Survey Questions
Lots of green spaces and small, individual, not over developed villages such as Rowhedge, Dedham, Mersea, etc. Independent shops in the town centre - not a ‘copy and paste’ town with the same shops as everywhere else Community feeling across the city
To update, improve and most importantly maintain existing infrastructure as well as implement new infrastructure to deal with growing populations. To enhance and protect existing communities and villages who have their own identities.
1. Rejecting the current trend and keeping/enhancing an independent town centre with many small, local stores. 2. A collection of villages that are left alone without the need for development, simply maintaining what’s already there. Known for rejecting development for developments sake and building solely on brownfield sites. 3. Safety and security. Improved police presence and safety on the roads.
The green space between the city and surrounding villages, rather than an urban sprawl. History of the City Easy access to countryside, good for mental and physical health
Managing transport Managing building to ensure the ever increasing flooding is not worsened. Understanding the importance of green space and agricultural land around the villages/city borders.
Protecting the environment/nature/open space Limiting house building on green sites Sensible highways planning /maintenance
No answer given
A Bus Station.
Tourism, shopping and public transport
The villages outside of the city centre for their green spaces.
Keeping hold of our natural spaces - woodlands, fields and nature reserves - to preserve the city’s beauty and the mental and physical health of our community.
Green spaces. Listening to its residents. Low congestion.
The Wick in its current state. It should be turned into a nature park, never built on.
Remove Middlewick from the local plan
Removing the Wick from the local plan. Slowing the expansion of Colchester and focusing on improving infrastructure. Protection of it's green fields.
Proximity to the coast Proximity to London Not being overwhelmed by tourists
To build a proper bus station that encourages people to use public transport To be known for the arts - including the Mercury Theatre, The Arts Centre and Firstsite, Charter Hall To encourage people back to the city centre
No more housing development Safe roads Interesting shops in the city centre
Green spaces History Increasing availability of cycle lanes and public transport
Leading the way to net zero Partnering with academic institutions to develop research ideas into business opportunities Environmental sustainability Infrastructure and transport Affordable housing
Leading the way to net zero Partnering with academic institutions to develop research ideas into business opportunities Environmental sustainability
Physical setting: near to coastline, near to London, varied habitat for wildlife.
Tackling climate change. Nature recovery.
Carless neighbourhoods. Astonishing re-establishment of nature. High educational achievements.
Its history Its green spaces What is left of the shops and market
To understand how important green spaces and their wildlife impacts on the quality of life for residents in a city full of traffic and housing. Without them we are all poorer and more unhealthy
Listening to people who live here, especially those who have lived here all their lives and who fully understand the problems Colchester faces. Tackling knife crime and drug dealing (which is maybe the Police's responsibility), but the Council can use its offices to put pressure on the Police Setting up a Keep Colchester Tidy Campaign and putting money into educating and strictly enforcing litter louts not only in Colchester City Centre, but throughout its area, thereby encouraging residents' pride in their area
Wivenhoe and some other small settlements Open spaces The river Colne It might have been more to the point to include questions about what we liked least about the Local Authoirty area. This would include traffic congestion and the decline of the City Centre as a shopping centre
To reduce traffic congestion and improve public transport, including interconnectivity of the bus routes To increase the quantity of social housing To rejunvenate Colchester City centre possibly increasing the number of dwellings if it is not possible to revitalise it as a shopping centre
As a place which really got to grips with traffic congestion As a place where the percentage of affordable housing has increased As a place where biodiversity and the availability of open spaces has increased
1. Great places to visit in or nearby: country walks, nature reserves, beaches, the zoo, historic sites etc. 2. Colchester Baptist Church and other churches in the city working individually and together to provide help and support to the people here. 3. Public services and voluntary sector, providing our hospital, the Sixth Form College, university, schools, clubs and activities for children and young people, support for older people including those with dementia, community groups, good libraries.
To provide an environment for the people here to live in which is heart-warming, good for mental health, helps communities come together and live respectfully and safely. This has to include excellent public services which are aware of the needs of the people here, parks and green spaces where people can enjoy nature and wildlife is supported, a really good public transport system that people want to use instead of their cars, access for all to goo sport and leisure facilities and the arts (music, theatre, etc.) Make the most of Colchester's historic past and its inclusive heart.
1. As a beautiful historic city that looks after its green spaces, parks and historic sites well, worth coming to visit with a really good green transport system. 2. Welcoming to everyone including people with disabilities (so the transport system etc must consider them) and refugees in desperate need of a safe place to live. 3. A centre of excellence for theatres, concert venues, all aspects of culture.
Countryside and coast History Conectivity
Heritage Reducing reliance car transport Jumbo and the mercury area revamp
Making more of what it has Reducing reliance car transport Reinvigorated city centre
Used to be good shops, no longer the case Dreadful building sprawl all round the town. I can only think of one thing I like: Historical heritage is all that is left
Good public transport and nice, affordable houses in the town. Use brownfield sites, and include all the empty shops in a change of use, for accommodation. No more out of town shopping centres - no more sprawl. Outlying villages need their rural lanes protected from being rat runs from the A12 and A120. NATURE needs protection, and no more assaults on the countryside. ABOVE ALL, NO PYLONS, ELECTRICITY GENERATED OFFSHORE IN THE WINDFARMS NEEDS TO BE TRANSMITTED OFFSHORE TO WHERE IT WILL BE NEEDED.
It should be somewhere people want to visit for its own sake. Not the dump it is now. When we first lived here I enjoyed my time in the town. No longer.
The city and its history. The positive view of development and realisation of what it can mean for regeneration / enhancement of an area. Connectivity by road and rail.
Meeting the needs of the residents and the demand for development. Being a location that people want to, and can afford to, live and work in. New development delivering appropriate infrastructure to enable people to be able to live and work where they choose to.
Meeting its need for development. Appropriate protection of its history and environment. Pro-active approach to development delivery
Castle Park The art community The festivals
Bigger and better cinema. Better roads (please) More art opportunities
The arts Castle park The festivals
It's location - close to the sea, countryside and capital of England It's history - Roman, Castle and City centre lanes It's diversity - University ,welcoming all nations
Do be a City for all ages and all peoples An all inclusive city To be proud of it's past and positive about it's future Encourage young people to want to live in Colchester - a desired destination
It's welcome It's openness It's love for all generations
The history The open spaces The theatres
To keep the uniqueness of Colchester. To keep the housing development sympathetic to the are, not over develop and lose all open space. To continue to allow the centre to evolve into a leisure, recreation hub. To keep Colchester a safe environment for children to grow up in.
It’s history It’s people It’s safety
Colchester Castle Park Mercury Theatre The thriving city centre
Colchester really needs to promote itself as a tourist destination The city centre could certainly do with more retail shops and The Colchester Bid Team really need to work on this The Jumbo Tower regeneration needs to be started and completed as soon as possible The Trinity Church area needs the regeneration completed this year and not to be delayed as much as St Nicholas Square
Tourist hotspot A place to visit for a brilliant shopping experience And a safe city to visit
History, Open spaces, social life.
Increasing tourism, improving green public transport, improving repair and cleanliness of environment.
A major historical city A fabulous shopping centre Easy cheap access to all areas
Greenspaces such as Middlewick Ranges where nature can thrive and people can connect with the environment. Historic buildings and free museums. Train stations. -ability to travel by train .
Country park/ nature reserve at Middlewick Ranges. Sustainable industries providing employment.
Preserving nature.’ Making decisions with the climate emergency at the heart of them. Transparency in council decision making.
Green Open spaces Heritage Local leisure opportunities
Highlight history and heritage
Heritage Diverse range of leisure activities available Low crime
Historical significance of the castle, Roman walls etc. Educational dynamism at Essex University. Natural beauty of the outskirts and surrounding areas (E.g. MIDDLEWICK RANGES, Highwoods, Roman fields, etc).
Ensuring the preservation of the Middlewich ranges in terms of its rich wildlife, and how this benefits the population of south Colchester. Please value this and commit to it becoming a nature reserve for all those living nearby. It is vitally important that we value the living species we have on our doorstep, and the green "lungs" provided by the Middlewick Ranges.
Education excellence. Commitment to local ecology and wildlife. Historical significance and the benefits this brings in terms of tourism.
Great sense of community. Lots of green space to enjoy, ie Castle Park, Highwoods Country Park, The Wick… A variety of independent shops.
Building new homes on derelict or brown field sites as opposed to on those used by the community for leisure. There are numerous sites around Colchester. Providing incentives for people to use public transport thus reducing pressure on our extremely congested roads. An extension on restricted parking zones close to schools for, say, an hour before start and end of school day. Congestion around these times is dangerous for children who walk to school. Some parking is irresponsible and many people arrive very early and leave their engines running.
Its long and varied history For being a welcoming and vibrant place to visit and live in. For providing consistently good education opportunities from early years to university. A place which attracts employers thus giving young people opportunities for long term employment. For providing opportunities for high quality, affordable housing to rent or buy.
Hilly Fields Highwoods Castle Park
Tourism Innovation to be a green city (better public transport connections like a tram, ULEZ, rewards for active travel) More affordable activities for Young people
Clean air Protects biodiversity Renovations instead of new builds
Strategic location Maintained a viable centre Interesting heritage
'Opportunities' is a difficult one. Wrong word. Develop more light industry and develop trade links out from locality. (Too much reliance on low pay service trades).
Prosperity Opportunity for young people Preserved heritage Is that it?
No answer given
Maximising the benefits of growth to the existing community as well as new communities. Opportunities exist in new developments to provide infrastructure that will help address existing needs as well as the additional needs generated by development. Promoting health and well-being including physical activity in development should be part of the emerging vision. As well as responding to local priorities for health and well-being this can also assist with other strategic objectives such as tackling climate change, promoting sustainability, social inclusion etc.
No answer given
1. The historic parts of city 2 Fenwicks 3. The park
Insist all new builds have solar panels and heat pumps Improve traffic flow around the area Encourage better shops in town - low rents & rates to rejuvenate town centre
1.A lovely place to visit ( as it has been in the past) valuing its history 2.Named as a great place to live in The Times with affordable housing, good schools and quality shops (Shrewsbury does it well) 3. Outstanding on all environmental issues
It has nice green spaces at Middlewick and surrounding areas. It has a nice shopping area in town. There are still areas without houses
To ensure they protect nature and the environment and in turn reduce the costs associated with flooding and potholes from adverse weather (which will continue now)
Pioneers in transition to green energy. Champions of green spaces- protection and restoration. A city which supports clean air
The city's history and heritage The wide choice of organisations to join Its location near to other places of interest locally
The refurbishment of Jumbo water tower including its development as a national heritage attraction The modernisation of the public transport system (eg electric buses)
History and heritage A clean attractive environment A range if interesting public events
History Castle park Highwoods country park
Max out on the history, from pre Roman through to present day Promote the area around middlemill to complement the park environment, by replacing the sluice, incorporating its use as a training site for paddlesports
Being the most historic town in Britain At the forefront of provision for canoeing, supporting the existing club and the river environment