The main discussion on Village Design is in the associated Village Design Statement. This section covers the environmental and planning issues which the Parish Council and the Community aims to address during the life of this plan, which is intended to be the 10 years to 2014.
Conservation Area
E1 Policy - The Conservation Area should be expanded to include some houses and frontages to the west of Westbrook Street as shown in the attached plan. i.e. Wall at Downside, Bakers Cottage, Pottingers, The Bramleys, Farundell House and Green Bushes.
E2 Policy - The cob walls are a significant part of the character of the Village. It is vital that are they are preserved and regularly maintained. All the cob walls are Listed Buildings.
E3 Policy - The rural character of the streams, roads and footpaths should be conserved and, where appropriate, enhanced.
Signs and Posters
There is a strong desire to maintain the rural character of the Village. To this end there should be no more signs than absolutely necessary. Any necessary signs should be of good quality and to a standard design which complements the Village. There should only be the minimum road signs consistent with road safety requirements.
E4 Policy - Appropriate signs are needed to direct to the Village Hall, the Post Office, the Recreation Ground and its Car Park. Any necessary signs should be of good quality and to a standard design which complements the Village.
Lighting
Street Lighting has been debated for many years. The conclusion of this review was to oppose public street lighting on the grounds that it would create light pollution, obscure the night sky and spoil the rural character of the Village, even in the daytime from lighting columns.
E5 Policy - There should be no street lighting in Blewbury
Private security lights can be intrusive and insensitively located, illuminating far beyond the area being protected.
E6 Policy - The Parish will seek to minimise light pollution at night, for example by encouraging reductions in light spillage and downgrading unnecessarily powerful lights.
In line with the Local Plan Policy NE6, particular regard will be paid to any proposals for external lighting when considering permission for any development within the Parish of Blewbury. Any lighting in public areas should minimise spillage of light.
Overhead Cables
The attractiveness of the Village, and particularly of the Conservation Area, would be enhanced by the removal of overhead cables. The electricity cables are the most obtrusive.
E7 Policy - The Parish will encourage reductions in the use of overhead cables in the core of the Village.
Environmental Initiatives
The whole of the parish of Blewbury is part of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It also contains one area of Special Scientific Interest. There is considerable interest in conserving the environment and enhancing it in appropriate ways.
E8 Policy - The Parish will encourage the enhancement of wildlife habitats, the planting of appropriate hedges and trees. The Blewbury Village Society has an active Environment Group, which has already tackled a number of environmental projects including:
The restoration of the Cleve
The provision of a nature reserve on the Churchyard, and
The preservation of Blewburton Hill, which is recognised as a national archaeological and Oxfordshire wildlife site.
Desirable projects identified during the preparation of this plan include:
A survey of the flora and fauna of the Parish. This should identify indicator species which can be surveyed to estimate the general health of wildlife. It should also establish a policy on the most appropriate species for new planting in the Parish, and the species to be avoided. It may recommend policies to enhance the environment for native plants and animals.
A study of whether additional sites in the Parish should be considered for additional protection for example as sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Work with local farmers to enhance wildlife habitats and the landscape as farming policy changes
Investigation of the feasibility of placing overhead cables in key parts of the Village underground.
E9 Policy - The Parish Council will maintain a plan for enhancing the natural environment of the Parish. It is not sufficient just to produce a plan. Regular reviews are needed so that the Parish Council can take initiatives and also respond appropriately to offers for assistance for example in tree planting. The BVS Environment Group will assist in preparing and reviewing this plan.
Retaining a surgery in Blewbury is very important particularly for the elderly. The effort needed to reach the surgery at Woodlands in Didcot by Public Transport is considerable.
S1 Policy - Every effort should be made to retain the provision of a surgery in Blewbury.
Local Shops
It is very important for the Village that it retains local shops including a grocers or convenience store.
S2 Policy - Every effort should be made to retain the provision of local shops in Blewbury. If this requires developments that allow them to flourish such changes should be considered favourably.
Water Supply
The water supply to the Recreation Ground and nearby properties is unsatisfactory; often no water reaches the Cemetery. The supply to the north edge of the Village along Bessels Way is also unsatisfactory.
S3 Policy - Agreement should be obtained with the public utility (Thames Water) to overcome the problems with water supply to the fringes of the Village.
Local Businesses
The Parish contains many small businesses ranging from building tradesmen to home workers. There are also two business areas on Westbrook Street. The businesses are very welcome. The main request was to introduce broadband telecommunication facilities into the Village. As a result of an effective pressure group this is now available. No other parish level initiative was requested by the businesses.
The main concern raised about the businesses was the number of parked cars on Westbrook Street near the A417 during the working day, and the resulting safety issues.
Policing
Although Blewbury is in a relatively low crime rate area, there are significant concerns about the level of crime and the ability of the Police to combat it. It is not clear that there are many additional local initiatives that would help. However the Parish would welcome more local policing, for example the use of the empty police house in the Village.
S4 Policy - The Parish will press the Police Authority to use the Police House in Blewbury in order to provide a more obvious local Police presence.
Litter
Although in some comparisons Blewbury is relatively litter free, the issue of litter raised the highest number of complaints in the surveys. The observed litter is most obvious at a limited number of places where no-one sees it to be their direct concern. Litter is rarely left on the frontage of houses.
While education has a major role to play in this, the school already tries to educate children in the Village on this matter.
S5 Policy - The Parish will set up a scheme in which people are asked to look after the tidiness of specific areas of the Village.
S6 Policy - The Parish will recommend the placing of a few more litter bins to increase the coverage round the Village, and will ensure that these are emptied regularly.
Waste Collection
Means for the regular collection of rubbish from public areas, such as the Recreation Ground, should be reviewed and improved.
'Wheelie bins’ have been suggested as an alternative to the current collection methods. However this does not appear to be practical or appropriate in many parts of Blewbury.
The Parish Council should work with the District and County Councils to encourage the recycling of waste.
Fouling and Pets
Dog fouling is also a subject raised frequently in the survey. A dog fouling a public area is the responsibility of its owner. Fouling is particularly objectionable in recreation areas, as it makes recreational activities unpleasant and unsafe.
S7 Policy - There should be an order prohibiting dogs being let off their leads on Ticker’s Folly Field and the Recreation Ground.
Publicity for Events
The main methods of publicising future events are in the monthly Blewbury Bulletin, in the associated web site, and by placing posters on telegraph and electricity poles in the Parish. Individual clubs select appropriate methods for their own needs - typically one or more of telephone, e-mail, newsletter, a club notice board and a club web site. There are links to Club web sites from the Blewbury Bulletin web site www.blewbury.co.uk.
It has been suggested that clubs should do more to advertise their activities by contributing reports to the Blewbury Bulletin.
Anyone placing posters in the Parish is asked to remove them promptly when the poster is no longer needed.
Most traffic and most serious accidents occur on the two main roads - the A417 and the B4016. These issues are being addressed by the Didcot Area Integrated Transport Strategy project team, which is working with the Parish in producing its recommendations. Thus this Parish Plan statement does not cover these roads.
The minor roads within the Village are narrow, have sharp bends and were never designed for motor vehicles. Some, such as Church Road, end without provision for turning. A number of the older houses do not have spaces for cars or garages. Even in those that do the occupiers may have more cars than spaces available. Thus, in common with many similar villages, sections of the internal roads are often obstructed by parked vehicles. This is not only an inconvenience to other road users, but is a safety hazard to pedestrians where no footpath exists.
Some drivers park in a way that blocks buses, farm vehicles and emergency vehicles. Others try to avoid this by parking across footpaths, blocking instead wheel chairs, pushchairs and the "walking bus" to school. As a result, in feedback from the community requests were made for restrictions on parking on the internal roads and for more off-street parking facilities.
The Steering Committee has concluded that additional public car parks would not reduce significantly the problem of residential parking on the streets. Residents seem reluctant to use remote public car parks largely for security reasons. More secure private off-street parking facilities for residents should be encouraged.
The public off-street car parking facilities should be signed for the benefit of visitors.
If landholders can supply safe off-road parking for vehicles this would be welcomed.
T1 Policy - A continuing effort should be made to persuade drivers not to park on footpaths and not to park where they are blocking access and causing a visual obstruction to other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.
Although the nature of the roads means that drivers on the internal roads rarely exceed 30 mph, many have been observed to drive too fast for the prevailing road conditions. For example parents are nervous about allowing their children to walk to and from the school.
T2 Policy - The speed limit on the internal roads should be 20 mph.
This should preferably be achieved by use of a control zone rather than repeated limit signs.
The internal roads are not suitable for fast travel, and can be dangerous if drivers do not limit their speed. In most cases there is little that can be done to avoid the need for great care. The following places on the internal roads have been identified as suitable for safety improvements.
T3 Policy - Prior's Corner is a blind corner with a junction leading to the Village Hall, the School and Mock Beggars Farm. It is dangerous for pedestrians and cars, and awkward for farm machinery and heavy goods vehicles. It also suffers from severe flooding in wet weather. A comprehensive solution is required.
T4 Policy - Berry Lane is very narrow at the point it crosses the Mill Brook. Any pedestrian can be vulnerable. A solution which allows the pedestrians to walk the road without danger from motor vehicles is required.
T5 Policy - The maintenance of the internal roads should be improved. In particular Church End leading to the Church, parts of Church Road and Chapel Lane are dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians, especially at night.
T6 Policy - The Parish supports the proposed cycle paths to Upton and the Astons. It would be desirable to permit the use of the Hagbourne path by cycles. The permission of the landowners concerned should be sought and with this permission it would be necessary to replace the stiles on the path.
T7 Policy - The footpath beside the A417 from Westbrook Street to Nottingham Fee is unsatisfactory, and is flooded for much of the winter. A long term solution is required not only to eliminate flooding, but also to give adequate width and stability for pushchairs and wheelchairs. The Village has an excellent set of internal footpaths. In the past these have been designated for pedestrians, and they have been blocked each end with barriers. In view of the traffic on the roads it now seems desirable to encourage cyclists - particularly young cyclists - and those in wheelchairs to use the internal paths. The necessary changes would also be more convenient for pushchairs. However motor cycles and horses are inappropriate on these paths, and there is concern that adapting the paths for other traffic may make them less attractive for pedestrians. Some barriers are required to discourage cyclists from emerging directly onto roads. A barrier should be retained on the Bessels Lea end of the footpath from London Road to discourage the use of this path by motor cycles and horses. For the same reason the end barriers on the path between Rubble Pit Lane and Cow Lane should be retained.
T8 Policy - The aim is to allow internal paths to be used by young cyclists and wheelchairs. As an experiment Watts Lane should be opened as an off road route for cyclists and wheelchairs. Its use should be monitored with the possibility of extending the scheme to other paths.
T9 Policy - The width and surface treatment of internal footpaths, including those across the Playclose, should be maintained so that wheelchairs and pushchairs have convenient access to all parts of the Village.
With the relatively elderly population, there is a benefit in off-road paths suitable for fairly short walks.
T10 Policy - Permission to use additional routes linking existing footpaths to allow circular walks from the Village should be sought from landowners.
It is not necessary for such links to be official rights of way.
The facilities for physical recreation include a Recreation Ground of about 11 acres, with a pavilion, a cricket square, two football pitches, four tennis courts, a skateboard installation and two full size croquet courts. This leaves space on the Recreation Ground for general recreation, which could be developed for other specific sporting activities if required. The ground includes a Scout Hut which is rarely used, and a room used by the Blewbury Brass Band.
Elsewhere there is a young children's Play Park near the school and a single tennis court which was the original public court, but is now redundant. The Village Hall is used for Badminton.
Management of the Recreation Ground
The Recreation Ground is managed by the Recreation Ground Management Committee. This is a Parish Council committee with representatives from the clubs using the Ground. Under the current central direction the sports clubs using the ground are not required to take on collective responsibility for the development of central facilities and the overall development of the Recreation Ground. It is also likely that a different management structure would be better placed to obtain grants for the development of the common facilities of the Recreation Ground. This was the advice given to the Parish during the preparation of a lottery bid for the Recreation Ground.
Any solution must be compatible with the terms on which the land for the Recreation Ground was given to the Parish, and must also consider the interests of users of the Recreation Ground who are not members of the sports clubs. It is also very desirable that the youth of the Parish are involved in plans for the ground, even though they are not normally in official positions in individual sports clubs.
The pavilion has proved difficult to maintain as an attractive and welcoming facility. It is believed that an improved venue on the site could be run in a way which generates the funds to maintain it.
L1 Policy - The management of the Recreation Ground should be reconsidered with a view to setting up a management structure devolving more responsibility for developments on the Recreation Ground and its management on the users of the Recreation Ground, and particularly the active sports clubs using the Ground and the Pavilion.
Additional Facilities
Ideas for additional facilities which have been raised include
Boules,
a Multiple Use Games Area (MUGA) to accommodate basketball and floodlit croquet, and to provide a training area for football, and
Bowls.
Ideas for indoor recreation have included indoor croquet and carpet bowls.
L2 Policy - Additional provision for sport is to be welcomed provided there is a suitable group or club who will sponsor and oversee the provision. The community should not develop such provisions speculatively without such sponsorship.
L3 Policy - Any new provision for active outdoor sport should be sited on the Recreation Ground. This allows best use of the common facilities on the site such as the pavilion.
L4 Policy - A larger pavilion with more facilities is required. Redevelopment on the current site may be appropriate.
There are plans to improve and extend the pavilion at the Recreation Ground to include a larger social area/function room which would be available for general use.
The Scout Hut
The Scout Hut is a good sized building controlled by the Scouting Association. It is rarely if ever used. There is no longer a Scout Group in Blewbury.
L5 Policy - The Parish Council should seek arrangements for the use of the Scout Hut so that this valuable asset can be of more benefit to other organisations in the Village.
The Old Tennis Court Site
As new sporting facilities should be on the Recreation Ground this site is now redundant.
L6 Policy - Consideration should be given to the redevelopment or sale of the old tennis court opposite the Barley Mow and to the use of any money raised to provide or improve other facilities in the Village, provided the relatives of the donor who kindly provided this tennis court for the Village are happy with the proposal.
Most public indoor activities take place in the Village Hall. This has two meeting rooms, a doctors’ surgery and the post office. The main hall is suitable for meetings of 100 or more, or activities such as badminton and a youth club. The smaller Vale Room is about 7 metres square.
Other places used for public activities in the Village include:
The Methodist Church,
The Benefice Centre near St Michael's Church. This can hold meetings of about 20.
The School - though for obvious reasons the school caters better for junior children than for adults.
St Michael's Church. This has been used for operas and concerts, and
The open air theatre in the private garden of Orchard Dene. This holds around 250 and is used for a few days each summer.
The Village Hall meeting rooms are heavily booked for weekday evenings, in many cases on a regular weekly basis. There is pressure for more rooms to book. The current supply makes it difficult to arrange occasional activities. At present noisy activities in one part of the hall affect the other part. Some users, notably the Bridge Club and the Mothers Union, find the Vale Room is too small for their purposes and would benefit from a rather larger venue. The school would like to make more use of the hall, for example for music. The Methodist Church would like to enhance its role as an alternative venue; however additional facilities at the Village Hall site have the advantages of parking and shared use with other facilities.
M1 Policy - The Parish supports efforts to upgrade the facilities at the Methodist Church.
M2 Policy - The Parish supports efforts to upgrade the facilities and appearance of the Village Hall. This probably requires finding additional sources of funds.
M3 Policy - The Parish should enhance the Village Hall, providing a third attractive meeting and activity room in the Village Hall Complex. This should be able to be let independently and be larger than the Vale Room. It should be linked to the other meeting rooms so that functions may use all three when appropriate, but should not be affected by noise in the main hall. It should be able to be shared with the School. It will require additional storage, catering and toilet facilities. A joint development with the School for shared use should be sought.
Parking Facilities
Parking for large events with participants from outside the Village can be a problem.
M4 Policy - Public events should make use of existing parking facilities at the Village Hall and/or Ticker's Folly Field. These need sign posting as specified in Policy E4, and any such use must be agreed with the appropriate Management.
Co-operation with Neighbouring Parishes
More should be done to work with the surrounding villages to provide activities which may not be viable in a single village. Examples might be ‘Evening Classes’ on topics of interest to residents in all co-operating villages.
M5 Policy - The Parish will actively seek greater co-operation with its neighbours, including the use of each other's facilities and shared initiatives.
Blewbury is already a very attractive village, with a unique character, a lively community, many communal activities, and some excellent facilities. This Parish Initiatives section of the Parish Plan provides a set of policies to maintain and enhance the Parish over the next ten years.
