2016−2032 Consultation Statement Appendix 4 Published by Bishop’s Stortford Town Council, The Old Monastery, Windhill, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 2ND www.stortfordplan.org All Saints, Central, South & part of Thorley Table of Contents Focus Group Invitees...................................................................................................................................... 3 Focus Group Invitation (Example Text) ................................................................................................. 3 Example Newsletter Advertising Focus Group (also placed on website) .................................. 4 Example Tweets for Focus Group ............................................................................................................. 4 Notes for AECOM Housing & Design Focus Group 15/10/15 ........................................................ 5 Notes for Green Infrastructure Focus Group 05/08/15 .................................................................. 7 Notes for Transport Focus Group 10/11/15 ........................................................................................ 8 Notes for Business and Retail Focus Group 13/10/15 .................................................................. 11 Notes for Education Focus group 20/10/15 ..................................................................................... 12 Notes for Goods Yard Focus Group 22/10/15 .................................................................................. 15 Presentation for East of Manor Links Focus Group 26/10/15 ................................................... 17 Notes for Sports, Leisure and Community Focus Group 29/10/15 .......................................... 26 Notes for Bishop’s Stortford South Focus Group 03/11/15 ........................................................ 32 Andrea Gilmour E-mail (05/11/2015) ................................................................................................ 34 Matt Dodds E-mail (09/06/2015) ......................................................................................................... 35 Bishop’s Stortford Heritage and Character Assessment ............................................................... 46 List of Pre-Consultation Draft recipients ............................................................................................ 46 Pre-Consultation Log .................................................................................................................................. 50 2 Consultation Statement Appendix 4 All Saints, Central, South & part of Thorley Focus Group Invitees A list of invitees is available in Appendix 2 of this document. Focus Group Invitation (Example Text) Dear Sir/Madam/Other, I am writing to invite you to a meeting regarding the Neighbourhood Plan (All Saints, Central, South and part of Thorley) being held on Thursday 15th October at 7.30pm in the Council Chamber at Bishop’s Stortford Town Council’s Offices on Windhill, Bishop’s Stortford. This meeting is in regard to Housing and Design. You may be aware that we have recently completed a Neighbourhood Plan for part of Bishop’s Stortford (Silverleys and Meads) which was voted through under the referendum on 19th March and is now in force. The Neighbourhood Plan team has been working on a second plan for the remainder of the town (All Saints, Central, South and part of Thorley Parish), and has produced a draft plan, as attached. We have already held a number of consultation days and a series of Focus Groups this year on a variety of subjects, and would appreciate your input, where relevant, to make sure our draft plan is on track to deliver what the town needs. Murray White is leading the Housing and Design team and we are keen to involve individuals and organisations with an interest in this area. We would like to ensure that our draft plan is sound and hear of any issues we have not covered that could be addressed via the Neighbourhood Plan. Our aim is to try to ensure that the plan accounts for future needs. The meeting is likely to last about two hours and there will be a very brief introduction to Neighbourhood Planning for those of you who are unaware of what it involves. We would very much appreciate it if you could attend or, in the case of an organisation, nominate a representative to attend on behalf of your organisation. If you have any specific requirements for access etc., please do not hesitate to let me know. I would be grateful if you could confirm you or your organisation’s attendance. Yours faithfully, David Hargrave Bishop’s Stortford Town Council The Old Monastery Windhill Bishop’s Stortford Herts CM23 2ND Tel: 01279 715009 www.bishopsstortfordtc.gov.uk 3 Consultation Statement Appendix 4 All Saints, Central, South & part of Thorley Example Newsletter Advertising Focus Group (also placed on website) Example Tweets for Focus Group 4 Consultation Statement Appendix 4 All Saints, Central, South & part of Thorley Notes for AECOM Housing & Design Focus Group 15/10/15 Members of the Town Council, local community and local interest groups were invited to share their knowledge and experience of the history and character of the area at a workshop held on 15 October 2015. The observations made have been used to inform the study. Groups were formed to discuss the following aspects of character: • Topography and hydrology; • Movement and connectivity; • Urban structure, built form and land use; • Heritage • Green space and public realm; and • Views. A number of key considerations emerged from the group discussions, which have informed the preparation of the study. These are summarised below: River Stort and Valley • Experience of recent block building close to river restricts sunlight and impacts plant and wild life; • Development has turned its back on the River; • Failure to value it as a community asset; • Road, river, railway concentrated in one channel; • Open views across the valley would be affected by building above two storeys; • Flooding across main road at Thorley Wash Stream/ SSSI Thorley Wash. Town Centre • Retains a strong market town history and character; • Narrow, historic streets are typical; • Access and connections to/from; • Dominated by inappropriate blocks of flats (and The Mill); • Pockets of nondescript buildings detract from overall appearance (South Street); • Poor integration with riverside; • There is a pinch point at the southern end of South Street; • The Maltings - Appropriate uses not obvious and almost the last example of historic riverside architecture; • The Maltings - Vehicle, cycle and pedestrian accesses poorly managed and intermingled; • Rhodes Centre - Building well used as Arts Centre and Museum but not designed for purpose and is some way from Town Centre. Hockerill • Regularly breaches Government (and EU) air pollution thresholds; • Listed building on junction (The Cock) is both loved and hated but viability is in doubt; • South western quarter is unsightly, tatty. 5 Consultation Statement Appendix 4 All Saints, Central, South & part of Thorley Thorley • Pubs and inns were historically important staging posts on the route from London to Cambridge; • Agricultural setting and access to green space are key characteristics; • East-west permeability can be an issue. There was also a general concern that Failure to preserve heritage features in new development and that consequently heritage features are being lost. 6 Consultation Statement Appendix 4 All Saints, Central, South & part of Thorley Notes for Green Infrastructure Focus Group 05/08/15 Present: Rob Francis (chair), Peter Douglas, David Glass, Robin Lumsden, Kim Shaw, Jacqueline Veater, Dave Webber, Andy White The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the draft prepared for the Green Infrastructure section of NP2. 1. It was agreed to extend the list of proposed ‘Local Green Spaces’ to five, adding in The Firs and The Spinney. 2. Some extra ‘green spaces’ needing protection were identified and will be added. It was agreed to include this list in the body of the section, not as an appendix. If further green spaces need to be added, please send details to Rob. 3. It was agreed to include the amendment proposed by Matt Dodds of H&MWT relating to the ‘Biodiversity Impact Assessment Calculator’ which would require a clear measure of development impact on wildlife. 4. It was agreed to include the ‘connections’ section (including GIP6) in the GI section, rather than in the Transport section. 5. It was agreed to add more detail to the River/Riverside paragraph, including the fishing lakes. 6. It was agreed to add in something about verges. Rob will prepare a new draft taking into account all comments provided and will circulate for further comment. 7 Consultation Statement Appendix 4 All Saints, Central, South & part of Thorley Notes for Transport Focus Group 10/11/15 Present: Diane Basavaraj, Neighbourhood Plan Team, Lead for Transport Alyson Bailey, Thorley Residents Association and NP Team Sue Belo, Bishop’s Stortford Town Council, Neighbourhood Planning Anna Chew, Countryside Properties Kevin Walton, Abellio Greater Anglia Mike Barry, Abellio Greater Anglia Antony Calvert, on behalf of Countryside Properties Cllr George Cutting, NP Team, BSTC, EHDC, BS Civic Federation Joe Fitzpatrick – Chair, BS Canoe Club Rob Francis, Bishop’s Stortford Civic Federation and NP Team David Glass, Ramblers Association Paul Gurton, resident of Pig Lane, Bishop’s Stortford Roger Halford, resident of Pig Lane, Bishop’s Stortford Sylvia MacDonald,