Packer's Field Community Consultation

Introduction

This report highlights the findings of a consultation with the local community of Whitehall about access to and use of Packers Field. This survey of a sample of the community was conducted in February 2006 in order to find out the views of local residents.

Methodology

Our approach to this was to hand deliver leaflets detailing the history of the Town Green application. The leaflet also highlighted some of our findings and concerns about the planned development. We followed up this leaflet by going door to door on four subsequent Sunday afternoons in February 2006. At this stage we asked people their opinions and asked them whether they would sign a petition, which asked for the following:

As members of the Whitehall community, we request the following:

• Genuine, open consultation of the local community by Bristol City Council & the City Academy.
• Dual / Multiple use between individuals, schools and sports clubs.
• Free, open access to the field at all times for informal recreation.

During this consultation with a sample of the community, we were honest about our opposition to the Academy's plan to develop the field. We recorded people who were in favour of the plans, against the plans and people who just said they had no interest in the issue either way.

In the time available we visited 255 houses on the following roads local to the site: Gordon Road, Johnsons Road, Neath Road, Woodcroft Avenue, Oakleigh Avenue, Whitehall Gardens, Wineberry Close, Stepney Walk & Stepney Road (one side only). These are illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 1

Results

In favour of the points on the petition	114	(84.4% of respondents)
In favour of the Academy Plans	10	(7.5% of respondents)
No interest in the issue either way	11	(8.1% of respondents)
Not In	120

If you take out the people who should no interest either way the percentage of people in favour of the statements set out in the petition was 92%.

This percentage is still 82% if the people who expressed no interest either way are considered as pro the Academy plans and against the statement set out in the petition.

Conclusions

This simple report sets out how we have conducted a genuine community consultation of people in the area around Packers Field by speaking to people and finding out their views.

Our findings show that 92% of people who expressed a preference, want to see:

• Free, open access to the field at all times for informal recreation.
• Dual / Multiple use between individuals, schools and sports clubs.
• Genuine, open consultation of the local community by Bristol City Council & the City Academy.