Hewelsfield and Brockweir Parish Council – Multi-use Path Survey

Summary of the Results

This survey was sent to all parishioners on the current electoral roll. Its aim was to help ascertain the views of parishioners with regard to a potential planning application by Sustrans for a new multi-use path, within the AONB, which will form part of National Cycle Route 42. There were 177 responses from a total of 405 electors to the Survey, i.e. 44%. Of these 56% were against the proposal, 34% were for the proposal and 9% were unsure. A more detailed breakdown, by zones, is reviewed below.
The survey received a lot of additional comments, a full copy of which can be obtained from the Parish Clerk. A summary of the additional comments, prepared by one of the councillors can be viewed on our website along with links to detailed voting results tables.

Looking at the survey results by zone provides the following information:

The survey results for Zone 1, essentially the Brockweir Conservation Area around The Brockweir Inn, were 57% against, 43% for and 0% unsure.

Zone 2, the rest of Underhill, where most of the respondents were against the proposals with a few unsure, 92% against, 0% for and 8% unsure.

Zone 2 also received the highest level of responses, with some 51% of electors filling in the Survey forms.

Zone 3, Upper Brockweir i.e. all the properties lying between Abbott’s Barn and the boundary with Hewelsfield, got the lowest turnout percentage at 34% and were, like Zone 1, against but not so clearly as Zone 2, 54% against, 39% for and 7% unsure.

The results for ‘All of Brockweir’ (combining Zones 1, 2 and 3) are 66% against, 29% for and 5% unsure.

Zone 4, Hewelsfield, which has a slightly greater number of electors than Brockweir, produced a vote of 49% against, 40% for and 11% unsure.

One of the secondary objectives of the survey was to try and determine the areas of the potential ‘multi-use path’ people thought might yield the most benefit and which areas of the potential development caused people most concern. An ‘Other’ category allowed people the opportunity to add items, where they deemed the list deficient. A ranking from most important to least important was requested from the electors but several people choose not to follow that format. What can be gleaned from the responses is reviewed below.
The potentially positive aspects show two clear areas, Access and Health, with most of the others being thought less important and the National Link being deemed somewhat irrelevant to the local inhabitants.
The potentially negative aspects also show two clear areas, Car Parking in Brockweir and Road Safety at the Brockweir Bridge/ A466 junction. Car parking was thought to mostly affect local residents whilst the bridge junction was thought likely to affect path users interacting with traffic.
Children
Alongside the questionnaire delivered to all electors, the Parish Council also took the opportunity to allow the ‘under 18s' within the community to express their views. Their responses are not included in the results for the electors described above. 10 under 18s responded and of these 9 were in favour with 1 unsure.