Impacts of Neighbourhood Planning in England - 2020 - University of Reading

 This is a report commissioned by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government which has been undertaken by the University of Reading. The link to the document is below: 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/929422/Impacts_of_Neighbourhood_Planning_in_England.pdf

To best describe the scope of the task set the University here is an extract from the report:

1.2 Research Brief 

The research was set out by MHCLG to cover a series of core Research Objectives (ROs). These concerned: 

• Development Impacts and Housing Supply 
• Other Development Impacts (including Quality of Development) 
• Decision-Making and Investment 
• Community Attitudes and Engagement 
• Influence of Geography 
• Success Factors and Common Barriers

The key findings are to be found in the Executive Summary which is extracted below:

The key findings are set out in precis and organised here by the six Research Objectives: 

1. Development Impacts and Housing Supply Neighbourhood planning’s contribution to housing supply can be significant. Neighbourhood plans which are allocating housing sites are providing sites for an average additional to local plan allocation 39 units per neighbourhood plan. The study found 18,000 units above LP allocations in 135 plans. However communities seeking to make housing allocations did encounter added burdens, both technical and political compared to creating a non-allocating NP. Scaling-up production of NPs could make a significant contribution to housing supply – particularly if cooperation between neighbourhoods and LPAs are strengthened further. There was no evidence found that NPs displace development from other parts of the local authority area. 

2. Other Development Impacts (including Quality of Development) Neighbourhood plans have helped improve design policy and refined local priorities e.g. housing for specific societal groups. There is further potential within the neighbourhood planning process to reflect both community needs and tie with more strategic concerns coming from above. Closer partnership working between communities and planning professionals (i.e. local government planners and planning consultants) can help address this. Better recognition and more targeted support for the effective integration of placemaking matters that go beyond pure land use planning policy would also benefit neighbourhoods and other interested parties (e.g. local government, third sector, funders). 

3. Decision-Making and Investment Neighbourhood plans have improved local engagement with local planning authorities, and are important vehicles for place-making beyond land use planning. Other initiatives have included the establishment of Community Interest Companies and Community Land Trusts. Impacts of Neighbourhood Planning Page 4 of 44 This highlights that communities lack a formal arena for place-making projects unrelated to planning policy, and may help explain why a large number of communities have not completed land use plans (NDPs). In terms of how the Plans are used in practice, the evidence from LPAs and appeals indicates NPs do have an influential role in decisions, reflecting their legal status, and as a minimum they provide nuance to decisions. Over half of LPA respondents see NDPs as having a ‘moderate’ or ‘high’ degree of influence on decision-making. Moreover, responses suggest the vast majority of decisions that go to appeal go in favour of the relevant NDP. However, their impact will vary according to the circumstances and Plan policies. We found no evidence that NPs were ignored but some communities felt Plans were not always recognised as clearly as they would wish. This indicates that LPAs could better communicate how neighbourhood plans have been taken into account and highlights the value of clear and specific policies that have been road-tested by development management officers. MHCLG could share best practice to support LPAs in their role in developing and implementing NDP policies. 

4. Community Attitudes and Engagement Community attitudes to development may become more positive as a result of the NP experience, and the acceptability of development is supported by a large proportion of Plans with policies on design and affordable housing. Some neighbourhoods reported better relations with LPAs and a more positive attitude to development, but in other cases poor relations with some LPAs and lack of an up-to-date Local Plan also presented a barrier. There was no clear evidence that there is faster delivery of sites, though where sites are chosen in the NDP they are clearly more accepted by the community, which can reduce delays associated with legal challenges or other forms of opposition. Often allocation of sites is a motivator as it allows greater protection of other locally important spaces. It is therefore important to maintain protection for neighbourhood plans from speculative development. 

5. Influence of Geography While there has been strong take-up of neighbourhood planning since 2011, there are many neighbourhoods who have not used this community right. The total number of communities who have started or completed neighbourhood planning went beyond 2,600 in Autumn 2019, but the take-up rates have slowed considerably. The main reasons for this are associated to known time, processual and technical burdens, relationship with local plan progress, and levels of enthusiasm in some local planning authorities. This indicates that for some neighbourhoods an uptodate Local Plan lessens their concern to finalise a NDP. There is a noticeably low take-up in urban areas, and in northern regions. It is notable that all LPAs with no activity are urban. There are a range of reasons for this disparity and if government wish to continue to support the initiative there will need to be affirmative action taken to sustain and expand neighbourhood planning activity. Government are missing an opportunity to realise benefits in urban and deprived areas and assist in their levelling-up agenda. As such Government should consider either increasing support to reflect additional Impacts of Neighbourhood Planning Page 5 of 44 challenges faced by these communities, or ensure community engagement/involvement, in other less burdensome ways. 

6. Success Factors and Common Barriers While NP is a manageable process for most parished communities and a NDP is an achievable goal, support from consultants and positive relationships with LPA are important to helping with progress. MHCLG could do more to identify and share best practice for LPAs, particularly around site identification. The process remains burdensome for community volunteers with the time taken to reach completion around three years (and for many it can take longer). NDPs take longer when Local Plans are in progress, particularly where a new Local Plan is initiated after NDP work has started. This can add a further 6-10 months to NDP production on average. Better alignment with LPAs and Local Plans may assist here. Local Planning Authority (LPA) support overall is varied, with examples of strong support but also ambivalence in other areas. A common criticism was duplication of policies and MHCLG could find ways of better aligning / integrating Local Plans and NP processes – through clearer ongoing communications between LPAs and neighbourhood planning groups.

The full report gives a much better understanding of the important part that Neighbourhood Plans can play in reflecting the wishes of the local community and translating them into an effective planning document.

 

Belper Neighbourhood Plan

BELPER NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN REFERENDUM

MAY 6 - TIME TO VOTE 

The full and final version of the Neighbourhood Plan and all the supporting documents are now available on the Belper Town Council website –www.belpertowncouncil.gov.uk/planning

This includes the amendments agreed with the independent examiner and is the version on which is subject to referendum .

The main policies have not changed –

A] Develop brownfield land over greenfield.

B] Redevelop the historic mills and other derelict building sites in the town.

C] Create new housing to meet local needs , mostly smaller properties for starter homes or downsizing.

D] Promote sustainable development, use of green energy, and reduce our carbon footprint.

E] Encourage the use of public transport , cycleways and pedestrian access wherever possible.

F] Protect our heritage buildings and historic landscape setting.

PLEASE USE YOUR VOTE

NP4B Consultation starts 21st March 2019

BELPER NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN 2019-2028

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

Thursday 21^ST March to Friday 3^rd May 2019

We have now completed our reports and evidence to submit our draft Neighbourhood Plan for the 6 week public consultation.

Many organisations and community groups will be contacted directly asking them to complete the questionnaire for their comments.

We will be holding  public meetings over the period.

Tuesday 2^nd April , 7pm at No 28 , Market Place .

Saturday 6^th April 10 am till 12.30 pm at St John’s Chapel, The Butts.

Saturday 13^th April 9 am till 1pm, Stall on Belper Market.

If any other group wishes to hear from us we would be happy to try to attend.

Hard copies of the draft Document and the questionnaire will be available  at Belper Library and the Town Council office [ please ring first, 01773 822116].

The full draft document and all the additional reports and papers can be found on the Belper Town Council website. www.belpertowncouncil.gov.uk.  The questionnaire for completion is also there.

There are 23 policies in the NP on which to comment . We don’t apologise for that ,  we gathered the public views and co-ordinated them with the policy requirements knowing  Belper is a complicated , beautiful place , which is why we have tried to get it right for now and the future.

Anyone who would like help to complete the online form please contact the email:

NP4B@gmail.com or come to one of the public meetings .

NP4B Questionnaire

How do you get to work survey

Click on the link below to go to the survey:

NP4B Transport to work survey

First tranche of Addenda uploaded to NP4B website

Unloaded today to Neighbourhood Plan for Belper webpage on the Belper Town Council website are addenda 1 through 4, containing supporting evidence for the plan.

• Addendum 1 WHS status (PDF, 222 Kb)
  addendum to Draft Neighbourhood Plan - WHS Status
• Addendum 2 - Mill Survey (PDF, 153 Kb)
  Addendum to Draft Neighbourhood Plan - Mill Survey
• Addendum 3 - Business Questionnaire (PDF, 487 Kb)
  Addendum 3 to Draft Neighbourhood Plan - Business Questionnaire
• Addendum 4 - Employment Leaflets (PDF, 169 Kb)
  Addendum 4 to the Draft Neighbourhood Plan - Employment Leaflets

There will be more uploaded in the next few days.

An extract from Addendum 3 - Business Questionnaire

Press release July 2018

The draft Neighbourhood Plan and the supporting reports have now been put on the  Belper Town Council website: Plan for Belper on town council website Draft Neighbourhood Plan for Belper Part 1 Draft Neighbourhood Plan for Belper Part 2 This is not the "polished version " but we had to publish it in time for it to be available for the Amber Valley Local Plan hearings and also the Appeal hearing for the Belper Lane planning application this week.  The draft plan will be considered by the full Town Council Meeting on 10th July. Food Fair Members of the Working Group will have a stall at the Food Fair on Sunday 8th July so if you want the chance to get an update on what happens next please come and find us there. Photographic Competition Finally , a reminder about the Photographic Competition which closes on the 31st July. As a recap... The rules are simple -pictures should be of landscapes and sightlines in Belper Civic Parish that you value . The picture should be taken from publicly accessible land, and may be digital [eg.by camera.,phone ,tablet] or conventional photography, but it must be as good quality as you can get. You can submit up to a maximum of 3 pictures, by email to nplan4b@gmail.com or posted to NPlan4B, St John's Chapel, The Butts, Belper. [Sorry ,we cannot return the prints.]  Please include your name and contact details,and indicate whether you are 16 or over. There will be 2 prizes, £25 for over 16's and £15 for under 16's.By submitting your name you are agreeing to have your picture reproduced and credited in the finished NP document and it's publicity. Contact details will be erased after the competition. We already have some unusual and interesting contributions and it's not too late to send in your own .

NP4B revised contact details

The new Plan for Belper website is now live:

http://www.belpertowncouncil.gov.uk/belper-neighbourhood-plan1.html

Email address: Nplan4B@gmail.com

Press release January 2017

The Neighbourhood Plan may appear to have been very quiet but it hasn’t gone away.  We are in the process of analysing the views and information received, doing further research, and drafting the various sections of the document – including potential policies, goals and aspirations.  For example (potentially): identifying the brownfield sites and prioritising them for development (policy; Built Environment & Housing); aiming for services offices that will act as a hub for the business community(goal; Local Economy & Employment); more intercity trains stopping at Belper (aspiration; Transport & Travel).  We will be presenting them to businesses, organisations, interest groups and the public in the Summer.  Look out for the publicity because we are aiming to publish the first complete draft document during May/June.

Local Economy & Employment - Questionnaire

There is still a lot of work to be done on the Neighbourhood Plan. Critical to the topic of Local Economy & Employment is the responses to the Business Questionnaire, and the final date for their return is 24^th February 2017.   We request that you kindly post or deliver any outstanding completed questionnaires to NP4B, 21 Derby Road, (opposite Goods Road), Belper, DE56.1UU. 

If you have not had a questionnaire but would like one, please e-mail your address to c89blake@btinternet.com.  We are particularly keen to have responses from businesses, of whatever type, based on the outskirts of the Belper civic parish.  The boundary of Belper civil parish is roughly Belper Lane End, Broadholm, Openwoodgate, Bargate, Makeney, The Chevin, Blackbrook, including the agricultural areas. 

Special meeting on Sunday 27th November

INFORMATION MEETING FOR THE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN

SUNDAY 27^TH NOVEMBER 2-4PM AT ALTON COMMUNITY CENTRE , GREGORY’S WAY.

We now have two important reports available , and  want to discuss them and give information about the details to all interested members of the public.
The reports are provided by an independent organisation called AECOM and are a standard element in Neighbourhood Plans.

The first is a Housing Needs Assessment which identifies ,calculates and evidences the housing needs for the town until 2028.

The second is a Heritage and Character Assessment which details the unique nature of Belper and area, what we want to preserve and how to manage any change.

 
Both these documents will be released as supporting documents for the final Neighbourhood plan, and we believe that residents will be interested and encouraged by their contents. 

If you can, do come along for what will be an interesting and lively discussion.

Belper Market Place Traffic Survey -- initial report

With the help of Transition Belper and some other fantastic volunteers (who will be acknowledged in the final report) we managed to complete the dawn till dusk traffic survey. There will be a detailed report emerging over the next few days but here is an initial brief look at some of the collated data.

A graph showing private cars passing the Market Place survey point - from NP4B survey data

And here is a basic summary:

As stated above, this is just an initial look at the data and a more complete analysis will follow in the very near future. Next steps will be be look at HGV, motorcycle and cyclist data and to compare our findings to the annual Department for Transport (DfT) surveys. What we are attempting to do is address the perception of Belper folk that traffic is getting worse in the town whilst the DfT surveys show declining traffic levels. There is real concern in the town about the number of HGV's travelling through Belper roads and this will get special attention.

If we find, as I already suspect, that our data is showing similar results to the DfT then we will have to think hard about what we do next; should we persevere with our planned surveys at the Triangle and then the roundabout adjacent to Morrisons or tackle some other locations?

In the meantime a big thank you to all who volunteered. This was not an easy task as we were a relatively small band; I suspect much smaller than the official survey teams deployed by the DfT. If we had more people we could record more specific data. As it was we managed to log all forms of wheeled transport including caravans, tractors and diggers but accurately logging how many vehicles turned left/right into King Street or turned onto the Market Place to access the Coppice car park was a step too far. That said, one person volunteered to undertake a survey of relevant adjacent car parks and this will add greatly to the final report.

So, watch this space and do please contact John Porter on 07500832771 or contact Plan for Belper team if you would like to volunteer for our next survey. It was planned for next Thursday 13th October but with three key members of the team declaring themselves unavailable that date is already looking difficult. There were seven of us rotating through the 12 hours yesterday but I fear that a team of four would struggle. Ideally we need a team of a dozen if we are to undertake more complex locations but, as I said, a decision will be made about the relevance and nature of any further surveys.

Traffic Survey in Belper - looking for volunteers

The first NP4B traffic survey will commence on on the morning of Thursday 6th October at 7 am. The reason for the survey is that despite 15 years of annual Department for Transport monitoring indicating a gradual decline in the number of vehicles moving through the town there is a general perception that traffic is increasing. A series of dawn to dusk traffic counts is therefore planned, the one on Thursday being the first. Further surveys are in the pipeline during October monitoring traffic flowing through the Triangle near the Mill complex (again on a weekday) and all car park usage (both on a weekday and again on a Saturday).

Graph generated from DfT data by Plan for Belper

We have chosen a location by the Market Place which is convenient for traffic flows on Chesterfield Road, High Street, Spencer Road, Nottingham Road and Cheapside. We will also be able to monitor vehicle usage of The Coppice car park. 

We have so far managed to assemble a volunteer group of 4 individuals but hopefully this small team can be expanded ................ so, if you are interested in becoming involved in this hopefully rewarding task then please contact John Porter - Mobile: 07500832771. You will not be asked to stand by a windswept roadside for 12 hours as we are aiming for a rosta of 2 hour slots so when making contact please state when you are available. The plan is to monitor traffic in both directions so at any one time we need 2 volunteers to be in attendance. I think that we have the morning covered so anyone who has some spare time between 12 midday and 7 in the evening on Thursday 6th will be given a warm welcome.

Watch this space for following survey dates which will be decided upon to fit in with the availability of volunteers.

A full briefing will be given before you start (including personal safety).

AGM -September Press Release

SEPTEMBER PRESS RELEASE

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING FOR BELPER NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN

22^ND SEPTEMBER, 7 PM AT TOWN COUNCIL OFFICES, ST JOHN’S CHAPEL, BELPER.

A warm invitation is extended to all interested members of the public to attend the AGM of the Belper Neighbourhood plan.

The Steering group will be presenting an outline of their work in the first 12 months of consultations and assessments. They will be able to give some indication of the feedback and findings so far and explain the further work planned. It will also be the opportunity to confirm membership of the Steering group and encourage further public involvement.

If you have more ideas about what should be in the Neighbourhood plan, want to be involved or hear about progress so far, please join us at St John’s Chapel, 7 pm on Thursday 22^nd September.

St John's Chapel - Belper

NP4B JULY PRESS RELEASE

      

JULY PRESS RELEASE

NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN FOR BELPER

In July we hold  our final  second  round meetings to collect more feedback and also report what we have heard so far from the people of Belper.

Our first of event, held on 12^th July regarding the Business and Local Economy section of the consultation will be different ............. a business drop-in.

The aim is to give an opportunity for business large and small to drop in for a discussion about the neighbourhood plan, what it means to them and how they can contribute to its content and future impact on their work places.

We look forward to meeting business representatives at:

No.28, Community Hall, 28, The Market Place , Belper 

from 11 am until 6.30pm On  Tuesday 12^th July.

This is followed by the second feedback meeting for:

  LOCAL ECONOMY AND EMPLOYMENT

  Wednesday 20^TH July ,7.30pm at Room 16, Strutts Community Centre,

  [opposite the hospital] Derby Road.

All welcome.Please come along and hear the feedback from the business consultation and how the other views we have had so far are developing about our town’s future economic development.

The second of our feedback meetings is on:  

ENERGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Wednesday 27^TH July , 7.30 pm at Milford Social Club, 5,Chevin Road. Milford.

 [opposite the school]

Again all welcome . There has been a lot of interesting feedback so far about how we can create a sustainable and forward looking town which meets the needs of all our residents. Come and give us your thoughts and hear from others.

In the Autumn we will be collating all of your views and collected data, preparing a first draft report of the plan for final comment and consultation.

NP4B June 2016 Press Release

Neighbourhood Plan for Belper Press Release June 2016

                                                                                  There was lots of interest in the Neighbourhood Plan from the public attending the very successful “Belper Goes Green “ festival this weekend .We had a stall for the two days where members of the Steering group chatted to anyone who stopped to look at our publicity and the Town Model on display.

We had questionnaires completed and many views and thoughts gathered. It was good to see so many people so interested in our town and some volunteering to help with the project.As one person said when signing up to go on the newsletter mailing list “ I live here, Why wouldn’t I be interested in the neighbourhood plan ? ”

We are still in the middle of our second round of public consultations giving feedback on what we have learned so far and getting the information into subject areas that we can use in the final document.

During the rest of June we will be running two workshops :

Wednesday 15^th June at 7.30pm at St John’s Chapel , The Butts.  Topic:

THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND HOUSING

This is a significant area of interest and there is naturally lots of interest in new housing developments proposed in the town and where they might be sited. There is strong feedback that we need more social and affordable housing in the town.We are also getting a lot of feedback about how upset people are about the iconic East Mill becoming a deteriorating and embarrassing eyesore.

Wednesday 29^th June at 7.30pm at Strutt’s Community Centre , Derby Road.Topic:

CULTURE AND HERITAGE

The feedback we are getting is that local people value what we have of Belepr’s unique background and want to ensure that we enhance and use it.We are getting views on how to integrate this more into the town life eg by encouraging more tourist information, and public toilets and of course views on parking sites.

So please come along and help include your views on how our town should be developed and encouraged over the next decades. You can find out more by contacting us on:

email :info@planforbelper

Blog: http://np4b.blogspot.co.uk/

Website: www.planforbelper.org.uk

tweet ;@NP$B

or post to NPLan4B, St John’s Chapel , the Butts, Belper DE56 1 HX

Business Drop-in ........... a chance to input ideas for employment and commerce

NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN FOR THE BELPER AREA  -

INVITATION TO THE DROP-IN FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES

All businesses in the Belper neighbourhood area – from sole traders, the self-employed and those working from home, through small and medium-sized firms to the big companies – and whatever the field of work - are cordially invited to the business drop-in at 

No.28 Community Hall, 

28 Market Place, Belper 

from 11am to 6.30pm on 12^th July

(please note that this replaces the original arrangement of 22^nd June at St. John’s Chapel). 

It is vital that we have your input so we can accurately assess the current and future needs of local firms and focus on what improvements can be made to assist them.  Also, to understand and protect if necessary what already works well for commercial enterprises in the area.

The drop-in will be an opportunity for businesses of all types and sizes to learn more about the neighbourhood plan, talk to us, give your views, see how to access business assistance in the locality, and take the business questionnaire.  It can be completed and handed in at the drop-in or taken away and returned to us by the deadline.  Questionnaires will also be available other than at the business drop-in. 

In a relatively short space of time the local economy and employment patterns have changed beyond recognition, and are still evolving.  If we are to obtain accurate information about the situation now and in the foreseeable future, some of the questions will necessarily be sensitive.  Only the Chairman, the facilitator and those involved in the analysis will have access to the completed questionnaires, but they can be rendered anonymous if preferred.   The same number would be allocated to the front and first pages of the questionnaire and, in those cases, the facilitator would take the front page with the company’s name and contact details and keep it separate and confidential.

If your business is located within the civil parish of Belper (covering Bargate, Belper, Belper Lane End, Blackbrook, Broadholme, Far Laund, Makeney, Milford, Mount Pleasant, Openwoodgate, Whitemoor, and outlying areas) then it is important to you and your enterprise that we obtain accurate information.  We urge you to complete the questionnaire, which will be available at the end of June. 

Report from Belper Goes Green

The Plan for Belper team are greatly encouraged following a very successful weekend at Belper Goes Green. We were able to talk with many people, explaining to those new to NP4B what it is we are doing and also to give an update on progress to those who have already contributed their ideas or attended one or more of our meetings.

The NP4B Sunday team at Belper Goes Green 2016

The team has also been re-invigorated with some new recruits who will be needed to assimilate the many ideas and comments that we gained over the weekend. Now it's back to the grindstone.

We will be finalising our upcoming meeting dates and venues .......... hopefully by the end of this week. We will also be publishing our newsletter (distributed by email to those who have signed up) and posting here more of our interim reports on our topics.

Finally ........... a big thank you to all who took the time to talk with us over the weekend. The interest shown in the project is most heartening.

Oh ........... nearly forgot ........... thank you to the Transition Belper folk for their hard work putting on this wonderful event. Belper Goes Green has grown into a not to be missed festival and we at NP4B are very grateful for being allowed to attend.

Culture & Heritage -- meeting June 29th at 7:30 pm

There will be a public consultation on June 29th at 7:30 pm

Room 14, Strutts Community Centre, Belper

The topic is:

Culture & Heritage

Built Environment & Housing - meeting June 15th

There is a public consultation meeting - June 15th at 7:30 pm 

St.John's Chapel, The Butts, Belper.

The topic is:

Built Environment & Housing

Community & Leisure -- feedback leaflet May 2016

COMMUNITY AND LEISURE.                  

2ND ROUND PUBLIC CONSULTATION.

19:30, WEDNESDAY 18TH MAY 2016

MILFORD SOCIAL CLUB,

5 CHEVIN ROAD, (OPPOSITE THE SCHOOL)

MILFORD,

DE56 0QH

FACILITATOR: JOHN DEVINE

Reporting feedback

Introduction

Neighbourhood Plan 4 Belper team has taken feedback from our first consultations which took place around Belper Parish earlier this year. While the number of feedback forms returned was disappointingly small, those forms we did get were very interesting and some very good points were raised.

This information we have been able to use to produce an outline as to which direction our Plan should take within each of the following categories.

Plan for Belper – Consultation 1 – Community and Leisure Jan 2016

Key points –

1.      Belper is inspirational, open access countryside

2.      There are many varying communities of interest, demonstrating a lively community spirit and social life, but perhaps there needs to be more communication about what’s going on, which could take the form of more co-ordinated parish ‘notice boards’ (real and virtual)

3.      Is the parish sufficiently served by the physical community hub buildings it needs?  Should there be an audit of those existing, and does there need to be another central, social ‘drop-in’ place?  There should be a central directory of places

4.      The town really comes alive in several key weeks – the DVMWHS weeks, Arts Festival, Food Festival

5.      Are people falling through the ‘gaps’ in community and social life?  How can that be best addressed?

6.      Is adult education too qualifications oriented now?

7.       There should be improvements to the physical leisure offer – improvements to the relationship between stakeholders in Belper Leisure Centre

8.      There are concerns about limitations on places at Pottery School

9.      There could be more formal FE College links to the town

10.    Provision of facilities for teenagers is not good.  Perhaps emphasise more intergenerational spaces?

11.  Should there be drop-in arrangements at health centres? (there is casualty coverage by Ripley GPs in their area, for example)

12.  The location of Babington Hospital and access is good, and will be a loss

13.   Access to Belper Meadows and the Nailers needs to be improved.

COMMUNITY

Community rooms are something that Belper is fortunate to have a good supply of.

The old schools, with their various sizes of rooms, lend themselves to community use: the Strutts Centre on Derby Road; the Adult Education Centre, on Holbrook Road (is it available to the general public?); the Fleet Arts Centre, on The Fleet; No28, on the Market Square; the community centre off Bridge Street, near the library; the Social Club at Milford.  The many sports clubs in the town offer room hire for parties and events.  The leisure centre has rooms available for hire to the general public.  There are also a good number of public houses within the Belper area with rooms and facilities available for public hire.  However, there is scope for additional public space:-

There is no community centre on the Parks Estate.

There was a lot of support for a community hub building in the centre of Belper where events and businesses could be advertised, with a café and social drop-in centre; perhaps even a meeting place for the town council with space for the public to observe.

The old Thornton’s building on Derwent Street would lend itself, in part, to

an easy conversion to community leisure activities. It already has a stage and

could be the basis of a community centre on the ground floor of value to all age groups.

The Tea Rooms at the River Gardens, when eventually built and with sufficient thought, could also become a community space.

Community engagement – volunteer allotments; veg. boxes.  At the moment we have a handful of people who seem to do the bulk of the organising.  How can we safeguard and build on their skills and enthusiasm for the future ?  What space is available for community use ? Who wants what and where ? There is much information required from the community.

Access to public buildings for both the elderly/infirm and the disabled of the parish.  Work has already been done in this regard by Accessible Belper, but there is more to do.

 

Should we be setting up some facility/scheme for the acquisition of local pubs as Community Assets should they fail as public houses ? Such premises would be ideally placed for alternative, community uses.

LEISURE

Leisure facilities.

Some have said that they would like a modern swimming pool with flumes, waves, etc. as well as the usual swimming pools.  Does this have community support?  Would keep-fit and sports facilities also need to be included?  Would it be better to have one large development or separate smaller developments?  Issues such as space/parking/congestion/access would need to be taken into consideration. 

Alternatively, should we be looking at extending/redeveloping the existing Leisure Centre ?  Issues such as school priority use/funding and access to the east side of Belper would need to be taken into consideration.

Or should we consider a Leisure Centre/Leisure Facility in the south of the parish ?  There would still be the same issues of space/parking/congestion/access as for a development in Belper Town.

What Community and/or Leisure Facility is required at Parks Estate area of Belper Parish ?

The Blue Box Scheme provides Multi Sports and Educational Workshops to the youth of Belper Parks.  Their management committee is looking at alternative/increase of use and looking at volunteer support in order to do this.  The community need to get involved.

The creation of Multi User Games Courts is suggested for the Parks Community. They provide safe, well lit facility for casual use sports by the youth of Parks.  What about Milford ?

Sommerlea Leisure Centre already has one as have many others. These are usually owned by AVBC.  Sporting Futures run sessions there.

Entertainment venues;

We have numerous music venues around the town (mostly pub based): the Queens Head, the Old Kings Head, the George & Dragon, the Lion Hotel, and many more – some akin to community centres.   Should we use the Neighbourhood Plan to safeguard our pubs from closure  by protecting them as ‘Community Assets’ ?  This would be a big undertaking and would need ongoing community involvement, but could be a boon to the more rural parts of the Belper neighbourhood area.

Town Notice Boards.

A suggestion has been made about having electronic notice boards throughout the parish, which could be updated from the town council offices.  There is also the possibility to have screens showing the same information in pubs, cafes and shops where there is a willingness to host them.  There would be issues such as cost/installation/security/maintenance.

Costs could be offset by selling advertising space on the system to local businesses and national organisations (think newspaper ads).  Are you in favour of these ideas or not?

Blue corridors – picnic areas or seating ?

Are picnic areas as valued as they once were ? Would they be used by families or prove a lure for antisocial behaviour ?  Would such areas be better placed away from the 'Blue Corridor' and closer to the edge of town i.e. the bottom end of Derwent Street and elsewhere along the bottom of the slope at the edge of the Meadows ?  Perhaps better provision of seating along the 'Blue Corridor' might prove more popular whilst still providing many of the benefits of picnic areas ?  We need to know which option the community favours.

EDUCATION

Concern has been expressed that schools provision within the neighbourhood plan area is at capacity.  Also, that there is insufficient tertiary education provision.  The views of professionals are being sought but we welcome any information, suggestions or ideas that anyone has.

YOUTH/ELDERLY/DISABLED

There is a good offer of structured sports within the area for young people, but

there is very little that caters for ad hoc and flexible needs.   It has been suggested that there needs to be more provision for areas to kick a football about or just to congregate.   

We have been told there is a need for further youth facilities at the Whitmore end of Belper and at Milford.

Do you agree?  Please let us know so we can get a consensus.

Should we have shared leisure/meeting facilities for young and old ?  The old Thorntons site could possibly lend itself to redevelopment of this nature.  A good sized space with easy access and parking in which to hold music, performing arts and other, larger scale, events. The needs of the younger and older generations, when it comes to entertainment, are remarkably similar when it comes to venues.

For the elderly, inform and those with disabilities: can we further improve Belper town centre by focussing on ease of access to all premises? What about the cost ?  A number of shops already make an effort to support those customers with additional needs, but many don’t shout about it. For instance, did you know that

we have retail staff in the town that can sign and say hello to those with hearing

impairments. It will be useful to tie in such accessibility considerations to future planning and

development in and around Belper.

HEALTH

The NHS South Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group produced a document last year entitled:

Joined Up Care in Belper

Healthcare Service Review for the town and surrounding areas

Interim Report –October 2015.

This is a 52 page document with gives many facts, figures and proposals.  The link to access this document is: http://www.southernderbyshireccg.nhs.uk/have-your-say/belper-health-services/

This document was followed by:

Joined Up Care in Belper

Pre-engagement Report.

This is an 8 page report which sets out the findings of the survey conducted at this time.

In total 84 questionnaires were completed.  It is expected that there will be further consultations taking place in the summer and that will be an opportunity for more Belper people to take part and make their views known.  The link to access this document also is:

http://www.southernderbyshireccg.nhs.uk/have-your-say/belper-health-services/

SPORTS

There is comparatively little opportunity for casual or spontaneous sports other

than fishing or ball games on green open spaces.  Multi User Games Courts would certainly help to redress this imbalance.   Perhaps aiming for at least 4 – one by the skate park, one on Parks Estate and one at the Whitemoor Estate  and one at Milford ?

COMMUNITY & LEISURE FEEDBACK

Post to: NP4B, St. John’s Chapel, The Butts, Belper DE56.1HX.   or e-mail to: info@planforbelper.org.uk

COMMUNITY:

LEISURE:

EDUCATION:

YOUTH/ELDERLY/DISABLED:

HEALTH:

SPORTS: