OUR strategy is the Village Design Statement below, which was updated on 1st April 2012 through a few minor changes correcting out-of-date content:
Summary
Parish Councillors would like to develop a unified community, centred on a ‘heart’ in Singleton Village and supported by a sensitive, traditional, rural approach to housing and other sustainable development. To this end we would like to see:
- 1. Greater road safety for pedestrians of all ages but especially the elderly and children;
- 2. Housing to suit only the critical needs of our parish population;
- 3. Better community amenities and especially social & recreational facilities achieved via a refurbished village hall;
- 4. Greater local awareness of the value, and the need for protection, of our countryside and amenities;
- 5. Involving the whole community in the development of the parish.
In more detail…
1. Greater safety for pedestrians of all ages but especially the elderly and children
We want to substantially reduce the through-traffic on parish roads and will encourage the Government to develop or promote new routes especially the proposed “Blue Route”.
Immediate and long-term action includes discussions with the police, highway authorities and other relevant groups and by lobbying the Government for the link road linking Fleetwood with the M55.
We want to see effective traffic-calming measures to reduce the speed and dangers of local and village traffic to our residents and visitors. Measures could include sleeping policemen, chicanes, mini-roundabouts and speed guns.
Immediate action includes inviting our county councillor to our meetings, researching accident and traffic calming statistics, and working in partnership with the police and the traffic section at Lancashire County Council. We will also be encouraging residents to raise their concerns in letters to the county council.
We want to reduce congestion caused by cars parked on narrow roads, such as the school approaches in Church Road.
Immediate action includes approaching Singleton School for its views/strategy on parking and their school travel plan. A reduction in car use could include car journey sharing and the use of public transport.
2. Housing to suit only the critical needs of our parish population
We do not want to see any social housing aimed at attracting residents who do not have significant local connections. Need was highlighted by the Fylde Borough Council Housing Needs Survey of 2011.
We would object strongly to any new housing on land designated countryside or within other open spaces throughout the parish.
We warmly support the Richard Dumbreck Singleton Trust’s approach to the enhancement and development of the property in its control – as referred to in the two significant paragraphs in the Richard Dumbreck Trust deed. In other words we would be inclined to encourage any Trust redevelopment of existing property, such as at the former kennels off Station Road. We will also encourage the return of socially rented housing in Miller Crescent to the Trust.
We will encourage any sensitive redevelopment which takes local issues into account.
Immediate action includes furthering our existing discussions with the Trust. (This document is part of those discussions.)
3. Better community amenities and especially social & recreational facilities
We are keen to see the future development of a new multi-purpose village hall. This would provide a focal point for the whole parish. The pockets of housing along Lodge Lane and in Little Singleton are isolated from the village making a fractured community. A renewed community hall would allow for events and social functions during the day or evening to bring the different communities together and stop the social isolation and loneliness suffered by our elderly population and the under 17s throughout the parish.
We believe the existing village hall could, in the short term, possibly house a community shop (and/or café).
Action is being taken by a new village hall committee in partnership with Singleton Parish Council to apply for a Big Lottery Grant. The outcome of the application will be published in November 2012.
Car parking within land around the church would reduce congestion and nuisance to residents caused by people attending St. Anne’s Church. We would also encourage the development of a village green between Church Road and the Miller Arms. However, we would object, on safety grounds, to the creation of a village pond. We would also object strongly to any housing development around this new village green.
4. Greater local awareness of the value of our countryside and amenities
We would like to increase the ‘visitability’ of the parish to encourage greater use of existing and new amenities in the parish. To this end we would encourage the development and use of footpaths and trails.
5. Involving the community in the development of the parish
We see the Parish Plan as one of the main instruments to guide appropriate development in the parish, and will encourage all relevant organisations to participate in its organisation.
Finally…
We will encourage regular consultation with residents and review this document to ensure the strategy is kept up to date and confirms the development of the parish is headed in the right direction.