Community Planning Study: Public Meeting.
The CADISPA project presented the Gatehouse of Fleet Community Planning Study at a public meeting in the Murray Arms Hotel, Gatehouse on Thursday 6th March at 7 30 pm. This is a detailed study which reflects the views of the local community on a wide range of important issues.
The full report can be downloaded as a pdf document by clicking here. (2.6Mb)
Executive Summary
Recommendations
Executive Summary
The aim of this study was to enable local people to express their views on life in Gatehouse, what their hopes and concerns were for the future, what development, if any, they wished and just as important, where they do not wish to see development. The priorities that emerged from this research will help create a community development plan upon which future development can be built.
A questionnaire was the main research tool designed to capture the views and opinions of local people. The framework used for the study was a ‘sustainable community’ (as defined by the Egan Review, 2004). The questionnaire was designed in conjunction with the GDI and based upon CADISPA’s experience of conducting a substantial number of similar studies in other Scottish rural locations. We supplemented the questionnaire by interviewing a large number of local businesses, a range of community groups and school pupils, and by conducting an additional survey looking specifically into the tourist experience. Members of the community helped us to design the tourist study and to undertake the research. The fieldwork took place in the early summer of 2007. Our key findings are as follows:
There was strong feeling that there was a lack of affordable housing in the Gatehouse area. There was an identified need for housing for young families, and for specifically designed housing for older people.
Concerns were raised that local homes were being acquired by outsiders/retirees contributing to the unsustainable age profile of Gatehouse. However, other research showed that this was not the case for the area in general (Craigforth, 2006).
Local people identified what type of housing they required, where it should be, the style and scale etc. Local Housing Associations were keen to discuss with the community proposals to address the need for ‘new build’.
There was a great need for space to be identified to enable business development. A number of people from the business community felt that their ability to operate or expand was restricted by the lack of accommodation.
Respondents were content to accept the various conservation agreements affecting building developments. Local people valued highly the natural environment in and around Gatehouse and were keen to conserve it.
There are a substantial number of social and cultural activities in Gatehouse. Local people wished to see a re-developed community hall to house many of these. It was felt that a re-designed hall would enable local people to travel less distance to access activities. 8
There was a wish for more organised activities for the older and younger residents to complement existing provision.
Tourism is an essential part of the Gatehouse economy. Although many of the tourists interviewed reported that their experience of visiting Gatehouse was positive, particularly regarding the beauty of the area and the friendliness of local people, it was also felt that there was a need for an improved infrastructure.
From the tourist study it was noted that many of the tourists were repeat visitors. A better marketing strategy should be considered to promote the area more extensively.
Local people greatly opposed the closure of the Tourist Information Centre and hoped that a solution could be found to retain its services in some form.
The Mill on the Fleet emerged as a key issue. Local people wish to see it remain a community asset but there was division on what they thought the building should offer.
Community asset development needs to build in job and wealth creation as well as an improvement to the local quality of life.
Conserving the local environment was a key concern. Any development must bear this in mind.
Younger people need to be more involved in the community development process to ensure their views are represented and that they feel a part of the civic life of the community.
Local people were concerned that they had been left off the political agenda. They were keen to see the needs of the Gatehouse community better prioritised.
Transparency was a key issue. Steps must be taken to ensure the engagement and mandate of local people in any development decisions.
Gatehouse residents felt strongly that more educational and training opportunities should be provided locally.
More information and debate needs to be conducted in the community on any new developments in the town, for example, the re-development of the petrol station and the new medical centre.
Local people wished to see improved transport – connecting them to other local towns and to enable the elderly, young people and those who do not own a car, to access services and activities more easily.
The lack of car parking was a concern.
It was felt to be unacceptable that mobile coverage and broadband provision was limited. Recommendations are made at the conclusion of the study that development within Gatehouse follows the guidance offered by the Egan Review into sustainable communities (2004) and the public participation ‘Core Values’ as offered by the International Association for Public Participation (www.iap2.org).
CADISPA Recommendations
General Recommendations
That all development in Gatehouse of Fleet stays within the Framework established by the Egan Review of 2004.
That the core values of the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) be adopted as the basis for all future community consultation and participation (www.iap2.org. ‘Core Values’)
Specific Recommendations
1. A priority should be made for the provision of affordable housing that is accessible to local people.
2. Future housing development whether ‘in-fill’, ‘brown field’ or green field, should be the subject of further discussion with the Local Authority, the Community Planning Partnership, local Housing Associations, the Community Council, National Trust for Scotland etc., with a view to ensuring the wishes of local people are recognised within the Local Development Plan.
3. A new response is made to the findings of the Craigforth Housing Study of 2006 that would, when combined with this study and others, provide the basis for a strategic local response to housing need.
4. The term ‘affordable’ must be defined and interpreted within the local context.
5. Ways should be found to enable local people to get equal access to housing within legal parameters.
6. The need is recognised to attract and provide better services to young families.
7. A need to be more transparent about plans regarding the proposed development of the petrol station site. Local people seem frustrated by the lack of information available to them.
8. There is a need to balance services targeted at the tourist trade with those designed for the consumption and support of local people.
9. The potential for increased tourism activity should be investigated as a part of a five-year economic development plan for the town.
10. A way should be found to retain the services of the Tourist Information Centre (TIC), either in the form it now takes or another that has equal potential.
11. Additional signage and information outlets should be provided and disability access issues should be resolved, as a matter of urgency.
12. An ad-hoc group from the community should be charged with the responsibility for identifying ‘civic improvements’ with a justification for the inclusion of each project, to report back within one year.
13. That the GDI, Community Council and any organisation that may be created as a result of this investigation, be pro-active in developing a strategy with local people designed to address the predicted substantial increase in the over 65 age group expected to occur at the year 2010 and beyond.
14. Given the prediction of an ageing population, there is a need for: a) A vibrant and growing economic base. b) To create opportunities for the employment of older people. Ways should be found to address both of these issues by the identification of new business potential for the town and new business infrastructure.
15. Ways should be found to include the indigenous population in community planning and development more effectively. Community consultation should not be viewed as a single event but as an ongoing process. The wider community should be consulted on the design and management of future projects.
16. That a more adequate system of public participation be put in place, designed to bring local people more effectively into the heart of the discussion of development matters and decision making (www.iap2.org ‘Core Values’).
17. The potential for Community Hall re-development and re-definition should be investigated as a priority.
18. Any plans for the re-development of the Mill on the Fleet are the focus of an investigation by a group charged with that responsibility, drawn from local people, to report back within one year.
19. That any Mill on the Fleet re-development proposals be completed within the Egan framework of sustainability and include the potential for social enterprise and power generation as options.
20. The lack of suitable business space emerged as a priority. It was clear that the by-pass buildings (Fleetside business units), built as a temporary structure, had outlived its purpose and was now in a dilapidated state. There was a great deal of support for new accommodation to be provided to house existing businesses (and to expand if required) and good quality space to accommodate new businesses.
21. The public transport services should be subject to a comprehensive review given that, with an ageing population, public transport will become significantly more important to the population in the near future.
22. The possibility of setting up a community transport group should be considered as this model has worked effectively in a number of rural communities.
23. Traffic calming measures in effected areas should be investigated.
24. An investigation should be made into the potential for ‘outreach’ education and training by negotiation with the Local Authority, Local Enterprise Company, the voluntary sector and private agencies. In particular, consideration should be made to the provision of employment training for older people. The Crichton Campus in Dumfries should be consulted to assess what adult education opportunities could be provided locally.
25. It is all too simple to talk of the need for Gatehouse of Fleet to diversify given the risks associated with the heavy reliance on tourism at this time. However, the potential for co-operative ventures; social enterprises and community owned assets, may have a useful part to play in the controlling of exposure to the market whilst, at the same time, providing vital services and quality of life provision at minimal cost.
26. An asset register of available business space should be drawn up.
27. In whatever form development takes, great attention should be paid to the preservation of the natural and built environment. These are of substantial economic importance to the town.
28. In terms of health, it is suggested that the ‘well-being’ agenda (with its emphasis on health promotion) active in other parts of Scotland, be investigated.
29. ICT should be recognised as being of crucial importance (particularly for e-business and education) to any rural community and steps should be taken to encourage the development of an improved Broadband provision. This is of immediate importance for business development, employment and wealth creation in the area.
