Blewbury Parish Plan Project
	Open Day Presentations Archive Page The Parish Plan was completed in 2004. This page has not been updated since then. For current information on Blewbury go to the main Blewbury site.

Why have a Parish Plan?

Parish Plans provide:

• a way to influence decisions by other authorities;
• a basis for action by people in the parish;
• a route to winning funds for local initiatives;
• a boost to the parish councils' standing and influence.

We can influence Local Authorities and other Service Providers

On Planning

• identifying local needs for affordable housing or community facilities;
• producing a design statement for new development;
• identifying which open spaces are needed and valued for community use.

On Community Strategies

• to identify what sort of services, activities and support are needed;
• to make links between services and organise them better to avoid overlaps;
• to promote local people's involvement in planning and improving services in the areas where they live.

We can seek to enhance the local economy

We can plan actions that we can undertake ourselves

We can provide evidence when bidding for funding

Community spirit

Discussing and preparing a Parish Plan can tap into local talents and enthusiasms and help foster a real sense of community. It can revive interest in local democracy and demonstrate the importance of the parish council in the democratic process. These benefits can often lead to fresh initiatives which otherwise would not have happened. They can also be hugely enjoyable as social and creative projects in themselves.

Village Hall

Introduction

The Village Hall was built in the 1970s as a modified standard agricultural building.
It needed extensive structural reconstruction a few years ago.
It has recently had its toilets refurbished.
It comprises the Main Hall, the Vale Room, the Doctors Surgery and the Post Office.
The School makes extensive use of the facilities during the day.
The other venues in the Village are:-

• St Michaels Church
• The Benefice Centre
• The Methodist Church
• The School Hal The Village Hall and the Vale Room have long term bookings outside School hours,
  which greatly reduce their availability for other activities.
• The Vale Room is affected by noisy activities in the Main Hall.

Acoustics and heating in the Main Hall are unsatisfactory.
Ventilation and lighting in the Vale Room need improvement.

Some other comments already received:-

• Need sign posting to the Village Hall & Post Office
• Need another room a little larger than the Vale Room
• Other village halls are more comfortable and cheaper
• Village Hall not equipped for children's activities and needs better security for toddlers
• Village Hall floor not suitable for dancing
• Vale Room never available when needed
• Village Hall could cater for a Carpet Bowls club if made more suitable (floor etc.)
• Village Hall has no changing rooms or showers
• Decoration of whole Village Hall complex is drab and uninspiring
• The Methodist Church is much nicer for meetings, but has no car park
• Village Hall car park inadequate when School has activity
• Corner of Westbrook Street, Church End and Heather Way dangerous at busy times
• Need parking facilities for the Methodist Church
• Need more parking facilities for St MichaelÕs Church (now 12 spaces by the Benefice centre)
• Inadequate storage space for clubs equipment in the Village Hall complex
• Village Hall and Vale Room tables difficult to store away when not needed

The following suggestions have already been received:-

• Build a new Meeting Room facility (for Community and School use) linking the School to the Village Hall complex
• Incorporate a new smaller Hall with meeting rooms in a new Sports Pavilion on the Recreation Ground
• Find off-street parking space for the Methodist Church, possibly asking Church Road landowners for short term help
• Make better use of the School Hall outside school hours
• Improve the heating system in the Village Hall
• Fit childproof security locks to Village Hall and Vale Room external doors for use with toddlers
• Provide strong light weight folding tables for the Vale Room
• Improve the ventilation and lighting in the Vale Room
• Find more off-street parking for St Michaels Church and control on-street parking in Church End and Church Road
• Discourage Blewbury residents using their cars to attend meetings in the Village
• Consider the feasibility of a central on-line booking system for all venues (www.blewbury.co.uk ?)

Top of Page

Younger Age Group

Introduction

Within the last two years the facilities for the young people of the village have improved immensely thanks to the work of the Blewbury Kids at Play group. The skateboard ramp and the imminent opening of the Playpark will support the existing Youth Club and Toddler Group.

This portion of the research aims to identify any other ideas or requirements for toddlers, primary school children and teenagers.

Issues, Suggestions and Comments Received

• Lack of volunteers
• More adult input in youth club
• Bureaucracy in clubs with young people for police checks on supervising adults.
• Lack of leaders for Guiding/Scouting activities
• Toddler safety at Village Hall
• Toddler group lack of funds
• Future of Scout Hut
• Village Hall - Groups to use the whole building to prevent being nuisance to other users
• Youth Club need a Multi Use Games Area/Own building

Possible Solutions

Youth Club specifically for secondary school children, not those of primary school age.

Education

Introduction

Pre-school education is provided from the age of two and a half at the Playgroup. Primary school education is provided by The Endowed Church of England School. There are strong links between both institutions, the Church and the local community.

Issues and Comments

The level of satisfaction with the education facilities within the village seems to be borne out by the number of issues that have, so far, been brought to our attention; namely:-

• Parking issues outside the Playgroup during the morning and lunch time 'rush'.
• The lack of footpath in Berry Lane for children whilst walking to and from school.

Possible Solutions and Ideas

Initiate a walking bus for the Playgroup from the Village Hall car park.

Narrow Berry Lane, possibly making it ''One Way', and provide a footpath on one side.

Older Age Group

INTRODUCTION

AREAS OF CONCERN HIGHLIGHTED

1. Street Lighting:

2. Footpath Problems:

3. Need for a Meeting Location:

4. Medical:

5. Postal Services:

6. Policing and Security:

7. Deliveries/Shopping:

8. Litter and Rubbish:

9. Traffic and Speeding:

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

Recreation

Issues Arising

Access and Traffic

Parking of Cars

Management

Other concerns

Lack of Blewbury Input to Football (no local players in the teams)

Lack of facilities for say 8 - 11 year olds, those too old for the play area, but too young for skate park

Low water pressure (affects cemetery when sports pitches being watered)

New Pavilion needed

What about the Scout hut?

Why isn't Tickers Folly being used yet?

Possible Solutions

Litter

Rota of clubs using Recreation Ground to clear all litter

Cars

Better signs for the car parking

Access and Traffic

Pedestrian Crossing of A417 to Recreation Ground

Management

New Pavilion in place of current one, maybe this is too expensive?

Burglar alarm on Pavilion

Sports clubs to run the recreation ground themselves e.g. one Parish Councillor plus representatives of cricket, football, croquet, tennis, skateboarders, brass band, with additional input from cemetery committee, Kids at Play.

Suggestions

Here are some suggestions we have had already:

• Central village notice board to put up information about matches, events.
• Short Mat Bowls (Sounds fun) This a fast growing sport suitable for all ages from about 12-90 and both sexes. It is played typically in Village Halls, and Blewbury Hall would be very suitable provided one afternoon and one evening every week were available. There would need to be an adjustment to the carpeted areas to allow the roll-up Bowls mats to be laid on a flat surface. You need space for at least two carpets, 6ft wide and 45 ft long with about 2ft between them. Cost per mat and accessories about £500.00 each There would be a storage requirement too. Space for 2 x 6ft rolls approx. 2ft in dia. Plus four wooden fenders 6' 6" long x 18" x 4" thick. There is a lively league in the area. However the game is very much recreational and played all the year round. Unless playing in league games, the dress is casual plus proper flat heel-less bowls shoes.
• A way of knowing when people move to the village so they can be welcomed and invited to take part. There is an informal system already but it does not include everybody.
• Croquet Club could maybe use the Village Hall or similar for their practice mat – this could be useful for Youth Club or people of similar age.

Shopping

Shopkeepers and Wholesalers concerns

• Community Support by usage - need to attract passing trade as Blewbury alone insufficient to keep business going
• Security - need for more obvious local Police patrols to deter outside criminal elements
• Shoplifting - may have to employ costly and embarrassing procedures which will slow check-out
• Road Safety - speed of traffic can make vehicular entry and exit difficult on London Road
• Low Water Pressure - ongoing battle with Thames Water
• Planning Flexibility - to permit changes to reflect business trends and needs for staff accommodation
• Power failures - major problem with food storage if lengthy and can upset security systems

Shoppers concerns

• No petrol at the filling station
• Limited range of goods at Garage Shop
• Difficulty walking to Savages along path from Westbrook Street (overgrown and muddy)
• Safety concern when driving from Savages and the Garage Shop as lack of adequate visibility for traffic conditions

Utilities and Services

Water

Introduction

There is a public sewer system that drains to a pumping station near Mockbeggar Farm at Church End, Westbrook Street junction.

The pumping station pumps into a system at Upton and on to a Didcot Sewage Treatment works for disposal.

Comments so far received

Why is the water pressure so low in Blewbury?

Why is there constant flooding at the bottom of Westbrook Street and by the Manor.

Answer from Thames Water

The flooding is a highway or Water Course problem and the Local Authority or Environment Agency should be contacted.

Electricity

Electricity is supplied to the village via transformaers which have a combined capacity of 2,700KW. It is then taken to buildings via overhead cables.

Comments so far received

Can the unsightly overhead cables be replaced by underground ones?

Why is Blewbury so often wirthout power, and always the last to be reconnected in a power cut?

Answer for the Electricity Board

There are no plans to take the cables undergroud in the near future. There has been a lot of work on the cables recently, the old ones have been replaced by "aerial bundled conductor" which is fully insulated to provide greated reliability, safety and appearance

Gas

Introduction

Mains gas was introduced to Blewbury in the last decade.

Comments so far received

On the whole people are pleased to have the choice of mains gas and it has worked out more economical than the previous option of "cylinder gas".

Refuse

Introduction

There is a weekly collection of household and some garden refuse on a Wednesday. The current contractor used by the Council is Biffa.

Comments so far received

There is sometimes a lot of litter left from the refuse collection, who is responsible for clearing it up?

Answer from the Vale of White Horse District Council

The contractors are responsibnle for the spillage and they should clear it up, if there are any problems with this then you should contact the Refuse Department at the V of the WH.

Fire

Introduction

The nearest Fire Station is in Didcot. It is manned 24 hours a day by regular Fire Fighters and there is also a "retained" service.

Comments so far received

How long (on average) does it take for a fire engine to reach Blewbury?

Does the apparent low water pressure have any detrimental effects on the Services ability tio fight fires?

Litter

Comments so far received

There is a large quantity of litter in the village

There are a lot of posters etc put up on telegraph poles which looks unsightly.

Suggested Solutions

Employ a litter warden

Make litter dropping a capital offence

Provide proper notice boards around the village for posters etc. and make people remove their posters once events have passed.

Crime and Policing

Crime

Comments so far received

What is happening to the Police House in the Village?

What can we do to prevent Crime?

How can the speed limits in Blewbury be imposed?

Answers from PC Richard Frame

Research shows that lighting helps to prevent crime, therefore security and street lighting would help.

Inform the Police if anything suspicious is seen or if you know something about an illegal activity - you can call 0800 555 111 anonymously with information.

Policing

The nearest Police Statiobn is at Didcot. It is not manned all the time. It's opening hours are:

• 8am - 8pm weekdays
• 8am - 4pm Saturday
• closed Sunday

At night calls are referred to a central call centre.

Emergency calls are made to 999

Response times are categorised

• Immediate response - 15 minutes
• Priority (Burglary) - within 45 minutes
• Routine - within 4 hours
• Deferred - wait until the appropriate officer can deal with it.

There is a named "Beat Officer" - Richard Frame and he deals with most of the Non Urgent cases when he is on duty.

Traffic and Transport

Road Traffic Accidents

(With thanks to the Road Safety Group, Environmental Services, Oxfordshire County Council)

On average over the past ten years there have been 3 to 4 accidents per year in the whole parish

Details are available for the past five years :-
A total of 17 reported accidents involving injury:
3 serious and 14 slight (no fatalities)
6 of these accidents were on the main roads through the Village

No reported injuries on the internal roads, however :-

Several alarming near misses involving pedestrians and a number of minor accidents resulting in
damage to vehicles and property

Reported road traffic accidents involving injury in Blewbury Parish 1998-2002

Road Safety Issues

• Parking generally inconsiderate to other road users & house holders
• On-street parking puts elderly and young at risk on narrow roads without footpaths
• Parking in South Street at London Road junction, especially at night without lights
• Parking on footpaths
• Potholes (especially at night for cyclists and pedestrians)
• Traffic speed on through roads (London Road and Bessels Way)
• Speed on internal Village roads (seems worse since 30mph limit imposed)
• Speed of traffic on Bohams Road near Recreation Ground
• Overtaking on A417 near junction with B4016
• Barriers along Berry Lane (by the Manor) are more dangerous than helpful
• No pull-in for school bus drop-off on A417 near Westbrook Street
• No pedestrian crossings on A417
• State of footpath on London Road, between Corrydon House and Westbrook Street
  (especially at night)

Road Safety - Solutions and Ideas

A map of ideas was shown.

• 20 mph speed limit - Westbrook Street to South Street
• Speed cameras on London Road and Bessels Way
• Automatic speed warning signs on London Road and Bessels Way
• Traffic calming on London Road and Bessels Way
• Use speed signs as in other Oxon villages
• Road narrowing at bridge on Berry lane with priority signs
• Street lighting please (2 requests)
• Street lights at certain dark spots(e.g. corner of South Street & Berry Lane; Church Road)
• Lights at Church End and Westbrook Street
• Improve pavements in the Village
• Sign in Bridus Mead before bend to say "Caution children playing" (cars take corner too fast)
• Introduce better ways to School
• Cycle path to Didcot
  

Other Road Issues

• State of Church End and parts of Church Road
• Road surface in Heather Way
• Flooding (Westbrook St., Church End, Berry Lane)
• Footpath barriers difficult for buggies, wheelchairs etc.
• Chewing up verges
• Skips on verges
• Mud on road (building work)
• Roads not swept (especially Church End and Church Road)
• Footpath hedges not cut back

Some Solutions and Ideas

• Improve Savages to Westbrook Street footpath
• Remove footpath barriers and black & white railings - these are rather tatty
• Open up the old Westbrook on Westbrook Street, Church End and Berry Lane
• Keep lobbying County Council to deal with flooding problems
• Remove ugly railings along the side of the stream in Berry Lane
• No horse riding on Bridus Mead Green

Footpaths

Introduction

Suggestions Received

• Improve Savages Westbrook Street footpath
• Removal of footpath barriers and black and white railings. - these are rather tatty.
• Establish a new footpath from the Thames Water pumping station eastwards to the existing right of way up to the downs. During the brief period this was open it was much appreciated by the elderly of the village (we shall all join their ranks eventually) as providing an agreeable walk less energetic than going up the downs.
• Establishing a bridleway behind Palmers and Little Triton so that horses can reach Rubble Pit Lane without having to go along the dangerous A417.
• Remove the obstacles to wheelchair, perambulator and cycle users on the footpaths. Children should be encouraged to cycle safely to school, not prevented.
• The narrow and untidy grass verges in Westbrook Street, and particularly the grass verges as you turn into London Road (opposite Double Doors and running alongside Ashbrook wall), add nothing to the village. These areas make walking difficult and have no appearance value.
• Is it possible that these could be removed to make walking around the village a better experience? The wider pavements would be welcomed and/or a wider road in Westbrook Street.

Other Issues Arising from Research

• State of Paths - Eastfields to London Road
• State of Paths in front of Old Vicarage/Hassle
• Footpath along Berry Lane
• Cycle path to Didcot
• Motor cyclists and scooters on Footpaths

Possible Solutions

• Remove Barriers except where they are necessary to stop people going straight onto roads.
• Tarmac more paths.
• Tarmac section across pound from Cleeve footpath towards Garage.
• Convert path to Upton to Cycle track, linking to Railway Line cycle track to Didcot.

Environment

Issues

• Preserve the "green lungs"
• Safeguard water features - The Cleeve, springs and brooks
• Loss of some wildlife - particularly birds
• Increase in muntjac and mink populations
• Keep as a country village
• Fewer road signs
• Replace the elms, particularly between Blewbury and Upton

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• Press for enlarging the Conservation Area
• More appropriate building control particularly in Conservation Area

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• Litter problem increasing
• Ban flyposting especially on tree at Village Hall (and other trees)
• People to remove notices when date of event is passed
• Tidy up and improve the Texaco garage and surrounding area

---

• Vandalism, graffiti, joy riding, motor bikes on footpaths
• Light pollution and dazzle from too powerful and badly adjusted outside lights
• Noise (garden & DIY machinery, light aircraft, raves on downs)
• Reduce waste and encourage recycling
• Fewer bonfires (especially those burning plastics and household rubbish)

Solutions and Ideas

• Employ someone to pick up litter
• Establish volunteers who will handle litter etc. in small sections of the village regularly
• Provide proper notice boards for village events, no flyposting
• Re-establish the Westbrook
• Catalogue historic/ancient features such as cob walls, pathways, chalk & flint walls, springs, wells and waterways
• Village maps showing footpaths etc.
• Survey of wildlife types
• Ban on-street parking and provide more off-street parking facilities
• More effective traffic management to control speed and parking

A Village Design Statement for Blewbury

An Introduction

What is it?

• its history
• its landscape setting
• its settlement pattern
• features such as its open spaces, its watercourses and footpaths
• its buildings

Why have it?

What do you think is important about the village?

Suggestions received - problems, solutions and points to ponder

Problem 1: Unsympathetic and unnattractive barriers, signage, hard landscaping/ street furniture
Solutions: Use those of a type appropriate to a rural setting, such as ????
Limit interventions where possible

Problem 2: Incongruous development eg the use of standardised housetypes, styles and site layouts which can erode the distinctive character of the village
Solutions: Respect the form and scale of existing properties, use sympathetic materials, traditional roof pitches etc.
Reflect the pattern of traditional development eg by reinforcement of street frontages (London Road, Westbrook Street)

Problem 3: security/ vandalism/fear of crime Solution: streetlighting

Problem 4: light pollution
Solution: restrict use of streetlighting, security and amenity lighting thereby allowing continued enjoyment of the night sky
Conflict with Problem3?

Question - How can we preserve the important views from the chalk pit/Blewburton Hill of a 'hidden village' amongst trees?

Roundup of Other Issues

Litter

The issue of litter in Blewbury led to more comments and complaints than any other matter. People find litter in Blewbury very offensive.

I surveyed the litter in the village on Saturday 26th April. For this survey I counted as litter any inappropriate object larger than 2" square.

Much of the Village public places and roads were fairly or completely free of litter. On roads and paths it was unusual to see more than one piece of litter every 10 yards. The cemetery, the Playclose and Grahame Close appeared to be free of litter. A single plastic bag in Westbrook Street was the most obvious eyesore. The litter bins seem to be being used, but there is a dearth of litter bins in some parts of the village.

I suspect that the lack of litter is due largely to people removing litter in the areas that matter to them.

However there are some places that were littered. These seem to be places which no-one feels that the appearance is their responsibility, as in most cases the litter seemed to have been there for some time.

The Recreation Ground's handling of litter is not very successful, there was an open rubbish sack by the gate, and 13 pieces of litter in the Playground - of which the three plastic bags were the most unpleasant. There was also litter:

• On the bank of the A417 beside the croquet court,
• By the hedge in front of Chequers near the garage,
• On the path behind Robinson Close,
• In the ditch beside Berry Lane,
• By the Village Hall sign, and
• On Westbrook Street beside the wall of Westbrook Green.

Solutions to the Problems of Litter

"I think we need a litter warden. I would be happy to help occasionally or be responsible for a small area - like neighbourhood watch perhaps."

"More litter Bins" (mentioned by several people)

"Ask the headteachers to talk to their pupils about the litter.
Prosecute offenders,
Working parties to clear litter
Garden waste skip twice a month during growing season, thereby saving pollution through bonfires and/or car pollution"

"More litter bins - esp. near roller blade rink."

Related Issues

Dog mess in street
The dog litter sign at rear of Robinson Close cannot be seen.
Cleaner signs.