Langarth Garden Village: Survey Responses

In the last few years Cornwall Council has granted 14 planning permissions for a total of 2,700 homes and other development, including a new school and the Stadium for Cornwall, in the Langarth area.

In order to try to ensure that this development is as good as it can be, bearing in mind the challenges of the amount of development for which it has granted permission, Cornwall Council decided to masterplan the development. It has received £150,000 from HM Government to support this.

In July the Council issued a press release explaining that a Stakeholder Panel was being established to help masterplan this development (Langarth Garden Village) and announcing fifteen initial ideas that members of the Panel had put forward. Annex 1 has the text of the Council press release and contains the background to the Council’s plans, the make up of the membership of the Panel and the list of the fifteen ideas.

It is clearly important that local people have the opportunity to comment on the Council’s proposals for Langarth Garden Village and the fifteen ideas in particular. This will aid the Panel’s work. Therefore, my office sent out a survey to all 1583 people on the electoral register in Threemilestone and Gloweth (see Annex 2).

The survey asked respondents to rate in order of priority (1 being highest) the importance which they attached to the initial 15 ideas which had emerged from members of the Council’s Stakeholder Panel.

At the time of writing we have received 240 replies (a response rate of 15 per cent).

The bar charts indicate how residents prioritised the fifteen ideas. The final bar chart indicates how many respondents gave a priority rating of between 1 and 5 to an idea.

Popular ideas included:

Ensuring that the development also meets the needs of Threemilestone and its residents, and connects with the surrounding area, including the city

Protecting the local environment and creating quiet corners where people can enjoy nature and wildlife

Open spaces to provide a healthy environment for all ages, including well equipped play areas, walks and cycle ways

Sustainable transport schemes which prioritise cycling and walking, and promote alternatives to car use, including park and ride and car and bike clubs

Providing health led indoor and outdoor facilities, including health centres, cafes, marked walks, bike trails, and a community hub

85% of respondents took up our invitation to make additional comments and/or put forward their own ideas. Their comments are summarised below:

Concern about over development of the area and location of the stadium on A390 (some respondents commented that the Panel’s idea ‘to embrace rural living’ was unrealistic)

The need to have infrastructure provided early on in the development Grave concerns about the ability of Royal Cornwall Hospital to cope and the need for

a step down community health facility to help with this The need to expand GP and NHS dental services and concern as to whether it would

be possible to staff these Grave concern as to the ability of the road network to cope – comments included

proposals for a northern or southern relief road Worries over adequate parking especially bearing in mind the issues with student

and commuter parking in Threemilestone, the need to enlarge the Park and Ride and extend its period of operation (indeed should it be resited nearer to Chiverton?)

Mobility access for new housing Bungalows for elderly residents Footbridge/subway over A390 Quality housing must be affordable for local people Good bus services every day with shelters to protect from south west wind Use of green energy and rain water harvesting Local facilities for playing football (currently Threemilestone use Boscowan Park) Was a community café sustainable? – already tried at Threemilestone Footpath needed from Richard Lander School along A390 Queries as to Richard Lander School over capacity Ensure adequate sewage and surface water drainage Open space must cater for all age groups Cyclelink from Hugus to Newham Valley Tree planting Running track needed at the Stadium Newbridge Lane to be a quiet lane for access and cycles Bovis development had ruined safe pedestrian access from Gloweth to

Threemilestone and Richard Lander School What happened with ‘Planning for Real” event a few years ago in Threemilestone? Meeting places for the elderly to avoid loneliness Wildlife promoted for own sake and not just amenity value Dubious as to whether the ethos of Garden villages has worked elsewhere Questions over membership of the Panel (eg no one representing Richard Lander

School or Truro College or NHS) Jogging track needed with exercise equipment along its route Leave open space so that Garden Village is not a suburb of Truro Local trades to be used for construction

Require developers to meet their planning obligations The need for the Panel to consult locals on their views!

Threemilestone and Gloweth Residents’ Survey 2019

Annex 1

Text of Cornwall Council Press Release

“A group of local representatives have begun to set out their vision for the new development to be built west of Truro and how it will also meet the needs of the residents of Threemilestone and Gloweth.

The Council has pledged to bring forward a high-quality housing scheme with community facilities for the benefit of residents and to take the lead in its design and how it will be delivered over the coming years.

The new Stakeholder Panel, which includes representatives from key partners and community organisations such as Threemilestone school, the Threemilestone Business Estate and cycling and environmental groups, will work in tandem with planners and developers on the Masterplan for the development of 2,700 new homes and community facilities on different parcels of land at Langarth.

Chaired by Cornwall Councillor for Threemilestone and Gloweth, Dulcie Tudor, with Cornwall Councillor for Chacewater, Kenwyn and Baldhu John Dyer as Vice Chairman, the Panel will meet monthly to discuss the development of the Masterplan. The Panel will have input into the design and quality of the new homes, transport links, community facilities including new schools, health, leisure, play, faith and emergency facilities, green spaces and a new community centre.

“This development will inevitably have an impact on Threemilestone and the wider Truro area” said Panel Chair Dulcie Tudor. “We want to make sure that this is a positive impact which provides a vibrant and sustainable new community where people want to live, not just a series of housing estates. When Cornwall Council took the decision to become involved in the scheme, there was a commitment to improve community facilities in Threemilestone and surrounding areas as part of the overall project. We will be making sure that this commitment is honoured.”

“People have naturally asked why there has to be any development on this site. The reality is that there are already 14 different planning consents for 2,700 new homes on six parcels of land. This means it is inevitable that some development will take place in the future. Cornwall Council’s involvement means we have the opportunity to prevent these developments coming forward in an uncoordinated basis and instead create high quality, well designed housing which is truly affordable for local people. We can also ensure that key infrastructure such as schools and health facilities are provided at the start of the scheme rather than at the end when all the houses have been built”.

“Our aim is to protect the interests of the local community by ensuring that the scheme creates positive benefits for both existing and future residents. We recognise the concerns which have expressed over the quality of some new homes, the impact on existing traffic congestion on the A390 and increased pressures on local schools and health services. We will be working together to address these concerns and will not hesitate to stand up and speak out to ensure that the scheme provides a sustainable community, a more attractive place to live and good quality homes serving Truro.“

The other members of the Panel are: Ian Holroyd (Chair of Kenwyn Parish Council); Ken Hart ( Kenwyn Parish Council); Suzanne Teagle (Headteacher of Threemilestone Primary School); Jeremy Putman and Dr Alan Stanhope (Truro Churches Together); Damien Richards (Threemilestone resident); Allan Williams (representing Threemilestone Business Park ); Jack Richards (representing sports/ health / environment) and Sarah Wetherill (representing transport and the environment).

Members at this week’s meeting of the Panel were given a short presentation by AHR Architects who

are leading a consortium, including local companies, to develop the Masterplan. Emphasising the importance of creating a strong community at Langarth which connects with the existing communities of Threemilestone, the city of Truro and Cornwall, the team are currently working with key stakeholders and the local community to create a vision to help shape the Masterplan.

Bob Egerton, Cornwall Council cabinet member for culture, economy and planning said: “Community involvement in the plans to develop the sites at Langarth is important as we work together to ensure the needs of residents are front and centre.”

Members of the Panel had also been asked to put forward three things they wanted to see included in the development. Suggestions included:

Ensuring that the new development also meets the needs of Threemilestone and its residents, and connects with surrounding areas, including the city.

Providing well designed affordable homes with low energy costs, which are easily adaptable to meet the changing needs of families

Encouraging innovative design and self-build projects Creating a site with generous green spaces and an open community space for music and arts

events where people can join together to express themselves. Ensuring adequate parking provision, with electric charging points and secure parking for

people running their own businesses. Open spaces to provide a healthy environment for all ages, including well equipped play areas,

walks, and cycle ways Sustainable transport schemes which prioritise cycling and walking, and promote alternatives

to car use, including park and ride and car and bike clubs. Creating distinct settlements which embrace rural living. Creating communities – not just a housing development - where people can work and live

together, with easy access to surrounding areas. Protecting the local environment and creating quiet corners where people can enjoy nature

and wildlife. Supporting people working from home, with access to technology and hubs where they can

get together to prevent isolation. Making the best use of community spaces so all parts of the community can join together. Providing health led indoor and outdoor facilities, including health centres, cafes, marked

walks, bike trails, and a community hub. Using the stadium as a local community hub to provide sports and leisure facilities, work

spaces, community meetings and culture and arts events. Ensuring that plans for the new school make the most of the natural environment, and

promote outside learning for pupils, as well as working alongside and complementing the existing Threemilestone School.”

Annex 2

Threemilestone and Gloweth Residents’ Survey

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter regarding the proposed Threemilestone Garden Village.

I would like to make sure that residents’ opinions are fully considered from the beginning of the master planning process and would be grateful if you would take the time to let me know your thoughts.

Please number the below priorities to indicate which is most important to you (where 1 is most important). You need not number any option that does not matter to you.

Ranking PriorityEnsuring that the new development also meets the needs of Threemilestone and its residents, and connects with surrounding areas, including the city.

Providing well designed affordable homes with low energy costs, which are easily adaptable to meet the changing needs of families.

Encouraging innovative design and self-build projects.

Creating a site with generous green spaces and an open community space for music and arts events where people can join together to express themselves.

Ensuring adequate parking provision, with electric charging points and secure parking for people running their own businesses.

Open spaces to provide a healthy environment for all ages, including well equipped play areas, walks, and cycle ways

Sustainable transport schemes which prioritise cycling and walking, and promote alternatives to car use, including park and ride and car and bike clubs.

Creating distinct settlements which embrace rural living.

Creating communities – not just a housing development - where people can work and live together, with easy access to surrounding areas.

Protecting the local environment and creating quiet corners where people can enjoy nature and wildlife.

Supporting people working from home, with access to technology and hubs where they can get together to prevent isolation.

Making the best use of community spaces so all parts of the community can join together.

Providing health led indoor and outdoor facilities, including health centres, cafes, marked walks, bike trails, and a community hub.

Using the stadium as a local community hub to provide sports and leisure facilities, work spaces, community meetings and culture and arts events.

Ensuring that plans for the new school make the most of the natural environment, and promote outside learning for pupils, as well as working alongside and complementing the existing Threemilestone School.

If you have any further thoughts regarding this development which are not covered by the above list of priorities, please outline them below.

To ensure that this survey is completed by residents of Threemilestone and Gloweth, and so that I am able to keep you up to date, I would be grateful if you could provide your contact details.

Name:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Address:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Postcode:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Email:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. I would be grateful if you could return it to me in the postage paid envelope provided.