Wivenhoe Town Plan Group
YOUR
CHANCE TO BE INVOLVED IN PLANNING THE FUTURE OF WIVENHOE |
| The
report
from the Initial Workshop Session
held on February
18th 2006
in the William
Loveless Hall, Wivenhoe. |
|
Following
the Inaugural General Meeting of the Town Plan group a workshop was held (click
here for the report of the meeting).
Participants
were asked three questions: What is special about Wivenhoe?
What are the problems in Wivenhoe? How can things be improved in
Wivenhoe? They were asked to
write their answers on Post-it notes and sort the comments into categories
taken from the community strategy: Community, Culture, Education,
Employment, Environment, Health and well being, Parks and open spaces,
Safety and crime, Traffic and congestion.
Key
points noted included:
Community
- There is a good sense of community.
There is a lack of provision of youth facilities, re-establishment
of the youth club was suggested to overcome this.
Culture
- The university is appreciated and the area has a
good level of arts provision. Communication
can be lacking. A focus for
arts was suggested.
Education
and learning
- There is a good provision of service although some
felt it could increase. Youth
facilities are required. Better
links could be made with the University.
Employment
- Businesses are reducing and this leads to a lack of
employment
Environment
- The area is peaceful, with the water being
important. There is a fear of
development and the erosion of green spaces.
Health
and well being
- Existing service is good, but some felt needed to
expand.
Housing
- There is a fear of development and some design is
poor.
Parks
and open spaces
- The waterfront is special.
More green open space would be appreciated.
Crime
and safety
- Increased police presence is wanted
Traffic
and congestion
- Public transport is good.
Traffic levels are increasing.
Roads and infrastructure should be improved.
The
results will be presented to the community to view, and further comments
can be created and added to the list.
These should be sent to Eugene Kraft, 6 The Nook, Wivenhoe CO7 9NH.
The amalgamation of all of the comments received will be used by the Town
Plan Committee to inform the
creation of a questionnaire.
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A
profile of the people who took part
97 people were profiled. They
were asked to specify their gender, age and how long they had lived
in the town.
|
Gender
41
male
56
female
|
Age
3
Under 12
0
12-17
2
18-29
17
30-44
37
45-64
28
65+ |
Length in town
5
<1 yr
16
1-5 yrs
17
6-10 yrs
19
11-25 yrs
41
> 25 yrs |
|
The
results of the workshop are listed below.
All comments have been entered as written and placed into
alphabetical order. It has
been indicated with a * where more than one comment was placed.
Community
- What
is special?
A quiet rural
community – plenty of forests and country walks from an old London boy
A village community but without a closed village mentality
A well developed & caring community of all ages putting on arts events
as well as the usual community events e.g. May Fair, Regatta
Acceptance of all sorts of folk.
Art on railings
Beautiful walks
Christmas cards
Community spirit
Community spirit, friendly people.
Congratulations I will give you money when I’ve read the constitution
Feeling of being part of a community
Friendly people*2
Generally good facilities – community halls, childcare
Good community spirit*2
Good woodlands
Library *2
Local shops
May Fair
Most happy to talk and smile (not necessarily newcomers)
Pantos
People care about Wivenhoe
People full of initiatives and involved in activities
Pleasant and friendly residents
Regatta
Rural environment
Social, age income mix of inhabitants benefits whole community.
The close knit and friendliness of the people of Wivenhoe
The town has a village feel that makes the town feel smaller and
consequently friendlier
The voluntary associations are the life-blood of the community
Thriving community groups and activities
Town events
Varied community and environment
Variety of pubs (very important that they don’t all become Rose and
Crown clones)
Very strong community spirit
Village atmosphere
Whoever you are you get accepted
Community
- What
are the problems?
As population grows
pressure on schools, health service and transport - is also increasing but
there appears to be no strategic plan to manage this increase.
Caring environment
Colchester Borough Council has no interest in Wivenhoe – often don’t
even know where we are.
Doctor’s practice too small. *2
Empty or inappropriate shops for a village community.
Great community.
Great Spirit unique and strong when it’s called upon.
I heard that the Co-op wished to enlarge its car park but was not allowed
to.
I would not like to see too much development. I have done that, worn the
T-shirt.
It is friendly/
It’s the place I’ve lived in for more than 30 years/
Lack of accountability of town council too cliquey.
Things rushed through behind closed doors.
Lack of community arts facilities.
Lack of facilities for young people.
Library areas – need improving and parking.
Little police presence. *2
Lots to do – good facilities.
Need for a youth club and a skate park instead of new houses.
No activities & activities for youth – esp. teens.
No facilities for teenagers.
No youth centre for young people.
No youth club. *2
Not enough involvement in the community from new residents especially
those who use it as a holiday home.
Not enough shops = many closed in recent years.
Nothing for youngsters.
Nottage.
Off-street parking.
Planning does not take the local residents’ views sufficiently into
account. Local services are under strain because of this.
Reluctance to accept change by community.
Small town feel.
Special route for High Street cars.
Still ac community spirit.
Teenagers needing a place of their own – Alcohol & drugs
abuse/street corners.
The shops we have are brilliant but we need a butchers, bakers and
fishmongers.
Too many estate agents – more shops at the lower end of village.
Too much building.
Too much traffic.
Total lack of communication between residents.
Unique in its own individuality.
With no senior school in Wivenhoe very limited facilities for teenagers.
Wivenhoe Town Council and the many organisations that flourish in this
small town.
WTC’s failure to follow proper procedures of notification and
consultation.
Youth centre is empty but could be used if their was a parent rota.
Community
- How
can things be improved?
An arts centre
(music, drama, kids and parents group).
As a matter of courtesy all formal communications between the public and
WTC should at least receive an acknowledgement from the Town Clerk.
Better publicity for meetings such as this. We don’t all have websites.
Better shops.
Colchester Borough Council to take notice of our wishes.
Community youth worker so teenagers have someone and somewhere to go.
Encourage more shops to sell helpful everyday things.
Establish youth club.
Facilities & activities for youth.
Help with local shops to improve the local community.
Look in to youth facilities – a club or sports facilities.
More accountability from the Town Council – currently too cliquey and
things rushed through without consideration.
More businesses.
More contact between old and new residents of Wivenhoe
More facilities for younger age group.
No more big housing development.
Passing bay in front of Loveless Hall on High Street.
Provide facilities for young teenagers.
Provide more facilities to teenagers.
The preservation of the quay shelter free of the serving of alcoholic
drink. It is not an extension of the Rose and Crown.
The provision of information by sign boards is long over due for
strangers.
The way in which the council operates – seems to be a private club feel
to it.
There’s isolated and lonely people here too.
Things for young people to do.
Use of a possible parent rota to make of youth centre for 8 years upwards.
Youth facilities.
Culture
- What
is special?
Access to the university for courses/exhibitions etc.
Friendliness.
Good local pubs.
Involvement of people in making decisions.
Lively arts scene.
Lively community. Many thriving organisations covering every aspect of life – culture, arts, gardens etc.
No. of activities.
Position – on river makes it attractive & architecture.
So many activities here – so much involvement.
Societies of great variety.
The arts community and history.
University contributing to culture and diversity of interests.
Culture
- What are the problems?
Lack of communication for what should be done.
Lack of power from the people.
Not enough small shops.
Overdevelopment causes infrastructure problems which are being ignored.
Weak planning committee.
Culture
- How can things be improved?
Appoint members of the planning committee who are capable of saying NO to the wishes of developers.
Better council planning power.
More stringent control of development must be applied.
Needs to be a community centred building in Wivenhoe for arts, music, theatre and community activities etc. Not in Colchester, i.e. Grey Friars/Wilson Marriage.
Education and Learning - What is special?
Good adult/toddler and leisure classes.
Good schools - community links.
University facilities & diversity resulting from having students/lectures living in the town.
Youth centre.
Education and Learning
- What are the problems?
Are there enough school places to cope with the greater number of children from the new housing development.
Lack of facilities for young people.
Links between university and town could be improved (physical, but also communication and less tangible links).
Loss of adult education centre.
Not enough links to the university.
Not enough school facilities for population.
Education and Learning - How can things be
improved?
Developers should contribute via S.1O6 – monies to education.
Encourage learning centres in Wivenhoe itself.
Improve links with university.
Need more facilities for youth – skate park great idea.
Employment - What is special?
Employment - some local shops and small businesses – Wivenhoe needs to live on a day–to–day basis
Employment - What are the
problems?
Business sites sold for development e.g. Cedric & Wor garage.
Existing businesses lost to planning applications to convert to housing.
Few local employment opportunities (most people commute to work).
Lack of employment opportunities.
Lack of little shops like the book shop – empty premises.
Lack of local employment.
Losing employment zones to residential housing.
Employment - How can things be improved?
Discourage high rates.
Encouragement by local groups to allow small businesses to develop in new developments.
Establish planning policies to protect employment zones.
Keep local shops especially in lower part of village.
Localise town manufacture rather than relying on central resources.
Reduce rents on empty shops or attempt to lobby landlords.
Environment - What is
special?
Attractive riverside area.
Availability of services (doctors, dentist, local shops, post office).
Beautiful surroundings. *2
Community green spaces.
Community spirit.
Conservation area in lower Wivenhoe.
Easy access to local facilities – from my front door e.g. post office, shops, dentist, doctor etc.
Everyone seems to know everyone, and most people are friendly
George V playing field.
Good quality new development.
High quality environment – listed buildings conservation area – quayside and riverside setting.
I like the area because of the people, the countryside and walks along the river.
Local facilities within walking distance e.g. doctors, vet and dentist.
May Fair/regatta etc,
Mix of people, liberal attitudes and slight eccentricity.
Most of the people.
New development.
Peaceful.
Proximity to beautiful open spaces – woods, river.
River environment. *4
Sense of community.
The Co-op and local shops.
The cycle path to Colchester. Good bus and train services. No through traffic.
The estuary.
The estuary, woods and surrounding countryside.
The quayside and riverbanks.
The quayside walking and accessibility to all facilities.
The river and river walks.
The river and surrounding areas.
The river and the cul-de-sac nature of the town.
The speciality of Wivenhoe has almost gone. The preservation of peace and quiet beside the river.
The station. *3
The waterfront. *3
The woods. *3
Very friendly and welcoming to newcomers.
Village atmosphere and community.
Environment - What are the problems?
Additional housing without extra infrastructure and services.
Breakdown of community.
Danger of becoming suburb of Colchester via sudden development along river which should instead be kept as an amenity.
Destruction of “wild” zones where young people can do their own thing.
Environmental degradation. E.g. rubbish in public spaces and vandalism.
Excess litter in public places – cars parked on pavements.
Growing too large for its own good.
Hedge trimming.
Increased use of river by powerboat craft.
Lack of care of environment.
More dog bins required along the river.
No longer used piles relative to the ferry has caused an unwelcome build-up of mud. My mud berth as a result is
damaged.
Progressive erosion of green spaces.
Rubbish, particularly on the playing field left by teenagers, costing time and money for the council groundsmen to clean.
Size – growing too fast.
Style and character ruined by mass development over several decades.
Threat of housing on environment.
Unattractive entrance to town now marred further by ugly flats – houses and flats too small.
Where are the street cleaners?
Environment -
How can things be improved?
Avoidance of the clutter of over-signage i.e. 12/13 no parking signs on West Street.
Campaign to clean up Wivenhoe’s dirty streets.
Cycle path needs maintenance.
Develop a local energy policy.
Look into using energy of the tide for energy use through river barrier.
More allotments.
More recycling points.
New housing to be only 2 stories, green spaces to front and back – Old shipyard riverbank to remain natural i.e. grasses/flowers/mud – not paved to the edge. Protect our environment. Enhance our environment not ruin it.
Preservation of green spaces – like park.
Railway shed should be a theatre.
Regular keeping rubbish cleared from public places.
Restrict further building or get developers to contribute to local facilities.
Review river bylaws etc – in consultation with users.
Riverside development for ALL the town e.g. a restaurant? art gallery?
Stop building more housing in unsuitable areas of Wivenhoe.
Stop further hideous developments which are totally out of character with this town.
There should be less litter.
Cycle paths need maintenance.
Health and well being - What is
special?
Good doctors.
Overall community spirit.
Health and well being - What are the
problems?
Doctor’s capacity.
GP surgery too small and under-equipped to deal with size of population.
Health centre insufficient for Wivenhoe’s needs.
Lack of support for village projects namely the new medical centre and the tardy response to the planning application.
Local chiropody services stopped – not enough room @ surgery now.
New medical centre necessary. Building can’t accommodate patients
No wheelchair/pram/pushchair access at Wivenhoe station.
No youth club, no activities for the youth but ill conceived solutions to date.
Not enough for the young people to do.
Pressure of increased numbers on services e.g. health/schools.
Size of surgery with regards to size of village.
Too many people for limited services, i.e. waiting time for national health dentist, doctors etc – going to get worse.
Young people hanging around the town with nothing to do.
Health and well being - How can things be
improved?
Can we have more effective street cleaning and drains improved.
Centralise surgery in Cedrics site.
Completion of restoration of the railway project.
Disabled loo at the Loveless. *3
Doctors’ surgery needs to be enlarged to cater for population growth.
Modern new and larger health centre with sufficient parking.
More activities for elderly.
More activities for young people.
More development.
Needs new medical centre. PCT decide.
New health centre. *9.
New surgery.
No new Wivenhoe surgery.
Youth facilities needed.
Housing - What is special?
Some new housing with hint of style.
Housing - What are the problems?
As Wivenhoe is now mainly a dormitory – its industries have gone therefore we live in a state of consolidation of property investment.
Building is vast/overdevelopment.
Building of many unaffordable properties too rapidly at the expense of community facility.
House prices beyond reach of local young people.
How town will sustain growth and development of housing.
Lack of affordable housing for locals.
Lack of contribution to amenities by developers.
Lack of information visually to local residents.
Many new developments not celebrating 21st century or historic traditions. All too close, too tall & little green space.
Massive levels of development without increases in infrastructure – schools, doctors etc.
Not enough low-cost housing.
Overbearing and intensive development at the Flag.
Overdevelopment of residential areas.
Residential planning ignores local wishes.
Tall ugly new blocks of flats.
Too many new houses – too much traffic – too few shops.
Too much building happening – traffic problems.
Too much building/development.
Too much housing development, with no corresponding infrastructure.
Too much housing.
Too much new housing – really changed the whole atmosphere of the town.
Wivenhoe-born young adults unable to find affordable housing to stay in the locality.
Wivenhoe is becoming a concrete jungle and losing its originality.
Wivenhoe will end up being a part of Colchester if building continues.
Housing -
How can things be improved?
‘Social’ conditions to planning consent.
Block infill developments.
Control developers. *2
Extra services in line with housing expansion (schools, doctors etc).
Keep a VERY vigilant eye on the Cook’s yard development.
Limit new building.
More low cost homes to enable young people to stay in Wivenhoe.
No more housing.
No more housing development.
No more social housing at Flag.
Plans for housing, roads etc. are of high quality and expectation with clear scale identified, use of human models to give clear scale.
Say no to any more development.
Say no to heavy traffic.
Shared equity schemes for local people.
Slow down on building.
Build affordable properties & community facilities.
Waterfront development must maintain local footpaths and keep traffic disruption to a minimum.
Parks and open spaces -
What is special?
Beautiful location – river and woods and green space.
Beautiful river front.
Footpath.
Geographical location with river, countryside and access to coast.
George 5th.
Green spaces.
King George 5th Playing field – area of natural beauty with large open space adjacent to woods encouraging wildlife.
Lots of green and open space.
Lovely environment.
Lovely footpath – but lets keep it that way!
Lovely park, woods and river walks.
Lower Lodge Farm.
Open spaces, park and woodland.
Park. *3
River. *2
River scenes.
River views.
River walks.
The lovely walks.
Bluebells are terrific.
The open spaces.
Woods/river walk.
The waterfront.
Waterfront area.
Waterfront walks locally and proximity to Colchester.
What makes Wivenhoe special?
One of the most obvious answers to this question is the KGV playing fields – otherwise known as the park. What makes the park special is that it’s a countryside conservation area, bordering a nature reserve – and yet its in the middle of the town just a step away from the High Street. It’s got a couple of football pitches at the top and a children’s playground at the bottom and in between a beautiful area of historic park landscape – originally the estate grounds of Wivenhoe Hall – hence the mature trees like the oaks and cedar of Lebanon. It’s difficult to understand why the council is proposing a BMX/Skateboard facility bang in the middle of Wivenhoe’s ‘beauty spot’
Wivenhoe trail.
Wivenhoe Wood. *5
What are the problems?
Absurd proposal to construct skateboard facility in KGV field – environmentally damaging
Lack of access to the River Colne.
More open spaces needed – with access for all.
Open spaces being taken for development.
Poor maintenance of the ‘new cemetery’.
Proposed skateboard in KGV very bad idea.
The council are wrecking King George’s field by building stupid stuff on it.
Too much interference in making woods ‘accessible’ – leave well alone. That means you the Environment Agency.
Too much new housing development.
How can things be improved?
No more development on open spaces.
No more houses.
Skateboard park in King George’s playing field.
We should keep the open spaces we have and create more!
Safety and Crime - What is special?
Low crime area. *2
Safety. *2
Safety and Crime - What are the
problems?
Anti-social behaviour vandalism & under-age drinking.
Antisocial behaviour with lack of police presence.
Increasing incidences on new housing estates.
Insufficient police presence. *2
Lack of community policing.
Behaviour problems mostly among the young because of lack of amenities for them – perhaps because groups rely on volunteers.
Lack of proper police station.
Litter in ever increasing quantities – despite our very good “litter man”.
Little active police presence.
Mindless vandalism by teenagers.
Minor vandalism. Anti social behaviour – e.g. my car has been vandalised 4 times in 18months.
No active police presence.
No facilities for teenagers, leads to anti-social behaviour e.g. congregating outside Co-op (slightly) threatening.
No police station.
Noisy teenagers messing around with nothing to do.
Not much leisure facilities.
Nothing for teenagers to do! They just hang around outside the Co-op.
Petty vandalism – car damage etc.
Police presence very intermittent.
Problem families being dumped here by Colchester.
Pub opening times too late.
Vandalism. *2
Where are the police? – haven’t seen any for months.
Safety and Crime - How can things be
improved?
Better policing of public areas – river bank, park etc (to discourage litter, vandalism).
Bring back the village bobby – being visible.
Increased police presence.
More of a police presence. *4
More or better policing.
More police on the beat at all times (not just Tues lunchtime).
More visible police presence and youth facilities.
Neighbourhood watch or CCTV in new housing estates.
Nip anti-social behaviour in the bud – zero tolerance.
Open a police station again – we pay local tax for this.
Police service to be in evidence PLEASE.
Police station manned again.
Police station more visible.
Police station open more often.
Police: Need a presence which is not obvious at one time – police house should be used -25 years ago we had a smaller community & more amenities such as police.
Policing more than 1 day a week.
Policing, Policing, Policing. Haven’t seen a policeman for 3 years.Pub closing times to be monitored & policed if necessary.
Wivenhoe needs own police officer.
Traffic and Congestion - What is special?
Access to public transport facilities.
Access to the river and countryside.
Better parking at doctors.
Can still park in some areas – fairly free flowing traffic. Not over publicised.
Good amenities i.e. bus and train service.
Good bus service.
Good public transport links to surrounding towns and beyond.
Good public transport.
Good transport. *3
Good travel links. *2
Railway station inaccessible to disabled – platform too low.
Riverside walks and woodland walks.
The fact that there is no through road – keeps traffic levels low.
The human scale – (not car dominated. I am a non car owner. This applies to lower Wivenhoe mainly where I live). The gravel unmade roads contribute positively - the distances are walkable.
The train.
Transport ok.
Traffic and Congestion -
What are the problems?
Angelsea Rd is unmade (being gravel) for much traffic.
Bus service stopped to hospital. Was direct to Colchester General Hospital. Now stopped. Change in train timetable weekend
service.
Concern over bus routes and frequency on Wivenhoe’s most used routes.
Condition of road surface in Bowes Road.
Development engineering fast traffic.
East St – very narrow.
Elderly suffer, can’t get to appointments easily.
Fast traffic from new estates .
Find some way of improving road options through village.
Footpaths/pavements. No maintenance. Legal width reduced by increasing signposts.
Inaccessible transport. Buses - train station.
Increased traffic.
Increasing level of traffic.
Increasing traffic on the Avenue which is narrow.
Infrastructure inadequate – Approx 70 houses on Cook’s shipyard – roads not adequate.
Lack of road repairs.
Legalised vandalism of the roads by highways – traffic clutter etc - unnecessary.
Maintenance of road along the quay – its freedom from obstruction and clear definition by sign board, information especially for strangers.
No cyclepath.
No parking tickets can be issued from council offices – why?
Over-development.
Overloaded infra-structure due to excessive development on the port and future shipyard site.
Over-developed without sufficient infrastructure.
Over-development of the quay area of Wivenhoe and its associated traffic problems.
Over-development. Too many people and cars – traffic.
Overhead cables.
Parking – inadequate. Residents should have priority and this should be enforced.
Parking. * 3
Parking at the shops in Vine Drive.
Parking enforcement not enough – inconsistent.
Pavement north of the flag encroached by hedges/vegetation.
Poor infrastructure.
Poor quality street furniture in conservation area.
Poor traffic infrastructure. B1208 at capacity – Poor accident record.
The protection of the conservation area – particularly the quay.
Reduction in bus service, i.e. No 61 past the cemetery.
Reduction in needy bus services especially to University and college. Town – noisy buses especially sitting with engines running and pumping out fumes .
Road infrastructure not equipped to deal with traffic – too much housing development.
Road traffic bad for the area.
Roads and parking spinal south of High Street.
Roads too narrow for volume of traffic.
Signage.
Speeding.
Street clutter.
There is too much traffic and fumes.
Too much traffic. *2
Traffic and car parking.
Traffic and road infrastructure.
Traffic congestion especially along High Street.
Traffic from Wivenhoe causing congestion on Clingoe Hill.
Traffic has increased significantly on main arteries into/out of Wivenhoe, esp the Avenue, High Street, Belle Vue Road, Rectory Rd and others.
Traffic too much – too fast.
Transport problem from lower Wivenhoe development.
Unlicensed roads.
Traffic and Congestion -
How can things be improved?
20 mph speed limit from Wivenhoe Cross
Ask the university to open its road so as to filter traffic through and away from the dreaded Clingoe Hill.
Better cycle/pedestrian access to the university.
Cheaper bus and train fares.
Cook’s Shipyard – Take part of the site for a public space on the waterfront – thus reducing number of houses and cars.
Entrance to Wivenhoe via university to improve traffic to Wivenhoe extra to Clingoe Hill.
Get rid of out of date buses and replace with wheelchair accessible ones.
Good bus links to town.
Improve parking congestion near Rose and Crown.
Improve roads and facilities.
Improved frequency of trains to Colchester.
Larger car park and improving of existing one.
Limit use of cars.
Lobby bus service.
Making up of Anglsea Road to relieve lower town traffic problems.
Negotiate with one [railway].
Provide traffic impact assessment for B1208 to inform decision making process for planning.
Re-open the University road – would help with Clinghoe Hill problems.
Required - speed bumps down Elmstead Road. Solution to a problem.Road infrastructure.
Slow down new housing development in Wivenhoe.
Station access footbridge.
The clearly accepted task of our council to develop the free passage of traffic along the Quay.
The train station – rebuild platform – adapt trains (steps etc).
Widen footpath to make a cycle path along the road to the University (a safe, clean alternative to the cycle path by the river).
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