Report of Lechlade on Thames Neighbourhood Plan Workshop
19th September 2013
Appendix 4
Date and time of event: 19th September 2013 from 7 – 9pm
Location: New Inn, Lechlade on Thames
Promotion of even Via e-mail and Newsletter
Attendees: Elin Tattersall ( GRCC ) Jeff Bishop ( Localism Network)
Steve Trotter ( Mayor ) Alan Russell ( Chair of NP Steering Group )
Housing Group Tony Roberts ( Councillor ) , David Potter ( Councillor ) , Stuart Bruce , Nick Walloff ,
Ed Ducker
Employment Group Ian Thomas ( Councillor ) , Mike Jenkins , Laura Thornton , Tony Cultler , Greg
Wheeler
Tourism Group Sue Coakley ( District Councillor ) , Anne , Nick Sandhu , Linda Kent , Patrick Falstead,
Linda Kent
Town Cenre Group Jamie Maskell (Councillor ) , Mel Farrant ( Councillor ) , Keith Salway , Ron King ,
Bruce Oliver
Community Facilities Group Christine Eatwell ( Councillor ) , Bob Dennish , Kevin North ( Councillor ) ,
Simon Paul , Tim Yeoman , Marion Winckles .
30 in total
Aims of workshop:
1. To recap the purpose and current status of the Lechlade on Thames NDP
2. To confirm purpose of the theme/ focus groups and the inter-relationship between them
3. To expand upon issues and challenges under each theme
4. To explore purpose and good practice in evidence gathering and use
5. To explore types of evidence required to move to the next stage of the Lechlade on Thames
NDP
6. To make available some of the required evidence
7. To discuss next steps for the theme groups
Programme
6:45
Arrival – attendees sit in tables by theme group
7pm
Welcome and introduction
Setting the scene- current status of the Lechlade NDP and the
role of the theme groups
7:15pm Exploring issues, challenges and aspirations under theme
headings
Exploring inter-relationships between the theme groups
Exploring evidence gathering and use
8:45pm Managing the process
Principles/code for the theme groups
Relationships with steering group and avoiding ‘consultation
overload’
9pm
Close
Steve TrotterLechlade Town
Council
Jeff Bishop- Localism
Network
Elin Tattersall GRCC
Steve Trotter
Outputs from the workshop
Task- in your theme group, list aspects /issues that the Neighbourhood Plan should address.
Show linkages between points made and the other themes
(Additional points were made during discussion and report back)
Report of Lechlade on Thames Neighbourhood Plan Workshop 19.09.13
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Theme: Housing - Flip chart contents
Aspect
Links with other
themes
*SHLAA  140-2030 need statistics. 32%
*Local sites
Assess Windfall
Downsizing
*A/H – up to 50%
*Types
*Need – A/H & Type
S.106 – contributions. – group 5
Consents v deliverability
Evidence Based
Size & Density
Viability
Design Standards | Principles & Policies
Materials & Build Quality
Additional points taken during discussion- Housing
 SHLAA = CDC’s desktop exercise - where are the potential sites in Lechlade.
 Local knowledge will enable suitable sites to be identified.
 Promap has been purchased which enables measuring and comparing sites
 Making downsizing possible
 Need is important – Are the 140 based on need or statistics
 Section 106 – most developments have an effect on site + neighbouring areas and this is funds
made available by developers to mitigate the impact .
 Consents versus deliverability is important
 Viability
 Design standards – our plan will set policies for this
Theme: Employment - Flip chart contents
Aspect
Easy in/Easy out small units (consentingly)
Cheaper mooring fees
*External Investment
Easy route in to town from Riverside car park
A361 – Cult Road
Development marina
*Encourage boats to come
Rules re Charity Shops
Bakery
Coffee shop (proper) internet
Understand current hurdles
*Riverside pontoon for occasional boat shops (sweets, coffee etc) – better link to
river
Hotel/Accommodation
Encourage lakes by Yoo
*Canal link at Roundhouse
Homeworking < Broadband
Report of Lechlade on Thames Neighbourhood Plan Workshop 19.09.13
Links with other
themes
Tourism
Tourism
Tourism
housing
Tourism
Tourism
Housing
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Retiree pastimes
Garden Centre Links
Additional notes taken during discussion- Employment:
 Easy in: Easy out units allow people to work close to home but not actually at their home. Would
need to find out if there was demand- this would save a developer marketing costs
 How can we better use the proximity and beauty of the river?
 How do we encourage more boats to visit? (Sweetie barge: coffee barge)
 2nd homes make a positive contribution to local businesses (10% of trade is lakes based and
publicity material in Lakes accommodation encourages those living/staying there to spend
locally)
Theme: Tourism - Flip chart contents
Aspect
River
Better signage
movement from river to town
better access
parking – riverside
Church
Guide (not at present)
Open all day info
Cotswolds
Promote Lechlade
History/Heritage
Not all well maintained.
Guidebook for town
Accommodation
List of accommodation and accreditation
Transport
Buses information/frequency and timing (pm)
Parking
Availability of spaces (too few) and duration and too short. Location (too far)
Walks – PROWS; Riverside;
 Lack of picnic area
 No coach park
 Seating in centre
 Guided walks
 Sufficient refreshment outlets
 Variety of Shops – more shops
 Partnership with other towns
 Broader range and more accommodation
 Publicity of in tourist guides
 Leaflet local amenities etc
 Visitor info
 More links with other attractions
 Camping - boats, caravans. Infrastructure support promotion
Future of post office; library core services/supporting tourism
Report of Lechlade on Thames Neighbourhood Plan Workshop 19.09.13
Links with other
themes
Town centre
Town centre
Housing
Employment
Housing
Town centre
Town centre
Facilities and
services
Employment
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Additional notes taken during discussion- Tourism:
 River features strongly – moving people between river and town
 No guide book so difficult to talk about the town
 No coach path (can stop off but nowhere for other bus to go) so maybe coach parties avoid
Lechlade
 Got long lists of things we do well – we should be the gateway to the Cotswolds
 Heritage – housing – ensuring vernacular in a Design Statement. Attractive location
 Length of stay is vital
 Do we have enough to offer to people who come? Vitality of high street is important
 Anything ‘on Thames’ should be a goldmine. Maybe need to encourage use of whole name –
Lechlade on Thames
 Best access to Riverside Thames than any other town – so suitable for camping, caravanning.
 Parking – location & duration of stay.
 Maybe perception is the problem –it seems far from the town centre yet we have far better
parking than Burford. The route influences perception.
 If Lechlade is not somewhere you would go for a whole day we will need to foster reciprocal
arrangements/or decide how we can make it a ‘whole day’ destination.
Theme: Town Centre- Flip chart contents
Aspect
Relationship between parking and use of town centre.
The bridge – (people don’t realise there’s a river at the end of the road).
Link between town centre and river
The market square is effectively a parking area.
What do we have to offer?
 Character
 Commercial Attractiveness
 We’re in a conservation area
 We have great architecture but a lot is hidden. ‘gritty’ chocolate box’
(commercial centre – not just attractive for tourism but for also trade)
We need influx to encourage trade
Links with other
themes
Tourism
Employment
Tourism
Tourism
Employment
Amenity
Tourism
Employment
We need to make the centre more attractive.
Philosophy is if make front door attractive people will come in.
Problem of HGVs (ignore restrictions)
Take traffic out of town? Effect on vitality?
Tourism
Employment
Amenity
Additional notes taken during discussion –Town Centre:
 District and county council don’t seem to relate to Lechlade on Thames as a tourist destination
(could talk to the authorities to the East). It has better riverside access than any other town in
the area.
 Market square- – what will happen if we move the parking? Unknown – will it lose or gain
vitality?
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 Facelift of SWAN is very positive
We have an affluent demographic but their money is not being spent in the town- because of the
offer. Need to encourage more local people to engage with the town.
Theme: Facilities and Services - Flip chart contents
Aspect
Identify existing facilities suitability & cost
Identify user groups, ie. Clubs, societies, individuals etc.
Do facilities match demographics, demand + needs
Public questionnaire to identify what activities take place now and what will the
future demand for both meeting rooms + leisure.
How can we improve facilities both existing and future?
Importance of environmental issues
Promote community involvement, through open days, questionnaires, local
publications
Collate information gathered and identify facilities required.
Public consultation on options
Preferred options costed & funding options identified including future developer
contribution.
Links with other
themes
Housing
Employment
Additional notes taken during discussion- Facilities and services:
 Need to tap into the affluent demographic- people have to go outside the town to access a spa
and gym
 Can use Section 106 as leverage for community facilities but evidence is needed (suitable
evidence might be e.g. doctor’s surgery being unable to cope- statistics from the surgery
 Some facilities might be made more viable by getting a mix of people to use them
Discussion points
Communications- key points
 The Lechlade on Thames Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group is a sub group of Lechlade
Town Council
 Alan Russell is the co-ordinator for the Lechlade on Thames Neighbourhood Plan
 Each theme group is led by a town councillor who reports back to the steering group
 Each theme group chair should liaise with Alan on the workplan for the group and any
request for additional consultancy or other support (This will allow the steering group to
manage demand on consultant time and manage consultation with the community).
Role of the theme groups
The role of the steering group is to oversee the development of the Neighbourhood Plan while the
role of the theme groups is to:





Explore the objectives that the Neighbourhood Plan should address in relation to their
theme (ie the issues and challenges to be met and the strengths to capitalise on)
Consider inter-relationships between their theme group and other themes in the
Neighbourhood Plan
List and gather baseline evidence about the theme (eg audit of current situation and
consideration of current strategies and plans)
Draw up a plan of action to enable the group to carry out its role
Draw up solutions to meet the identified Neighbourhood Plan Objectives for that theme
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

Test the solutions – e.g. through feasibility study and draw conclusions from the testing
Gather together the evidence collected and suggested solutions to form a display at a
Neighbourhood Planning event, covering all themes, in Spring 2014.
The chair of each theme group will oversee meetings, keep records of group membership
and liaise with Alan Russell and the steering group
Principles
All members of the steering group and working groups recognise that, while they may represent a
particular group in the community, their role is to move forward the NDP in a way that benefits the
whole community. Conflicts of interest will be recognised and managed by the chairs of the groups.
The following are guiding principles:
 A group which is open and transparent and welcomes new membership
 Full participation by theme group members
 An inclusive consultation and plan making process
 Robust evidence gathering
 Actions based on evidence of consultation
 Acceptance of the following principles (known as Nolan Principles which are recommended
by the Committee of Standards in Public Life: Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity,
Accountability, Openness, Honesty, Leadership.
Next Steps



Each theme group to organise a follow up meting to begin listing and considering evidence
required and create a workplan
Guidance material provided by Jeff to be collated and distributed in e-form
Skype to be used for consultancy support by Jeff Bishop for the town centre, employment and
housing groups. GRCC to support the other 2 groups (Hidden Britain to support Tourism Group)
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