More consultation on affordable housing at The Valley, Stanmore
Information boards outlining affordable housing proposals for The Valley in Stanmore are on display at the Tourist Information Centre in Winchester until 10 August.
A summary will be shown at the ‘Party in the Park’ event at Somers Close Recreation Ground in Stanmore on Saturday 30 July (12-5) and the panels can be viewed and comments made online at:
https://winchester.citizenspace.com/housing/the-valley-stanmore/consult_view
These latest elements of consultation follow a successful event with local residents at St Luke’s Church Hall in Mildmay Street, Stanmore, on Tuesday 19 July.
Initial comments from the public included:
• Very happy with the proposal I saw
• Wildlife, forest green, orchard is a great idea
• Looks promising
• I am concerned if you need to demolish existing properties along Battery Hill to provide access into The Valley
• Introducing lighting is bad for wildlife
• Providing seating could encourage anti-social behaviour at night
A school event was held on 5 July at Kings School, Winchester.
The event involved two groups of around five students with connections to Stanmore. A guided workshop encouraged the students to evaluate the existing status of the park and then to consider how the park could be better used by a wider range of people. Their ideas and insights were recorded.
The event raised a number of useful ideas and challenged some preconceptions. It was clear that the children did not use the space often and that other than occasionally meeting at 'the monkey tree' it was generally only used as a route to school. Their discussions drew attention to more opportunities and uses. These included:
• Natural play
• Skating
• Tobogganing
• Football
• Go-ape type climbing/use of the trees and a zip-wire
• Benches and spaces to hang out
• An auditorium using the bank.
The proposals develop ideas in the Stanmore Planning Framework which considered housing in The Valley.
Consultation responses as part of the Framework supported this site as a strong opportunity to provide homes and improve open space and connections between parts of the area.
Most of the open space at The Valley will be retained and improved under the proposals. The pedestrian routes through and across The Valley will also be retained and improved. Access drives will be provided to the new homes but there will be no through-routes for vehicles.
More detailed proposals will be drafted over the summer taking account of community feedback. The City Council will seek community views on detailed drawings in September before making a planning application later in 2016.