Thanks to all those who responded to the survey, placed a pin on the online map, and chatted to us at pop-ups, or at meetings we attended. Between 4th January – 25th March 2022, the consultation was a mixture of online and offline and we got a broad response:
A website was launched which saw around 540 unique visitors – many of those came via the Plan facebook page 6 ‘pop-ups’ in places and with groups around Calne and Calne Without for face to face discussions and awareness raising
Local newspaper and newsletters advertised the launch consultation and direct emails were sent to local schools and groups
309 Survey Responses
168 pins placed on the community map
A full report and summary of all the comments we received has been prepared and the Steering Group and Topic Groups are drawing on the feedback as part of the process of researching the Neighbourhood Plan.
Below - are some key points of feedback we had.
Key points from the Survey
What to TREASURE - the top 5 things that residents said we should protect and / or strengthen:
Beauty of the surrounding countryside
Green spaces in the area (both the town and villages)
Local business and employment
Education and healthcare provision
Local Heritage
What to TRANSFORM - The top 5 things that that residents said we should address and / or improve:
Traffic
Provision of services and facilities for young people
Delivering more employment locally to minimise car travel in and out of the area
Changes to town centre shopping and vitality
Biodiversity loss - especially a need to protect sensitive areas such as the Marden Valley
Residents highlighted the objectives that they felt most important. The top 5 identified as VERY IMPORTANT were:
Protect existing open spaces and add new ones
Retain and improve community facilities
Encourage high quality education, health, youth and elderly provision
Protect the quality of our landscape and villages from development
Conserve and enhance our part of the North Wessex Downs AONB
Key Points from Online Map
The community online map enabled residents to place pins in an online map to highlight:
Thins I like / Things I don’t like / Things we need to work on
When the pins were placed people added comments to explain why they had added the pin. In total 168 pins were placed on the digital map (by around 35 different users). Many ‘something I like’ pins were linked to environmental assets. A summary of the points highlighted on the map is below, and the map can be seen by clicking this link.
What next?
The Steering Group will be using the results from the survey to inform updates to the Neighbourhood Plan.
Topic Groups, made up of local people from the Steering Group and others who have interest in a particular area will be looking in more detail at the following topic areas:
1. Climate Change and Sustainability
2. Natural Environment
3. Built Environment
4. Working and Shopping
5. Housing and Communities
6. Getting Around
Over the course of the Spring and Summer in 2022 these local people, supported by officers at the town and parish councils, together with Planning Consultants, Place Studio will be building up local evidence, researching the national and Wiltshire context.
The next topics we will be asking you about will be Local Green Spaces (which can be designated and protected from development in our Neighbourhood Plan) and Local Housing Need.
To download the summary report of the opening consultation click below
To download the full report of the opening consultation click blow