Consultation
Initial Phase
Since the launch of My North Town Renewal Project about a month ago, Pavilion Housing Association has been very pleased with the initial response from residents, local community groups and other stakeholders in the area in support of the project.
Already the Association has had individual meetings with over 400 affected residents, with only around 50 more affected residents yet to be contacted. Association staff have met with all the residents of Alma House.
To kickstart the wider consultation, a Community Stakeholders meeting took place on 2 March. The Community Policing team, Councillors, local residents groups and community members were invited to participate in a direct question and answer session with members of Pavilion Housing Association, the Design Team and Rushmoor Borough Council. Pavilion Housing Association is committed to keeping as many people as possible involved and informed on the project so that the Design Team could gain direct feedback from many different sources.
Monday 9 March marked the start of the Community Involvement Week for the My North Town regeneration Project. Residents directly affected and those in the surrounding community were invited to a series of drop-in sessions at the North Town Base over six days. They saw a public exhibition of the Design Team’s initial thoughts for the area and residents were asked to complete a questionnaire designed to record as many of their ideas and views as possible - what works on the estate, what concerns people have, security, design ideas etc. To encourage residents to return their questionnaire we held a prize draw to win one of three £50 shopping vouchers. A copy of the questionnaire can be downloaded below along with the exhibition boards that were on display.
Vision Survey used during the first phase of the community consultation
Exhibition Boards used during the Community Involvement Week
What would your ideal home look like ?
Where would you like to see the open space ?
During the Community Involvement Week over 190 people attended the North Town Base to look at the exhibition boards and speak to staff. To date we have received just over 160 household surveys and we are now inputting all the responses so we can analyse the feedback. The second part of this initial consultation involves engaging with local community groups. Over the next two weeks the Design Team will be meeting with The Aldershot Civic Society, the local Infant and Junior School, the Maple Vue Children’s Centre, a local Pre School, and representatives from the Boots Site Neighbourhood Watch Scheme and local Community Police officers.
Following the Community Involvement Week and subsequent community group visits, a full analysis will be made of the questionnaires and information collected from the individual meetings will also be fed into the design process.
Towards the end of April, the Design Team hope to be able to present the findings from the Community Involvement Week and other meetings back to the residents in the form of a Draft MasterPlan.
Residents are encouraged to come along to one of this week’s sessions which are detailed below. Everyone is welcome. They can join the session at any time where members of the Housing and Design Team will be on hand to explain the Draft Masterplan.
Draft Masterplan Exhibition at the North Town Base
Tuesday 21 April 5pm to 8.30pm
Wednesday 22 April 9am to 4pm
Thursday 23 April 5pm to 8.30pm
Friday 24 April 9am to 4pm
Saturday 25 April 9am to 4pm
A Freephone Enquiry line has also been set up and the number is 0800 358 0459. Those residents who have not yet been in touch with Pavilion Housing Association are encouraged to do so at their earliest convenience. In addition there is a My North Town Renewal Project website www.mynorthtown.net for further information on the project.
Consultation Timetable Summary
20 February Project Launch and Individual Consultations Start
2 March Community Stakeholders Meeting
9 March to 14 March Community Involvement Week
31 March to 2 April Community Group Visits
21 April to 25 April Draft Masterplan Exhibition
Vision Consultation Results
Over 200 attended the exhibition and 170 vision survey forms were completed. Here’s what residents said:
What you most value about living here:
- Convenient location (92%)
- Sense of community (58%)
- Size of living space (21%)
The four things you would most like to keep in the Masterplan are:
- Play areas (31%)
- Green open spaces (30%)
- Shops (16%)
- Trees (15%)
The four top items you would change about the area are:
- Less flats and more houses (32%)
- Increased and improved parking (29%)
- Less Anti Social Behaviour (noise, youth issues and drugs) (21%)
- Better facilities for children/ teenagers (21%)
What you’re most concerned about:
- the estate is not adequately lit say 71% residents
- 81% people think the current car parking is not adequate.
- homes are not well insulated and soundproofed according to 75% replies
- many are worried about site safety noise, traffic and disruption
- some say it must not lose the sense of place
The open spaces:
- 77% of people liked the sense of openness
- Almost everyone agreed that the open space could be better used.
- Only 26% people want a large central open space
- Over 90% would prefer to see more private gardens.
- 71% of residents want a separate area for dogs!
- Many wish to avoid feeling of being closed in (like Woodlands Walk)
Other things you want included in the plan:
- individual houses and gardens instead of flats
- safe play areas for children in sensible locations
- good sound insulation from neighbouring homes.
- more residents parking in convenient locations
- minimise any flood impact
- stop Pegasus Avenue being used as cut through by lorries
- avoid winding roads
You asked for more information about :
- the phasing of the development
- the sizes of the new homes compared with the current flats
- scooter charging facilities and mobility issues for older people
- road names - views are mixed about whether to keep the same road names or change
- whether bungalows are feasible in the development
- a policy on local trades & employment in renewal project building works
Draft Masterplan Exhibition
The following draft masterplan has been designed based on the feedback we received from the Vision Consultation week. The plan incorporates many of the views that residents gave us and we hope to receive more comments and feedback over the course of this exhibition week.
To view a larger version of this plan, please click on the link below.
The exhibition boards to accompany the Draft Masterplan can be viewed by clicking on the links below. These provide more details about various elements of the plan and they also outline the proposed phasing of the first three stages.
Alma House (older persons accomodation)
Final masterplan
The MasterPlan events follow on from the Draft MasterPlan consultation in April. The Design Team has made further refinements to the detail and the MasterPlan forms the basis in going forward with the planning application submission planned for mid July.
Hazel Warwick, Group Development Director for First Wessex says:
“We have listened intently to what the residents, councillors and community groups have been saying to us during our public consultations and we have responded positively. I hope that the residents and the community will continue to be involved and provide valuable feedback. Any concerns should be directed to our Enquiry Line or via email on the North Town website.
“In addition, we invite residents within My North Town to get involved in a new Residents’ Consultation Group which will have its first meeting in July. We hope that this Group will meet every four to six weeks at the Base in the early evening. Interested residents can let us know at the exhibition or call us on 0800 358 0459.
Our proposed timing for the first three phases of the regeneration project is as follows:
Outline Planning Application Submission: Mid July 09
Outline Planning Application Decision: End of October 09
Exhibition of what houses will look like: October 09
Work on site for Phase One: April/May 2010
Phase Two: April 2011
Phase Three: October 2012
Residents Consultation Group
Pavilion Housing Association would like to set up a residents consultation group made up from residents representing each part of the estate. We are looking for volunteers who would like to continue to work with us so that we can respond to the needs and concerns of residents as we develop the project.
We will hold meetings every 4 to 6 weeks, probably in the Base during the early evenings. We would like to work with about 12 residents making sure that we have reps from all phases and all parts of the estate. This means one rep for every 2/3 blocks or communal entrances.
At the meetings we would update resident reps on the overall progress of the project, including our planning application, appointment of contractors and any amendments to our plans. Resident reps would be able to raise issues of concern from their neighbours. However, the meetings will not discuss any matters that are confidential to residents. Also residents who volunteer to be involved in the group cannot expect any preferential treatment in relation to the project.
Residents on the group will work with Pavilion to achieve the best outcomes for residents as a whole.
Since the Masterplan exhibition week, we have recruited a number of reps, but still need people for the following blocks.
Denmark Square 127-168
Denmark Square 1-36
North Lane 212-262
Pegasus Ave 1-59
If you live in any of the above blocks and would like to be a rep, please call the enquiry line on 0800 358 0459, or contact us through the form on this website.
We anticipate the first meeting to be held in July.
