Chalfont St Peter Residents Consultation Survey 2009

1. Chalfont St PeterResidents Consultation Survey 2009 iDA Consulting Limited

2. The Objectives • To get input and involvement • To enable informed decisions/plans • To support discussions with other bodies

3. The consultation process • Questionnaire design - consultation - balance • Timing • Methodology

4. Tabulations (61,000), and listings • The report • This presentation The analysis:

5. Response rates - 3,166 returned = 32% Confidence levels  2% points The respondents

6. Where do you live (location & value) Gender: 46% male, 54% female Age: Children in household: 31% H/H size. School. How long. Working status. Travel to work. Type of accommodation. Anyone handicapped/disabled The respondents - profile

7. Why do people live here? What’s important to them, and how does Chalfont St Peter rate? Importance of 9 aspects of living in Chalfont St Peter vs ratings of Chalfont St Peter Scores/ratings given out of 10 A: Living in Chalfont St Peter

8. A: Living in Chalfont St Peter

9. Of those who were not born in Chalfont St Peter: A: Living in Chalfont St Peter

10. A: Living in Chalfont St Peter

11. What do you like most about living here? 27% Rural/semi-rural nature, access to countryside 17% Friendly people/neighbours 13% Village atmosphere/feel/character 12% The community/community life/spirit 11% Access to other places – esp. London 10% Quiet, peaceful 10% The common and other open spaces 8% The local shops and services and banks 6% The schools 5% Facilities, amenities, local services 5% Close access to major roads/motorways A: Living in Chalfont St Peter

12. What would you most like to see changed? 7% The threat of developments 6% ASB, hooliganism, vandalism, youth crime, youths on streets 4% The precinct – an eyesore - demolish 4% Less traffic/congestion 4% Road repairs, potholes 4% More police patrols, greater police presence 4% Cars parked on pavements/ illegally/ selfish parking 3% More/better street lighting 3% Litter clearing, tidy up A: Living in Chalfont St Peter

13. Style of new buildings/alterations: 50% more traditional style, 25% current style, 19% mix or contemporary What materials/styles important as visual influence: 64% maintain spatial aspects, 36% mainly traditional, some new, 28% any materials which blend in, 12% exclusively traditional materials Which materials preferred as boundaries: 58% a mixture, 31% hedges, 8% brick or flint walls, 8% fences A: Living in Chalfont St Peter - VDS

14. A: Living in Chalfont St Peter

15. B: Open spaces and recreation

16. CYCLING: 35% say they cycle locally at all 39% overall, and 43% of cyclists, say they would use a new cycle path between CSP and Three Households 68% feel local cycling facilities could be improved Of those, 39% would find more cycle tracks away from main roads most beneficial, 28% more cycle tracks, and 25% safer road conditions, 2% ‘other’ B: Open spaces & recreation

17. 69% feel there are sufficient litter bins in the village, although 23% disagree (28% of those living close to HC) 52% feel there are sufficient dog waste bins in the village, but 25% disagree B: Open spaces & recreation

18. B: Open spaces & recreation

19. 28% use or would like to use play areas in the village Of those, 84% feel existing ones should be improved And 54% drive to playgrounds outside the village B: Open spaces & recreation

20. 4% say they currently rent an allotment in Chalfont St Peter Of those who don’t (and answered why not): 78% said that they didn’t want one 4% because there are not enough allotments 18% gave other reasons - listed B: Open spaces & recreation

21. Very strong opposition to the Draft Core Strategy proposals: 7% in favour, 92% against them And 92% feel it would impair the existing village character (6% thought not) 90%+ feel it would put serious strain on all existing resources (97% roads, 95% drains, 95% education, 95% healthcare, 90% police) C: Proposed new housing developments

22. “The high density is the key - need to maintain the character of CSP - a large development will swamp the village. Healthcare & education of particular concern.” “700 new dwellings on CSP is WAY too many!” “The Chalfonts are already at breaking point whereby new residents are moving into the area from the towns and suburbs, we cannot take anymore people!!” “BIG traffic problems would ensue if this goes through, plus even more potholes the council can't afford to repair properly. The surgeries are already full. How are affordable houses actually going to go to the right people instead of the rich who will buy them to rent out? NB - unlike GX there is no rail line. 'Everything in moderation', yet CDC are being bullied by central government into totally unrealistic numbers of new houses vs the infrastructure. CSP is already straining to keep up with population expansion. A gradual approach is required, test the market, make sure there are resources.” “I would recommend more affordable dwellings for key workers as this is an expensive area to live in. This expense means young people cannot get on the housing ladder in the area.” “Unfairly aggressive in this area (CSP) - look at other areas first.” “Too small a village to support such developments” “At what point does a village cease to be a village?” “I lived in Hayes and look what has happened there” Verbatim comments

23. The Grange / Holy Cross Option: development in keeping with existing character and density – 120, some affordable, some open space amenities for everyone:

24. The Grange / Holy Cross Option: move a school to the site, and build few houses, and some houses at the old school site:

25. The Grange / Holy Cross Option: Gerald Eves development: 300+ new dwellings, high density flats plus care home (80) and some ‘community use’ building:

26. 45 new (on average) thought to be required 22% said none needed 11% ‘need for affordable housing’ 65% say there is a need for an Extra Care housing resource in Chalfont St Peter C: Affordable housing in CSP

27. 73% feel there are sufficient recycling/ collection points in the village 43% overall feel the recycling containers in the village centre car park should be moved – 51% disagree D: Re-cycling

28. 11% overall say they use the station at GX regularly, 23% ‘monthly, and 53% ‘rarely’. 8% overall say they use buses regularly, 5% ‘monthly, 29% ‘rarely’ and 55% ‘never’. E: Transport and parking If work, where?

29. Good support for a more frequent bus service to GX station: 40% overall said they would use it. And good support for a more regular bus service from Chalfont Common: 44% say they feel there is such a need. E: Transport and parking

30. Parking: 75% overall feel the parking facilities in the village are good (15% ‘very good’), whilst 15% feel they are poor. Opinion is divided on possible traffic calming measures: 38% feel some are needed (and most say where), but 52% disagree. Nearly two thirds feel there are currently traffic congestion problems in Market Place. E: Transport and parking

31. And 91% among those with children. 19% of those with children say they have had difficulties getting their children into their preferred schools. Among those, 35% went private, 36% found another local state school, and 14% found another state school not local, F: Education

32. Lower (10% ‘poor’) among those aged under 35 13% overall say that in the past year they have had difficulties getting an appointment with their doctor at a suitable time (17% with children). G: Healthcare

33. G: Healthcare What should be done with the hospital?

34. Average 30% of monthly shopping spend is local Likely to increase if: better product range (52%), better prices (23%), easier access (5%) 14% Not stated. H: Local business Frequency of use:

35. 27% suggested a type of shop Places to eat now: 52% ‘about right’, 30% say ‘too many’, 11% say ‘too few’. 43% suggested a type of restaurant H: Local business When looking, which used most often?

36. 64% overall feel there are sufficient facilities for playing sport in the village. 15% list suggestions for other facilities. If CSP FC installed an all-weather sports facility it would be well supported: 23% say they or someone in their household would definitely use it, and a further 31% would ‘possibly’. I: Sports & Leisure amenities

37. Frequency – you or your family Most in need of improvement: 29% say the Community Centre, 15% say the Youth Centre, 22% say both are fine I: Sports & Leisure amenities

38. Standards of service. 27% say there are areas of Chalfont St Peter where they feel unsafe 45% feel there should be more CCTV cameras in the village, 46% think not. J: Security, crime, and policing

39. J: Security, crime, and policing

40. J: Security, crime, and policing

41. So, plenty to work on, plenty of detail, lots to feed back to the various groups and working parties. Last, but not least, what do residents think of the work the Parish Council is doing? Overall

42. Overall, do you think the Parish Council is doing a good job working on your behalf? There would be good support for a regular community newsletter, across all age groups: overall 67% agree, 25% disagree. And very good support for Parish Council putting funds into the Feast Day: 78% say ‘worthwhile’ And 904 people made ‘other comments’

43. Have clear, hard, measured data about the opinions, preferences and wishes of the residents of Chalfont St Peter To help you make better decisions So what?

44. Results in detail Record e-mail contact details Read/analyse detailed verbatims Consider a regular newsletter Develop a Parish Plan Use hard data in response to CDC Advise interested groups Feedback to the residents What next?