Appendix B- Consultation Report THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS THE CONSULTATION ACTIVITY AND FINDINGS IN RELATION TO THE DEARDENGATE BIG LAMP PROJECT. ANNEXED TO THIS APPENDIX ARE THE INDIVUAL RESULTS OF EACH SURVEY. OL-19-00568 Deardengate Big Lamp- Shining Light on Haslingden’s Heritage Introduction to the report: This document summarises the representations received from various stakeholders and the local community in response to Rossendale Council’s ambitions to apply for Heritage Fund monies for Haslingden Town Centre. Background: The Haslingden Town Centre Strategic Board led by Rossendale Borough Council to bring about substantial improvements to Haslingden Town Centre. In 2018, the Haslingden Town Centre Strategic Board recognised that interventions from a significant funding source are required to address the socio economic issues linked with the town. The board submitted an application to HF (then HLF) for a Townscape Heritage Scheme in March 2018; this submission was unsuccessful due to lack of funding available on a national level despite receiving very good feedback. At the Haslingden Town Centre Strategic Board meeting held in August 2018 it was agreed to apply to HF again for significant funding to improve the Town Centre. The preliminary consultation activity relating to this submission was undertaken in preparation for a 2019 funding call. The dates of consultation activity were between November 2018 and July 2019 allowing lots of ideas and activity to take place prior to the release of funding calls. The representations received have been split into key themes, which the proposed project will seek to address. Key objectives of the consultation activity: Understand the challenges that town centre users and visitors face when in Haslingden. Gather the communities’ ideas on how they’d like to see the Town Centre improved in line with its heritage to inform the scheme proposals to Heritage Fund, including capital works, activities plan and areas of the public realm. Achieve support from the community towards an application to Heritage Fund and understand whether building owners would engage in the scheme and at what grant rate. Gain insight into future plans that building owners, businesses, community groups and residents might have to allow for partnership working and a holistic approach towards town centre improvements as well as reinforcing the knowledge base. Provide a positive message, promoting investment into Haslingden and its current assets. Ensure the consultation is as transparent and open with the whole community feeding into it. OL-19-00568 Deardengate Big Lamp- Shining Light on Haslingden’s Heritage Create a Haslingden Town Centre 2040 Vision which is representative of the whole community. Understand baseline information and benchmarks to allow the project to be properly evaluated. Scope of the consultation: The defined consultation period ran for from November 2018 until June 2019 with a range of techniques and applications used. The following activity has taken place during this period: Letter introducing the scheme to building owners with a survey and freepost envelope for returns to grasp grant intervention rates and opinions on the town centre (responses annexed) Press Release with call for comments in several local papers. 3 x library drop in sessions at busiest times, with stimulating discussion material. Advertisement of an online survey on Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and direct emails to local community groups, through the Taskforce and local papers. Including Council wide sites, MP sites and local Haslingden pages (responses annexed) Meetings with local community groups and organisations to discuss their ideas, including LCC, Rossendale Leisure Trust, Valley Heritage, APNA, Civic Pride, Proffitts, Love Haslingden to name just a few. Online surveys with 2 x local high schools pupils to target 11-18 year olds. (responses annexed) Face to face surveys with town centre businesses and organisations (responses annexed) Reinstatement of the Haslingden Traders group and presentation / feedback session relating to the scheme. Presence at key dates in the local mosque Survey opportunity in Together Housing’s newsletter A Haslingden Town Centre 2040 Vision workshop with key stakeholders within the town centre to form a wider strategy- forms a separate appendix to the bid Attendance and input at a local transport forum. Feedback gathering and attendance at the Community Partnership Board meeting. An online survey specifically to generate and understand event ideas (responses annexed) Presentation to head teachers in local primary and secondary schools. OL-19-00568 Deardengate Big Lamp- Shining Light on Haslingden’s Heritage Consultation findings bracketed key headlines: The consultation activity generated results and feedback from 800 individual people that use and have links to Haslingden Town Centre. 317 people filled in the online surveys relating to the town centre and events (some hand written and results put online for evaluation) 538 students completed the survey from Haslingden High school and All Saints designed for 11-18 year olds 90% of landlords/ building owners that returned a completed survey welcomed a grant intervention rate of 80% to complete improvements to their property. 97.8% of people agreed that Haslingden Town Centre could be improved, with most respondents suggesting enhancements should be made to create attractive shops and work on derelict buildings, as well Displays some of the feedback received from as addressing the market and places to sit. a session in the local mosque OL-19-00568 Deardengate Big Lamp- Shining Light on Haslingden’s Heritage 78% of people come to Haslingden town centre to shop or to attend appointments. 90% of people access the town centre by car or by walking. More varied shops, places to sit and events were the most selected items to encourage people to spend more time in the town centre 84% of respondents were not aware of the visithaslingden website and the associated heritage trail. 57.8% of respondents do not feel connected to Haslingden’s heritage. This photograph is from the 2nd consultation session held in Haslingden library on a Tuesday evening. Council Officers and members of the Haslingden Taskforce were available to gather feedback from members of the public. Current Challenges for residents and potential visitors: In order for the Haslingden Strategic Board to ascertain a scheme outline and understand ways to improve Haslingden Town Centre, it was important to ask partners and the community about the challenges they face, the question appeared in several formats: 1. What, if anything puts you off visiting the town centre on a regular basis? 2. What would make you spend more time in Haslingden town centre? 3. What are the top five challenges you face in the town centre? The following challenges featured the most frequently: Lack of variety with shops Nowhere to sit No leisure activity Too many takeaways No identity or USP Derelict buildings Looks rundown and visually Lack of enforcement on Town centre too spread unappealing particularly the the car parks out gateway Lack of green space Anti-social behaviour Lots of shutters on shops Market underused Nothing to do, especially Pedestrian & cycle at night time routes are poor These items also featured, but were not the most popular: OL-19-00568 Deardengate Big Lamp- Shining Light on Haslingden’s Heritage 1. Child Poverty 2. Childhood Obesity 7. Litter 3. Transport links & fly 4. Transient rental market tipping 5. Poor quality flats 8. Lack of atmosphere 6. Elderly isolation Ideas to overcome challenges and improve the town centre: As 97.8% of people felt that the town centre could be improved, it was crucial to gather their ideas. Activities to gather people’s ideas to improve the town centre included a Haslingden Town Centre 2040 Vision workshop, a presentation to head teachers in the school, discussions at the business association, as well as questions throughout the questionnaire as follows: 1. What ideas do you have to improve Haslingden town centre? 2. If you could spend a large amount of money in Haslingden town centre, what would you spend it on? 3. What would make you spend more time in Haslingden town centre? 4. What else do you think could be done to have a positive impact on the town centre? The following ideas to improve the town centre appeared the most frequently: Making shops attractive Seating area and gardens Pedestrianise/ one way on Deardengate Better lighting in the town Derelict building Market improvements improvements and relocation Community Art Work Greater police presence Less takeaways Replace paving Connection to the Halo Community events Digitalisation A USP for the town Nature throughout Other ideas included: 1. Town centre management team 9. Scheme for landlords for quality 2. Promenade from the co-op carpark to housing Deardengate 10. Shop front design guide 3. Welcoming feature at key entry points 11. Youth club/ somewhere for young & junction improvements people to go to 4. Improved leisure facilities 12. Walking route app 5. More bins 13. Things for the evening 6. Wasteland off Bell St 14. William Cockerill acknowledgement 7. Reduce core shopping area 15. Remove some of the street clutter 8. Shutter scheme 16. Feature out of the “Big Lamp” OL-19-00568 Deardengate Big Lamp- Shining Light on Haslingden’s Heritage Focused questions: People were also asked to expand suggestions and focus on certain elements that appeared to be constant throughout the discussions, including events, derelict buildings, public realm, digitalisation, promotion of heritage. Questions included: 1. What events would people like to see in the town centre? 2. If there were 4 key events annually, what would be the most popular? 3. Which empty buildings in the town centre would you like to see brought back into use? 4. What ideas do you have to improve the market area? 5. Where would you like to see public realm improvements? 6. What ideas do you have to make Haslingden more digitally interactive? 7.