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High Bickington Parish
Appraisal 2001
Other Comments
The Future Needs of the Village and Little Bickington Farm
The
appraisal asked for further suggestions or comments on the future needs of the
village and parish and on possible uses for the land and buildings at Little
Bickington Farm. 98 people gave
comments, some providing very detailed and ambitious plans.
Several
people are very worried about development in the village, with appeals not to
“let the village grow too big” and fears that new development will increase
traffic problems: “the village is a pleasant place to live because of the size
it is. Great care should be taken to
ensure that any future development is on a scale that doesn’t destroy the feel
of the village”.
Some
people feel that the demand for better amenities is incompatible with living in
the country: “surely a lack of facilities is part of living in a village or
else you would live in a town’.
Several
people feel very strongly that Little Bickington Farm should remain as a farm,
another six say it should be used for “agricultural purposes” in some form,
such as a small working farm, a working farm producing goods for local people
and employing local people, a training college for young farmers, or
smallholdings for young farmers. One
person suggests that if it cannot remain an independent farm then the land
should be attached to Lower Farm.
Most
suggestions for changing the use of the site include a spread of functions such
as building a new school, community hall, workshops, low cost housing, sports
and play and leisure area, and woodland.
School
The
need for a new school is a major priority for many people. 37 people suggest that the Little Bickington
Farm site would be ideal for a new primary school. Two people also recommend that nursery facilities and a crèche
are attached to the school.
Village and Community Hall
37
people think a new village hall is needed, 35 suggest that Little Bickington
Farm would provide an excellent site.
18 of these people say that the hall should be multi-purpose providing a
community centre and facilities for the school and the whole village: “a
community building including school, hall, meeting rooms, doctors surgery (and)
sports facility must surely be the most cost effective and beneficial way
forward”.
People
also feel strongly that a new hall must take into account all members of the
community: “the new village hall needs to be in a location that allows all
social events, (parties and discos as well as jumble sales and coffee mornings)
...and needs to be suitable for all the community to use (children and older
members of the village)”.
Suggestions
for use of the new hall include hall with stage, meeting and function room,
information technology centre, resource centre, sports hall, doctors’ surgery
and medical room, library, and room for Citizens Advice Bureau and police
surgery.
One
person recommends that the village hall should be sited to the east of Little
Bickington to provide access from the B3217.
Another suggests that road access and parking is considered before a new
hall is built.
Car Park and Toilets
Assuming
that Little Bickington Farm is developed, 14 people say car parking facilities
must be provided. One person suggests
that the car park could be used to hold a farmers market, another says public
toilets need to be provided next to the car park.
Sport and Leisure Facilities
36
people call for improved leisure facilities in High Bickington with the Little
Bickington Farm site seen as the obvious location.
Eleven
people want a new playing field, with suggestions including a new cricket pitch
(to separate it from the football field) with a new pavilion, a netball ground,
a tennis court and all weather surface.
Eight
people call for a sports hall to be built at Little Bickington Farm, with two
suggesting that it is attached to the school.
One person recommends that a general recreational building is
constructed for all sports needs and for leisure classes.
Five
people would like to see a swimming pool provided on the site, preferably
indoor. Ten people say the site is
perfect for a children’s play area and adventure playground. Other suggestions include a gym for local
people and an activity camp for children.
Housing
A
number of respondents are extremely concerned about any housing development on
the Little Bickington site or anywhere in High Bickington. Ten people say “no new houses”, three people
say “no more development”, three people say “no more second homes”, two people
say “only very small scale development”, two people say “no large houses” and
one demands no new “Pearce’s development”.
27
people accept the need for new housing in the village. The vast majority are extremely keen that
any housing development is for local people: “we need local people to have the
chance to stay here”.
Seven
people call for low cost starter homes.
Other housing needs include affordable four-bed houses, two and
three-bed homes, houses for second time buyers, rental housing, and retirement
homes and sheltered housing for the elderly (three).
Four
people say they would be very interested in self build homes, ideally with
plots of one acre or more. Alternative
build houses using traditional materials and eco houses are of interest to four
people. One respondent suggests that a
development of modular houses to grow with the family should be allowed.
Only
two people see the need for any large scale housing development, one suggests
small groups of houses round the village and another suggests that
45
houses should be sited to the east of Little Bickington Farm.
16
people say the buildings at Little Bickington Farm should be converted into
houses for local people. Seven of these
say they should be low cost starter homes.
Three of these say they should be sold on leasehold with priority for
local people. One person suggests
shared equity housing and one suggests that ownership is retained by a housing
trust.
Community Woodland and Recreational Area
Eight
people would like to see a community wood planted on the Little Bickington Farm
site, and particularly “English traditional trees for future generations”. Another person suggests planting a fruit
orchard.
Four
people suggest that a new footpath should be made through Little Bickington
Farm to the current playing field. One
person says the footpath should be dog free.
Two people would like to see picnic areas, and two would like to see a
quiet area for study and contemplation.
Another two would like Little Bickington Farm developed into a park and
walking area, with facilities for cycling and horse riding with no traffic.
Three
people suggest developing a village green area, one person would like a pond
and two want a well stocked fishing lake.
Six
people recommend that the land at Little Bickington Farm becomes a wildlife and
nature reserve and a conservation area.
Another two people suggest developing the farm as a school farm and
rural studies unit with one suggesting putting dormitories in the redundant
buildings for visiting Devon schools.
One says a “woodland burial site would be useful”. Another suggests using the site as a field
study centre to cover wildlife, ecology, natural resources, art and
photography.
Light Industry, Workshops and Craft Centre
Two
people are against any light industrial development at Little Bickington Farm.
In
contrast several people call for some craft and industrial development
(alongside some housing). Eight people
suggest placing light industrial units and workshops in the redundant buildings
at Little Bickington Farm and four people think it would be ideal for craft
workshops and a craft centre. One
person suggests using part of the buildings for office accommodation.
Environmental Projects
In
addition to the interest in eco housing, 13 people make other recommendations
for environmental projects on the Little Bickington Farm site: “ a bold
approach to renewable and sustainable energy should be followed”.
Options
suggested include a renewable and sustainable energy project (three), wind
energy (two), solar or biomass system (four) (with one suggestion of the bottom
of Little Bickington land at Vauterhill as the appropriate site), solar energy
project (two), micro turbine development (two), community composting scheme
(three), recycling (three), a hydroponics garden, and the “woodland could
supply renewable fuel sources”.
Independent
of any development at Little Bickington Farm one person suggests that
eco-friendly vehicles should be encouraged by providing gas filling and
electricity charging facilities in the village. Another person calls for greater use of private drainage.
Other Uses for Little Bickington Farm
There
are a large variety of other suggestions for using the Little Bickington Farm
buildings and land. Several people
suggest developing a tourist attraction such as a camp site or “city break
holiday development” focusing on old rural crafts. Three people suggest using the site for a farmers market and
another two suggest a farm shop.
Other
ideas include a fish farm, theme park, cafe, tea rooms, a conference centre
with overnight accommodation, and full time medical centre (2).
One
person recommends that the Little Bickington site is reclassified as a brown
field site and developed accordingly and “other farms within the village
boundaries should also be classified as brown field sites and incorporated into
village development plans for the future”.
One
respondent suggests setting up an ambitious management structure to oversee the
development of Little Bickington Farm including a housing management team and
employment team.
Old School and Village Hall Site
Five
people say that the current school building should be converted back into
accommodation, either as almshouses for the elderly (2), general housing for
the elderly (2), or flats for the elderly.
One person think the building should be converted into starter homes.
Two
people think the playground should become a car park with toilets, one of whom
thinks the church hall should be demolished and included into the car
park. One person suggests that it
should be “a pretty area of the village” and another says it could be
“replanted as a village green”.
General Comments
Six
respondents mention transport problems in High Bickington. One person says the current problems need to
be sorted out before any more development generates more traffic. Three others are also concerned about future
development increasing traffic through the village. One respondent says there must be “bus access to service any new
school”. Others call for better public
transport, demand that speeding traffic is sorted out, and request a by-pass
(two people). One person suggests
positioning traffic cameras at either end of the village: “(these would) cure
speeding overnight and would only have to be fitted with film once in a while
to be effective”.
Two
respondents think the police should be more visible in High Bickington village,
either a resident constable or more police patrols.
A
number of people comment on development at Barton Meadow. One person says the village hall should be
sited at Barton Meadow, one person suggests that public toilets are built at
Barton Meadow and one person recommends that any future housing in the village
is sited at Barton Meadow. Two people
say that the Barton Meadow community land should be retained as a children’s
play area:
“it
seems that there is an enthusiastic committee who are keen to ensure that play
provision is available for small children in a safe environment”.
Other
suggestions on future village needs include an improved library; a farmers’
co-operative to supply local food, and car parking, toilets and a small picnic
site opposite the village shop. Finally
one resident suggests that a 50p levy on each household each week would raise
money for the village.
The Walnut Bureau November 2001
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