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High Bickington Parish
Appraisal 2001
Housing
Q16. Additional Housing
The
appraisal asked what kind of additional housing is needed in High Bickington
parish. 237 people (56%) say housing is
needed for local people, 193 respondents (45%) want housing for young people,
115 (27%) say housing for low income families is needed, 108 people (25%) say
housing for elderly people is needed, 72 (17%) say housing for people with
disabilities is needed, and 32 want more large family houses. 53 people (12.5%) say that no new housing is
needed in High Bickington.
Four
respondents comment that it is very important that any new housing is
affordable for local people. Two people
are concerned that recent developments are priced above local pockets,
resulting in many new people coming to the village, while original residents
are forced to leave: “no local people will be left if we continue with
unaffordable housing”.
Two
people say that any new housing development must fit in with the traditional
appearance of the village: “any housing must be in keeping with the village”.
Three
people suggest that a range of housing styles, cost and types are needed to
maintain balance in the community: “(we need) to provide a range of housing to
suit the needs of a mixed range of people for a balanced social community”,
and
one person says any development must provide for the young, the old and
families together.
One
person says sheltered housing is needed in High Bickington and another comments
that if housing is provided for elderly people then “there should be no gardens
as these are difficult to maintain”.
Two
people feel there has already been sufficient development in High Bickington in
recent years. Housing development is also an area of concern, one person says
“do not build unless very necessary, we will lose the village”.
Additional
comments about housing in High Bickington are made in the final section (Q 60.)
of the appraisal (see p29) and in Question 17 below.
Q 17. Housing Development
The
appraisal asks what type of housing development would be acceptable in High
Bickington. 248 people (58%) consider
that conversion of redundant buildings is an acceptable form of housing
development in High Bickington, 190 people (45%) say small groups of less than
10 houses would be acceptable, 130 people (31%) suggest having single dwellings
in controlled locations, 27 people (6%) think that carefully designed larger
groups would be acceptable, and 56 people have no opinion.
30
people suggest other types of housing development. Five people are concerned about the cost of new housing, and say
that High Bickington needs “low cost starter homes for local people on local
wages”.
One
person wants more bungalows, while another says “we need one four bedroom house
on our own land”. Other suggestions
include flats as accommodation for single people, two bedroom houses for
couples, small groups of starter homes, and specialist housing for elderly
people. One person suggests a small
number of self build houses and another says any development should be “50%
housing society, 50% privately owned for young people”.
Two
people emphasise again in their answer to this question that the housing mix
must be balanced, “linked to (the) village to avoid segregation or isolation”,
and cater for the young, elderly and families combined.
Five
people reply that any housing development must be sympathetically designed. Two people say that acceptable development
must fit in with the village and “definitely no more private housing estates
out of character with local building”.
Two
respondents want traditional cottages “of cob, stone, thatch and slate opening
onto existing village streets, matching the old part of the village” and “not
modern boxes”.
One
person feels strongly that “large estates in villages should be a thing of the
past... small groups allow ... the village to grow and sustain a thriving
community.”
Two
people repeat that they do not consider any development to be necessary. One asks “if there is a prediction for
increased housing needs, what is this based on? Presumably it could also be researched as to what these 45 extra
home dwellers might require”.
Health and Social Services
Q 18. Doctor
336
people (81%) use the doctor’s surgery in High Bickington, 38 people (9%) say
their surgery is in Barnstaple, and a further 36 people are registered in
Torrington. Two people have a doctor
in Chulmleigh, one in Black Torrington and one is currently registered in
Torrington but plans to move to High Bickington soon. One person is registered with a doctor in Chalfont St Giles,
Buckinghamshire.
Q 19. Medical Services in High Bickington
127
people (30%) say they often or occasionally have difficulty obtaining chemist
services in High Bickington, 103 people (24%) say they often or occasionally
have difficulty obtaining doctor’s services, 82 people (19%) often or
occasionally have difficulty reaching an NHS dentist in High Bickington, 64
people ( 15%) say they often or occasionally have difficulty visiting an
optician and 64 (15%) people say they often or occasionally have difficulty
getting to a hospital.
32
people gave lack of the facility in High Bickington as the reason they could
not obtain a service. Several of these
mentioned that apart from an excellent doctor’s surgery, the other services are
badly needed in High Bickington.
Transport
was given as a major problem in obtaining medical services. Seven people mention transport difficulties
in general, eight people say lack of public transport is the major cause of
problems, the distance to services is listed by five people, and four people
have trouble making appointments.
Other
reasons for difficulties in obtaining medical services include waiting times,
that the chemist is never open when needed, and problems obtaining
physiotherapy, family planning and NHS dentistry in High Bickington parish.
One
person says they always go to Barnstaple for medical services and another
rarely used conventional medical facilities, “our family (prefers) to get
treatment from a more holistic source - acupuncture, homeopathy and reflexology
- none of which can be found in the parish.”
Q 20 Additional Medical Services
153
(36%) people say High Bickington parish needs a dentist, 115 (27%) say there
should be blood donor sessions, 83 people (19.5%) want physiotherapy, 80 people
(19%) would like an optician in High Bickington, 61 seek chiropody services and
31 occupational therapy.
Other
medical services which people would like in High Bickington include a vets, a
chemist shop, a chiropractor and osteopath and a breast and lung clinic. Two people would like a well-woman clinic,
two people want first aid classes and one “an holistic healing centre”.
One
person wants longer opening hours for the surgery. One person is very satisfied with the local amenities and another
says they “very much appreciate having such a well equipped and staffed local
surgery especially for a village this size.
Many people in towns are not so fortunate”
Q 21-23. Health and Social Services
The
vast majority of respondents, 339 people (82.5%), say they do not have any
problems collecting medicines. Only 27
people say that they have problems collecting medicines, 26 people (6.5%) in
High Bickington say they voluntarily care for someone and 16 people (4%) in
High Bickington are registered disabled.
Local Countryside
Q 24. Countryside Improvements
The
five most frequently identified activities to improve the countryside are
regular removal of litter (299 people, 70%), mowing and tidying roadside verges
(215 people, 51%), repairing gates, stiles and bridges (139 people, 33%),
signposting paths and bridleways (139 people, 33%), and planting more trees
(123 people, 29%). 98 people (23%)
suggested creating more wildlife areas, 95 (22%) want more footpaths and
bridleways opened, and 48 (11%) say let the verges grow.
One
respondent suggests that new signposts should be placed on footpaths to
indicate where they lead to and how far.
Another suggests that a new footpath through Little Bickington Farm to
the playing field would be an improvement.
There
is some difference of opinion whether hedges should be trimmed regularly or not
trimmed until “fledglings have flown and blackberries finished”.
One
person says the roadside verges should be kept as they are, “partly mown two to
three times per year”, one person says the “verges should be kept clear for
vehicles, while the hedges should be kept for wildlife, while another says “let
(the) verge grow for wildlife, but lanes must be cut for safe driving”
Two
people recommend that a new community deciduous woodland would be an
environmental improvement. One person
thinks that “removal of bracken and ragwort” would make the local countryside
better.
The
roads and traffic concern many people, suggestions include fewer roads, more
bridleways, reducing traffic speed, parking cars in drives or garages rather
than on roads, and that car drivers should be more aware that “people are
walking in our narrow roads”. The A377
concerns one person, who suggests that it should be widened and lorries should
be prevented from taking the short cut through to Atherington.
Two
respondents think that heavy agricultural equipment is “eroding hedges and
damaging verges” on narrow lanes, and say “agricultural equipment is getting
larger and larger. Lanes cannot
accommodate both machines and pedestrians and consequently people suffer”
Other
suggestions for environmental improvements include clearing drains to prevent
flooding, reducing artificial lighting and unnecessary road signs, making
easier access to the riverbank, providing more rubbish bins in the village and
on the playing field, filling road potholes and emptying the recycling pavilion
more frequently.
Q 25. Dog Mess
237
respondents (58%) believe that dog mess is a problem in High Bickington. Of these 156 (66%) say the problem could be
solved by providing dog litter bins, 99 (42%) say that notices for owners
attention should be used, and 144 (61%) say High Bickington should request more
enforcement visits. Two people suggest
that dog owners should have to buy a licence to “cover cost of clearing up and
having dog bins”. One person suggests
better enforcement of dog fouling fines.
One person suggests that notices should be put in the most used and
abused spots, “Do not let your dog mess here!” and another says the village
should “educate dog owners”.
Q 26. Overhead Wires and Underground Cables
260
people (65%) say that if possible overhead wires should be replaced with
underground cables, 35 (9%) think it unnecessary, and 107 have no opinion.
Two
people are concerned about the expense of burying wires, and one of them asks
“who will pay for this?”
Emergency
and Other Services
Q 27. Standard of Services
Most
people are fairly happy with the services provided in High Bickington. People say there is room for improvement in
street cleaning (170 people or 40% say this is poor), winter weather service
(125 or 30% say this is poor), and policing (100 or 24% say this service is
poor).
Two
people think the street lighting is too bright, and one person says that
although they have no evidence, they are worried that the response time for
emergency services “is likely to be a problem”.
Q 28. Public Toilets
223
people (54%) in High Bickington think a public toilet is needed, 140 (34%)
think not and 54 have no opinion.
Potential
problems of cleaning and vandalism are raised in the appraisal. One person says although they think High
Bickington does need a public toilet, “it would be unpleasant for neighbours
and we would need funding to employ a cleaner”. Two people are concerned about the problem of vandalism, saying a
public toilet “would become a focal point for damage and anti-social
behaviour”.
Another
does not know who would use them, “the village is mainly residential, so who
would need them?”
Q 29. Recycling Rubbish
380
people (93%) say they would separate their rubbish for recycling and only 28
(7%) say they would not.
Q 30. Composting
189
people (46%) compost their garden and kitchen waste, 221 (54%) do not. 161 people (74%) say they would often or
occasionally use a communal composting scheme, 57 say they would never use it.
Two
people give reasons why not: one lives too far out of the village and the other
family composts their own waste at home.
Q 31. Renewable Energy
Renewable
energy interests 204 people (50%), compared to 107 (26%) who say they are not
interested, while 98 have no opinion.
Although
people are in favour of renewable energy sources, four people specifically say
“not wind turbines”. One person
qualifies their support for renewable energy as “only if financially viable and
really green”.
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Page Created: December 2002
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