The Stroud Parish Plan

In 2012 the Parish Council established a Parish Plan Subcommittee to augment the original committee in completing the Plan.  It was agreed that more targeted consultation needed to be undertaken with:

1. Workplaces and institutions within the village
2. Absentee landlords

1. Workplaces and institution in the village; These were seen as important stakeholders who may well have been bypassed in the original consultation with residents but who, in any event, were likely to have rather different sets of needs and aspirations to those who might live here.

1a.  The school:  Langrish Primary School currently has 209 pupils of whom approximately 10-15% would be from the village, a Head Teacher plus 7 teaching staff and a further 13 employees, most of whom are local but none living in Stroud.  The Headmistress feels the school’s location is a vital ingredient in its success; the landscape setting providing the children with a lively interaction with the environment, mature and farming.  Interaction with the village through opening up the school with events and for wider community use has been very much welcomed by the village as have the use of the village’s recreation ground by the school for play and at times, overspill parking.  Visits to the local farms and to the residential care home have been popular with all concerned.  The school appreciate the pub allowing parent parking at pick up and drop off times.  However there are remaining negative issue with the village with the vehicular activity at those times and the wider traffic issues of the A272 and hazardous roadside footpath system that no doubt results in so much use of the car which would benefit from improvement.

The perception of the village environment provided by schoolchildren can be informative and enlightening as well as humorous and heart-warming.  An exercise with final year schoolchildren in May 2012 is summarised in the appendices and compared to a similar one undertaken for the VDS 13 years before.

Langrish School

1872 Langrish National School; 1918 Langrish Council School;
1932 Langrish Junior School; 1945 Langrish Primary School

Langrish Primary School has an interesting history.  No doubt you will wonder why our school which is located in Stroud is called by the name of the bordering village.  

In 1872 a National School was established in Langrish opposite the Green; the head teacher was John Brown.  When it opened, it catered for 30 boys and 16 girls.  It is interesting to note that Langrish residents opted for a school, sponsored by The National Society for the Education of the Poor, with the Vicar as Chairman of the Governors rather than becoming a Local Authority Board school as allowed by the 1870 Education Act.

In 1892 the previous fee of 1 penny per week was made optional.  School holidays were generous with two weeks each for Christmas and Easter and five to six weeks in the summer, to allow the pupils to help with the harvest, so necessary to a farming community in those manpower intensive times.

In the early days attendance was not good, being particularly affected by the weather, illness and the domestic demands of the parents.  It was quite common for pupils to nurse parents when sick and for the school to close on the outbreak of an illness in the area.

In 1914 the school roll rose to 80 and as the school became overcrowded it was moved to the current location in Stroud, nevertheless retaining its original name.  In 1918 it was adopted as a Council School and became a Junior School in 1932 when Stroud became part of Petersfield Urban District Council.  Since that time it was changed to a Primary School.  In 1967, when Privett School and the junior department of Froxfield School closed, a 3 classroom extension and inside toilet were added and the school field acquired.  During this conversion a school hall was provided from the old classrooms.  By 1994 the school size had doubled and a further 3 classrooms and a new hall added, thus allowing the old hall to be turned back into two classrooms as it was when the school was first built.

The school parents have always played a significant part in the school life.  In 1970, they built the school swimming pool, thus providing the opportunity for the pupils to learn to swim.  Since that time, no pupil has left he school unable to swim. In 1992/4, the school acquired through their support, changing rooms, recreation area and a pavilion.

Mrs. Claire Hanson became head teacher in April 2005 and since then the school has continued to flourish.  Academic standards have remained consistently high with Langrish gaining an ‘Outstanding’ grading from Ofsted in 2007 and the latest interim assessment in May 2011 confirming the continued high performance of the school.

The arts and sporting curricula remain high profile with the school achieving the Artsmark gold award three times in succession for the quality of provision across the arts.  Inter-school sporting events are regularly held on the beautiful fields.

The school grounds have been enhanced in recent years by the addition of a sensory garden, activity trail and wildlife garden, currently under construction. 

The school building is currently having an extension build (autumn 2012) which will improve facilities for staff and create additional teaching space within the school for small group work.

1b.  The residential care home:  Stroud House currently cares for 25 elderly residents with a staff of 21, none of whom live in the village but most within 5 miles.  The owner identified the open views, countryside and village feel, while still in close proximity to the amenities of Petersfield, to be of prime importance.  The road was seen as a problem to the village though and they’d support anything that made it safer and also provided better public transport, cycle and footways.  He voiced hopes for closer links with the village, perhaps through informal open evenings for the community to learn more of what they do and the conditions that affect the elderly and more visits form the school since the elderly love the interaction with children.  The possibility of a sensory garden with level access would be good and perhaps one day a small community shop that could also be accessed by the local community. Planning permission was granted recently for redevelopment of the home but the owners have indicated uncertainty as to when that might take place.

1c.  The farms:  New Buildings Farm, owned by the Winscom family and managed by Sentry Farm Management, accounts for the largest landholding in the parish as well as the biggest farm buildings complex.  The latter includes the Farm Office, two dwellings (one of which is inhabited by a member of staff) and several barns and is currently looking to diversification under a Whole Farm Plan into storage and other commercial uses since the ending of dairy farming here in 2011. With the exception of a few fields of pasture let to others for grazing sheep, the farm is now entirely arable crop on a rotation of wheat, spring barley and oil seed rape.  Under a Higher Level Stewardship Farm Environment Plan started in April 2009 significant grant aid assists the farm in a series of environmental improvements that have included new hedgerows, water bodies and management initiatives.

Rothercombe Farm encompasses 165 acres of fields largely to the north of Stroud with only a few fields actually within the Parish boundary.  Run by the Snow family with three generations living within the boundaries at the farm and its neighbouring cottages, this is very firmly a farm and family of the parish.  For generations a dairy farm, Rothercombe is now entirely over to sheep with a stock number that has at times risen to 2800 though this does stretch the utilising fields elsewhere in the locality.  The farm is on an Entry Level Stewardship Scheme  with significant environmental management regimes underway since 2010.

Both farms have been generous benefactors to the village as locations for farm visits, village events and in the case of the Snow family, the land of the old village hall; and the Winscom family, providers of the land for the village recreation ground and possible new village hall.  The farmers are keenly involved in village matters and encourage interaction between the community and their farms.  In both cases their main concerns are with walkers who do not respect the public footpaths across their land and the need to keep to allotted routes, close gates behind them and keep dogs under control.  Crop damage and sheep worrying have proved to be problems when a basic understanding of farming practice, access and the countryside code are not respected.

It should also be noted that there is land to the western end of the parish boundary owned by the Lambert family and while this landholding may not appear to be of consequence, their wider farmland to the west certainly is, with footpaths and woods well used and appreciated by villagers.

1d.  The industrial premises (old garage, site on Winchester Road): White Rose Garage and four other firms related to the automotive trade currently lease various showrooms, offices, workshops and hard-standings on the site of the old petrol station at the centre of Stroud adjacent to the A272.  Owned by the Gammon family these are a series of 12 year leases which are understood to expire in the next two years or so.  While future intentions are unclear it would not be unfeasible for the owners to consider applying for change of use in order to build some further housing (as they did at Willowdale in the 1980’s).  The premises all lie within the designated Settlement Area of the Local Plan.  Whilst unsightly the working units have by and large been seen as a positive, diverse attribute to the village even though they may not be widely utilised by villagers (and no villagers are employed there).

1e.  The public house:  The Seven Stars is owned by Hall and Woodhouse and is located at the very heart of the village, providing a landmark by which the village is often best remembered by those passing through.  Its frontage is the nearest the settlement has to a village green and having gone through a couple of radical transformations in the last two decades, the pub is a very successful, much visited enterprise.  Though, in common with all the other workplaces in Stroud, it relies upon a clientele for the large part visiting from outside the village, the pub management have been a regular employer of villagers, helpful to the community in allowing school parking and a supplier of stock to village events.

2. Absentee landords:  There are some nine owners of fields within the Parish who neither live here nor own a dwelling here.  Those who owned dwellings that were rented were felt to be consulted by virtue of the questionnaire distribution but there was concern that these should be approached directly.  Not all responded of if they did, felt they had nothing they wished to say.  However it was a helpful exercise and a familiar fondness for the village’s setting, wildlife and community were evident as was the negative impact of the road and hope for better facilities (shop and village hall being mentioned by several).  The Higgs family who had for many years variously lived at different locations in the village, still own a field (that is currently leased to the Snows for sheep grazing) and had a copse planted at its roadside boundary as part of the Millennium plantings in memory to their late brother Angus.  They may well be interested in assisting the residents of Stroud House in providing a sensory garden.  They would also not be averse to the idea of applying for some limited, well designed residential development one day if that were to accord with the needs of the village.  The owners of the fields south for the A272 either side of the Seven Stars, which villagers have for many years suggested as the most sensible location for any future ‘green field’ housing, accorded with this view and would be happy to engage with the village in preparing proposals, suggesting it could be an opportunity for the village to make wider community gains than from the housing alone.

Finally, but importantly, a Housing Needs Survey was distributed in September 2012. This was to specifically identify our community’s views on more hosing in the village, our housing needs and whether there is a need for affordable housing in the village so that residents who cannot afford to buy or rent will not be forced to move away.  A total of 142 forms were sent out and 98 were completed and returned.  A very high response rate of 69%.  The Survey was then analysed by Community Action Hampshire who support parish Councils and local communities to identify housing needs.  Full data can be found at Appendix 6.3 and includes far more information than just addressing the housing needs.

This Survey build on the work of a previous 2005 survey which although it identified a clear need, failed to find a landowner willing to let land go.  The 2012 Survey was launched with the clear message to seek the community view on housing in the widest sense and that ‘this might involved the future exploration of ideas to provide more housing in the village at market value while providing some at affordable status’. 

During the history of community consultation in the village (fifteen years or so) rarely has a voice been heard to say there should never be any further development in the village.  Evidence collected previously has shown support with the idea that it is actually positive for the village to welcome new housing so long as it is at sufficiently low and steady numbers to be sustainable for a small village to absorb.

As an introduction note to the survey the Parish Plan Subcommittee wrote:

‘As a villager reading this, we calculate there is a nearly 50% likelihood you live in a house built in the last 80 years and half of these new homes have been built here in the last 25, not to mention many more alternations and additions.  Just as the country faces a nationwide housing shortage, not only does Stroud need to consider how it might play a part; we should also realise the vitality that new villagers can bring and how the map of Stroud has never stood still’.

While local government planning policy had done little to encourage any development within Stroud apart from infill within designated ‘settlement’ boundaries, the introduction of the new National Planning Policy Framework in March 2012 opened up the door for a far higher level of local community involvement in planning; the Parish Plan being one of the foremost vehicles in achieving this in rural areas (possible further initiatives such as a neighbourhood plan or neighbourhood development order would be seen as beneficial, but these are costly and time absorbing exercises).

Several of the Parish Plan Committee members attended workshops provided by the Local Authority.  These mainly related to planning matters and informal meetings have been held with SDNPA and EHDC officers during the production of this Plan.

It is acknowledged that any market value housing outside designated settlement boundaries would be against current planning policy but it was felt by the Parish Plan Committee that it was important to explore the issue nevertheless since, if government policy is to be believed, we should influence higher authorities if the case was proven that the community had identified wishes and needs that could be best met with some new built development. An Executive Summary from the survey was received from Community Action Hampshire on October 19th 2012:

Stroud Housing Need Survey
Headline Summary of Findings and Conclusions 
Full survey Report in Appendix 6.2

Executive Summary: Stroud Housing Needs Survey

Key features and main outcomes

• There is a limited number of smaller, cheaper homes either to buy or rent: there is a low turnover of open market and other stock partly due to there being a higher than average ageing population under-occupying larger houses.
• House prices are high in relation to the incomes of those in need:  the cheapest or entry-level house sold in the parish in 2011 was £182,000.
• The Survey has identified and recommended the need for a small housing scheme of 4 housing association homes for local people who need a home now or in the next few years with a range of property sizes.
• The proposed scheme should be a mix of 6 rented units and 2 shared ownership.
• Respondents cited 7 family members having recently moved away from the parish because they could not find a suitable home.
• Young adults wanting to set up an independent home form the family home form the single largest category of need but several other factors are identified in the report.
• Only 1 household in need is already on the Housing Register.
• A number of those in need have a household income of $21,000 per year.
• There is an overall preference for buying on the open market, however most are unlikely to be able to afford a property in the area on the basis of financial information provided.  Therefore their second and third choices of Housing Association properties by rent or shared ownership should be considered.
• All 8 of the households in need have a strong local connection: 7 currently live in the parish and 1 has family in the parish and wishes to return.
• 78% of all respondents would support the idea of building a small affordable hosing scheme for local people in the parish.
• All household in the parish were surveyed to assess local housing needs:  a good response rate of 69% achieved.

It is of note that many of these findings match those found in SDNPA’s ‘State of the Parish’ report.

Included in the September 2012 Housing Needs  Survey were a further 20 Parish Plan questions.  These questions covered various topics including transport, employment, road safety, housing types and styles, development and growth of the village, use and content of a village website and villagers top five priorities for the village.

The village has a total of 142 households which were all canvassed as part of the parish Plan.  Of the 142 households 98 (69%) returned their survey questionnaires.

When villagers were asked how they travel to work, 81 (63%) used their cars, 14 (11%) travel by train, 11 (6%) by cycling, 11 (6%) by walking 5 (4%) by bus and 2(2%) other.  When asked about whether villagers would use alternative transport solutions, 47 (36%) villagers would use safer cycle ways, 35 (27%) would use a shuttle service to the train station or Petersfield town centre and 4 (3%) villagers would use a car sharing scheme.

There is a high employment rate within those villagers who returned their surveys.  The 98 households contained 129 adults with 9 (7%) villagers in self employed occupations, 109 (84%) villagers in various employed positions and 11 (9%) retired villagers.  No one identified themselves as unemployed.

The survey asked villagers to identify which type of housing were needed to support a thriving balanced community.  Of the villagers who answered this question 49 (38%) identified family homes, 43 (33%) identified low cost market starter homes, 33 (26%) identified homes rented / part ownership, 23 (18%) identified elderly sheltered accommodation, 10(8%) identified flats to rent or buy, 5 (4%) identified executive homes, and 3(2%) identified other.  When asked which style of new housing would be the most appropriate for the fvillate 59(46%) identified semi-detached, 45 (35%) two storey, 41 (32%) terraced, 31(24%) detached, 15(12%) single storey and 1(1%) three storey.

When villagers were asked how development and growth should be managed within the village 55 (%) identified brownfield sites, 46 (%) infill development, 41 (%) smaller sites and 2 (%) larger sites.  The Survey then asked villager which aspect of new development/planning should the Parish Council pursue.  71 (55%) identified environmental issues, 63 (49%) highway issues, 46 (36%) housing design, 42 (33%) through developers contributions (Section 106), 40 (31%) sustainable urban drainage and 6(5%) other.

Stroud Village website is being designed at the time of producing the Parish Plan.  Villagers were asked what information they would like to see on the website, the majority of the responses identified community related information, including Parish Council minutes, forthcoming social events, school information, bus and train timetables, maps and footpaths, planning applications, newsletters and details of local businesses.

The last question asked the villagers to identify their top five priorities for the village.  A large number of priorities were identified which can be grouped into the following categories:  New village hall; road calming schemes; road safety measures including safer footpaths and cycle paths; improved footpath access between North Stroud Land and Ramsdean Road (Langrish School) and a village shop.

Road safety was a concern to many villagers.  The existing 30 mph speed limit in the village was identified as one of the most significant improvements to road safety in the village.  However villagers thought further traffic calming measures such as 39 mph repeater signs, flashing speed limit signs, speed cameras and enforcement measures were required.