Rolleston on Dove Parish Plan Questionnaire Results

Introduction

We finally received 453 replies, a 33.8% response. Understandably not everyone answered every question but overall the questionnaires were conscientiously answered and comments were constructive. Every street is represented except for one or two where there are only a handful of houses. The returns from a street are generally proportional to the number of houses in it. So we believe we have very good representation of village opinion. The actual number of returns from each street is shown at the beginning of the summary below.

The following is our first basic summary of the data. Effectively this is a simple count of all the yes and no answers together with the percentage of the responses to the question that this represents. For those items that we asked you to rank or give a priority to we show the total of the ticks against an item in each column. At the end of the line we have added a weighted average which is the score for all the ticks against that item divided by the number of responses to that item in that question.

These results will be put on display on boards around the village shortly and will remain in place until 15th January 2003. Separate copies are being made available to village institutions. The actual document (in Word format), reproduced below, can be downloaded from here. For those that do not have access to the internet but have a particular need can also request a copy from John Underhill (Tel. 815266).

From these results we can all make some simple, obvious generalised, conclusions. However, a bit more work has to be done before we can properly define clear and useful conclusions from which practical recommendations can be made. Dominant amongst this is the need to properly absorb, understand and group your many comments. Realising that we could not expect to present every issue in a way that reflected every individual point of view, we deliberately left plenty of opportunity for personal comment on the questionnaire. The extent of advantage that has been taken of this is very satisfying but it is important that we take time to understand and use it properly, to weight the results of the yes/no questions before we compile conclusions and recommendations for a report. Our next task is to produce that report for submission to the Parish Council.

John Underhill (Rolleston Village Design Statement Group)
November 2002

Responses by Street

1. THE VILLAGE
Perhaps the deepest concern raised during our initial survey was the need to retain the unique character of Rolleston, with its open, rural atmosphere and the way it is separated by countryside from other villages and urban areas. The new Draft Local Plan in process of approval does not propose any extension to the current village envelope (the college playing fields are outside the envelope) and therefore large housing development is limited to the “brownfield” site of the college buildings. However, the Local Plan has yet to be finalised so the developers could appeal to extend the envelope. There has been a County proposal to shift housing develop-ment from the south to the north of the County which could include some 3000 houses in East Staffordshire.

1.1 Village Character
(a) Underline the TEN features you consider the most important to maintain the essential character of Rolleston.

(b) Are there any other areas within or on the boundaries of Rolleston you believe essential for maintaining its rural character?
Yes 185 (40.9%)
No 95 (21%)

(d) Which are your favourite views around the village? (Please tick one)

(e) Underline any of the following areas of public open space that could be improved.

1.2 Development
Craythorne Wood and playing fields are already village property. The land east of the Jinny Nature Trail and south of Dovecliff Road is owned by Blue Cross Horse Sanctuary and is protected from any unrelated development until 2040.

(a) The Parish Council policy is to oppose any extension of the village beyond its current built up area. However, if some development outside the built-up village were proposed, which would you consider the most important areas to PROTECT? (Simply opposing all proposals for further development is probably untenable.)

Please number the following areas in order of importance – or at least identify your No. 1 & No. 8 choices.

A. The flood plain to the north of the village from the cricket pitch to Marston Lane.
B. North of Church Road and Shotwood Close from Marston Lane to Cornmill Lane.
C. The land bounded by The Lawns, Hall Road, Church Road, Rolleston Lane, Tutbury Road and Anslow Lane.
D. The wedge between Knowles Hill, Anslow Lane, Tutbury Road, Harehedge Lane & Rolleston Road.
E. The land between Beacon Road and Craythorne Lane.
F. The Burton College playing field site.
G. The land between Craythorne Lane, Walford Road and the Jinny Nature Trail.
H. Public and private open spaces within the village.

The lowest score is considered the most important.

1.3 Co-operation with neighbouring parishes
(a) On larger development issues, where a joint stance might carry more weight, should the Parish Council seek more co-operation from the adjoining parishes of Stretton, Tutbury, Anslow and Outwoods?
Yes 381 (84%)
No 33 (7.2%)

(b) Should they agree a common strategy on future development in the area?
Yes 371 (81.9%)
No 38 (8.4%)

1.4 Housing
Rolleston on Dove has a great variety of housing. Large buildings with spacious grounds and specimen trees have enhanced the appearance of the village. In the future, more dense developments may not have this effect. Young Rollestonians have difficulty setting up home in the village. No matter how small, or cheaply a house is built, market forces determine its price and affordability.

(a) Which particular type of new housing do you think Rolleston needs? (please tick any)

2. EDUCATION
The many concerns raised about both primary and secondary schooling included varied and sometimes opposing opinions.

2.1 Primary Schools
(a) Do you think the present dual site schools should be retained?
Yes 222 (47%)
No 143 (31.6%)

(b) Do you consider that a new single site school should be built?
Yes 179 (39.5%)
No 169 (37.3%)

If a new school were constructed on a new site, it could benefit from more space. However, the Education Authority might sell the Alderbrook and Robert Sherborne sites for development to raise funds for the new building and it is estimated that some 90 new houses could be built on these sites.

(c) Would you want a new school built on the existing central site?
Yes 242 (53.4%)
No 122 (29.6%)

(d) Would you want a new school built in a new location?
Yes 88 (19.4%)
No 230 (50.8%)

Note that any decision on a new community school could also affect the need for a village community centre (see 5.2).

(e) Should a new school have shared village community facilities?
Yes 316 (69.8%)
No 53 (11.7%)

The current Alderbrook School site may not be large enough to accommodate a single school.

(f) Should the Parish Council make part of the Elizabeth Avenue Playing Fields available for the new school?
Yes 252 (55.6%)
No 104 (23%)

If YES should the land be made available:
(g) Only during the school day? 74 (16.3%)
(h) Entirely as school property in exchange for the Robert Sherborne site? 162 (36%)

2.2 Secondary Schools
Recognising that there are advantages and disadvantages in resources that accrue with size, should the Parish Council:
(a) Support de Ferrers as the sole secondary school in this area?
Yes 202 (44.6%)
No 133 (29.4%)

(b) Or press for a new secondary school located between de Ferrers & the River Dove
Yes 153 (34.9%)
No 122 (26.9%)

(c) Does it matter where between the A38 & Tutbury a new secondary school is located?
Yes 78 (17.2%)
No 152 (33.6%)

(f) Would you prefer a new school to open elsewhere in the north west sector of Burton to off load de Ferrers, leaving Rolleston in the de Ferrers catchment area?
Yes 179 (39.5%)
No 109 (24.1%)

(g) Should the Parish Council seek to act with other Councils to press for any of the above options?
Yes 263 (58.1%)
No 33 (7.3%)

3. YOUTH AND SPORTS FACILITIES
Concern has been expressed from varying age groups that Rolleston doesn’t provide enough local facilities for young people and that it has never recovered from the loss of the Forest of Needwood Club. Young people will be particularly affected by the loss of the swimming pool, tennis courts and playing field, after the College closure. The Parish Council and the Church are at present looking at possible youth facilities in the village.

3.1 Youth Club
Should the Parish Council:
(a) actively support the setting up of a Youth Club?
Yes 369 (81.5%)
No 31 (6.8%)

(b) financially support the establishment of a Youth Club?
Yes 294 (64.9%)
No 71 (2.4%)

(c) contribute annually to supporting a Youth Club?
Yes 311 (68.7%)
No 59 (13%)

(d) seek support from adjacent councils to re-establish a similar size club to the old Forest of Needwood, which catered for a larger area than Rolleston?
Yes 271 (59.8%)
No 100 (22.1%)

(e) If YES must this be located in Rolleston?
Yes 151 (33.3%)
No 151 (33.3%)

3.2 Sport and leisure
(a) Are there enough accessible sports and leisure facilities in Burton?
Yes 281 (62%)
No 94 (20.7%)

(b) Are they easy to get to?
Yes 250 (55.2%)
No 96 (21.2%)

The Parish Council is unlikely to find funding to create leisure and sports facilities within the village equivalent to those at the College.

(d) Should it join with neighbouring parishes to ensure any future facilities built by the Borough Council are in the Dove Valley area?
Yes 302 (66.7%)
No 70 (15.5%)

Even so, Rolleston has a cricket field, substantial playing fields in Craythorne Lane and the Elizabeth Avenue recreation ground. It has been suggested that the Craythorne site could be improved as a local youth sports centre if it had some indoor, or at least under-cover, facility for teams.

(e) On Craythorne Field, should the Parish Council build: (please tick one)

(f) Several requests for less formal sheltered meeting areas with seats in visible, not secluded, locations have been made. Where could these be built?

4. PUBLIC FOOTPATHS, CYCLE TRACKS & BRIDLE PATHS
4.1 Public Footpaths
(a) Is there somewhere you would particularly like to see a new public footpath established, perhaps to create a circular route?
Yes 94 (20.7%)
No 231 (51%)

(c) Are there parts of the footpath network that need more maintenance?
Yes 81 (17.9%)
No 174 (38.4%)

(e) Our footpaths cross field boundaries by the common one or two step and cross bar stiles. Is there anywhere that a Derbyshire style squeeze or a kissing gate would be preferable?
Yes 49 (10.8%)
No 207 (45.7%)

4.2 Pavements outside the village
Traffic speed can be high on some lanes and country roads used by pedestrians. Signs, traffic calming features and even pavements, however, could detract from their rural nature.

(a) Would you like pavements along any of the following?

(b) Dovecliff Road has a pavement all the way to Stretton, but requires the road to be crossed.
Yes 169 (37.3%)
No 254 (56%)

Do you ever walk to Stretton?

(c) Would you prefer a continuous pavement on one side of the road?
Yes 109 (24.1%)
No 248 (54.7%)

4.3 Combined Paths
People expressed a wish for safe cycle routes. As part of the national foot and cycle path network, Sustrans (Paths for People, a charity) has obtained, secured and cleared a route along the old Rolleston to Tutbury railway from Station Road to the Mill Fleam. They also own the old embankments to the North of the Dove and want to establish a route from Rolleston via a bridge over the Dove to Etwall. They still need to obtain access across a narrow neck of land between the Mill Fleam and the Dove.

(a) Should the Parish Council encourage Sustrans?
Yes 346 (76.4%)
No 39 (8.6%)

(b) Should the Parish Council help Sustrans?
Yes 295 (65.1%)
No 72 (15.9%)

Sustrans wants to extend the cycle route to Burton via a suitably surfaced track along the Jinny Nature Trail and would maintain the adjacent vegetation.

(c) Should the Parish Council allow cycling on the Jinny Nature Trail as it is now?
Yes 126 (27.8%)
No 258 (57%)

(d) Or should a separate track be created alongside the existing footpath on the floor of the cutting?
Yes 236 (52.1%)
No 133 (29.4%)

(e) Should the Parish Council petition Stretton Parish Council to follow suit?
Yes 326 (72%)
No 48 (10.6%)

Some villagers would like horse riding to be allowed along the Jinny Trail and one of the Sustrans’ objectives is to have bridle routes alongside its cycle and footpath routes.

(f) Should the Parish Council agree to a bridle path within the Jinny Trail?
Yes 211 (46.6%)
No 181 (40%)

(g) If YES should it be:

(h) Some village footpaths are on parish land and would be suitable safe cycle routes without using the same track as pedestrians. Would you like a surfaced track laid along any of the following?

5. SHOPS, SERVICES & AMENITIES

5.1 Shops and services
(a) Do you shop in the village?
Yes 408 (90.1%)
No 26 (5.7%)

(b) During our survey, over 20% of people expressed the need for more shops and medical services. Should the Parish Council encourage shops and services to set up in the village?
Yes 256 (56.5%)
No 150 (33.1%)

(c) Would the minibus service (see 5.3c) lessen the need for more village shops (see 5.1d)?
Yes 127 (28%)
No 199 (43.9%)

(d) The Parish Council can have no direct influence, but it would provide them with invaluable guidance if you could indicate what need you believe there is for the following:

The highest score is considered the most needed

(e) The Post Office is essential for many people and the other shops are very important (see 6.1). Would you prefer easier parking by:-
The Post Office 276 (60.9%)
Newsagents/Co-op shops 264 (58.3%)

Both young & elderly residents suggested a coffee shop would make a useful and convenient meeting place.

(f) The Church Hall is open as a coffee shop on Thursday mornings; would you use it if it was open throughout the week?
Yes 78 (17.2%)
No 290 (69%)

5.2 Village Community Centre
A detailed survey on the need for a ‘village hall’ was completed for the Parish Council in 1989 when substantial funding was offered by ESBC. This was reviewed in 1997. On both occasions there was insufficient demand to justify the inevitable management and maintenance costs. No suitable central location was available and the loss of revenue for those providing current facilities was also considered. Only 10% of people in our listening survey mentioned the need for a village hall. The Scout Headquarters, the Church Hall, the Chapel Hall and the Commemoration Club are all available for public use.

(a) Do you believe we need a community centre?
Yes 157 (34.7%)
No 261 (34.7)

(b) If you answered YES, for which reasons? (please tick any)

(c) If a community school (see 2.1) was built in the village, do you believe it could satisfy these needs?
Yes 229 (50.6%)
No 98 (21.6%)

5.3 Transport
The Parish Council is seeking finance for two additional bus services. Your response to the following questions will help demonstrate support for these.

(a) An extra late evening bus from Burton Town Centre.
(i) What time would you like an additional service from Burton?
8.45 - 9.30 (11), 9.45 - 10.30 (24), 10.45 - 11.15 (35), 11.30 - 12.00 (56)

(ii) How often would you expect to use it? (tick one)
Daily (5) Weekly (41) Monthly (17) Occasionally (76) Never (165)

(iii) Which days of the week would be most useful for this service? (tick any)
Mon (16) Tues (18) Wed (14) Thurs (35) Fri (106) Sat (118) Sun (28)

(b) An evening service to and from Queen’s Hospital
(i) What time would you like this service to run?
6.45 - 7.15 (59), 7.30 - 8.00 (52), 8.15 - 8.45 (48), Later (12)

(ii) How often would you expect to use it? (tick one)
Daily (14) Weekly (5) Monthly (15) Occasionally (108) Never (128)

(iii) Which days of the week would be most useful for this service? (tick any)
Mon (84) Tues (85) Wed (89) Thurs (85) Fri (87) Sat (86) Sun (79)

(c) If there was a frequent minibus service from Burton Station, through Stretton, to Rolleston via Station Road, Beacon Road, Beacon Drive, Burnside and Church Road to Tutbury, turning at Hatton Station, would you use it:

(d) This service would make village shops more accessible for some residents, particularly those from the Dovecliff end of the village. Would you use this service to visit Rolleston shops?
Yes 48
No 242

6. TRAFFIC, PARKING AND VILLAGE PAVEMENTS
These three subjects together accounted for a quarter of the questions raised in our listening survey. The general impression was that traffic should be slowed down and that drivers should not expect to drive through the village without hindrance; but it is reasonable to expect to walk along pavements without obstructions such as overgrown hedges, wheely bins and parked cars.

6.1 Parking and Pavements
There is a general feeling that the police prefer not to take action to prevent vehicles obstructing the pavement, as it may ease traffic movement. This may be understandable in some parts of the village, such as Dovecliff Road. The inconsistency with which encroachment by vehicles on pavements is tolerated is a problem.

(a) Generally in the village:

(b) On Dovecliff Road

(c) Chapel Lane and Station Road

(d) Burnside and The Lawns junction by the shops

(e) The area around the bridge in the village centre

(iii) Do you have any suggestions for making this central part of the village less hazardous?

(f) Pavement maintenance (see also Section 7 on dog fouling

6.2 Traffic calming

(a) Should traffic be calmed on:

(b) Which traffic calming measures do you prefer?

7. ENVIRONMENT
7.1 Dog Fouling
This is a problem highlighted in the WASP Survey. Action has been taken to put up signposts prohibiting fouling and to install bins. There has been some improvement, but it was the most commonly raised specific complaint made in our listening survey. Excessive sign posting can itself become a blight. Byelaws will shortly become effective on open land at Elizabeth Avenue, Craythorne Field, The Croft and Meadow View Open Space and signs will be erected. It is difficult to identify further action other than all of us emphasising the social unacceptability of not clearing up after a dog has fouled a street or other public open space.

(a) How severe is the problem in the following areas?

The lowest score is considered the worst area

7.2 Recycling

Apart from refuse we have a regular “blue bag” paper collection but the only permanent recycling facility in the village has been the bottle bank at the Burton College Site. There is now a bottle bank in the Rolleston Club car park. The nearest other recycling facilities are: Duke Street, Tutbury; Anglesey Arms car park, Stretton; The Beacon car park at the top of Harehedge Lane; opposite the Horninglow end of Rolleston Road.

(a) How important would the following facilities be in Rolleston?

The highest score is considered the most needed

(c) Or would you prefer a regular kerbside collection?
Yes 375
No 88

7.3 Noise
(a) Does noise created by any of the following cause you a nuisance? (Please tick any)

East Midlands air traffic 83 (18.3%)
Light aircraft (not necessarily from Derby Flying Club) 66 (14.6%)
Unseasonal fireworks 178 (39.3%)
Road traffic 60 (13.2%)
Activity on open spaces 17 (3.8%)

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