Bradley Stoke Town Council
Brook Way Activity Centre Site Public Consultation Results
The Public Consultation exercise ran from the 23rd January until 5th March 2014.
The public were consulted in a variety of ways:
- Bradley Stoke Town Council website – Questionnaire available with access to an online response form
- Bradley Stoke Town Council Newsletter – Online only
- Bradley Stoke Town Council Flyers distributed to residents on weekend of 8th/9th February 2014 – Questionnaire which could be completed and returned to the office
- Bradley Stoke Town Council noticeboards
Results
The office received 242 responses to the consultation, 182 via the online response form set up on the Town Council website and 60 written responses.
Generally, overall, the responses can be categorised into 5 broad areas of response, although obviously, some of the responses contain a variety of ideas. (See attached synopsis for specific responses)
Allotments – 6 responses (Highlighted in Green in synopsis)
Increased Car Parking – 116 responses (Highlighted in Blue in synopsis)
Increased Car Parking & Other Ideas – 27 responses (Highlighted in White in synopsis)
New Building – 49 responses (Highlighted in Yellow in synopsis)
Other Ideas – 44 responses (Highlighted in Pink in synopsis)
Public Responses to Brook Way Activity Centre Consultation
Comments / Other commentsAgainst the use of this area as extra car park for the Bradley Stoke Surgery.
There is currently no provision for allotments in Bradley Stoke. Allotment gardening is excellent exercise and would go someway towards helping people increase their activity levels and improve their health. This fits in more with the current use of the site as sports and leisure facilities. I would hate to see the land turned into a car park for the Doctors surgery unless the business is prepared to pay rent for the space.
Have a look at facilities other areas have such as tvap (Thames valley adventure area)
The work that is done by this charity is second to none. Incredible Kids has been a massive support to our family, and it is the ONLY charity group that properly caters for children with varied disabilities, from physical needs to mental health problems. Our child has complex learning difficulties making it impossible to take our child to any other support group, to the point we have even been asked to leave other groups because of our child’s behaviour, but we are all welcome at Incredible Kids which means that we can all attend the group as a family. They are able to help in so many ways and the friendships we have made are amazing. The point is that Incredible Kids will help where others support groups can't or won't, NOBODY is ever turned away and there is a safe and friendly environment for the children to play and simply be themselves without feeling like outcasts or that they don't belong, you can't get that anywhere else in the area. Incredible Kids is a worthwhile charity and they work tirelessly to provide this support, but they are in desperate need of their own building so that they can continue this level of support to those of us that need it.
This charity really needs a centre . It's very popular and lots of fun. The staff and volunteers work really hard to make sure the children are happy . Great group for everyone.
I am a special needs teachers and there are very few facilities which allow accessibility for children with disabilities or additional needs. We are trying as a school to set up/ find more facilities for our students and their parents and this would be prime location to recommend to our students and their families. It is vitally important these children have a value in society and by having incredible kids they help promote this and support parents and families who have children within additional needs,
I note you have included a large area, well maybe the other part could be utilised for some public building or sold off. I could not agree to it being gifted to another organisation as not would to me would be both novel and contentious
Recently I went to Torquay for a weekend with my family. Whilst I was visiting Torquay I visited a bouldering centre called 'The Boulder Bunker' it is a bouldering centre in a very small building, originally I thought it would be quite a poor wall for such a small place, but once I was inside I was amazed, they had fitted so much in for such a limited space. They had converted an old building making it even harder, but the possibility of the hard court and field area is endless, it could be Bradley Stoke's first bouldering centre! I think a bouldering centre for Bradley Stoke would be an amazing idea, bouldering is an excellent way to keep fit, get the kids active and quite simply have fun! I love climbing, i'm quite a late comer, but already it's a passion I will never lose. / If you are wondering: I am a young person who lives in Bradley Stoke, around a 5 minute walk from the hard court area (Which is why I am so interested) I am a climber and a boulderer. I train at Undercover Rock in St. Werburghs and The Climbing Academy in Avonmouth. Bouldering is a version of climbing, where the climber climbs to around 4/5m without a rope or harness it's a much smaller version of climbing, and therefore a lot to cheaper to participate in and maintain from the business perspective. I understand that my idea will probably not be possible, but I hope that whatever happens, it is made into a nice space for the children and young people of Bradley Stoke, although there are activity centres, there are no specific activities for us to do. (Although the council could argue they host hundreds of events for our age group, there isn't anything which appeals or is grabbing us in) The link to The Boulder Bunker is:
I am in favour of the area being used as a long term home for incredible kids and other community groups to share.
We attend a specialist play centre in bradley stoke for families who have disabled children. The families desperately need a dedicated and large open secure space in which to spend time as a family. Attempting to share the space with other groups would be difficult for the families due to the nature of the children who visit the centre. A dedicated large space is a priority need.
I want to nominate a centre for Incredible Kids to base their charity in. They do the most 'incredible' work for families with children with additional needs, you should go along and see them. But they are a growing charity who would definitely benefit from a permanent base.
I would like the area to be used for a new venue for incredible kids charity to have a permanent full time home.
I would like the area to be set aside for the provision of a play area / building forfamilies and children with 'additional needs'.There previously was a very good facility in Kingswood (Hop, Skip and Jump [HSJ]) but due to a change in attitude / policyfrom the trustees,this is no longer the inclusive play facility that was both patronised and required forfamilies. Due to the changes that occurred at HSJ, a new parent led group (Incredible Kids) has been established in Bradley Stoke usingthe Christ the KingChurch on Brook Way / Mautravers Close as its temporary home whilst they search for a more suitable permanent location. Since its inception, it has grown steadily and is now close to outgrowing this new home. Given the chance to build a new facility in Bradley Stoke, they would be able to have both an indoor and outdoor safe play areas and a specialised / tailor made internal layout to suit and huge variationin disabilities that attend the sessions. It wouldalso allow families to play together, something thathas been sorely missed since theHSJsituation arose and allow parents to socialise without having to worry about their children's safety.This is a fabulous, one time,opportunity for Bradley Stoke to be the home of a superb 'additional needs' facility for children and families in the Greater Bristol area. / If the council requires any further information on the Incredible Kids group, please look at the website or pop along to one of the sessions and talk to the many people who have come to see this wonderful group as a lifeline.
The area should be made into free parking
I think all the area should be consolidated and developed into a park with seats so that all could enjoy.
We need to keep as much green space as possible in bradley stoke as we have very little. I would like the area to be an open space keeping costs down by converting hard courts to grass and using as an informal sports area "free of charge" where kids can play ball games or another sport. we already have the basketball net so put a goal up or a concrete table tennis table etc. As this area is already fairly flat I would hope it wouldn't take much effort. Apart from the football pitches we don't have an open area in bradley stoke where it is suitable enough to kick a ball about as you are not allowed to use the football pitches without payment. We have to go to stoke lane or stoke Gifford to have an informal kick around.
Please ensure that the hard court area is refurbished and is used in the future for tennis. These courts have been around for many years but are always closed, meaning we have to travel outside Bradley Stoke to play, often on poor courts such as PatchwayCommunitySchool. Having additional courts would be good if money allows, or maybe a dedicated office for bookings? If money doesn't allow, please just open the existing courts to the public, as any courts would be acceptable to play with my children or family
There isn't enough parking spaces as it is to open more things here are going to make it more congested more dangerous. Double yellow lines.... So now the residents have got to suffer as everyone will be parking outside there homes. The pub is now affected by the parking issues which effect the whole of aldi vets chip shop etc People live in them house they don't want a building right behind there homes blocking sun light and being looked apron as there are only metal fencing
Use half of it as a car park, half of it as a wildflower meadow- beautiful, inspiring, educational and good for the bees and butterflies :-) or a community vegetable garden
Its very obvious that with all parking at a premium and with the comments made by the Manager of the Hollow Oak that it should be additional parking for all ! Although, the Council deny saying that the public are being asked to park in the Aldi/Hollow Oak area, it has happened to me when confronting a member of staff regarding the present situation. .Another building as previously suggested is the last thing we need. We are aware that certain councillors who make these decision do not even live in Bradley Stoke so try using a little "Common sense please"> / The Council is being badly advised by administration who are paid for by the Citizens of Bradley Stoke and have no say in their appointment. This should change
It's very clear that the area should be used for additional parking for both the activity centre and the doctors' surgery. Both are facing a chronic parking problem and I believe the town council has a social responsibility to alleviate this problem. Although the town council seems to regard the surgery as a "private business" (comment by Ben Walker in the Bradley Stoke Journal), they have no opportunity to offer extra parking on their current footprint. Adding something like a new building (as suggested by the mayor) would be nothing more than overdevelopment and add to existing issues. The council needs to see the problem here - a lack of parking - and act to help the community. Petty comments about blame or whether the surgery is a business does not help what is, to be blunt, an acute issue that needs addressing. / Please do not politicise this issue or act in an arrogant manner over this. It is one of the main problems in the town at the moment. Be a good council and do what your electorate wants for a change.
For Incredible Kids
Car Parking. It's clearly obvious there isn't enough for Surgery and Community Centre
Make the hardcourt area available for use by patients using the Bradley Stoke Surgery which would solve the problem of emergency vehicles having access to the area. / Many of the patients are elderly and use their cars to visit the surgery. If the present car park is full on arrival, there is no other place nearby to park other than the drive. In the winter when the grass is saturated it is quite dangerous getting out of the car on to slippery grass.
Additional parking
My suggestions would be to upgrade the present hard court to astro type (3G) surface and possibly to enlarge the facility if possible to a 9v9 or 7v7 size football pitch. This requirement is because of the present match formats for under 11 football ages. When it is wet (as it has been recently) all the grass pitches in the area are closed, with the 3G facility younger age groups could still train and play. Rugby/Cricket training could also be accommodated on this surface. As to the large area to the side/rear. I am not sure of the measurements but again a full sized 3G facility would be advantageous to the community as a whole. I know parking has been mentioned for the present hardcourt area and this could be accommodated if there was an 'all weather' facility to the side/rear. / Why parking had become an issue over the last few months at the Brook Way Centre I don't know but extra parking would be a help including at weekends if the facility is well used, which evidently it is.
1. Patients cannot find a car parking space at the Doctor's Surgery. 2. The Brook Way Activity Centre needs several spaces at certain times of the day. 3. Hollow Tree Public House landlord is complaining that various people including the Doctor’s Surgery staff are using the car park 'belonging to the pub'. 4. What to do with the existing Tennis Courts. Building a new property on them will require more parking pace near the Surgery, thus compounding the issues of a lack of parking. From what I have read recently, there is a major problem caused by an insufficient number of car parking spaces in the Brook Way area, between the Aldi store and the Doctors’ Surgery. The February 2014 edition of the Bradley Stoke Journal highlights all the above-mentioned points as individual problems requiring a solution. However they are not individual problems. The first three points are a combined problem of a lack of parking spaces in that area. Whereas the fourth ‘problem’ of what shall we do with the under-used Tennis Courts is in fact the solution to the other 3 problems. Putting another building on the Tennis Courts will compound the parking problem, whereas the council has an opportunity to solve the lack of parking in the area, by turning the Courts into additional parking. / I am led to believe that the management at the Doctors’ Surgery are abdicating their responsibilities to their patients by not providing adequate parking at the surgery, following the recent expansion of the Surgery. Perhaps the additional parking spaces created on the Tennis courts could be leased by the surgery for an additional charge. If they refuse to negotiate, then they should be told that their staff must not park anywhere other than the surgery and no other spaces will be available to their patients. [I am aware that this will cause difficulties for patients, but the blame will then fall entirely on their heads. The council will have done it’s bit. The resultant pressure on the Surgery should force them to take up the lease option in due course (hopefully).] The fact that the sick and infirm are penalised as a result of the Surgery’s penny-pinching seems somewhat perverse. Surely they should have the first priority when it comes to parking at the Surgery. Although I am fit and able enough to find a parking space in surrounding streets if need be, I’m sure that the residents of the nearby streets do not appreciate the lack of facilities at Brook Way. They should not have to put up with a government’s facility refusing to accept its responsibility.
The Town Council has a duty to provide allotments for residents. This area could be developed to meet this need. It would also benefit the residents living in the neighbouring housing who have violently opposed the youth club and the use of the hard courts in the past. / Please do not provide parking for the surgery as it is a private business and should provide adequate parking for their patients and staff. Which they have very obviously failed to do.
Please use the hard courts for additional parking for the dr's surgery. Putting yellow lines in the car park will only transfer the problem to surrounding residential streets and other local businesses. The surgery is an essential place for everyone and should be easily accessible. I think it would be nice to keep the green space behind the surgery as it is for the community to use.