents with children of Youth Club education events exercise children activities age (11 to 18 years) if they attended. Only one (2% of respondents) attend regularly, with a If you have children 11-18, do they use the Youth further 12 (22%) attending occasionally. Sadly, Club? the vast majority (76%) of parents with children 1; 2% of Youth Club age stated that their children did 12; 22% not attend. Yes regularly We then asked parents with children under the Yes occasionally age of 11 whether their offspring will use the No Youth Club in the future. The results were more encouraging with 18 (28% of respondents) 42; 76% saying ‘Yes, definitely’ and 30 (47%) saying ‘Yes, possibly’. If you have children under 11, will they use the Youth We also asked if it was important to retain the Club? Youth Club in the village. 98% of respondents thought that it was important to do so, with just 16; 25% 18; 28% six saying ‘No’. Yes definitely We asked what improvement you would like to Yes possibly see made to the Youth Club. Only 17 residents No responded to this question and there was absolutely no consensus; indeed no two answers were the same. 30; 47%

Binley Woods Parish Plan 11 Interim Report March 2013

Garden of Remembrance Would you like a Garden of Remembrance? Given that the water table in the village is too high to enable us to have a burial ground, we asked if residents would like a Garden of 129; 31% Remembrance instead. Yes 285 respondents (69%) stated that they would No like a Garden of Remembrance in the village. One respondent asked if it would be possible for 285; 69% Binley Woods’ residents to be buried at Wolston 414 Responses 36.3% of residents Cemetery instead. Unfortunately, this is not possible as the cemetery is reserved for Do you have an allotment in Binley Woods? residents of Wolston, Brandon and Bretford. 28; 6% Allotments 19; 4%

We asked residents whether they currently had Yes an allotment in the village. 28 respondents (6%) No, but would like one stated that they already had an allotment with a No further 19 saying that they would like one in the future. 399; 90% 446 Responses We then asked if it was important to retain the 39.1% of residents allotments. 98% responded ‘Yes’ with just seven saying ‘No’. Improvement to the allotments 9 8 We asked those residents with an allotment 8 what improvements they would like to see made 7 6 5 to the allotments. Eight respondents requested 5 better security fencing (especially along the 4 3 3 southern perimeter next to the woods), five 3 2 requested a toilet (primarily for the female 1 allotment-holders) and three each suggested 0 better pathways and improved drainage. Better fences A toilet Better paths Improved drainage

Way Forward: Facilities in Binley Woods

Actions Already Taken:

 Forward the village hall results to the Village Hall Management Committee.  Forward the youth club results to the Youth Club Management Committee.  Forward the allotments results to the Allotments Management Committee.

Possible Actions for the Parish Plan:

18. Establish a project to upgrade the play equipment in the Recreation Ground and the Village Green. The scope should include new play equipment for older children, adult exercise equipment, refurbishing the existing play equipment and repairing / renewing the play surface. 19. Fence off the play equipment in the Recreation Ground to provide a safer environment for younger children and to keeps dogs out of the play area. 20. Work with the new owners of the former library building to help realise its potential as a community facility. 21. Given the endorsement by residents, try to identify a potential site for, and subsequently establish, a Garden of Remembrance.

Binley Woods Parish Plan 12 Interim Report March 2013

Section E – The Environment Woods & Green Spaces How often do you visit the following green spaces? 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% We asked how often you visit the main woods and green spaces in and around the village. Rec / Back Field 67 67 42 181 71 Brandon Wood proved to be most popular, with 243 respondents (55%) visiting on a regular basis. This was closely followed by the Village Green 17 39 29 176 139 Recreation Ground / Back Field (176 respondents). The woods at the west end of Rugby Road Brandon Wood 94 82 67 164 35 opposite the entrance to Broad Street Rugby Club were the least popular, with just 36 Piles Coppice 28 27 37 134 150 respondents (9%) visiting them on a regular basis. Next we asked if it was important to conserve New Close Wood 27 31 24 102 179 the woods and green spaces around the village. 99.8% of respondents thought it was important to do so, with just one respondent thinking West end of Rugby Rd 61911 89 284 otherwise. Most days Weekly Monthly Occasionally Never We asked what improvements residents would like to see made to our woods and green spaces. The most popular suggestion was less dog mess Woods & green spaces used regularly 300 (27 respondents), followed by better control of 243 dogs (13). Easier access for wheelchairs and 250 pushchairs, less litter and/or more litter bins, 200 176 and better paths were next on the list (11 each), 150 92 followed by fewer motorcycles in the woods 100 85 82 which was put forward by 10 respondents. 50 36 Eight respondents asked that the Friends of 0 Brandon Rec / Back Piles Coppice Village Green New Close West end of Brandon Wood stop cutting down pine trees in Wood Field Wood Rugby Rd the wood. Highway Verges Improvements to woods and green spaces 30 27 We asked three questions concerning highway 25 verges: 20

15 13 1. Should residents be encouraged to maintain 11 11 11 10 the frontages of their properties, including 10 trimming hedges? 95% of respondents 5 answered ‘Yes’. 0 Less dog mess Better control Easier access Less litter / Better paths Less of dogs more bins motorcycles in 2. Should the Highway Authority oblige woods residents to trim back hedges and trees that overhang highway verges or Highway verges pavements obscuring visibility for 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% motorists and/or causing an obstruction Should residents maintain the 422 23 to pedestrians? 91% of respondents frontages of their properties? answered ‘Yes’. Should the HA oblige residents 403 39 3. Should the Highway Authority enforce the to trim back hedges?

rules that prevent residents incorporating Should the HA enforce the 290 119 highway verges into their properties by rules on highway verges? erecting fences or planting hedges? 71% of respondents answered ‘Yes’. Yes No

Binley Woods Parish Plan 13 Interim Report March 2013

Trees Trees We asked if residents supported the Parish 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Council continuing to plant trees around the village. 402 respondents (90%) stated that they Do you support the Parish Council 402 46 did, with just 46 respondents against. continuing to plant trees? We asked where additional trees should be Would you be prepared planted in the village. The most popular answers 248 132 were Rugby Road (13 respondents) and ‘all over to look after a tree? the village’ (12 respondents). Three respondents suggested their own back gardens. Yes No We then asked if there were any areas where Where should trees be planted? trees should not be planted. Nine residents 14 13 responded ‘near people’s properties’ and a 12 12 further eight ‘near my property’. 10 Some respondents were concerned that planting 8 6 5 trees on grass verges would obstruct motorists’ 4 4 views and others that they would interfere with 4 underground services. 2 0 Finally, we asked if a new tree was planted Rugby Road All over the Rec / back field Library site In the woods adjacent to your property whether you would be village prepared look after it, for example by watering it Where should trees NOT be planted? in dry spells. 248 respondents (65%) said that 10 9 they would, although one respondent 9 8 questioned the need to do so given that our 8 7 6 water table is so high. 6 5 Street Lighting 4 3 We asked whether there are any parts of the 2 village that are not sufficiently lit and require 1 0 additional street lights. Only 41 respondents Near peoples' properties Near MY property On grass verges (12%) thought there were areas requiring additional lighting Areas requiring better street lighting 7 When we asked which areas require additional 6 6 street lighting, there was a diverse range of 5 locations put forward with little consensus as to 5 the main problem areas. Monks Road (6 4 3 3 respondents) and the Recreation Ground (5) 3 topped the list. 2 We then asked whether, to save energy, street 1 lighting should be reduced or turned off in the 0 Monks Road Recreation Ground Coombe Drive Rugby Road middle of the night (e.g. between 1.00am and 5.00am). Only 66 respondents (15%) supported Reduced street lighting at night turning off all the lights in the village during those times, with the majority of respondents 66; 15% (56%) favouring half the lights in each street 129; 29% being turned off. Yes all lights One respondent suggested fitting PIRs to each Yes half lights streetlamp so that it would only illuminate No should a pedestrian walk by. Another suggested solar powered streetlamps to save energy. 249; 56% 444 Responses 38.9% of residents

Binley Woods Parish Plan 14 Interim Report March 2013

Pavements Pavement Problems We asked if there are any parts of the village 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% where uneven pavements cause problems. 158 respondents (41%) stated that there were. Uneven pavements 158 226 When we asked for the specific locations of Pavement slopes too steep 72 280 uneven pavements, 31 respondents answered Not enough dropped kerbs 46 303 ‘all over the village’. Hedges obstructing pavements 81 275 The most frequently specified locations of uneven pavements were Craven Avenue (26 Yes No respondents), Ferndale Road (23 respondents), Monks Road (23 respondents), Rugby Road (18 Uneven pavements respondents) and Coombe Drive (15 30 respondents). 26 25 23 23

We then asked if there are any parts of the 20 18 15 village where pavement slopes are too steep. 72 15 12 12 respondents (20%) stated that there were. 10

When we asked where, 13 residents responded 5 ‘all over the village’. 0 Craven Av Ferndale Rd Monks Rd Rugby Rd Coombe Dr Heather Rd Woodlands In terms of the specific locations of where Rd pavement slopes are too steep, Monks Road (15 respondents) and the bus stop outside the Pavement slopes too steep Village Hall (8 respondents) topped the list. 16 15 Craven Avenue, Heather Road and Rugby Road 14 12 were suggested by five respondents each. 10 8 8 We asked if there are any parts of the village 6 5 5 5 where there are not enough dropped kerbs. 46 4 3 respondents (13%) stated that there were. 2 0 When we asked where, 12 residents responded Monks Road Bus stop Craven Heather Road Rugby Road Ferndale outside Avenue Road ‘all over the village’. Village Hall However, there was little agreement on specific locations where additional dropped kerbs are Not enough dropped kerbs required, with Monks Road (4 respondents) and 4.5 4 4 the corner of Heather Road and Birchwood 3.5 3 Road (3 respondents) being the most popular 3 answers. 2.5 2 2 2 Finally, we asked if there are any parts of the 1.5 1 village where overhanging hedges obstruct 0.5 pavements. 81 respondents (23%) stated that 0 Monks Road Heather Road / Coombe Drive Woodlands Road there were. Birchwood Road When we asked where, the most frequently specified locations were Birchwood Road, Hedges obstructing pavements Daneswood Road and Heather Road (each 14 12 12 12 identified by 12 respondents) followed by 12 Craven Avenue (7 respondents) and Ferndale 10 8 7 Road and Woodlands Road (6 respondents 6 6 each). 6 5 4

The number of respondents answering that 2 hedges obstruct pavements ‘all over the village’ 0 was just five. Birchwood Daneswood Heather Craven Ferndale WoodlandsRugby Road Road Road Road Avenue Road Road

Binley Woods Parish Plan 15 Interim Report March 2013

Dogs & Dog Fouling Dogs & Dog Fouling We asked four questions concerning dogs: 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

1. Should dog warden patrols be increased to Should dog warden patrols 313 82 encourage dog owners to pick up after their be increased? Should dog owners who do not pets? 79% said ‘Yes’. 401 26 pick up be prosecuted? 2. Should dog owners who do not pick up after Should dogs be kept on leads in the 318 107 their pets be prosecuted? 94% said ‘Yes’. Recreation Ground / Back Field? Should there be more 240 139 3. Should dogs be kept on leads in the dog litter bins? Recreation Ground and the Back Field? 75% said ‘Yes’. Yes No 4. Should there be more dog litter bins in the village? 63% said ‘Yes’. Where should dog bins be put? 35 32 We asked where additional dog litter bins should 30 26 be sited. The most popular specific location was 25 20 16 16 Rugby Road (32 respondents). 14 15 11 11 Litter 10 5 187 respondents (49%) were in favour of more 0 litter bins, 194 (51%) were against. In terms of Rugby Road Every road Parks & Woods Spread Back field Ferndale / junction green around the woods woods locations, the most popular specific sites were spaces village entrance entrance ‘by the shops’ (24 respondents) and ‘at bus stops’ (22). Where should litter bins be put? 30 Benches 24 25 23 22 We asked if there should be more benches 20 15 around the village. 170 respondents (46%) said 15 12 11 ‘Yes’ and 200 respondents (54%) said ‘No’. The 10 most popular locations for new benches were on 5 the Recreation Ground (45 respondents), ‘at bus 0 stops’ (30), Rugby Road (21) and by the By the shops On every At bus stops By the Anywhere Recreation street corner skateboard appropriate Ground Skateboard Park (19). park Refuse Collection / Recycling Where should benches be put? We asked if residents were satisfied with the 50 45 current refuse collection / recycling 45 40 arrangements in the village. 416 respondents 35 30 (92%) stated that they were and many 30 25 21 19 commented that it was a ‘good’ or even an 20 15 ‘excellent’ service. 9 10 8 8 5 The most often requested improvements were 0 weekly collections for all bins (25 respondents), Recreation Bus stops Rugby RoadStakeboard Village Library Shops weekly collections for the blue bin (7) and ground park green weekly collections for the green bin (3). Percentage of properties with water pressure problems

Water Pressure 30% 27%

25% 24% We asked if residents have water pressure 20% problems at their properties; 116 (26% of 20% 18% 15% respondents) stated that they did. 15% 13% 13% The roads with the highest percentage of 10% reported water pressure problems were 5% generally in the south-east of the village with 0% Court Leet Craven Oakdale Rowan Close Daneswood Coombe Friars Close Court Leet and Craven Avenue topping the list. Avenue Court Road Drive

Binley Woods Parish Plan 16 Interim Report March 2013

Way Forward: The Environment Actions Already Taken:  Forward the Brandon Wood results to the Friends of Brandon Wood.

 Forward the Piles Coppice results to the Woodlands Trust.

 Forward the refuse collection / recycling results to Rugby Borough Council. Possible Actions for the Parish Plan: 22. Ask for volunteers from the community to help elderly and disabled residents maintain their front gardens. If sufficient volunteers are forthcoming, identify and approach residents who may wish to take advantage of this scheme. 23. Forward the survey results in respect of highway verges to Highways Department at Warwickshire County Council and ask them to take action where residents infringe the rules regarding incorporating highway verges into their properties. Monitor the position and follow up as necessary.

24. Forward the survey results in respect of pavements to Highways Department at Warwickshire County Council and ask them to prioritise future improvement works in the village in line with residents’ wishes. Monitor progress and follow up as necessary.

25. Ask residents to identify specific properties where hedges overhang the highway verges and pavements.

The Parish Council to write to those householders asking them to trim back their hedges. If no action is taken, the Parish Council to escalate to the County Council for appropriate enforcement action. 26. Continue the programme of planting trees at selected sites around the village, taking residents’ views from the survey into account when determining locations.

27. When a new tree is planted, write to residents in adjacent properties asking if they are prepared to

‘adopt’ that tree.

28. Investigate the feasibility of turning off half the street lights in each street between 12.30am and 5.30am. If feasible, the Parish Council to implement changes on a street by street basis following consultation with affected residents. 29. Erect signs at the entrances to the Recreation Ground and the Back Field stating that:  dogs must be kept on leads at all times  owners are responsible for picking up after their dogs 30. Request increased patrols by the Dog Wardens, including covert patrols, with the aim of identifying and prosecuting dog owners who do not pick up after their pets or who allow their dogs to run free on the Recreation Ground and/or the Back Field. Monitor the position and follow up as necessary. 31. Install additional dog litter bins on Rugby Road near the entrance to the One O’clock ride, on Rugby Road near the junction with Ferndale Road, and just inside the entrance to the woods on the corner of Craven Avenue and Ferndale Road. 32. Install additional litter bins near the shops in Woodlands Road, at selected bus stops (exact locations to be determined) and outside the school in Coombe Drive. 33. Seek sponsorship for litter bins and dog litter bins, for example from local vets as has happened recently in Coventry. 34. Ensure all litter bins and dog litter bins are emptied regularly. Monitor the position and escalate problems to Rugby Borough Council. 35. Hold a ‘Keep Binley Woods Tidy’ campaign, reinforced through signs on litter bins. 36. Install additional benches by the skateboard park in the Back Field, near the play equipment in the Recreation Ground and at selected bus stops on Rugby Road (exact locations to be determined). 37. Seek sponsorship for benches, for example in memory of departed loved ones. 38. Conduct a detailed house-by-house survey of the south-east corner of the village (Court Leet, Craven Avenue, etc) to determine the exact number of properties with water pressure problems. Forward results to Severn Trent with a request for action. Follow up as necessary.

Binley Woods Parish Plan 17 Interim Report March 2013

Section F – Village Life Personal Safety Do you feel safe in Binley Woods? We asked residents if they felt safe in Binley 3; 1% Woods. Reassuringly, 298 (65% of respondents) answered ‘Yes’ and a further 153 (34% of 153; 34% respondents) answered ‘Most of the time’. Only Yes 3 respondents stated that they did not feel safe Most of the time in the village. No One respondent commented, “I have lived in the 298; 65% village for 41 years and always feel safe in the 454 Responses streets or the woods”. 39.8% of residents

We then asked residents what would make What would make you feel more secure? them feel more secure. The most common 25 23 response was ‘a more visible police presence’ which was given by 23 respondents. Other 20 common responses were ‘fewer break-ins’ (11 15 11 respondents), ‘less antisocial behaviour’ (5 10 respondents), CCTV (4 respondents) and better 5 4 street lighting (3 respondents). 5 3 0 Childcare & Pre-school More visible Fewer break-ins Less antisocial CCTV Better street police presence behaviour lighting We asked if there were adequate facilities for those below school age in the village. In each Childcare & Pre-school Facilities case, a majority of respondents who expressed 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% an opinion stated that there were adequate Are there adequate 51 11 facilities: childcare facilities?

1. Childcare facilities – 82% Are there adequate 52 14 playgroups? 2. Playgroups / parent & toddler – 79% Are there adequate 63 10 3. Pre-school / nurseries – 86% pre-school / nurseries?

Village School Yes No We asked whether your children attend the village’s primary school. 37 respondents (12%) Do or did your children attend the village school? 37; 12% stated that their children currently attend the 56; 19% school, with a further 206 respondents (69%) stating that their children had previously attended. Yes currently Yes previously We then asked if it was important to retain the No school and its facilities. 98% of respondents stated that it was important to retain the school with just six respondents saying ‘No’. 299 Responses 206; 69% 26.2% of residents We asked what improvements you would like to see made to the school. There was a diverse set Improvements to the school 10 9 of answers, with the most common ones being 9 to resolve the parking problems near the school 8 7 (9 respondents), make the school buildings and 6 5 facilities available for community use (5 5 4 3 3 3 respondents) and a covered outdoor area, more 3 2 male teachers and a swimming pool (3 1 respondents each). 0 Resolve parking Make available Covered More male Swimming pool problems for community outdoor area teachers use

Binley Woods Parish Plan 18 Interim Report March 2013

Adult Education Most popular adult education subjects 116 We asked if you would attend adult education 120 classes in the village. 99 respondents (24%) 100 answered ‘Yes, definitely’ and another 226 81 respondents (54%) answered ‘Yes, possibly’. 80 60 The most popular subjects requested were: 40 28 27 27  Computing / IT (116 respondents) 18 17 16 20  Foreign languages (81) 0  Cookery / baking (28) Computers Foreign Cookery / Art / Arts & Family Local History  Art / painting (27) / IT languages baking painting crafts history history  Arts & crafts (27) How often do you read the village noticeboards? Village Noticeboards 56; 12% 106; 24% We asked how often you read the village noticeboards. 167 respondents (38%) read them Most weeks regularly (weekly or monthly), whereas 56 Once month respondents (12%) never read them. Occasionally 61; 14% We asked which noticeboards you read. The Never most popular was the one outside the Village 225; 50% 448 Responses Hall (51% of respondents) followed by the one 39.3% of residents by the Village Green (23%) and the one outside the former library (17%). Which noticeboard do you read? Village Newsletter 50; 9% 125; 23% We asked if you would like to receive a monthly village newsletter. 374 respondents (89%) stated Village Green that they would. Former library Village hall We then asked if you would be prepared to None 92; 17% deliver up to 50 copies of the newsletter to your 271; 51% immediate neighbours. 84 respondents stated that they would and 46 of those completed a ‘volunteer sheet’. Village website & Facebook page Village Website & Facebook Page 400 376 350 304 We asked if you visit the village website, 300 binleywoodsparish.wordpress.com. Only 13 250 200 respondents (3%) visit it regularly with 116 150 116 respondents (27%) visiting it occasionally. 100 50 13 16 25 We also asked if you visit the village’s Facebook 0 Yes Yes No Yes and 'Like' Yes No page. 16 respondents (4%) visit it regularly and frequently occasionally it occasionally ‘Like’ it, and a further 25 respondents (6%) visit Village Website Facebook Page it occasionally. We then asked why residents do not visit the Why do you not visit the website / Facebook page? village website. 200 respondents (65%) stated 26; 8% that they did not know about it prior to the 13; 4% 71; 23% survey. No PC/internet Other reasons given for not visiting the website Did not know about it were ‘no PC / Internet’ (71 respondents, 23%) Do not find it useful and ‘did not find it useful’ (13 respondents, 4%). Not interested 26 respondents (8%) stated that they were just not interested. 200; 65%

Binley Woods Parish Plan 19 Interim Report March 2013

Community Drop-in We asked if you had paid a visit to the community drop-in at the Village Hall. 60 Comunity drop-in respondents (14%) stated that they had done so. We asked if residents found it useful; of those Not visited, who had attended, 47 respondents said that it Not useful, 7 356 was useful, 7 not useful and 6 did not answer Visited, 60 Useful, 47 the question. No answer, 6 The only improvement suggested by more than one respondent was to make the drop-ins available outside normal working hours. Our Postcode Postcode We asked three questions: 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 1. Is a CV3 postcode a major disadvantage to residents of Binley Woods? 236 respondents Is CV3 a disadvantage? 236 169 (58%) answered ‘Yes’. 2. Would you like to see our postcode changed Should it change to CV8? 288 129

to CV8? 288 respondents (69%) answered Would you support a ‘Yes’. campaign to change it? 277 129 3. Would you support a campaign to change our Yes No postcode? 277 respondents (68%) answered ‘Yes’.

Way Forward: Village Life

Actions Already Taken:  Forward the personal safety results to the Warwickshire Police Inspector responsible for the Safer Neighbourhood teams.  Forward the school survey results to the Head Teacher at Binley Woods Primary School.  Forward the adult education results, including the full list of subject requests, to the Adult Education

Department at Warwickshire County Council.  Advise community organisations of the noticeboard usage figures and encourage them to make better use of the village noticeboards.  Advertise the village website on the three village noticeboards. Possible Actions for the Parish Plan:

39. Establish a project to create a village newsletter:  Ask for volunteers to form an organising group  Appoint an editor, advertising manager (if appropriate), delivery manager, etc  Determine the format and content (plus whether or not to include advertisements)

 Determine the funding arrangements and seek funding as necessary  Contact volunteers who expressed an interest in delivering a newsletter 40. Establish a project to explore changing the village’s post-code:  Ask for champions to form a steering group  Determine how to go about changing our post-code  Explain the process and the implications for residents, and seek their approval to go ahead

Binley Woods Parish Plan 20 Interim Report March 2013

Section G - Future Development in Binley Woods Strategic Development Strategic development options We asked which of the following three strategic 14; 3% options best suited the needs of Binley Woods: a) Expansion of our built-up area to accommodate a significant housing Expansion development. Only 3% of respondents 210; 50% Limited expansion favoured this option. 201; 47% No expansion b) Limited Expansion of our built-up area to accommodate demand from within Binley Woods in the 2012 Housing Needs Survey. 425 Responses 47% of respondents were in favour. 37.3% of residents c) No Expansion of the village's built up area. Where should development take place? The remaining 50% favoured this option. 60 48 We then asked where expansion or limited 50 expansion should take place. Unfortunately the 40 most popular choice, the former Oakdale 30 19 19 Nurseries site, is actually in Brandon rather than 20 15 Binley Woods. Only three other possible sites 10 were put forward by 10 or more respondents: 0 Former Oakdale Former Pope's Rugby Road North side of Rugby  Former Pope’s Garage site Nurseries site Garage site opposite Ferndale Road  Rugby Road opposite Ferndale Road Road  North side of Rugby Road (which would include the area opposite Ferndale Should the Green Belt be protected? Road) 11; 3% Green Belt There was strong support (97% of respondents) Yes for the continued protection of the Green Belt No surrounding the village. Many respondents felt strongly that the ‘green gap’ between Binley Woods and Coventry should be preserved. 437 Responses 426; 97% Managing Detailed Changes within 38.3% of residents the Village Preferred choices on planning consent We asked for your preferences concerning 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% planning support for a number of day-to-day Conversions 73 257 102 issues within the existing built-up area. Two types of change were identified as ‘maybe’ Extensions 48 266 112 supportable, depending upon circumstances: a) Conversions from bungalows to two-storey properties Closer housing 15 101 301 b) Large extensions to houses Back garden dev't 17 102 304 A majority of respondents felt that each of the remaining types of change should be opposed: c) New housing significantly closer together Gated communities 37 114 265 than adjacent properties d) Back garden housing developments Tree loss 20 123 282 e) Gated communities f) Tree loss to accommodate housing Commercial dev't 18 135 269 developments g) New commercial development, either Support Maybe Oppose through change of use or new building Binley Woods Parish Plan 21 Interim Report March 2013

Way Forward: Future Development in Binley Woods Village Design Statement Actions Already Taken:  Incorporate residents’ views on the future development of the village and the preservation of the Green Belt in the draft Village Design Statement.

 Incorporate the results of the survey relating to managing detailed changes in the village in the relevant sections of the draft Village Design Statement.

Meeting Housing Needs Identified in the 2012 Survey (1) Any actions concerned with meeting the identified housing needs of local residents must take into account residents’ views from Section G of this survey concerning:  The expansion of the village

 The potential sites where limited development could take place  Preserving the Green Belt, including the ‘gap’ between Binley Woods and Coventry  Building new housing significantly closer together than adjacent properties  Back garden developments

 Tree loss to accommodate housing development

They must also take into account the needs of potential occupants of affordable housing / retirement housing, for example:  Any new development should be part of the village and close to its amenities, rather than away from the village such as on the A46 or the B4027 (‘Brinkow Road’)  There should be reasonable access to public transport Possible Actions for the Parish Plan: 41. Approach Brandon Parish Council to a) ascertain the position with regard to identified housing needs in Brandon and whether they have been met; and b) understand whether there may be scope for the two parishes to work together to meet a combined housing need on a single site, for example the former Oakdale Nurseries site on Rugby Road. 42. Identify and approach one or more local housing associations to ascertain interest in working with the community to help identify, and subsequently develop, potential sites where affordable housing / retirement housing development could realistically take place. 43. Identify and approach one of more local housing associations to ascertain whether there is scope for purchasing and modifying / redeveloping existing properties in the village to meet the identified need for affordable housing / retirement housing. 44. If actions 42 or 43 above result in the potential development of affordable / retirement housing outside of the existing village development boundary, seek authority for such a development from residents through a Neighbourhood Plan or Neighbourhood Development Order. Notes: (1) The following summarises the local housing needs for affordable housing / retirement housing identified in the 2012 Binley Woods Housing Needs Survey: Immediate Need 7 respondents were assessed as being in need of affordable housing:  1 x 2 bedroom house – social rented home  1 x 2 bedroom bungalow – social rented home  1 x 3 bedroom house – social rented home  3 x 2 bedroom house – shared ownership home  1 x 2 bedroom bungalow - shared ownership home Medium Term Need (2 to 5 years time) 6 respondents were assessed as being in need of affordable housing / retirement housing:  1 x affordable housing  4 x retirement housing  1 x sheltered accommodation with support

Binley Woods Parish Plan 22 Interim Report March 2013

Section H - And Finally…

Descriptions of Binley Woods Most commonly used adjectives to describe Binley Woods We asked how you would describe Binley Woods 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 to a stranger. We had a diverse set of responses. Friendly 115 Many respondents used the same adjectives to Quiet 63 describe the village, the most common ones Pleasant 63 being ‘friendly’ (115 respondents), ‘quiet’ (63), Good 61 ‘pleasant’ (63), ‘good’ (61) and ‘nice’ (54). Nice 54

20 respondents described the village as ‘small’, Lovely 33 but on the other hand 17 described it as ‘large’. Rural / semi-rural 31

Surprisingly, given the popularity of our woods Safe 28 and green spaces (see below), only 14 Small 20 respondents described the village as ‘green’. Large 17 A selection of your descriptions of the village is Peaceful 16 printed inside the back cover. Green 14

Most Wanted Improvement Convenient 12 We asked what one thing you would most like to Great 11 see to improve the village. Your responses were Modern 10 many and varied with the most popular being a doctor’s surgery (25 respondents), a health What one thing would you most like to see in our centre (13), more police (13), improved parking village to improve it? (8), less dog mess (8) and better broadband (7). 30 25 The list of the most wanted improvements given 25 in response to the survey confirms the results 20 from the first Parish Plan open day in terms of 15 13 13 8 8 residents’ priorities. Those open day priorities 10 7 were used to construct the Parish Plan main 5 0 survey questionnaire. Doctor's Health centre More police Improved Less dog Better surgery parking mess broadband Most Important Features The next two questions asked which features of Most important features of Binley Woods (summarised) the village, and immediately outside of the 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 village, are important to retain for future Woods (All) 398 generations. Walks (All) 118 Recreational areas (All) 89 A number of the answers you gave to the first All of it 81 question better apply to the second question, Views (All) 60 and vice versa. Many others answers apply Village Hall 59 equally to both questions and hence the two Green spaces 55 sets of responses have been merged in the Trees 52 analysis of the survey results. Shops (All) 45 One feature above all others dominated your School 44 answers: ‘the woods’, which was chosen by 349 Green Belt 42 respondents as the most important feature of Farmland / fields 30 the village. Indeed, if one also takes into account Vegetation 30 areas of woodland that were named explicitly in Community size & feel 24 your answers (Brandon Wood, Piles Coppice, The Roseycombe 22 etc), this figure rises to 398; a staggering 87% of Allotments 19 respondents. Housing density / variety 15 Gap to Coventry 13

Binley Woods Parish Plan 23 Interim Report March 2013

Other ‘green’ features rated as important by respondents were walks and paths (90 Most important 'green' features 400 respondents), unspecified green spaces (55), 349 350 trees (52), the Green Belt (42) and Brandon 300 Wood (40). 250 200 In terms of the village’s amenities, the Village 150 Hall was ranked first by 59 respondents, 90 100 55 52 42 40 38 followed by the school (44), the Recreation 50 Ground (35), the shops (32, although this rises to 0 Woods / Walks / Green Trees Green Belt Brandon Recreat'l 45 if one includes the Post Office and other woodland paths spaces Wood areas shops named explicitly in responses) and the Roseycombe (22). Most important amenities 70 Other, less tangible features put forward by 59 respondents were ‘all of it’ (81 respondents), 60 unspecified views (56), the size and feel of our 50 44 40 35 community (24) and the density and variety of 32 30 22 our housing (15). 19 20 16 10 Any Other Comments? 10 0 Finally, we asked if there were any other Village School Rec'n Shops Rosey- Allot- Village Post comments that residents wished to make. Hall Ground combe ments Green Office

167 respondents (36%) made additional Most important other features comments. 104 of these related to topics that 90 81 had been covered by questions asked previously 80 in the survey, and where respondents wished to 70 60 56 expand upon or reinforce their earlier answers. 50 40 There was no evident pattern to the other 30 24 responses, although each one has been 20 15 reviewed by the Parish Plan team and taken into 10 6 0 account as appropriate in determining the way All / all of it Views Community Housing density Buildings forward for the village. (unspecified) size & feel / variety

Way Forward: And Finally Actions Already Taken:  Use selected resident’s quotes to describe the village when developing the Parish Plan and the Village Design Statement. Possible Actions for the Parish Plan: 45. Check the status of all key areas of woodland in and around the village to ensure that they have adequate statutory protection and, therefore, are available for future generations to enjoy. 46. Check the existing pattern of Tree Preservation Orders in the village to ensure that no visually significant specimens have been omitted. 47. Register ‘assets of community value’ under the provisions of the 2012 Localism Act in order that, should those assets be offered for sale, the community has the right to bid to purchase them. Based on the results of the survey, those assets most valued by the community (but not already in local community ownership) are:  Key stretches of woodland in and around the village  The school and its grounds  The Roseycombe  The Post Office  The former library building

Binley Woods Parish Plan 24 Interim Report March 2013

Young People’s Questionnaires

There were three questionnaires aimed at the Where do you live? young people of the village: 7; 6%  Youth Questionnaire covering ages 11-18. 14; 12% We received 22 responses. Binley Woods  KS2 Questionnaire covering Years 3-6. We 7; 6% Brandon received 72 responses. 2; 1% Wolston Coventry  Foundation Stage / KS1 Questionnaire for Other those up to and including Year 2. We received 89; 75% 25 responses. The majority of the Foundation Stage / KS1 and KS2 responses were completed at Binley Woods How do you get to school or college?

Primary School. 5; 3% 3; 2% 11; 8% 5; 3% Where Do You Live? School bus Public bus We asked where the young people live. The Car 54; 37% majority, unsurprisingly, live in Binley Woods; Walk although 14 live in Coventry, seven in Wolston Cycle and two in Brandon. Seven live elsewhere, 68; 47% Other including one in Southend-on-Sea; he did not state his connection with the village.

Do You Go To School? Most popular activities in Binley Woods? 30 We asked the young people if they attend school 26 or college; all bar two 11-18 year-olds do. 25 20 20 18 When we asked how they get to school or 17 college, by car was the most common answer 15 10 (47%) followed by walk (37%). Two stated that 6 they get to school on their scooters. 5 0 Activities in Binley Woods Before / After Football Club Fun For Kids Dancing Youth Club School Activities We asked what youngsters like doing in Binley Woods. Most popular was before/after school Which activities do you attend outside Binley Woods? activities (26 respondents), followed by the 25 22 football club (20), Fun for Kids (18) and dancing 19 (17). The Youth Club came a distant fifth with 20 just six young people who responded to the 15 9 surveys attending. 10 8 5 5 Activities Outside Binley Woods 5 We asked the young people if they regularly 0 Dancing Swimming Football Religious Scouts / Cubs Tuition travel outside the village to attend clubs and activities activities. 63 (69% of respondents) stated that they did so. Where do you go to attend activities? There was a large variety of types and activities 45 42 40 which they attended, the most common being 35 dancing (22) and swimming (19). 30 25 In terms of where the youngsters go to attend 20 14 outside activities, unsurprisingly Coventry was 15 9 the most common destination with 42 visiting 10 7 on a regular basis. This was followed by Wolston 5 3 0 (14), Rugby (9) and Brandon (7). Coventry Wolston Rugby Brandon Birmingham

Binley Woods Parish Plan 25 Interim Report March 2013

We also asked how the youngsters got to clubs and activities outside Binley Woods. Given the How do you get to activities outside Binley Woods? ages of the respondents, as expected the vast 2; 3% 2; 3% majority (77%) were taken in their parents’ cars. 13; 17% A further 17% went in their friends’ parents’ Car (parents) cars, with just two young people each using the Car (friends) bus and cycling. Bus Facilities in Binley Woods Cycle We asked how the youngsters rated various 57; 77% facilities in and around the village. Top of the list were: How do you rate the following facilities in Binley Woods?  The Recreation Ground (also known as the 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% ‘Big Park’) with 50% of youngsters rating it ‘good’ and a further 38% rating it ‘OK’ Recreation Ground (Big Park) 54 41 5 7  The school buildings (49% good, 33% OK)

 The play equipment (46% good, 36% OK) Play Equipment 49 38 9 10  The Village Hall (42% good, 35% OK)

 The Village Green or ‘Little Park’ (38% good, Skateboard 29 13 10 31 35% OK) Park The new skateboard park scored well amongst Village Green the older children, but many of the KS2 age (Little Park) 41 37 14 15 group stated that they had not used it as it was monopolised by the teenagers. The Woods 13 52 25 10 Some of the children falling below the minimum age for the Youth Club asked if the age range could be extended, preferably by having a Village Hall 34 29 5 14 separate session for their age range.

Surprisingly, only 13% of youngsters rated the Pavilion 11 15 8 42 woods as ‘good’, although 52% thought that they were ‘OK’. One young person wrote, “Can be a School bit scared in the woods. There might be bears or Buildings 42 28 5 10 wolverines in there.”

Youth Club Bottom of the list was the pavilion, with 55% of 21 17 4 36 the young people stating that they do not use it. Building Some suggested that better use should be made Library of the pavilion as a community facility, for Building 23 13 2 40 example opening it up during the school holidays so that adults and children using the Recreation Good OK Poor Do Not Use Ground can make use of the seating and the toilets. Which of these types of facilities should be available When we asked the young people of the village for future generations to enjoy? which types of facilities should be available for 80 76 73 70 67 future generations to enjoy, the woods came out 70 61 60 60 60 top of the list with 76 respondents. This was a 50 surprising result, given its lowly rating in the 40 previous question. 30 20 Other facilities ranked highly were the 10 0 Recreation Ground (73), the school buildings The Woods Recreation School Skateboard Library Play Village (70) and the skateboard park (67). Ground Buildings Park Building Equipment Green

Binley Woods Parish Plan 26 Interim Report March 2013

Do You Feel Safe In Binley Woods? Do you feel safe in Binley Woods? We asked the young people if they feel safe in 3; 3% Binley Woods. 63% said ‘Yes’, 34% said ‘Most of the time’ and just 3% answered ‘No’. Yes We asked the 11-18 year-olds if they would like 30; 34% to be more involved in making decisions about Most of the time Binley Woods. 25% answered ‘Yes’ and a further 56; 63% No 60% said ‘Maybe’. The Environment We asked the young people a series of questions concerning the environment: Dogs / Litter / Graffiti 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%100%  Should there be dog warden patrols to encourage dog owners to pick up after their Should there be dog warden patrols to 76 13 pets? 85% answered ‘Yes’. encourage dog owners to pick up?

 Should dog owners who do not pick up after Should dog owners who do not pick up 65 22 their pets be fined? 75% answered ‘Yes’. after their pets be fined?  Dogs are supposed to be kept on leads in the Should dogs be kept on leads in the Recreation Ground. Should this rule be park? 68 43 enforced? 61% answered ‘Yes’. Should there be more dog litter bins in  Should there be more dog litter bins in the the village? 92 15 village? 86% answered ‘Yes’.  Should there be more litter bins in the Should there be more litter bins in the village? 84 24 village? 78% answered ‘Yes’.  Is graffiti a problem for you and your family in Is graffiti a problem in the village? 23 64 the village? 74% answered ‘No’.

 Should there be more graffiti walls in the Should there be more graffiti walls in the 40 47 village? 54% answered ‘No’. village?

We asked the 11-18 year-olds if they would join Yes No a monthly litter pick around the village. 11% said ‘Yes’ and a further 47% said ‘Maybe’. Are the following a problem in the village? Other Issues 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

We asked about specific problems in the village: Crossing the road 27 56  Crossing the road. 33% said it was a problem.  Speeding traffic. 49% said it was a problem. Speeding traffic 51 53  Uneven pavements. 34% said it was a problem. Uneven pavements 27 53 We then asked about possible ‘solutions’ to Yes No these problems:  Should something be done to slow down Should we do the following? the traffic? 64% answered ‘Yes’. 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%  Should the police carry out more speed Should something be done 56 31 checks around the village? 65% answered to slow down the traffic? ‘Yes’. Should the police carry out more speed checks? 55 30  Should there be a 20mph speed limit on all Should there be a 20mph speed 44 42 roads in the village except Rugby Road? 51% limit except Rugby Road? answered ‘Yes’. Should there be more pedestrian crossings? 76 29  Should there be more pedestrian crossings in the village? 72% answered ‘Yes’. Yes No

Binley Woods Parish Plan 27 Interim Report March 2013

Way Forward: Young People’s Surveys Actions Already Taken:  Pass the results of the young people’s surveys relating to the woods to the Friends of Brandon Wood.  Pass the results of the young people’s surveys relating to the woods to the Woodland Trust.

 Pass the results of the young people’s surveys relating to the village hall to the Village Hall Management Committee.  Pass the complete set of Foundation Stage / KS1 and KS2 survey results, together with the results of the Youth survey relating to the school, to the Head Teacher of Binley Woods Primary School.  Pass the complete set of KS2 and Youth survey results to the Youth Club Management Committee.

(2) Possible Actions for the Parish Plan : 48. Through the Parish Council newsletter and the village website, assess the appetite for more community

events in the village and determine which type of events would be most popular. If there is sufficient interest, seek volunteers to form an organising committee. 49. Ask the Youth Club to consider a separate session for younger children and, if feasible, to have a lower starting age for such a session. 50. Hold a review of the skateboard park involving both the young people who were instrumental in getting the project off the ground and other skateboard park users. Questions to be addressed include: how well it is being used; what can be done to encourage younger children to use it; what can be done to minimise litter and graffiti; and where benches should be sited. Take action as necessary to implement the results of the review. 51. Investigate how the pavilion could be used more for the benefit of residents. Seek ideas via the Parish Council newsletter and the village website and, in particular, establish if there is support to operate a ‘community café’ facility in the pavilion during the school holidays. 52. Establish an ad-hoc ‘Youth Forum’ to advise on specific projects in the village, for example upgrading the play equipment. Use the Youth Club to engage with teenagers and the Primary School to engage with younger children. 53. Organise competitions for the young people of the village to encourage them to get involved in various community projects, for example to design a new play area. 54. Organise village-wide litter-picks involving both youngsters and adults. Tie litter-picks into specific community events, e.g. ahead of the ‘open gardens’ weekend. 55. Ask the local police / PCSO team to pay regular visits to the school and/or youth club to build a rapport with the younger elements of our community. 56. Coordinate school bus services with the various schools serving the village to ensure that school buses pick up at the most appropriate bus stops and minimise the need for pupils to cross Rugby Road, especially in the mornings. 57. Ask the school to send a letter to all parents requesting that they reduce their speed, quoting the results of the survey where the youngsters responded that “cars go too fast in the village”. 58. Ascertain whether there are suitable sites where additional pedestrian crossings could be installed on Rugby Road to help school children cross to catch school buses. This should include re-checking the regulations relating to siting crossings near road junctions and residents’ access-points.

Notes: (2) Where similar actions have been identified to address issues arising from both the main ‘adult’ survey and one or more of the three young peoples’ surveys, those actions have been included in the relevant section of the main survey results. The actions documented in earlier sections that also relate to the young peoples’ surveys are numbers 18 and 19 (play equipment), and numbers 29 through 34 (dogs, dog litter and litter).

Binley Woods Parish Plan 28 Interim Report March 2013

How did you describe Binley Woods?

A brilliant little village, far enough away but close to everything. A haven just outside a city.

A little piece of heaven between Coventry and Rugby. A lovely place to bring up your family.

A lovely, semi-rural, peaceful village A lovely, well-kept, quiet village where the with a large wraparound heart! villagers are kind, helpful and good neighbours.

A post-war village surrounded by beautiful countryside. A place where everybody knows you. A place where I am proud to have grown up in.

A ribbon development, a grid of houses, no centre or real heart, hard to get people to attend events,

not really a strong community spirit.

A very pleasant place to live, which has many people trying to build a community but a greater

number too busy to get involved.

Binley Woods is a great place to live; so friendly, but you need to take the time to be friendly too. The

support network between long existing residents is brilliant.

Binley Woods is great! Clicky and nosey! Commuter village for Coventry and beyond with trees.

Could not live in a better place! Delightful. Enviable place to live - let's keep it that way!

Friendly, safe village to which once people move to they never want to leave. Good in parts.

It's not a typical country village, but it has the feel of one. Keeping Up Appearances!

Large village with good community spirit surrounded by wonderful woodland walks, with a diverse

selection of houses and bungalows.

Mostly harmless! Almost a bog after rain! Nice. Safe. Quiet. Simply a nice friendly place to live.

Small, pleasant suburb of Coventry. The perfect village! Welcoming - all inclusive.

Young, progressive, community-minded, feel safe, confidence, good facilities, (especially) picturesque woods and fields, happy residents!

How did your children describe Binley Woods?

A calm village that has a lot of nice people. A nice place to settle down. Exciting, fun, perfect!

Fantastic, fab, brill, great, the most littlest cutest village. Kind, helpful and generous.

Nice, sometimes calm, sometimes crazy, pretty colourful. Quiet, with nothing much to do.

Nice place to live, for adults, pensioners, teenagers and children alike. It is a very close community and everyone is always willing to help you. There are quite a variety of facilities and activities that go on throughout the week.

Binley Woods Aerial Photo © Google Maps 2013

Binley Woods Parish Map Artist: Lynsey Cleaver © Binley Woods Parish Council 2012