The project started in August 2004 and finished in July 2006. The area consists of 1076 households and comprises that part of the town centre between the historic core and the railway line. All meetings were held in Romsey Town Hall as there is no suitable meeting place in this area.
The project suffered because of difficulties in finding a name for the area with which people could identify. Several names were used, none of them particularly satisfactory.
Consultation Process
Phase 1: Getting to know the area:
2004-2005
Initial step: July 2004:
A letter was sent to members of the Romsey and District Society who lived in the area, asking their help in distributing an initial leaflet about the project. Nine people responded. Forty people came to the inaugural meeting. After this numbers rather fell away which was rather disappointing. During the course of the project, four letters were distributed to R&DS members and others who had shown an interest to help generate support.
Guided walks: Three walks were held in October and November and 43 people attended them. Householders were notified by a leaflet drop.
Questionnaire: November 2004: Work started on preparing a questionnaire in November 2004. Preparation of the questionnaire required two meetings, as it was very much based on other questionnaires devised for the project.
Copies of the questionnaire were delivered to every household in the area with a request to return them by 25th March 2005. Replies could be handed in at three business premises, three private houses or returned direct to the Look at Romsey convenor.
Processing of answers: spring 2005:
Every answer to each question was typed into an Access database. 102 replies were received, which is 9.5% of all households.
Preparation for exhibition:
Two meetings were held at which the replies were analysed, and materials were prepared for public exhibition. The whole area was leafleted once again inviting people to the exhibition. The date had also been announced in the Questionnaire.
Exhibition: 23rd April 2005:
An exhibition was held in Romsey Town Hall and 134 people visited it.
Phase 2: Preparing the Statement:
2004-2006
Following the exhibition, five meetings were held to discuss the content of the Design Statement. A draft of the text was produced as the basis for discussion. After revision it was sent to TVBC for comment. The comments were then discussed and once the group was satisfied with the text, photographs were chosen and inserted. Twelve people took part in this work.
Public consultation June and July 2006:
The draft statements were printed and a working party assembled to collate and staple them. A leaflet was distributed to each household telling residents that copies were available at six locations, or on-line. In addition copies of the statement were sent to all Romsey Extra Councillors, Test Valley Councillors for the four Romsey wards, County Councillors for the two Romsey divisions, the MP and one or two other bodies, such as the Police and Test Way Housing.
Distribution of the Design Statement:
It was decided to make available simultaneously the two town centre statements and the Overview. Each statement was collated and stapled, and then the three joined together. 500 copies were prepared and they were available for collection from eleven places across the town centre. In addition, people read them at such places as the CAB offices, doctors’ surgeries and the library. All copies were distributed and it is possible that more would have gone had they been available.
Reactions to the design statement:
Test consultations with members of the Executive Committee of the Romsey & District Society indicated that it would cause less confusion if the two town centre statements and the Overview were made available simultaneously. Each statement was collated and stapled, and then the three joined together. 500 copies were prepared, and to quote the manager of the Co-op ‘they flew out the door’. All 500 were taken up. In addition, people read them at such places as the CAB offices, doctors’ surgeries and the library.
Comments:
Three sets of comments were received, none of them requiring any significant revisions of the text.
Final meeting:
This was held on Thursday 20th July, at which the comments were discussed, as was the treatment of non-design issues. In addition, labels to be added to the final map were agreed.
