Wedmore Neighbourhood Survey Report June02 2017wedmore.online/.../Wedmore-Neighbourhood-Survey-Report-June02-2017.pdfWedmore’Neighbourhood’Plan’Survey’Report:"Draft"2"June"2"2017"

Wedmore Neighbourhood Plan Survey Report: Draft 2 June 2 2017 Page 1

Wedmore Neighbourhood Plan Survey 2017

June 2017

Prepared for: Wedmore Parish Council


Contents

1. Highlights ........................................................................................................................ 3

2. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 4

3. Research Objectives ........................................................................................................ 4

4. Research Method ............................................................................................................ 5

5. Summary ......................................................................................................................... 7

6. Main Findings ................................................................................................................ 11

6.1 Distribution of the weighted sample ........................................................................ 11

6.2 Working in the Parish ................................................................................................ 13 6.3 Quality of life and shared vision ................................................................................ 14

6.4 Sustainable development and environment ............................................................. 19 6.5 Transport and parking ............................................................................................... 23

6.6 Business and local economy ..................................................................................... 29

6.7 Housing and development ........................................................................................ 34 6.8 Community and health ............................................................................................. 43

6.9 Communications ....................................................................................................... 45


1. Highlights

Wedmore Parish residents choose to live in the area because it offers a peaceful rural environment with a strong sense of community, coupled with good amenities and facilities. It is also well placed for those who need to work outside the parish. The idea of further development brings some concerns, particularly about increases in traffic and loss of green areas around the village of Wedmore. Allied to the above is a desire to preserve key views and buildings; top of the list were St Mary’s Church, the village centre, including the ‘Saxon Square’, Lascot Hill and views towards the Mendips and levels to the south. However there is a clear recognition that development is going to be necessary in order to provide suitable housing for both the large older population and for young, local people looking to find their first step on the property ladder, either owned or rented. Indeed one key hoped for outcome of development is a mixed population living side by side. Wedmore is appreciated for its good local shops, sports facilities and outdoor activities in general. While having a doctor’s surgery, dentist, pharmacy and post office are also considered big draws to the parish there are widespread concerns about their capacity to cope with increased numbers. Such concerns were not widely expressed about the school. Many residents work or run businesses in the parish but, in common with residents in general, believe that poor telecoms (internet and mobile signal) is the biggest issue facing business development. Although nearly all drive cars on a daily basis most also walk everyday and many cycle, indeed, many more cycle than use public transport. Perhaps because of this, residents have regular concerns about safety on the roads, again a worry if further development takes place. While most support growth of housing in Wedmore village, this is with the caveat that it provides affordable housing for local people (both young and old) and is small scale (less than 20 units) rather than larger housing estates. Even with such small developments a key challenge will come when locations are publicly identified for development along with cost effectiveness of building affordable homes in small numbers.


2. Introduction

This report was conducted as part of the preparation of the Wedmore Neighbourhood Plan. Once adopted, the Neighbourhood Plan will form part of the statutory development plan for Sedgemoor. A Neighbourhood Plan is a new way for local people to influence the planning and development of the area in which they live and work. It lasts for at least 15 years and should:

• Develop a shared vision for a village or town • Choose where new homes, shops, offices and other development should be built • Influence how much housing should be built, and of what type • Identify and protect important local green spaces or other treasured assets

Once approved, the plan will have legal force in setting out what development is acceptable in Wedmore Parish and for what reasons. Developers, Sedgemoor Council and Planning Inspectors will have to give regard to it. Without a Neighbourhood Plan, residents (and the Parish Council on their behalf) will have little control over development that takes place and will receive less community funds from those developments. The Neighbourhood Plan must comply with the Local Plan for Sedgemoor and the government’s wider policy of sustainable development. This means that it is inevitable that some new housing will have to be built in Wedmore in the future. Having a Neighbourhood Plan in place will help ensure that this housing is suitable for the parish and meets the needs of the area. It will also help to identify the facilities and services that need to be in place to meet the demands that any new housing will make upon our community. 3. Research Objectives

The objectives of the survey are to identify resident interests in how Wedmore Parish should develop over the coming years in the following areas:

• Sustainable development needs and expectations • Housing needs now and in the future • Business and employment opportunities • Community and health facilities • Communications infrastructure


4. Research Method

This report is based on a survey conducted among residents (16+) living in the Parish of Wedmore (postcode BS28 and a small part of BA5) during March-‐April 2017. One paper copy questionnaire was sent (via the Post Office) or hand delivered (Panborough) to each household, a total of 1,518 were distributed. Residents were also given the opportunity to download further copies that could be completed by other members of their household. Additionally, a link to complete the survey online was also provided. The total number of returns via each method is shown in Table 1 below. A total of 506 completed questionnaires were returned for inclusion in the analysis this report is based on. Table 1. Number of questionnaires returned Format Number of returns Posted, hand delivered or downloaded 418 Online 88 Total 506 Who responded? The 2011 census counts 2,511 adults (16+) resident in the parish, so assuming no one has completed the questionnaire more than once, the sample of n=506 represents a response rate of 20% of the population, or approximately 33% of households. This level of response is, by comparison with other Neighbourhood Plan surveys, on the low side, with the majority of other studies achieving around 40%1. However a sample of n=506 provides us with a sufficiently large sample with which to conduct reliable analysis. Distribution by age Response rates varied considerably depending on the age of the respondent, with a far higher propensity to take part in the survey among older residents (in common with may similar surveys). Because of this the data has been weighted to reflect the known age distribution based on the 2011 census. This is to ensure that the findings better reflect the opinions of the population as whole rather than just those who took part in the survey. Table 2 below shows the unweighted and weighted counts and percentages for each age group.

1 Taken from a random search of 9 other similar surveys, with response rates ranging from 10% to 90% but with an average of 40%.


Table 2: Survey sample by age compared with census Census Census count Survey count Census % Survey % 16-‐18 110 3 4.4 0.4 19-‐29 227 4 9.0 1.0 30-‐39 360 31 14.3 6.0 40-‐49 462 59 18.4 11.0 50-‐59 543 88 21.6 17.0 60-‐69 364 130 14.5 26.0 70-‐79 259 131 10.3 26.0 80+ 186 60 7.4 12.0 TOTALS 2511 506 100.0 99.4 Notes on this report The weighted data are used throughout this report. Not all figures will add up to 100% as ‘Not stated’ or ‘no responses’ have not been shown. At this stage the analysis reports on results from the sample as a whole, i.e. the views of all respondents and there may be significant differences between different sub-‐groups that further analysis may reveal. However in the interests of brevity and clarity only aggregated responses are reported. This analysis will form one of a range of inputs into the Neighbourhood Plan process, other evidence may lead to alternative conclusions which do not fully reflect these findings.


5. Summary

Living in the Parish • Just over half (55%) of responses were from residents of Wedmore village itself but

the various outlying hamlets were evenly represented across the remainder of respondents.

• The vast majority of respondent were owner-‐occupiers (78%), with just 10% renting and 9% living with their parents.

• The average number of years respondents had lived in the parish was 19.7 but it is clear than there are a high proportion of new residents with 17% saying they’ve lived in the Parish for less than five years.

Working in the Parish

• There is a mix of working practices; 60% of respondents say they work full or part-‐time. 26% are retired leaving the remaining 14% in education or caring for children etc. However it should be borne in mind that many households only returned one questionnaire, possibly lowering the incidence of non-‐working residents.

• Among those working a quarter (27%) said they worked within the parish, the remainder elsewhere, roughly spilt between within 10 miles (i.e. Cheddar, Wells or Weston) and further afield (e.g. Bristol, Bath, Taunton).

Quality of life

• The biggest attraction to living in Wedmore Parish is the community spirit and village life, along with being in a rural, country environment combined with decent amenities and facilities including schools. While many moved to the parish for these reasons, the other key reason was family connections.

• Big dislikes about living in the parish are traffic and congestion in Wedmore village, poor public transport and a reliance on the car. A lack of affordable housing was also frequently cited.

• The most cited visions for Wedmore in 15 years time were that of a friendly, safe and

rural environment.

• Views, buildings and environments that needed preserving focused around; St Mary’s Church, the village centre (Saxon Square), views towards the Mendips and the Levels, and Lascot Hill and the surrounding woods. This is in addition to the preservation of existing green areas adjoining the built up areas of the village.


Sustainable development • Residents were given a list of possible benefits of sustainable development and asked

to indicate which five they thought would be the most likely. By a wide margin a community with a balance of ages and incomes was the most mentioned (63%), followed by good medical care and facilities and a variety of housing.

• Conversely residents were asked what worries them about further development in

Wedmore Parish and what outcomes they’d find undesirable. The biggest concern was an increase in traffic (mentioned by 75%) followed by oversubscribed medical and care facilities and housing only available for people on high incomes.

• Residents were asked what, from a list of possible actions or changes, would make a

positive difference to the long-‐term environment of Wedmore Parish. The most cited action was to protect the surrounding landscape. However only around half of respondents believed these would definitely make a difference suggesting a degree of scepticism about their value or whether or not they would happen.

Transport and parking

• Household car ownership is almost universal as is access to an off-‐road parking place. Despite this off street parking was cited as the biggest parking need in Wedmore village, followed by controlled parking.

• Residents were asked to state when they last used a range of transport options. Not

surprisingly the most used forms were car and walking, with 88% saying they’d used a car ‘yesterday’ and 71% saying they’d walked somewhere. Following these was cycling. 8% said they’d cycled ‘yesterday’ but half of all respondents said they’d cycled in the past 12 months, double those who had used the bus.

• Concerns about road safety are high; among pedestrians nearly half (47%) often have

concerns, 36% among motorists, 37% of cyclists and 39% of horse riders. Speed of traffic was the main cause for concern. Least concerned are those using public transport and tractor drivers, 6% and 15% respectively.

Business and local economy

• Most types of business were considered suitable for the parish with the exception of small industrial2.

• 12% of respondents said they ran a business or worked from home full time in

Wedmore Parish, with a further 21% saying they do this occasionally. Of these two groups, 21% said they foresee the need to move business premises within the next 10

2 ‘Large industrial’ was not an option


years. The most likely need was for shared workspace for a small or start-‐up business or retail space.

• By a wide margin better telecoms were the most needed infrastructure that would

help with these businesses; 84% of business owners cited faster broadband, 73% better mobile phone reception.

• Among potential start-‐ups better telecoms were the most cited facility needed with

studio space being the most citied premises needed, either to rent or buy. Housing and development

• The majority of respondents (77%) live in 3-‐5 bedroom houses, and 90% of housing overall is privately owned. Although the demand for future housing was predominantly for larger homes (49% mentioned 3-‐4 bedroom houses) the future need for smaller and/or easier access homes (bungalows) was also significantly higher than existing requirements. Most of this need was expected to be privately owned.

• Residents were asked if they or a member of their family had recently encountered

difficulties in finding suitable accommodation in Wedmore Parish. 8% said that they, or a member of their family were currently encountering problems, with a further 7% saying that had done so in the previous year or so. 18% said they hadn’t but did anticipate such a problem arising at some point in the future. Of those who had encountered a problem the primary causes were a lack of an affordable home to buy (70%) or rent (32%).

• Residents were asked what they thought about the number of houses being proposed

for Wedmore in the District Plan. 35% believed it was about the right number while 32% felt it was too many. 21% suggested that more than 50 additional houses were needed.

• They were then asked what benefits housing development could deliver to Wedmore

Parish. The benefit most agreed with was that it would enable local young people to remain living in the parish, 70% mentioned this.

• The biggest possible impacts of housing development were considered to be the

potential for increased traffic, with two thirds (66%) of respondents saying it would concern them a lot. This was followed by the impact on the local environment/ landscape/ views etc. and the capacity of health services, both mentioned by 56%.

• The most suggested type of home to build in any new development was small family

homes comprising 2-‐3 bedrooms, mentioned by 84% of respondents. This was followed by 1 bedroom starter homes for young people (61%) and small homes (inc.


bungalows) for older people (53%). 76% believed that the homes built should be available on the open market, with 65% believing that there should be affordable homes for sale too. Clearly there is a lot of overlap suggesting that a mix of home types is what most residents would like to see built.

• It is worth noting that while respondents generally wanted 3-‐4 bedroom homes for

themselves in the future, they simultaneously wanted to see more, smaller properties for young and older people to move into.

• When asked who should be prioritised for these affordable homes (either for sale or

rented), of those who suggested these options, 73% said they should be for local people versus 26% who said they should be for anyone who needs them.

• Small (2-‐10 homes) or individual plots were by far the most desired development

sizes, each mentioned by 43% believing them to be very suitable for Wedmore; in contrast just 3% believed a large development (more than 20 homes) would be suitable. 17% mentioned 10-‐20 homes as a suitable sized development.

Community and health facilities

• Not surprisingly the shops and post office were well used by residents, with half of all respondents saying they’d used the shops ‘yesterday’, and a quarter visiting the post office. Over the past year, virtually all (96%) had used these facilities.

• Residents were asked how accessible various healthcare facilities were. While the pharmacy was considered easy for nearly all, less than two thirds said the same for either the doctor or dentist. While not stated, ease of access could include both physical access and the ability to make an appointment when needed.

• Respondents suggested a broad range of other facilities needed. Some of the most

mentioned were health related facilities including; more services, greater ease of getting appointments, an NHS dentist and an optician. General services were also in demand; as well as maintaining the post office others wanted a bank or at least a free ATM, better recycling facilities and a library or mobile library. The other key area was facilities for young people; suggestions included a skate park, youth club, play area for older children and an outdoor gym.

Communications

• Currently less than a quarter (24%) say their household has access to superfast or ultrafast broadband (i.e. speeds above 10Mb), with the majority (63%) using speeds of up to 10Mb only. So it is not surprising that there is high demand for faster broadband speeds; just under half (48%) would like ultrafast broadband and further 41% wanted superfast broadband. 44% were interested in 4G internet.


6. Main Findings

6.1 Distribution of the weighted sample Distribution by area Not surprisingly the majority of respondents live in Wedmore village and the weighted sample is distributed in the following way. Table 3: Survey distribution by location (Unweighted base n=506) Postcode and approximate coverage Weighted % BS28 4A, B, D, E (Wedmore) 55% BS28 4N,P, Q (Blackford, Stoughton) 12% BS28 4H, J (Cocklake, Crickham, Clewer) 10% BS28 4S,T, BA5 (Theale, Panborough, Mudgely, Bagley) 10% BS28 4U, X (Sand, Health House & West Ham) 7% Not Specified 6% Distribution by occupation While the majority of respondents are working either full time (42%) or part time (18%) a substantial proportion are wholly retired (26%). 7% were in full or part time education, none said they were unemployed. While only 4% said they were looking after the home/children full time it should be borne in mind that many households only returned one questionnaire, possibly lowering the incidence of non-‐working residents. Table 4. Survey distribution by occupation (Unweighted base n=506) Occupation Weighted % Working full time 42% Working part time (Less than 30hrs) 18% Unemployed and available for work 0% Sick/disabled and unable to work 1% Wholly retired from work 26% In full or part time education 7% On a government training scheme 0% Looking after the home/children 4%


Distribution by home type The vast majority of respondent are owner occupiers (78%), with just 10% renting and 9% living with their parents. Table 5. Survey distribution by home type (Unweighted base n=506) Home type Weighted % Owner occupied 78% Your parent’s home 9% Rented from private landlord 7% Rented from housing association 3% Distribution by years living in the parish The average number of years respondents had lived in the parish was 19.7 but it is clear than there are a high proportion of new residents with 17% saying they’ve lived in the Parish for less than five years. Table 6. Survey distribution by years lived in the Parish (Unweighted base n=506) Number of years Weighted % Up to 5 years 17% 5 to 10 years 10% 10 to 15 years 15% 15 to 20 years 16% 20 to 30 years 15% 30 to 40 years 12% 40 years plus 10%


6.2 Working in the Parish 16% said they worked in the Parish (27% of those who work full or part time) leaving around half (47%) the adult population working outside of the Parish, or 72% of those who work. There was a mix of distances people worked; 41% said they worked within 10 miles, 56% said they worked 25 miles or more away. See Chart 1 below. Chart 1. Distance to work outside the Parish (Unweighted base n=163)


6.3 Quality of life and shared vision Likes Residents were asked to state what they valued most about living in Wedmore Parish and the clear leader was a sense of community, with the benefits of rural surroundings alongside its amenities. See Charts 2a and 2b below. Chart 2a. What do you most value about living in Wedmore?


Chart 2b. What do you most value about living in Wedmore? (Unweighted base n=506)

Dislikes The things that residents least like about living in Wedmore Parish are traffic and congestion, a lack of parking, poor public transport and a reliance on cars. These were followed by a lack of affordable housing, poor Internet, lorries and worries about local shopping facilities. See Chart 3 below.

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2%#

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2%#

3%#

6%#

7%#

11%#

11%#

12%#

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15%#

16%#

18%#

31%#

41%#

43%#

Post#office#

Doctors#

Pubs##/restaurants#

Small#

Quality#of#life#

History#/#heritage#/#tradiDon#

Family#/#family#home#

Transport#/#commute#/#proximity#to#bigger#towns#/#roads#

Shops#

AKracDve#/#beauDful#/#well#kept#/#scenery#

Safe#/#low#crime#rate#

Lots#to#do#/#clubs#/#socieDes#/#acDviDes#

Schools#

Friendly#/#friendliness#/#social#life#/#friends#/#neighbours#

Peace#/#quiet#

AmeniDes#/#faciliDes#

Countryside#/#rural#/#environment#

Community#/#community#spirit#/#village#life#


Chart 3. What do you most dislike about living in Wedmore Parish? (Unweighted base n=506)

Future vision of Wedmore Parish The most cited visions for Wedmore in 15 years time were that of a friendly, safe and rural environment. See Chart 4 below.

4%#

4%#

4%#

5%#

5%#

5%#

6%#

6%#

6%#

6%#

8%#

11%#

12%#

12%#

13%#

20%#

22%#

31%#

Poor#/#no#footpaths#/#cycle#ways#

Poli<cs#/#undemocra<c#council#/#non@transparent#/#unfair#

Too#affluent#/#gentrifica<on#/#wealth#gap#

Potholes#/#condi<on#of#roads#

Expansion#/#popula<on#growth#/#inappropriate#developments#

Snobbery#/#lack#of#community#spirit#/#cliques#/#unfriendliness#

Lack#of#pavements#/#bad#pavements#

Cost#of#living#/#expensive#shops#

GP#/#declining#prac<ce#/#poor#availability#of#appointments#

Nothing#for#teenagers#/#young#people#

Inconsiderate#drivers#/#speeding#

Lack#of#/#threat#to#ameni<es#/#facili<es#/#too#many#niche#

Lorries#

Bad#mobile#signal#/#slow#internet#

House#prices#/#lack#of#affordable#housing#/#locals#can't#afford#

Parking#/#inconsiderate#parking#/#lack#of#parking#spaces#

Public#transport#/#lack#of#buses#/#trains#/#being#reliant#on#car#/#

Traffic#/#conges<on#


Chart 4. Thinking about Wedmore Parish, how would you like Wedmore described in 15 years’ time? (Unweighted base n=506)

Reasons to move to the Parish Reflecting some of the reasons why residents like living in the Parish, the mains reasons for moving here are the environment and peace and quiet. Also important is the community spirit, quality of housing, schooling and access to country activities. See Chart 5 below.

28%$

28%$

34%$

34%$

34%$

36%$

47%$

62%$

81%$

85%$

Accessible$

Prosperous$

Tradi:onal$

Vibrant$

Tranquil$

Affordable$

A@rac:ve$

Rural$

Safe$

Friendly$


Chart 5. Which of the following attracted you to the Parish? (Unweighted base n=506)

Value of living in the Parish Residents were asked to score (out of 5) a series of statements about Wedmore Parish. Reflecting feedback above those attributes the Parish scored most highly on were a safe environment and strong community spirit. Those that scored the least were employment opportunities and transport links. See Table 7 below. Table 7. How much do you agree that Wedmore Parish has… (Unweighted base n=506) Mean Score

(out of 4) Total who

agree A safe environment 3.5 91% A strong community spirit 3.4 88% Good local facilities 3.3 87% A well preserved heritage 3.3 87% A good range of countryside activities 3.2 81% A good mix of housing 2.3 41% Employment opportunities 2.1 18% Good transport links 1.9 21%

6%#

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17%#

24%#

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42%#

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47%#

48%#

55%#

56%#

Beau/ful#/#a3rac/ve#village#/#surroundings#

Cost#of#housing#

Family#/#partner#/#friends#

Transport#links#

Local#facili/es#e.g.#Shops,#sports,#pubs,#surgery#

Proximity#to#work#

Was#born#here#

Schools#

Access#to#countryside#ac/vi/es#

Quality#of#housing/a#par/cular#house#

Community#spirit#

Peaceful/quiet#

Environment#


6.4 Sustainable development and environment Benefits of sustainable development Residents were given a list of possible benefits of sustainable development and asked to indicate which five they thought would be the most likely. By a wide margin a community with a balance of ages and incomes was the most mentioned (63%), followed by medical care and facilities and a variety of housing. See Chart 6 below. Chart 6. Bearing sustainable development in mind, what do you think are the biggest benefits development should bring to Wedmore Parish? (Unweighted base n=506)

Conversely residents were asked what worries them about further development in Wedmore Parish and what outcomes they’d find undesirable. The biggest concern was an increase in traffic (mentioned by 75%) followed by oversubscribed medical and care facilities and housing only available for people on high incomes. See Chart 7 below.

6%#8%#10%#

15%#16%#17%#18%#19%#22%#25%#27%#29%#31%#33%#33%#35%#

40%#45%#

63%#

Affordable#housing#Rental#Proper@es#

Re@rement#housing#Land#for#recrea@on#i.e.#allotments,#playing#fields#

Funding#for#infrastructure#Parking#

Safe#Cycle#Routes#Facili@es#and#services#for#older#people#

Suppor@ng#school#viability#Safe#Pedestrian#Routes#

Local#Jobs#and#businesses#BePer#transport#Links#

Village#iden@ty#and#sense#of#community#BePer#mobile#phone#coverage#

Shops#and#services#Facili@es#and#services#for#young#people#

Variety#of#housing#Medical#care#and#facili@es#

A#community#with#a#balance#of#ages#and#incomes#


Chart 7. What worries you about further development in Wedmore Parish? In other words, what outcomes of further development would you say are undesirable? (Unweighted base n=506)

Protecting and enhancing the long-‐term environment Residents were asked what, from a list, would make a positive difference to the long-‐term environment of Wedmore Parish. The most cited action was to protect the surrounding landscape. After that there were a number of actions that would lead to improvement. Interestingly only around half of respondents believed these would definitely make a difference suggesting a degree of scepticism about their value or whether they would happen or not. See Table 8 below.

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11%#

19%#

21%#

24%#

28%#

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33%#

37%#

42%#

48%#

59%#

75%#

Air#quality#

Insufficient#sports#and#leisure#facili?es#

Undermine#local#businesses#

Safety#of#Cyclists#

Loss#of#village#character#/#become#a#town#/#visually#

Overloaded#sewage#and#drainage#system#

Lack#of#school/childcare#places#

Pedestrian#safety#

Overstretched#local#ameni?es#

A#weaker#sense#of#community#

Reduc?on#in#green#space#

Increase#in#crime#and#an?Osocial#behaviour#

Lack#of#adequate#parking#in#village#

Housing#only#for#people#on#high#incomes#

Oversubscribed#medical#and#care#facili?es#

Increased#traffic#


Table 8. Thinking about things that could be done to protect and enhance the long-‐term environment of Wedmore Parish, please indicate your opinion for each of the following if they would make a positive difference or not. (Unweighted base n=506) Mean

Score (out of 3)

Total % who believe it would definitely make

a difference Enhanced protection of surrounding landscape 2.6 59% Keeping noise pollution to a minimum 2.5 49% More/ improved footpaths 2.5 50% Encouraging the use of renewable energy 2.5 46% Management of green spaces to improve natural habitats 2.5 47% High levels of energy conservation in new buildings 2.5 50% Influence over the scale and size of new buildings 2.5 49% Keeping light pollution at a minimum 2.4 39% Dedicated cycle paths 2.4 42% Enhanced protection of historic and natural features 2.4 43% Use of traditional materials 2.4 42% The most cited building, landmark or view that was considered important to protect was by a wide margin, St Mary’s Church, Wedmore, mentioned by 20% of respondents. See Chart 8 below.


Chart 8. Are there any building, places or views you believe are important to protect? (Unweighted based n=506)

Energy priorities for the Neighbourhood Plan Residents were specifically asked to say how much of a priority certain actions around carbon reduction and energy use should be in the Neighbourhood Plan. The response was roughly equal for the options to use more renewable energy and mitigate for rising energy costs with around half of respondents saying that each should be a high priority. Improving use of low carbon transport was a less popular option. See Table 9 below. Table 9. What priority would you give each of the following in the Neighbourhood Plan? (Unweighted based n=506) Mean score

(out of 4) % who would give it a high priority

Greater use of renewable energy 2.4 49% Mitigating rising energy costs for all residents 2.4 47% Improving our use of low carbon transport 2 34%

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Recrea0on#grounds#/#playgrounds#

Entrances#to#village#/#entrance#from#Cheddar#

Conserva0on#area#

Post#office#

The#George#

Quab#Lane#

Open#spaces#

All#period#/#listed#/#historical#buildings#

Methodist#Church#

Village#Hall#

Surrounding#fields#/#green#belt#/#village#boundaries#

Centre#of#Wedmore/#The#Saxon#Square#area#

Lascot#Hill#/#woods#/#view#from#Lascot#Hill#

Views#/#skylines#/#views#of#Mendips#/#Cheddar#

St.#Mary's#Church#/#church#


6.5 Transport and parking Car ownership and parking access The average number of cars per household is 2.1 and the average number of off road parking spaces, 3.1. See Charts 9 & 10 below. Chart 9. How many cars do you have at your home? (Unweighted base n=506)

No#car#1%#

1#21%#

2#52%#

3#17%#

4#7%#

5#1%#

More#than#5##1%#


Chart 10. How many off road parking places do you have at your home? (Unweighted base n=506)

Parking in Wedmore village Residents were specifically asked about parking needs in Wedmore village. The biggest need appears to be for more off street parking, mentioned by 59% with 30% asking for controlled parking. See Chart 11 below.

No#parking#places#5%#

1#11%#

2#26%#

3#21%#

4#15%#

5#10%#

More#than#5##12%#


Chart 11. What type of parking would you like to see more of in Wedmore village? (Unweighted base n=506)

Current transport use Residents were asked to state when they last used a range of transport options. Not surprisingly the most used forms were car and walking, with 88% saying they’d used a car the day before they completed the questionnaire (yesterday) and 71% saying they’d walked somewhere. Following these was cycling, although only 8% said they’d cycled yesterday, this increased to 1 in 5 (20%) cycling within the previous 7 days and half of all respondents saying they’d cycled in the past 12 months, double those who had used the bus. See Chart 12 below.

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16%$

21%$

30%$

59%$

On$street$parking$

Disabled$parking$bays$

No$more$needed$

Controlled$parking$

Off$street$car$parking$


Chart 12. When did you last use each of the following forms of transport in and around Wedmore Parish? (Unweighted base n=506, cumulative use)

Road safety Residents were asked to say how concerned (if at all) they were about road safety in Wedmore Parish. Over a third (34%) and nearly a quarter (22%) of respondents as car/van drivers and cyclists respectively often have concerns. However if just those who responded to each statement are selected then concerns among some user groups are considerably higher. Among pedestrians nearly half (47%) often have concerns, motor cyclists, 42% and horse riders 39%. Those with least concern are those using public transport and tractor drivers; only 6% and 15% respectively said they often have concerns. See Chart 13 below.

1%#

3%#

3%#

8%#

71%#

88%#

2%#

4%#

4%#

6%#

20%#

87%#

96%#

5%#

4%#

4%#

9%#

28%#

91%#

97%#

17%#

5%#

7%#

21%#

50%#

94%#

97%#

Community#bus#

Motorbike#

Tractor/farm#vehicle#

Bus#

Bicycle#

Walking#

Car#

Within#the#past#12#months#

Within#the#past#4#weeks#

Within#the#past#7#days#

Yesterday#


Chart 13. When you/ your family are travelling in and around Wedmore and the wider parish do you have concerns about road safety…? (% of users of each mode -‐variable bases)

Residents were then asked in what specific circumstances they were concerned about road safety. The most cited concern was the speed of traffic, 45% said this was a big concern, follow by a lack of pavements and condition of roads (both 32%) and the way vehicles are parked (34%). See Table 10 below.

6%#

15%#

36%#

37%#

39%#

42%#

47%#

15%#

18%#

43%#

56%#

39%#

22%#

43%#

Using#public#transport#

As#a#tractor#driver#

As#a#car/van#driver#

As#a#cyclist#

As#a#horse#rider#

As#a#motorcyclist#

As#a#pedestrian#

OCen# SomeEmes#


Table 10. Which of the following are a concern for you around Wedmore and the wider Parish? (Unweighted base n=506) Mean score

(out of 3) % saying it's a big concern

Speed of traffic 2.3 45% Lack of pavements 2.2 32% Condition of roads 2.2 32% The way vehicles are parked 2.1 34% Limited space and/or visibility on roads 2.0 24% Narrowness of pavements 1.9 23% School run 1.8 16% Lack of safe places to cross 1.7 16% Condition of pavements 1.7 15% Other obstructions 1.6 9%


6.6 Business and local economy Encouraging local employment opportunities Residents were asked what types of business would be suitable in Wedmore Parish to encourage local employment opportunities. By and large most respondents believed a wide range of businesses would be suitable with only small industrial3 being considered unsuitable by a majority, i.e. only 45% considered it suitable. See Chart 14 below. Chart 14. Which of the following do you think are suitable businesses to encourage local employment opportunities in Wedmore Parish? (Unweighted base n=506)

Running your own business 12% of respondents said they ran a business or worked from home full time in Wedmore Parish, with a further 21% saying they do this occasionally. Of those, 21% said they foresee the need to move business premises within the next 10 years. The most likely need for these people is shared workspace for a small or start-‐up business or retail space although the number of responses to this question was very small (n=12) so responses are shown in whole numbers. See Table 11 below.

3 ‘Large industrial’ was not an option

45%$

65%$

70%$

74%$

75%$

75%$

77%$

77%$

83%$

86%$

Small$industrial$

Offices/administra:on$

Pubs$

Retail$

Tourism/hotel/camping/B&B$

At$home$(adap:ng$residen:al)$

Cafes/$Restaurants$

Trades$and$services$

Agriculture$

Shared$workspace$for$small$start$up$businesses$


Table 11. What kind of business premises do you think you might need? (Unweighted base all those currently running a business or working from home who foresee a need for new business premises in the next 10 years n=12) Need Number of responses Shared workspace for small/start up business 6 Retail 3 Offices/administration 4 Small industrial/Trades 4 At home (adapting residential) 2 Infrastructure for business development Respondents with businesses or who work from home were asked to say what kinds of infrastructure would help them. By a wide margin better telecoms were the most needed; 84% of business owners cited faster broadband, 73% better mobile phone reception. See Chart 15 below. Chart 15. Which of the following could be provided in Wedmore Parish that would help you with your business? (Unweighted base all those who run a business or work from home in Wedmore Parish n=130)

3%#

7%#

13%#

18%#

19%#

21%#

73%#

84%#

Storage#facili5es#

More#suitable#premises#to#buy#

Access#to#communal#office#facili5es#i.e.#computers,#printer#

Access#to#communal#office#space#e.g.#hot#desking,#mee5ng#space#

More#suitable#premises#to#rent#

Improved#transport#links#with#other#places#

BeIer#mobile#phone#recep5on#

Faster#broadband#


Those with businesses or working from home were then asked about other business premises they might potentially need whether they were planning to move or not. The most mentioned were an office away from home or studio; essentially office space rather than warehouse or industrial. See Table 12 below. Table 12. If you need other premises within the parish to operate your business what are you looking for? Please tick the single most suitable type of premises. (Unweighted base all those who run a business or work from home in Wedmore Parish n=130) Need % of respondents Office away from home 10% Office at home 8% Workshop 7% Warehouse 0% Studio 10% Residents with businesses were asked if when seeking new premises they would prefer to buy or rent. Only a small percentage responded but with a marginally higher preference for purchasing (9%) over renting (5%). 20% of those with local businesses or working from home said they were likely to remain at their current premises, 7% said they would be likely to move with the remainder uncertain or didn’t reply. Starting a new business 15% of residents said they would like to start their own new business in the next few years. Facilities that would help this process (selected from a list provided in the questionnaire) were led by telecoms needs again; faster broadband, better mobile phone signal. See Chart 16 below.


Chart 16. Which of the following could be provided in Wedmore Parish that would help you start up a business? (Unweighted base all those who would like to start their own business over the next few years in Wedmore Parish n=38)

Those who said they were considering starting a new business were asked what kind premises might be suitable. Studio space was the most mentioned (29%). See Table 13 below. Table 13. If you need other premises within the parish to start a new business what are you looking for? Please tick the single most suitable type of premises. (Unweighted base all those who would like to run a new business over the next few years n=38) Need % of respondents Studio 29% Workshop 17% Office at home 16% Office away from home 13% Warehouse 5%

9%#

11%#

21%#

21%#

33%#

36%#

72%#

78%#

Storage#facili5es#

Access#to#communal#office#facili5es#i.e.#computers,#printer#

More#suitable#premises#to#buy#

Access#to#communal#office#space#e.g.#hot#desking,#mee5ng#space#

Improved#transport#links#with#other#places#

More#suitable#premises#to#rent#

BeIer#mobile#phone#recep5on#

Faster#broadband#


Of those potentially seeking business premises for a start up, around half were open to rent or buy, a quarter said rent, 15% buy. See Table 14 below. Table 14. If you would be seeking premises would you… (Unweighted base, those potentially seeking business premises for a new business in the Parish n=31) Premises type % of respondents Either buy or rent 47% Prefer to rent 23% Prefer to buy 15%


6.7 Housing and development Residents were presented with the following text concerning housing development in Wedmore Parish before being asked a number of questions about the scale and type of housing development they feel would be appropriate.

Sedgemoor District Council is proposing a minimum of 118 new homes in Wedmore between 2011 and 2032. Around 70 of these already have planning permission or under construction. This leaves a need for sites for a minimum of 50 homes.

Residents were first asked what they thought about the number of houses being proposed, whether it was too many, about right or too few. The most frequent responses (from around a third of respondents each) were that it was either about the right number or that 50 are already too many. Around 1 in 5 (21%) suggested that more than 50 additional houses were needed. See Chart 17 below. Chart 17. Do you think that 50 houses is about the right number to be planned or do you think more should be planned, if so, how many more? (Unweighted base n=506)

2%#

6%#

6%#

7%#

32%#

35%#

150#plus#are#needed#

1003150#are#needed#

753100#are#needed#

50375#are#needed#

50#is#already#too#many#

50#is#about#the#right#number#


Current housing type Residents were asked what size and type of home they currently lived in. The majority (77%) lived in 3-‐5 bedroom houses. See Chart 18 below. Chart 18. What size of home do you live in now? (Unweighted base n=506)

The overwhelming proportion of respondents (90%) said they live in private housing. 3% were in housing association accommodation. Future personal housing needs Although the demand for future housing was predominantly larger homes (49% mentioned 3-‐4 bedroom houses) the future need for smaller and/or easier access homes (bungalows) was also significantly higher than existing requirements. See Chart 19 below.

2%#0%#

3%#

7%#

3%#1%#

4%#

27%#30%#

20%#

1%#

1)2#bedroom#flat#

3+#bedroom#flat#

1)2#bedroom#bungalow#

3#bedroom#bungalow#

4#bedroom#bungalow#

5#bedroom#bungalow#

1)2#bedroom#house#

3#bedroom#house#

4#bedroom#house#

5#plus#bedroom#house#

Other#type#of#home#


Chart 19. What size of home do you think you will need in the future? (Unweighted base n=506)

The overwhelming type of housing expected to be required is private housing (67%). See Chart 20 below.

6%#

0%#

10%# 9%#

3%#1%#

10%#

24%# 25%#

8%#

3%#

1,2#bedroom#flat#

3+#bedroom#flat#

1,2#bedroom#bungalow#

3#bedroom#bungalow#

4#bedroom#bungalow#

5#bedroom#bungalow#

1,2#bedroom#house#

3#bedroom#house#

4#bedroom#house#

5#plus#bedroom#house#

Other#type#of#home#


Chart 20. What type of home do you think you will need in the future? (Unweighted base n=506)

Nearly all (82%) envisaged that their future home would be owned by themselves, with just 3% believing it might be rented. Problems finding accommodation Residents were asked if they or a member of their family had recently encountered difficulties in finding suitable accommodation in Wedmore Parish 8% said that they, or a member of their family were currently encountering problems, with a further 7% saying that they had done so in the previous year or so. 18% said they hadn’t but did anticipate such a problem arising at some point in the future. Of those who had encountered a problem the primary causes were a lack of an affordable home to buy (70%) or rent (32%). See Chart 21 below.

1%#

1%#

2%#

2%#

2%#

4%#

5%#

7%#

8%#

10%#

67%#

Housing#associa4on#shared#ownership#

Parish#owned#

Housing#associa4on#rented#

Re4rement#housing#rented#

Nursing/Residen4al#care#home#

Sheltered#housing#with#on#site#warden#

Self#build#

Starter#home#

Re4rement#housing#private#

Eco#friendly#

Private#housing#


Chart 21. What is or was the exact nature of the problem (in finding suitable accommodation)? (Unweighted base all those who have had a problem finding accommodation in the parish n=59)

Benefits that housing development can bring Residents were asked what benefits (from a list) housing development could deliver to Wedmore Parish. The benefit most agreed with was that it would enable local young people to remain living in the parish, 70% said this would be a definite benefit of housing development. See Table 15 below. Table 15. What benefits do you think housing development can bring? (Unweighted base n=506) Mean

Score (out of 4)

% saying it would be a definite benefit

To enable local young people to remain living in the parish 3.6 70% To meet housing needs 3.3 48% To support local businesses and community groups and facilities 3.2 38% To enhance village culture & social mix 3.0 38% To support the school & pre-‐school by boosting intake 2.9 26%

9%#

1%#

3%#

3%#

32%#

70%#

Other#

Lack#of#homes#big#enough#

Lack#of#homes#small#enough#

Lack#of#homes#suitable#for#specialist#needs#e.g.#Limited#mob#

Lack#of#homes#to#rent#at#a#price#I/#they#could#afford#

Lack#of#homes#to#buy#at#a#price#I/they#could#afford#


Impact of housing development Residents were then asked about a range of possible impacts housing development might have on the Parish over the next 15 years. As with development in general the biggest concern raised (from a list provided) was the potential for increased traffic, with two thirds (66%) of respondents saying it would concern them a lot. This was followed by the impact on the local environment/ landscape/ views etc. and the capacity of health services, both mentioned by 56%. See Table 16 below. Table 16. Regarding any new housing development in the Parish over the next 15 years, how concerned would you be about each of the following? (Unweighted base n=506)

Mean Score

(out of 4)

% saying it would

concern them a lot

Increased traffic 2.6 66% Impact on the local environment, landscape, views, open space 2.5 56% Capacity of health services 2.5 56% Increased parking needs 2.4 49% Impact on character/ culture of the Parish 2.2 39% Increased light pollution 2 30% Capacity of schools 2.1 29% Types of homes that should be built in the future Residents were asked what type of homes should be built in Wedmore Parish over the next 15 years. The most suggested type of home was small family homes comprising 2-‐3 bedrooms, mentioned by 84% of respondents. This was followed by 1 bedroom started homes for young people (61%) and small homes for older people (53%). See Chart 22 below. It is worth noting that while respondents generally wanted 3-‐4 bedroom homes for themselves in the future, they simultaneously wanted to see more small properties for young and older people to move into.


Chart 22. What sort of new housing do you think should be built in the Parish in the next 15 years? (Unweighted base n=506)

Over three quarters (76%) of respondents believe that the homes to be built should be available on the open market, with 65% believing that there should be affordable homes for sale too. Clearly there is a lot of overlap suggesting that a mixture of home type is what most residents would like to see built. See Chart 23 below.

3%#

24%#

25%#

26%#

27%#

27%#

53%#

61%#

84%#

Accommoda1on#for#gypsy#and#travellers#

Residen1al#care#home#

Homes#with#designated#office#or#workshop#space#D#live/work#

Private#re1rement#housing#

Larger#family#homes#4#plus#bedrooms#

Sheltered#housing#

Small#homes#(e.g.#bungalows)#for#older#people#

Starter#homes#for#young#people#D#1#bedroom#

Small#family#homes#2D3#bedrooms#


Chart 23. What sort of new housing do you think should be built in the Parish in the next 15 years? (Unweighted base n=506)

Affordable homes When asked who should be prioritised for these affordable homes (either for sale or rented), of those who suggested these options, 73% said they should be for local people versus 26% who said they should be for anyone who needs them. Scale of housing development Residents were asked how suitable different sized housing developments would be for Wedmore Parish. Small (2-‐10 homes) or individual plots were by far the most desired development sizes, each mentioned by 43% believing them to be very suitable; in contrast just 3% believed a large development (more than 20 homes) would be suitable. See Table 17 below.

24%$

34%$

45%$

58%$

65%$

76%$

Private$rented$homes$

Self$build$

Affordable$rented$homes$($e.g.$through$a$housing$associaBon)$

Starter$homes$

Affordable$homes$for$sale$($e.g.$shared$ownership$or$part$buy$part$rent)$

Homes$for$sale$on$open$market$


Table 17. What size development(s) do you think are suitable for future housing in Wedmore Parish? (Unweighted base n=506) Development size Mean Score

(out of 4) % saying it would be very suitable

Large (More than 20 homes) 1.9 3% Medium (Between 10-‐20 homes) 2.7 17% Small (Between 2-‐10 homes) 3.4 43% Individual plots 3.4 43%


6.8 Community and health Community facilities Not surprisingly the shops and post office were well used by residents, with half of all respondents saying they’d used the shops the day before completing the questionnaire, and a quarter visiting the post office. Over the past year, virtually all (96%) had used these facilities. While the village hall, place of worship and playing fields were not used so frequently, over the proceeding year between a half and three quarters of respondents had used them at one time or another. See Chart 24 below. Chart 24. When did you last use…? (Unweighted base n=506)

Footpaths and bridleways Most (90%) were in favour of the Neighbourhood Plan supporting the creating of footpaths and bridleways around the Parish although a minority (4%) were against this idea. Healthcare facilities Residents were asked how accessible various healthcare facilities were. While the pharmacy was considered easy for nearly all, less than two thirds said the same for either the doctor or dentist. While not stated, ease of access could include both physical access and the ability to make an appointment when needed. See Chart 25 below.

2%#

3%#

7%#

24%#

50%#

13%#

13%#

23%#

73%#

86%#

35%#

22%#

35%#

92%#

94%#

73%#

57%#

53%#

96%#

96%#

13%#

18%#

21%#

1%#

5%#

12%#

16%#

Village#hall#

Place#of#worship#

Playing#fields#

Post#office#

Shops#

Never#

Less#oFen#

Within#the#past#12#months#

Within#the#past#4#weeks#

Within#the#past#7#days#

Yesterday#


Chart 25. Thinking about healthcare facilities I.e. Doctor, dentist, pharmacy how easy is it for you to access these? (Unweighted base n=506)

Other suggested facilities Respondents suggested a broad range of other facilities. Some of the most mentioned were health related facilities including; more services, greater ease of getting appointments, an NHS dentist and an optician. General services were also in demand; as well as maintaining the post office others wanted a bank or at least a free ATM, better recycling facilities and a library or mobile library. The other key area was facilities for young people; suggestions including a skate park, youth club, play area for older children and an outdoor gym.

61%$ 60%$

94%$

28%$

12%$

2%$

Doctor$ Den1st$ Pharmacy$

Easy$to$access$

Difficul$to$access$


6.9 Communications The final questions asked in the survey concerned Internet and broadband availability. Currently less than a quarter (24%) say their household has access to superfast or ultrafast broadband (i.e. speeds above 10Mb), with the majority (63%) using speeds of up to 10Mb only. See Chart 26 below. Chart 26. Which of the following do you currently have in your home? (Unweighted base n=506)

It is therefore not surprising that there is high demand for faster broadband speeds; just under half (48%) would like ultrafast broadband and further 41% wanted superfast broadband. 44% were interested in 4G internet. See Chart 27 below.

87%$

5%$

29%$34%$

21%$

3%$

13%$

Landline$telephone$

Dial$up$internet$

Standard$broadband$

internet$(Less$than$5Mb)$

Standard$broadband$internet$(5?10Mb)$

Superfast$broadband$internet$

(10?50Mb)$

Ultrafast$broadband$

internet$(50Mb$or$faster)$

4G$internet$(i.e.$via$mobile$provider$but$at$

home)$


Chart 27. How interested would you be in having any of the following in your home? (Unweighted base n=506)

2%#

8%#

41%#

48%#44%#

Standard#broadband#internet#(Less#than#

5Mb)#

Standard#broadband#internet#(5810Mb)#

Superfast#broadband#internet#(10850Mb)#

Ultrafast#broadband#internet#(50Mb#or#

faster)#

4G#internet#(i.e.#via#mobile#provider#but#

at#home)#


Wedmore Neighbourhood Survey Report June02 2017wedmore.online/.../Wedmore-Neighbourhood-Survey-Report-June02-2017.pdfWedmore’Neighbourhood’Plan’Survey’Report:"Draft"2"June"2"2017"

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