Blagdon Village Plan · A second sub-committee was set up to facilitate the questionnaire. This...

1

Blagdon Village Plan

BACKGROUND

With funding from the Countryside Agency’s Vital Villages Initiative (£2,925) and Mendip Society (£250),the Village of Blagdon has been able to produce its own Village Plan. This Plan was formally endorsed bythe Parish Council and North Somerset Council on 6 June 2005.

After an open meeting held in early 2004 a Blagdon Village Plan Committee was formed to draft the Planwhich will be used to encourage both local and county councillors to understand better the requirements ofresidents and those working in the Village. A similar exercise was undertaken in 1997 which resulted in anumber of improvements to Village life.

The first task of the Committee was to compile a list of activities through which views of Villagers could begathered, including:

! a sub-committee, consisting of Graham Brown, Tim Mead and Phil Smith, issued a questionnaire tobusinesses within the community followed by selective interviews;

! a group, consisting of Grahame Paine, Mike Follet and Paul Clements, was charged with consultingyoung people. A detailed description of young people’s views of life in Blagdon is attached atAppendix II;

! a group, consisting of Guy Walker, John Murphy and Graham Brown was charged with consultingwith the various organisations/clubs in Blagdon including the rugby club, golf society, fire brigade,police, churches, history society, brownies, cubs, scouts, drama, school and pre-school, Women’sInstitute and luncheon club.

! a questionnaire was issued to every household.

The results from consultations with groups and individuals, the young people’s events and the questionnairewere analysed and used to form the basis of the Action Plan, which was categorised as follows:

1. Local Communication within the Village2. Amenities3. Roads and Transport4. Health Matters5. Sport, Leisure and Play Facilities6. Young People’s Views7. Housing8. Education

The Action Plan at Appendix 1 sets out how key issues can best be implemented, by whom and by when.

Following endorsement of the Plan, the Committee will hand over responsibility to the relevant organizations(old and new).

2

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

Graham Brown ChairPaul ClementsMike FollettClaire HaltonJonathan Hoey TreasurerPeter May Council representativeTim MeadSarah-Jane Meredith SecretaryJohn MurphyGrahame PainePhil Smith Council representativeGuy Walker

A second sub-committee was set up to facilitate the questionnaire. This consisted of Claire Halton and JohnMurphy, with support from villagers, Sarah Parsons and Ken Parsons.

If you have any queries please telephone Dave Woolley, the Parish Clerk.

ABOUT THE VILLAGE

farms; apple orchards; little pollution; woods; tobogganing hills

Blagdon is a largely rural Village in an AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) at the foot of Mendip,overlooking Blagdon Lake. It lies 15 miles south of Bristol and 13 miles east of Weston-Super-Mare.

The Village is made up of the historic centre of St Andrew’s Church and the Playing Fields, including theVillage-owned Eldred’s Orchard. Within the centre is the Village stores/post office, the family runbutcher/greengrocer, a dolls house collectors’ shop, a beautician, four pubs and three churches. The lateVictorian Village Club building and The Mead are leased to the Club and Parish Council respectively by SirDavid Wills. Blagdon Lake is owned by Bristol Water Company and is a popular spot for trout fishing andnaturalists.

Local bus transport is subsidised by both North Somerset and the adjoining unitary authority, which runsservices to and from Bristol, Weston-Super-Mare, Cheddar and Bath.

3

Of the 1,200 inhabitants, some work in Bristol, some from home and a number within the Village itself, withthe largest employer being Yeo Valley Farms. A coach business also offers employment opportunities andservices. On the Village periphery are two restaurant/conference centres and a number of residences, whilstsignificant areas of the land are still farmed.

The nearest secondary school is 4 miles away. The Village primary school, with its small class sizes andhigh staff/pupil ratios, provides top quality education in a traditional environment. The school has recentlyexpanded to provide accommodation for pre-school children on site.

The Village has almost 40 active clubs and associations. Young people are catered for during Blagdon’sYouth Week, when a number of individuals and organisations run a week of activities and outings forchildren of school age, in addition to Scouts, Guides, Youth and Sports Clubs.

The Village has a Parish Magazine to which readers subscribe; and, more recently, the Parish Council’sBlagdon Views, which goes to every household. The Parish Council also helps to fund the Village website,which is beginning to prove a useful resource for the Village.

RESPONSE TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE

Replies were received from 53% of households in Blagdon and Aldwick. The age profile of people inhouseholds which replied was close to that of the local population as recorded in the 2001 census. The onlyslight skew was towards the oldest group, which represented 23% of the sample as opposed to 18% recordedby the census. The 26-45 year age group represented 20% of the sample, compared with 24% in the census.Nearly two thirds of households have lived in Blagdon for more than 10 years.

Percentages given below are in relation to responses to the questionnaire.

ISSUES FACING THE VILLAGE

1. LOCAL COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE VILLAGE

There are a number of ways in which information is communicated within the Village and respondentssuggested a couple of new methods.

The Parish Magazine is read regularly by 78% of households; the Parish Council’s Blagdon Views by 61%of households; the Village Website is used at least occasionally by around a quarter of households.

Suggestions1. Villagers would like the opportunity to advertise on the website2. 56% suggested a welcome pack in the form of a booklet for new residents.3. 60% would use a Village noticeboard

Local school; police station

4

2. AMENITIES

Environment

The one to one consultations raised a significant strength of feeling, both positive and negative, in terms ofthe environment. The fact that the Village sits within an AONB was raised as a positive attribution andVillagers highlighted areas which need to be preserved:

! footpaths, walls and open spaces;! the recreational facilities.

Public access

Public footpathsMost households in Blagdon are satisfied with the footpaths in the area: 80% are satisfied with their location;74% are satisfied with gate access; 72% are satisfied with the surface maintenance.

Suggestions1. 30% suggested improvements to local footpaths;2. 38% raised general maintenance issues: overgrown vegetation, dog mess and litter;3. 23% suggested new footpath routes around the Village, for example around a circuit around the Lake

(7%).

Cycle routesThere is clearly a demand for new, local cycle routes in and around the Village. Further investigation ofpossibilities is needed.

Suggestions1. a new cycle path which could circuit the Lake (25% potential take up);2. a link from the Lake into the Village (13% potential take up);3. a link from Blagdon via Ubley to Chew Valley Lake (4% potential up take);

Picnic benches and seats

Opinion is divided about the need for more picnic benches and seats: 36% were in favour with 39% against.

Suggestions1. 21% suggested additional seating for sports spectators;2. additional seating with views of the Lake.

General maintenance

The main criticisms of respondents to the questionnaire are of the litter bins (30%) and dog mess bins (33%),with significant levels of dissatisfaction with the frequency with which bins are emptied.

Suggestions1. Regular bin emptying;2. Additional bins.

Public lavatories

27% of respondents are dissatisfied with the current state of the public lavatories.

Suggestions1. 25% suggested improvements, most notably the need to bring them up-to-date and improve

maintenance.

5

General amenities

Through the one to one meetings / discussions, residents praised the following:

! the butcher’s shop;! the Village shop and post office;! the four pubs (especially raised by young people);! the fire station;! the allotments;! the school hall;! the number of religious buildings.

Security

A third of Blagdon households have an active Neighbourhood Watch in their locality. 85% point to thepositive crime-reducing effects of a residential police officer.

Suggestions1. 31% would be prepared to help set up new Watches

3. ROADS AND TRANSPORT

6

Road Maintenance

There is a high level of dissatisfaction with both the surface maintenance and road drainage in Blagdon: 48%are dissatisfied with the surface maintenance; and 51% are dissatisfied with the drainage. 55 - 77% wouldlike to see some changes to road and traffic arrangements in the Village; and 67% suggested improvementsto roads and car parking. 65 – 72% would not want to see changes to other aspects of road and trafficarrangements, such as double yellow lines, street lighting.

Suggestions1 77% would like to see a zebra crossing by the school;2. 69% would like to see dropped kerbs at crossing points;3. 57% would like to see a 20mph limit near the School, whilst 35% would not;

HGVs

Whilst 60% suggested ways of improving problems with HGVs, there is currently no clear solution.Discussions are currently being held with a number of organisations, including Routemaster. However, asthe main road running through Blagdon is an A road, this has an impact on a number of suggestions.Locally, discussions are also underway as how the three major roads which share the HGV problem canresolve this collectively.

Buses

60% stated that someone from their household uses the local bus service at least occasionally, although only20% use it at least once a month. The current services, particularly that into Bristol, are criticised for beingtoo slow and circuitous (16%). A more direct route into Bristol, perhaps by linking with services from theairport, would encourage more people to travel by bus. Timetables are also criticised for not meeting theneeds of commuters, or for not being sufficiently frequent (11%). Weston-Super-Mare is also not servedwell by buses, particularly in the winter months.

4. HEALTH MATTERS

Suggestions1. 70-81% would make use of a doctors’ surgery, a prescription delivery service and a local dentists’

surgery if available;2. 72% considered a residential care home to be of value.

NB: answers from the oldest age group are no different from those of younger people.

5. SPORTS, LEISURE AND PLAY FACILITIES

7

lots of friends; fun run; youth week; garden fête; firework nighttreasure hunt; spaces to walk and burn off energy

Most people who expressed an opinion through the questionnaire are satisfied with the sports and playfacilities in Blagdon. The cricket pitch is particularly well regarded, with no notable levels of dissatisfaction.31% suggested improvements to sports, leisure and play facilities. 24% would use a skateboard park, whilst86% would not; 22% would use a basketball court, whilst 85% would not. Other sports facilities high onresidents’ lists were a badminton court (9%), a swimming pool (9%) and a gym (7%), with six other facilitiesmentioned ranging from bowling to mountain bike dirt jumps. Clearly there is a need for further discussion.

Suggestions1. 10% would like to see the slope on the football and rugby pitches levelled;2. players would welcome better changing rooms nearer the pitches;3. tennis players would welcome electric lighting and a power supply at the courts;4. the play area equipment is in need of updating and generally improving;

Hall/s

Through the one to one consultations, it was felt that both the School Hall and St Andrews Church could beused more as public buildings.

Suggestions1. 31% suggested improvements to existing halls;2. 61% would like to see a new Village hall with 48% stating they would support fundraising to

provide a new Village hall

Through the one to one discussions, the re-emergence of the drama group as a Village strength was raised,which now produces two shows per year. In particular, it is felt that the drama group encourages theinvolvement of young talent in the Village, both in terms of performance and writing.

6. YOUNG PEOPLE’S VIEWS

The sub group which was formed to look specifically at the requirements of young people in the villageundertook the following: meeting with village groups run predominantly for children; a snapshot surveywhere 100 cameras were distributed to the young people who took photographs of what they like and don’tlike; a workshop drawing together the photographic evidence and other activities to round off theinvolvement of young people. The key important issues facing young people were:

1. the Mead is highly valued by all young people;2. the older children want suitable facilities particularly basketball;3. the views of Blagdon are a draw for children as well as for adults;4. the shops and pubs of the Village are important four young people;5. the playground should be updated for all ages;6. the public lavatories need improving with the provision of drinking water and a sink for the boys7. additional rubbish and dog bins should be sited;8. traffic speeds should be reduced;9. the look of some of the facilities should be considered, for example the electricity sub station,

signage and footpaths.10. children want more places to ride bikes and skateboards11. AONB status should be upheld.

Appendix 2 gives the young people’s thoughts and suggestions in greater detail.

8

7. HOUSING

The range of housing available within the Village was raised as an issue within the discussion groups. In themain, these focused around there being a lack of affordable housing; and a limited number of starter housing.It was feared that young people would not be able to afford to stay in the Village.

8. EDUCATION

Education was a key area raised through the one to one consultations. Strengths included the purpose builtpre-school classroom, which has enabled a full delivery of the Foundation Stage curriculum. However, itwas pointed out that to keep the school premises in a fit state required high maintenance and continuedfundraising.

CONCLUSION

It is shown in the above and in the attached Appendices that there is strong feeling in the Village about whatits residents would like to see to improve certain aspects of Village life. The Action Plan lists these in orderof priority, based on the evidence given through the consultation process. In order for these to be achieved,next steps include identifying champions within the Village who can take forward an issue and see it realisedwithin the given timescale.

All the photographs within this report were taken by children living within the Blagdon Parish

Blagdon Village PlanBlagdon Village PlanAppendix 1 ~ Action Plan In Order Of PriorityAppendix 1 ~ Action Plan In Order Of Priority

Issue Outcome Action and by whom(Coordinator shown)

Time /delivery

1

A Crimeprevention

• Retention of residentpoliceman

• Expansion ofNeighbourhood Watchscheme

Consultation withRay Bradley and currentco-ordinator ofNeighbourhood Watchscheme. Results toParish CouncilVillage representative:Leslie Fox

Enhanced Villagecoverage ofNeighbourhoodWatch Scheme byMay 2006

A Health serviceprovision

• To have a doctors’surgery

• To have a local dentist• The re-introduction of a

prescription deliveryservice

Working sub-group tobe formed and reportpresented to theParish CouncilTo include the CEO ofthe Primary Care Trustfor North Somerset

Report presentedby December 2005

A Care for theelderly

• To have a residentialcare home

Working sub-group tobe formed if plans forsuch an amenity comeup. Any discussionneeds to feed into NorthSomerset Council’sEconomic Plan via itsEconomic DevelopmentOfficerTo include the CEO forthe Primary Care Trustfor North Somerset

No current plans

A Changes toroads andtrafficarrangements inthe village

• Zebra crossing by school• Dropped kerbs• More parking for

residents

Please refer to therecently publishedSchool Travel Plan.Groups alreadynegotiating with NorthSomerset’s HighwaysDepartment include theSchool Travel PlanWorking Group andBlagdon Travel Group.Relevant councillor:Mary Taviner

Some changesaround the Schoolby December2005. Otherissues, such asmore parking forresidents, will besubject to ongoingreview

A No changes toother aspects ofroad and trafficarrangements

• Street lighting• Yellow lines

Parish Councilresponsibility to ensurethat these issues arerespected.Relevant councillor:Richard Bartlett / OlgaShotton; Mike Adams /Peter May

Ongoing



Time /delivery

2

A Provision of anew Villagehall

• A new Village hall• A fundraising strategy

implemented

Working sub-groupformed consisting ofTim Mead, Sir DavidWills, Peter May.Relevant councillors:Phil Smith/Dave Gould

Initial reportpresented by July2006

B Presence ofHGVs in theVillage

• Solution found toimprove the currentproblem

Working sub-group tobe formed incorporatingBlagdon Traffic Group /TVTM / North Somerset/ Parish Council / localbusinesses to come upwith possible solutionsfor re-routing.Relevant councillor:Dorothy Woodman

Initial report byJuly 2006

B Introduction ofa Village noticeboard

• A Village notice boardto placed in the centre ofthe Village

Parish Council inconsultation withGraham BrownRelevant councillor:Dave Gould

Site identified byDecember 2005

C Off road cycleroutes

• Additional cycle routesin and around theVillage

Working sub-group tobe formed and reportpresented to ParishCouncil.Relevant councillor:Mike Adams / DorothyWoodman / RichardBartlett / Olga Shotton /Peter May / Dave Gould


C Dissatisfactionwith generalmaintenance

• Improved generalmaintenance

• Regular cut back ofvegetation

• Regular emptying of dogand litter bins

• Additional bins in theVillage to be discussed

Parish Council toimplement and managean improved service.Relevant councillor:Mary Taviner

Improvements tobe implementedwithin 2005

C Improvementsto sports,leisure and playfacilities

• Levelled playing fields• Better changing rooms• Electric lights around

tennis courts• Improved equipment and

general updating in playarea

• New range of activitiesfor Villagers

Review to be conductedby Playing FieldsAssociation led byMike Follett.Relevant councillor:Pete Best/Dave Gould/Olga Shotton/Mike Adams

Initial reportpresented byDecember 2005focusing onimmediateimprovementswhich can beimplemented plusthe feasibility oflonger termimprovements



Time /delivery

3

• General maintenance ofexisting Village halls

• Better storage for clubsand associations

• Better car parkingfacilities for members

longer termimprovements

C Improvementsto existingfootpaths andsuggestions fornew routesaround theVillage

• Additional footpaths inand out of the Villageincluding a circuit of theLake and links furtherafield

Blagdon Travel Groupto investigate and makerecommendations toParish Council.Relevant councillor:Mike Adams


C Current state ofpubliclavatories

• Improvements toexisting

• Regular maintenance• Washing facilities

Parish Councilresponsibility in liaisonwith North SomersetCouncil.Relevant councillor:Pete Best/Dave Gould

Recommend-ationsmade to the ParishCouncil byDecember 2005

C Surfacemaintenanceand roaddrainage

• Improvements made Parish Councilresponsibility.Relevant councillor:Mary Taviner

On going

C Bus services • Increased uptake byoffering a more directservice to Bristol

• Linked services with theAirport

• Needs of bothcommuters and youngpeople met

• An enhanced service toWeston-Super-Mare

Discussions held withBlagdon TransportGroup, North Somersetand B&NES.Relevant councillor:Dorothy Woodman

On going

C Lack ofaffordablehousing withinthe Village

• Increased opportunitiesincluding low costhousing and starterhousing

Keep discussions livefor future planning.Council representative:Dave Gould

On going

Blagdon Village PlanBlagdon Village PlanAppendix 2 ~ Young People In The VillageAppendix 2 ~ Young People In The Village

1

INTRODUCTION

The Blagdon Parish Plan Committee was formed in 2004 to establish a plan for the village whichmight encourage local and county councillors to better understand the requirements of residents andto galvanise some improvement activity into the village we live. A similar exercise was undertakenin 1997 which resulted in a number of improvements to village life and it is hoped that the 2004activity will result in the same.

From the committee a sub group was formed to look specifically at the requirements of youngpeople in the village and to establish current likes and dislikes about their environment. MikeFollett, Steve Clements and Grahame Paine formed that group and over a short period undertook thefollowing:

• meetings with village groups run predominantly for children to ascertain views. Themeetings followed a semi-structured interview, the full results of which can be found asappendix 1

• a ‘snapshot survey’ where 100 cameras were distributed to the young people and they tookphotos of things they like and don’t like. The resultant photos have subsequently beendonated to Blagdon History Society for their archive

• a workshop drawing together photographic evidence and other activities to round off theinvolvement of young people

The results from these activities follow.

FINDINGS

Taken from all activities described over the following pages, the issues of key importance for thechildren of Blagdon in 2004 are:

o the Mead is highly valued by all childreno the older children want suitable facilities particularly basketballo the views of Blagdon are a draw for children as well as adultso the shops and pubs of the village are important for our childreno the playground should be updatedo the public toilets need improvingo additional rubbish and dog bins should be sitedo traffic speeds should be reducedo the ‘look’ of some of the facilities should be considered e.g. electricity sub station, signage

and footpathso children want more places to ride bikes and skateboards – both to get around and BMX

stunts

Children play mostly near to their home, with older children often preferring to ride around thevillage.


2

MEETINGS

Through a number of meetings with village groups and a representative sample of school childrenjust under 100 of the village children joined the discussion about village life. A semi structuredinterview was held each time to ascertain where children played in the village and what were theirmajor likes and dislikes.

The children were always enthusiastic about these topics, and whilst several common themes camefrom the sessions, there were always the odd ‘surprises’ for the facilitators to ensure that we werekept on our toes.

As one might expect when asking children what they would like, there are a number of suggestionsthat may be considered ‘a bridge too far’ yet have been recorded as recognition that someone statedthat as their desire. Most of the suggestions though are very achievable should the village and itsParish Council put their minds to it.

Play is very important for our children, at every age. It was apparent during the meetings thatfacilities for older children (perhaps 13+) were often felt to be limited. Yet this observationprobably reflects similar issues across the country and so could be considered the norm.

In summary, the significant issues drawn from these meetings were:

o improvements required to the toilets on the Mead to include a wash basin in the gents toilet,better lighting and cleanliness

o improvements to the playground, to incorporate play equipment for the older children too.This may include a skate park and / or a BMX bike track

o greater emphasis on litter reduction across the village through additional bins, more dog binsand some kind of improved municipal cleaning

o greater areas for cycling. Blagdon is blessed with the majority of its roads having nopavement and forming the main arterial road which both reduces cycle safety. Greaterconsideration should be given to improving this situation

o improved bus services to Weston (in particular) that the older children felt would be usefulon a Saturday

o reduction of the speed of traffic through the village, particularly outside the schoolo provide basketball facilities

Yet, fundamentally our children enjoy living in Blagdon and are particularly please with its views,shops / pubs and wide open spaces where they can play with their friends.

SNAPSHOT SURVEY

Swiping an idea from another village, we decided to get a number of disposable cameras so thatyoung people could take photos of the village to illustrate things they like and don’t like. For twoweeks children were seen around the village snapping away, local residents unsure whether theywere a like or dislike!


3

The result was hundreds of photos (including some of feet, the floor and the sky!) which illustratehow young people see the village today. In preparation for the workshop, the photos were sortedinto likes (green sticker) and dislikes (red sticker).

The key issues were identified by volume of photographs on that topic sorted by the children at theworkshop and can be summarised:

BEST OF LIKES BEST OF DISLIKESViews littershops toiletschurches trafficpubs dog poohfire station no cycling signspaths and lanes not enough busesflowers and shrubs electricity sub station (by tennis courts)tennis courtsbenchesschoolpolice stationthe Meadrecycling bins

The photographs have been donated to Blagdon History Society for their 2004 archive.


4

WORKSHOP

A workshop was held in the History Society rooms to enable young people to sort through thepictures taken over previous weeks and to engage in some other activity to express their likes anddislikes within the village:

o picture sorting and categorisation

o a ‘temperature gauge’ to establish hot topics

The young people filled in a post it note and put the note against the hot or cold areas of thegauge. The results in ‘temperature’ order were:

o Basket ballo basketball courtso basketball courtso sink in boys toileto new toilets at the parko X-Box houseo I don’t like people shooting pheasantso basketball courtso better playgroundo road outside school is dangerouso school should be more funo everyone should clear up their dog messo stop people putting signs up everywhereo x-treme sports shopo basketball courtso a sheltered place for kids to hang out

o a map to illustrate where attendees live and where they play

The map idea allowed the young people to look at the village as a whole and understand wherethey lived in relation to others and to village landmarks:


5

o a modelling board so that children could illustrate what their ideal village might look like

Particularly for the younger attendees, they could use modelling clay and pens to illustrate theirthoughts. Whilst many of the ideas are wacky, the board was a constant hive of activity:

At the end of the session, the following ideas had been drawn or modelled:

! sailing and fishing club! bridge across the lake! dry skiing! maze! ice skating rink! cable car to Two Trees! bike jumps! basketball courts! caving club! bike shop! video factory! snow factory! xbox factory! cheese factory! car park! art club! climbing wall! theme park! jewellery! cats home! arcade! animal park! trampolines! roundabouts


6

! chocolate finger factory! new swings! swimming pool! doctors

o a video box so that people could voice their thoughts against a few simple prompts

The views expressed on the video were:

• primary concern was the public toilets especially lack of a sink in the gents and nodrinking water facilities

• better facilities for cyclists was a must, both regarding safe access around the village andspecialised facilities for BMX and skateboards

• this flowed into the topic of walking where good footpaths were a must for the childrenso that they can get around safely

• the most voiced request was for provision of a basketball net / court


7

Appendix 1

Scouts X 14 Cubs X 15where do you play 'outside' in the village

• Tennis courts• on the Mead• bike everywhere• skate park when it comes• woods at Dingle

where do you play 'outside' in the village• The Mead• Garston Lane• Eastcroft• local fields• walks down at the lake

what do you not like about the outside places in thevillage

• lorries• signs• loose stones on the street• toilets – no sink and smells• no skate park


• bent goal posts• dog poo• no tap in boys toilet• somewhere to get drinking water• rubbish• people climbing on cricket pitch things

what could be made better• lights on tennis court• proper lines on rugby pitch• sink in toilet• mini cinema• skate park• bike park• (yellow?) lines outside shop• benches on Mead in different positions• be able to ride bikes on church path• x-Box club• pavement up Street End• more stuff for older kids in playground

what could be made better• another goal for 5 a side• proper markings on cricket field• skate park• bike park• more places to ride bikes• climbing wall and zipwire• tap for drinking water• a pond

what do you like about living in Blagdon• cricket field


8

School X 17 Guides x 14where do you play 'outside' in the village

• in the playground• at the Mead

where do you play 'outside' in the village• near the church, Timmswell• mead• woods at Rhodyate• Dingle• pub car park• East Croft• school play ground

what are the downsides to your favourite / normal playspot

• rusty climbing frame – no-one uses it• paint the swings• graffiti swearwords on monkeybars• toilets need tidying up – only one cubicle


• overgrown pond• litter on the way to school• toilets are dirty• long grass on the open spaces• people driving fast through the village• the tennis courts are locked

what could be made better• more frequent buses to Weston• display bus timetable• clean out Tim’s well• overgrown footpaths and streetpaths• too much traffic• get rid of the dog poo• the paintwork on the shop is dark –

brighten it up• footpaths• picnic areas

what could be made better• sink in the boys toilets• speed restrictions in Garston Lane• skate board park• BMX bike track• safe place to ride• lights in public toilets• cleaner toilets• better play equipment in playground –

more for older children• mow a maze in the grass• more litter bins• teen shelter

what would you like to see more of in the village• a roundabout in the playground• a graffiti wall• big slide• renew the picnic benches in playground• a shed or building for the teenagers to

‘hang out’ in• a pool table• more large swings (there are currently 2

large and 2 baby swings)

what is the best bit about living in Blagdon• Blagdon lake• the Mead• tennis courts• buses• village club• bingo• the Stores – sweets and magazinesit is quiet


9

Brownies x 18where do you play 'outside' in the village

• cricket club• the Mead• Fallowfield road• playground

what are the downsides to your favourite/normalplay spot

• toilets when the taps don’t work• the school is next to the road• Wincanton lorries• dog pooh

what could be made better• litter bins emptied• cycle tracks• new playground and equipment (see

saw and roundabout)• stop deer eating plants in the garden• noisy chickens• split the playground into facilities for

big ones and little ones

what is the best bit about living in Blagdon

• having lots of friends• countryside• Blagdon lake• farms• apple orchards• little pollution• local school• woods• churches• tobogganing hills• lots of events

o fun runo youth weeko garden feteo firework nighto treasure hunto spaces to walk and burn off

energy

Blagdon Village Plan · A second sub-committee was set up to facilitate the questionnaire. This...

Documents

Transcript of Blagdon Village Plan · A second sub-committee was set up to facilitate the questionnaire. This...