1 Westbere Parish PlanPlan----QuestionnaireQuestionnaire Introduction Preamble Welcome to the Westbere Parish Plan Questionnaire-Residential Version Government initiatives have been established to ‘Engage Communities’ in assisting with improving the effectiveness and efficiency of public services and to develop Sustainable Community Strategies. A key reference for this will be Parish and Community Plans. Westbere Parish Council has established a programme to consult widely with parishioners and businesses within the Parish to prepare a Parish Plan that is intended to capture the views and wishes of the respondents now and into the future. The published document will include an action plan to promote the ideas captured in the plan for the future. The attached questionnaire has been prepared by the Parish Plan Steering and Peripheral Groups and will enable the Groups to collate the data to be included within the plan. It is hoped that you will find the time to complete all or most of the questions. The Groups started from the point of view that Westbere is a unique community, which should be preserved. However, the issue is how best that can be achieved in the face of current pressures. What changes and developments would we be prepared to see or do we believe are necessary for Westbere to continue to be the attractive, interesting and valuable a place it undoubtedly is? That’s what the Plan will need to address and to help in its preparation we need your views on a range of issues. The questionnaire therefore has a number of sections: A General Information B Planning, Development Control, Transport and Archaeology C Biodiversity, Sustainability, Recycling and Refuse D Crime, Personal and Road Safety E Health, Amenities and Education F Communication G Link to Businesses (Separate Questionnaire) The Westbere Parish Council and the Westbere Village Preservation Society are very active on behalf of the Parish and are also keen that the Parish Plan should represent the views of as many as possible. It is therefore important that as many individuals and organisations as possible complete a questionnaire. Remember if you do not contribute your views will not be included. 2 Section A --- General Information If you require further background or assistance in completing the questionnaire, kindly contact any member of the Steering Group: Eileen Hill, Walnut Tree Lane 711232 Malcolm Marsh, Church Lane 712531 Gerald Mason, Walnut Tree Lane 713678 Tim Mead, Westbere Lane 713079 Wayne Murray, Church Lane 712990 Laura Shea, Westbere Lane 711612 Norman Smith, Westbere Lane 712463 Frank Rossi, Westbere Lane 711676 Libby Wingfield, Church Lane 711616 The questionnaires will be distributed and collected by the Peripheral Group who will arrange with you a convenient time for the collection of the completed questionnaire. A1 Please circle your age: 11-20 21-30 31-45 46-65 66-75 76+ A2 How long have you lived in Westbere? (Please circle) Less than 1 Year 1-2 Years 3-5 Years 6-10 Years 11-20 Years 20+ Years A3 Please circle your gender: Male Female A4 Kindly circle your status: Homemaker Full Time Employment Part Time Employment Student Unemployed Retired A5 Do you work from home? (Y/N) A5a If you do work from home would this be Full Time or Part Time? (Please circle) A6 Would you be willing to be more involved in the Parish? (Y/N) Please discuss this with the Peripheral Group representative when submitting your questionnaire. A7 It is possible that many of the major beneficial changes that could be considered in the action plan will require funds to be raised. In this context would you be prepared to: a Help with fund raising? (Y/N) b Contribute towards the financial support for projects? (Y/N) c Accept an increase in, for instance, your council tax? (Y/N) A8 How many people live in your household, please give numbers and ages 3 B --- Planning, Development Control, Transport and ArchaeArchaeologyology Planning and Development Control Preamble Planning and Development Control is often a very emotive area and one in which most people are interested and concerned. The purpose of this section is to identify what level of development parishioners would find appropriate/acceptable if perhaps any. Applications for planning approval and development are considered in relation to The Canterbury District Plan which is prepared by the local authority in consultation with the community and relevant groups from within the district. The plan sets out a ‘spatial strategy and vision for the district’ and in the case of the current plan lasts until 2011. The diagram included here was taken from the Westbere Heritage Trail publication and identifies the Parish boundary The village is defined in part by the varied buildings and could be said to focus on the village green radiating out via Westbere Lane, Church Lane, Bushy Hill Road and Walnut Tree Lane. The majority of the village falls within the Westbere Conservation area which was established in two stages, the centre in August 1973 and the greater area in April 1980. The plan included here has been taken from the District Plan and shows the conservation areas. The village boundary runs along the A28 to the North, as far as the lower fields to the West which are classified as Green Gap space in the district plan, to the South by The Stour and to the East by the Lakesview International Business Park. 4 Planning and Development Control The key concerns may be: • The extent of development that is allowed within the Conservation Area • The level of development around the village • How the identity of the village is maintained • Should development zones be identified around the periphery of the village in order to retain the unique identity of the village (note possible zones are indicated as ‘P’ on the transport plan). It is hoped that the responses on this topic may be considered with the preparation of the next Local Plan/ Development Framework. B1 If you believe that Westbere is unique, we would be interested in your views on what makes Westbere special? B2 Do you believe we should preserve the unique identity of Westbere? (Y/N) B3 Should we support appropriate developments aimed at making Westbere a more self-sustaining community? (Y/N) B4 The plan included under the Transport Section identifies areas that could be considered for future development, would you support the classification of these zones for development? (Y/N) If your answer is ‘no’, please explain your views B5 The village is covered by a Conservation Area. Should we retain this? (Y/N) a Should we consider actions to strengthen the Conservation Area? (Y/N) b There are 21 listed buildings or structures within the Conservation Area, should we consider increasing the list? (Y/N) (see list on next page) 5 Planning and Development Control National Register of Listed Buildings in Westbere • Bushy Hill Road junction-The Telephone Kiosk • Church Lane-The Church of All Saints • Island Road-Westbere Court • Walnut Tree Lane-Walnut Tree Farmhouse • The Barn and Granary to the North East of Walnut Tree Farmhouse • Stable to the East of Walnut Tree Farmhouse • Westbere Lane-Westbere House • Garden wall to Westbere House • 29 Westbere Lane-Kemp Hall Farmhouse • The Barn at Kemp Hall Farm • 35 and 37 Westbere Lane-North Cottages • 39 Westbere Lane-Yew Tree Cottage • 41 Westbere Lane-White Cottage • Ashby Cottage • Laurel Cottage • 20 Westbere Lane-Westbere Cottage • 26 and 28 Westbere Lane • Olde Yew Tree Inn Locally Listed Buildings • Walnut Tree Lane-Level Crossing Keepers Cottage • 10-18 Westbere Lane-Cecil Cottages B6 Would you support some further housing development within the village or, alternatively, within the Parish but outside the village? (Y/N) If so where? (Please specify) B7 Do you believe we should support some further commercial development within the Parish? (Y/N) B8 Would you support development to the East of the village along the A28 up to the Canterbury Industrial Park? (Y/N) 6 Planning and Development Control B9 Should we lobby for a Green Gap space to the East of the village? (Y/N) B10 Would limited in-fill development within the village be acceptable to you? (Y/N) B11 As Westbere’s housing stock comprises primarily of expensive detached properties, with limited opportunities to ‘trade down’ or for young buyers, should we promote low cost ‘cottage-style’ housing within the village? (Y/N) Transport Preamble The transport infrastructure available to and within the Parish comprises of a number of separate elements that no doubt parishioners will use to varying degrees. The ideas that have been discussed consider working towards a more co-ordinated and responsive overall system that may try to encourage a reduction in car journeys whilst improving the amenities within the village and encouraging greater use of natural provisions. The map included here suggests the general disposition around the village and links to some of the questions that follow: 7 Transport Vehicles B12 Does your household own any of the following? (Please treat leased or company vehicles as owned) (Y/N) a Car Scooter/Motorbike Bicycle Van Other (Please circle the relevant vehicle/vehicles, If more than 1 please indicate the number) b Would you support a car sharing initiative? (Y/N) Roads B13 Do you believe the maintenance and condition of the roads in the Parish is acceptable? (Y/N) B14 Is the street lighting adequate? (Y/N) B15 The A28 which forms the Northern boundary of the Parish is heavily used. A bypass has been proposed in the past, is this something the village should support and campaign for? (Y/N) (Note the congestion on the A28 along the village boundary is a factor that Canterbury City Council have in the past used to resist approaches for development) Within the village, the 20 mph speed limit is frequently violated, particularly in Westbere Lane and the village centre.