|
BELMONT
RURAL PARISH PLAN After
the Funding Fair in July 2002 a 4-page
|
| HOME | Intro | Environment | Traffic | Transport | Leisure |
| Planning | Communications | Crime | Division | App a.Survey | App b. Comment |
| App c. Reaction1 | App d. Reaction2 | App e. Fun Fair | App f.Updates |
First, a huge thank you for the Belmont residents who responded to the Belmont Rural PC’s Funding Fair on July 6 and made their preferences known about how the estate should develop. The raw data collected via the “map pinning” exercise appears on the latter pages of this leaflet. Since then the working party has looked at the data, shaped it into a set of practical propositions (see below) for which approval was sought, and given, at the September 16 meeting of the Parish.
Pavilion |
One quick conclusion. The geographical distribution of the families who attended the event (see last page) revealed a very poor response from the eastern side of the trunk road. This despite distribution of handbills to all houses and the placing of five posters in strategic locations. Further events must take this into account.
WE’LL LOOK FOR GRANTS FOR...
Recreational facilities.The greatest demand was for a football pitch.
The facilitating committee considers this to be a Grade 1 priority and
urges continued pressure on Herefordshire Council to adopt the Westbury
land and landfill and to provide a mown area on the landfill for general
use plus a marked-out five-a-side pitch on the Westbury site. A tennis
court, adventure playground, and mountain bike track should also be considered
desirable.
Dog-free zones in recreational areas should be mandatory.
Traffic calming. This included requests for zebra crossings on Abbotsmead Road and on the A465 at Callow Road, a school crossing patrol on Abbotsmead and other measures, including a 20 mph limit on estate roads. The Parish Plan should strongly emphasise the district authority's responsibility for this.
Community centre. The "Westbury pavilion" is considered too valuable an asset to waste. The Parish Plan should emphasise this and should form the basis for grant applications from every source available to turn the building into a multi-use community centre. Extending the pavilion should be considered a definite option.
Nature reserves, cycle path by CH7. The various streams in the parish
provide opportunities to encourage wild life and local plants. Again, the establishment of a nature reserve and a cycle path cannot happen until land is either adopted or purchased. These are the kind of projects that - if land were available - would be the basis for communal volunteer work
Other needs. Litter bins, flowers and shrubs CAN be provided by the PC and should be done as soon as possible - thus providing residents with immediate proof that the Funding Fair meant something.
Bus service. The Plan should consider attracting funds to provide a late night bus on Friday and Saturday to and from the city.
Impossible requests. Whilst the PC cannot even begin to provide an A465 bypass or a footbridge over the Wye, the Plan should stress how badly the Parish is affected by the trunk road and should press for a relief road to the south/west including a further bridge over the river.
Regrettably, in view of the absence of land, we cannot even recommend that the PC looks into the possibility of tempting a brewer to open a pub in Belmont.
| SOMETHING
TO ADD? COMMENTS? It’s still early days in creating a Parish Plan for Belmont. Your further thoughts are welcome. Phone the facilitating committee, via Coun. Veronica Robinson, at 273329, emails to rordob@global.co.uk, mail and hand messages (green ink optional) to 56 Dorchester Way, HR2 7ZW |
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Cash to publish this leaflet has already been received from the Countryside
Agency. Also to employ a professional to draw up a Parish Plan setting
out Belmont’s needs and aims.
Once the Plan is in place, Belmont will be seen as a legitimate contender for grants from a variety of sources.
A long haul, but we’re over the first hurdle -
inertia!
 |
 |
 |
| Queue to view fire engine typical of its popularity | Mother, Marie Robinson, blew up balloons and daughter, Charlotte, gave them away | Shoot-out winners, up to 9, Bradley Price 13 Hartland Close; up to 12, Austin Rigby, 9 Stoneleigh Drive |
It was hard but rewarding work running the Funding Fair Turn-out was good and the way young people joined in the data gathering was especially encouraging. And there were the individual experiences.
DIANE JOHNSON and COUN VERONICA ROBINSON. Map supervision. Kids said “Miss! Miss!” to attract our attention
MIKE JOHNSON. I/C bouncy castle. The boys were a bit boisterous but no problem. Except for one I intercepted who was about to start bouncing holding one of the marker pins (from the map pinning) in his hand.
COUN PHIL EDWARDS. Pavilion host. Having opened up pavilion at beginning of fair, was nailing back door battens at the end, watched by young people puzzled by the need to do this. “It was like putting in the last nail in a coffin.”
BELMONT WOMENS INSTITUTE. Cake stall. Arrived at midday, packed up at 2 pm, all cakes sold, with record takings.
DONNA WILLIAMS. Face painter. Worked for three hours without a minute’s break.
COUN. JIM HARMAN. Custodian of Herefordshire Council caravan. Impressed by childrens’ keenness to distribute leaflets for Neighbourhood Watch, etc
COUN. BERYL BROWN. Drinks dispenser. Young lad, sweaty from the shoot-out, on his sixth free orange juice. “Got any beer missus? My grandpa’s coming later.”
RODERICK
ROBINSON. General dogsbody. Accosted at 11.30, and then every
20-minutes by a ten-year-old who wanted to know when the fire engine would
arrive. Told the ETA was 2 pm, he showed up at 2.05 pm to register what
was clearly an official complaint. “The engine might be attending
a fire,” I said. His frown suggested this wasn’t a plausible
excuse.
 |
(Left) Early in map pinning as Diane Johnson (white tee shirt) advises on making selection...(right) Two hours later Diane's sister, Cllr Veronica Robinson, places a visitor's pin on an already crowded map |  |
CHOICES:
Here’s what the
raw data looks like
Sometimes very raw data, sometimes downright confusing. The street names
cited after the preferences may apply to the resident’s address
or the location of the preferred change. For example, no one - we imagine!
- wants a football pitch in Grantham Close; however the locations for
street calming indicate where such measures would be appreciated.
Some of the preferences are clearly impractical but the PC decided that all should be listed, since an impractical choice is at least a demonstration of interest. In local affairs inertia is always the worst enemy.
The inconsistencies were ironed out following further post-Funding Fair analysis by the working group (the elegantly titled “facilitating committee”) who organised the event.
Football pitch(es) (42) Broadholme Rd (1), Farringdon Rd (1), Footpath CH7/Oulton Ave (2), Grantham Cl (1), Home Farm (2), Pavilion (30), Unspecified (1), Various options (4)
Traffic calming
(40) A465 (2), Abbotsmead Rd (10), Dorchester Way (6), Flaxley
Dr (1), Glastonbury Cl (2), Northolme Rd (6), Waterfield Rd - bollards
(5), Any location (1), Oulton Ave (7)
Pub (21) Bass Site (3), Pavilion (1), Tesco r'about (17)
Bypass (21) A465
Nature reserve (18) Bass Site (1), Belmont Ponds (3), Dorchester Way - behind (12), Westholme Rd (2)
Planting flowers, shrubs, etc (12) Bass Site (1), Dorchester Way - Stanbrook (3), Landfill (1), Atherstone Cl (2), Oulton Ave (1), Whitefriars Rd (4)
Community Centre (14) Pavilion
Zebra crossing (10) A465 (2), A465 - Callow Rd (3), A465 - Belmont Ponds (2), Any location (1), Tesco r'about (2)
Mountain bike/motocross facility (9) Any location
Litter bins (9) Any location (wheeliebins) (2), Belmont Ponds (2), Dorchester Way (1), Oulton Ave (2), Wydean Rise - recycling (2)
Tennis Court (8) Pavilion
Improved bus service (8) Abbotsmead Rd
Buy land (6) Dorchester Way - behind
Adventure area (5) Five-a-side pitch: 6 - 12 years (2), Cranborne Cl: 6 - 12 years (1), Dorchester Way (2)
Cycle path (5) Footpath CH7
Community centre; sports centre (5) Pavilion
Dog-free zone (4) Coppin Rise (2), Sydwall Rd (2)
Footbridge
(4) Wye, River (4)
School patrol (4) A465 (2), Abbotsmead Rd (1), Wyedean
Rise (1)
Park and ride (4) Tesco
Pensioners' club (3) Three Counties Hotel (1), Pavilion (2)
One-way street (3) Waterfield Rd (1), Whitefriars Rd (2)
Mini-bus (3) Footpath CH7
Meeting hall from Pavilion (3) Shellingham Way
Dog play area (2) Broadmead Cl, Northolme Rd - Stanbrook
Bus shelter (2) Abbotsmead Rd, Northolme Rd
Meeting hall (2) Pavilion
Benches/seat (2) Atherstone Cl, Abingdon Dr
Paved area (2) Atherstone Cl
Railing (2) A465
No bypass (2) A465
Trim trees (2) Belmont Ponds
Tennis court (2) Five-a-side pitch
Five-a-side pitch (2) Village green
All-weather surface play area (2) Five-a-side pitch
20 mph limit/bollards (2) Deerhurst Dr
Footpath CH7/Jennings site (2) Remedy dangerous drop to stream
Motocross circuit (2) Landfill
Tesco (2) Bike parks
Speed limit (2) Tesco r'about
Swimming pool (2) Tesco r'about
Footpath (2) Wye, River
ONE VOTE ONLY
Pavements A465
Clear stream Any location
Improve road Atherstone Cl
Sports ground Bass Site
Childrens' playground Bass Site
Disabled access Blackthorne Cl
Five-a-side pitch Five-a-side pitch
Trim over-hanging hedges /Kids play area Coppins Rise
Bike parks Dorchester Way
Cattle rigid/wheel washer warning sign Dorchester Way
Community land for all/Nature park Dorchester Way
Village green Dorchester Way
Disabled access to landfill Dorchester Way
Improved road surface Eastholme Rd
Park Field Farm Mews
Street light Flaxley Dr (at back)
Village green Flaxley Dr
Dog-waste bins Footpath CH7
School Home Farm
Skate park Home Farm
Activity area/older children Home Farm
No parking Landfill
Picnic area Landfill
Keep grass tidy Landfill
Fetes/Summer parties Landfill
Circuit training area Landfill
One-way system/Accident sign Northolme Rd
Infant play area Northolme Rd /Stanbrook
Skate park Oulton Ave
Post box Oulton Ave
Community Centre; soundproof rehearsal room Pavilion
Community centre; pub Pavilion
Cycle path Pavilion
Dog dirt bin Pavilion
Cafe Pavilion
Football posts Pavilion
Demolish Pavilion
Village green Pavilion (nearby residents)
Access to Belmont Woods Stoneleigh Dr
Post box Westholme Rd
DIY store Wye, River, This side
TOTAL 346
Participants in map-pinning
Up to 12 Males 59. Females 40
Age 13 - 18 Males 15. Females 6
Age 19 - 30 Males 1.Females 16
Age 31 - 60 Males 35. Females 54
Age 60-plus Males 8. Females 16
Total males 118
Total Females 132
TOTAL 250
Plus 34 organisers/supervisers: Coun. Ian Robinson, chairman, Belmont RPC (pavilion guide), Marie and Charlotte Robinson (balloons), Dist Coun Phil Edwards, vice-chairman Belmont RPC (pavilion guide), Coun. Beryl Brown (soft drinks), John Brown, Coun. Veronica Robinson (map supervision), Coun. Brian Hubbard (attendance monitor), Coun. Ron Loft (bouncy castle), Coun Jim Harman (caravan), Dave and Sarah Hider, Dave Morris (shoot-out), Marie Morris, Martin and Judy Pearce, Ted Dowling (SHARP), Fran White (Parks Dept, SHARP), Liz Kelso, clerk Belmont RPC, Derek Kelso, Alex and Sarah Kelso (cleaning site), Andy Myatt (bouncy castle), Morna Myatt (first aid), Diane Johnson (map supervision), Mike Johnson (bouncy castle), Judy Bevan and three other members of Belmont WI (cake stall), PC Rob Davies, South Wye Beat Manager, four members of Fire Brigade, Roderick Robinson - editor, Belmont Voice.
Geographical distribution
of families taking part
Abbotsmead Rd 4, Arundel Cl 2, Atherstone Cle 3, Belvoir Crt 5, Benedict
Cl 1, Blackthorn Cl 1, Bodmin Cl 5, Broadholme Rd 2, Brook Farm Crt 3,
Buckfast Cl 2, Chichester Cl 4, Coppin Rise 3, Cranborne Cl 1, Deerhurst
Dr 4, Dorchester Way 22,Farringdon Ave 2, Flaxley Dr 1, Forde Lane 4,
Fountains Cle 2, Grantham Cl 4, Green Ash Cl 1, Hartland Cl 3, Kenilworth
Cl 2, Northolme Rd 6, Oulton Ave 5, Priory View 3, Romsey Dr 1, Rosedale
Cl 1, Shellingham Way 3, Silver Fir Cl 1, Stanbrook Rd 1, Stoneleigh Dr
6, Sydwall Rd 4, Westholme Rd 1, Whitefriars Rd 1, Wyedean Rise 6 Yarlington
Mill 2
TOTAL 122