The Plan was delivered to all households in December 2011
It can be viewed as a pdf by clicking HERE
We summarise the key points drawn from the questionnaire below. May we thank everyone who completed the questionnaires. There was a wealth of data and comments to absorb.
Response to the questionnaires
Responses to the main questionnaire totalled 940 while our young people and businesses returned 79 and 23 respectively. Assuming that couples often completed a single questionnaire, the percentage of people contributing may have been around 30% which represents a reasonable response in a parish of this size.
The geographic spread within the village is skewed heavily to the centre and Bentfield, with a much lower level of return from the Hargrave and Mountfitchet Estates.
The age range of respondents is weighted to the over 60’s but about 25% fell into the 45-59 year age group with 25% being under 45.
Likes and dislikes about living here
The pluses stressed heavily the desire to live in a village with a heritage of old buildings and being close to open countryside. Maintaining a separate identity with a community spirit was complemented by being in easy proximity to Bishop’s Stortford and the motorway network.
The major negative was the level of traffic. Other dislikes include nearness to the airport, quality of public transport and the amount of affordable housing.
The overall quality of life in the village is thought to be worse than ten years ago but this view was driven by those over 60 years of age.
Crime, security and policing
The fire service scores highest within the emergency services – the police the lowest.
The greatest concerns were speeding, vandalism, litter and drunkenness, with the station and its surrounds being the areas where more people feel unsafe.
Policing priorities should concentrate on having a visible presence on the streets especially at night and more involvement with young people.
Volunteers appear to be available to allow the police station to be open for longer hours and to support Neighbourhood Watch.
Highway issues generated the most comments
The most serious problems are parking and speeding followed by traffic volume and the number of heavy goods vehicles.
The main danger spots for both pedestrians and drivers are the same and, not surprisingly, cover all the main roads within the village led by Chapel Hill and Cambridge Road.
Speed control measures which command most support are vehicle activated speed warnings, village entry treatment and weight/width restrictions on heavy goods vehicles.
Among traffic calming measures most respondents prefer 20mph limits followed by speed cushions and home zones, but people lease liked speed cameras.
Other safety improvements which gain strong support are no parking on pavements, more disabled parking, more cycle tracks and more pedestrian crossings. Roundabouts are not favoured.
Street-lighting should be a parish council responsibility and most want to see lights on at night.
Public Transport
A high proportion of those in work or school travel to London (27%), Bishop’s Stortford (20%) while a quarter are based in or around the village. Other destinations worth a mention are Saffron Walden and Newport.
Trains and buses are quite extensively used by residents but use of a community bus appears low.
More use of the buses would need more frequent services (42% mentioned this issue) along with better reliability and information (23%) while cheaper fares appealed to 21%.
The rail service was thought to be reasonable or better by 73% of all respondents but the main grievances relate to costs of travel (35%) and the lack of staffing at the station for much of the day (27%). Other mentions were more and cleaner trains and faster services.
The response to an interest in car sharing provided some encouragement with 6% indicating interest. As a proportion of adults, this could add up to 340 people.
Sport
Many people participate in sport (13%) with this number rising to 23% for families with children. A further 15% say they would be active if suitable facilities were available.
A swimming pool in the parish commands high support (65%) although the amount that people would be prepared to pay is not always realistic.
A significant proportion of people support using the open countryside (45%) or even greenbelt (32%) for new sporting facilities.
Support for junior football is good but there is no consensus on the location although the area around the Mountfitchet Mathematics and Computing College is favourite.
Leisure and the Arts
The evaluation of activities and facilities varies by age group with those for the under 13’s and the over 60’s rated reasonably highly with greater levels of dissatisfaction for other age groups between 13-25 years.
The three listed play areas receive reasonable ratings with the Recreation Ground rated the best. Suggestions for improvement were limited but included more equipment for the young toddler age.
There is no strong support for a purpose-built village hall which in part is confirmed by the generally favourable ratings for the existing halls. The greatest support for a new hall is found among the over-60’s. Additional activities which could happen in a new hall include drama and live music/entertainment but there is no broad consensus.
Reviving village events such as Stansted Carnival and the Arts and Crafts Market receive good support from 45% and 53% respectively of respondents. About 15% say that they would help organise – time will tell!!
The provision of more allotments needs to be considered with 10% of those replying suggesting that they would rent if available.
Retailing and Services
Local shops are well used but mostly for daily shopping with Bishop’s Stortford used more for weekly shops. The Post Office, chemist and cash dispensers are all well frequented but the library is less, but still well, patronised.
The shops are used for the buying of last minute items (63%) and a desire to support local shops (61%) as well as to save time and transport costs. Criticisms include the need for a better range of shops (60%) and greater convenience – possibly parking (52%).
Pubs are the most frequently used social venues (13% go at least once a week) while restaurants and the take-aways appear to be evenly used.
Local services pick up reasonable ratings for use but especially garages, hairdressers, plumbers and vets.
Local Environment
All aspects of the countryside are rated important by three-quarters of the respondents and support is very strong for preserving green fields, woods, hedges, the brook and the pond. Levels in the range of 85-94% are the highest in the whole survey.
In terms of improving the environment, care for woodlands and hedges are the highest priorities while 44% want to see more trees planted.
The village environment could be improved by keeping roadside verges mown and tidy (62%), keeping extensions etc sympathetic to the street scene (61%), providing more parking spaces (59%) to reduce parking on footpaths, improving the village greens (52%) and planting more flowers, trees plus hanging baskets (48%). Those with disabilities also emphasise parking on footpaths as well as access to some premises.
The natural break between the village and other communities is highly valued by 80% as are the tranquillity, the wildlife, recreation and views.
The footpath network is well used with 45% saying that they use them daily or weekly.
Improvements to country roads and footpaths which were well supported include litter collection, stopping vehicle damage to verges, reduction of traffic levels and maintaining tidy verges.
Employment
Those responding to the questionnaire worked mostly in the public sector, retailing and financial services. However, this should not be assumed to be a representative cross-section.
There is strong support, especially among those seeking work, for a job vacancy board.
Housing Needs
A significant number (7%) of people say that they need alternative accommodation with about 50% wanting this for the whole family.
The reasons for moving normally relate to the size of the property, for employment or is age-related. Problems in moving are predominantly money or lack of suitable stock.
Reasons for leaving the village were to set up a new household or for employment but 35%, given the chance, would like to return.
Education
The anticipated move of St Mary’s to Foresthall Park divides respondents but the majority favours the move.
There is demand for more holiday playschemes and after-school clubs (39% and 32% respectively of households with children).
Support for a local secondary school is overwhelming at 97% while nearly two-thirds say that their view of the Mountfitchet Maths and Computing College would change positively if it provided sixth-form education.
Adult education classes receive support with a desire for more classes. Most support the evening but daytime also has a reasonable response.
Health
The rating accorded to local health services is generally good but 45% said that some aspects needed improvement.
There is overwhelming support for locating the new Health Centre within the village while, should it be constructed at Foresthall Park, around two-thirds of respondents would use Church Road (in a car)
Among the hospitals used there is most criticism of St Margaret’s while a proportion find travelling to the hospitals difficult. A strong majority (76%) consider hospital parking charges to be unreasonable.
There is good support for having a NHS dentist in the village.
Councils and their effectiveness
Essex County Council – reasonable at meeting most responsibilities with the best areas being libraries and street-lighting (ironic perhaps given recent controversies). Highways and strategic planning are considered to be poor.
Uttlesford District Council – receives good marks for refuse collection and street cleaning but there is a critical minority in terms of local planning, the provision of recreational facilities and housing the needy.
Stansted Mountfitchet Parish Council – well rated for baskets and troughs, litter collection, gardening, grass cutting and street-lighting (but there is a critical minority on the latter issue). Between 50-70% of respondents would support SMPC taking on additional responsibilities while over half would support a move to larger offices and 63% would favour longer opening hours.
Improved services would include the Citizens Advice Bureau, travel information and longer library opening hours.
Communication
The Link is a prime source of information and even among the under 45’s the response is 87%.
Noticeboards are used by one-third while 10% say that they visit SMPC’s offices.
More communication is still required with support for public meetings on selected issues, an on-line forum and e-mail updates from the parish council.
Stansted Airport
There is strong opposition to the construction of a second runway although 16% take the other view. 8% of respondents work or do business with the airport.
However, 70% of respondents use the airport with most doing so for leisure.
The two major concerns about further airport expansion are the fear of traffic increasing in the village (82%) and passenger demands on rail capacity (89%).
Future development of Stansted Mountfitchet
Further development within Stansted is supported by only 13% (while 20% would favour development around Stansted). However, 21% feel that more new houses are needed, especially affordable, smaller or warden-controlled homes.
If development is forced upon the District Council, then the preference is for spreading new housing rather than creating one large settlement or, if the latter, it should be over file miles from the village.
Development, if needed, should first use existing commercial/industrial sites then move to small (50 dwellings maximum) on the edge of the existing settlement.
The defence of the greenbelt is considered important by over 90%.