The Millbrook Neighbourhood Plan Awareness Meeting for Community Groups was held on Saturday 23rd March 2013 in Millbrook Scout Hall

List of organisations who attended:

The Friends of Millbrook Surgery	Margaret EdwardsZoe Fowler
The Friends of Mount Edgecumbe Country Park	Val HOrsley
Maker Junction	Simon De GrootRichard Gavens
Millbrook Arts & Crafts Society	Margaret Edwards
Maker Woodlands Group	Colin & Sue Bull
Millbrook Computer Centre	Zoe Fowler
Millbrook Friday Club	Muriel Winter
Millbrook Lake Moorings Association	Bruce Selkirk
Millbrook Scouts	Rosemary & Peter Hancock
Millbrook Village Hall Committe	Zoe FowlerBob Woffenden
Rame History Group	Cynthia Gaskell Brown
Rame Peninsula Public Transport Group	Bryan PullingerM Parker
Rame Renewable Energy	Kevin Mattholie
St Germans Rail User Group	M Parker
Rame Peninsula Male Voice Choir	Fred LuckcraftRoland Stuart
Tanyard Market Community Group	Maggie Palmer
Torpoint Youth Group	Jayne WalkerSue Fowler

Questions were asked about:

Business and the Local Economy

Q.  Do you regularly use the local shops & Post Office?

99% responded ‘yes’

Q.  What about local provision for shops in the community?

Replies were:

• Adequate but unnecessary competition; Co-op needs to tune into local needs & users without cars.  National goods delivered in large vehicles.
• Allow for internet shopping & rise in van & lorry deliveries.
• Very good but some people do not use them at all.
• A few responded to using local shops daily / almost every day but not used for bulk shopping.
• More publicity needs to be given to the mobile bank which calls at Millbrook every Monday and a ‘Free’ parking space should be provided.
• Post Office is a much needed facility for pensioners & banking.
• Local shops & Post Office are essential for residents.
• Maker Junction sources as much as possible in local shops, farms and local service providers.
• Banking facilities via Post Office has good potential.
• No infrastructure access – too many large lorries.
• Lorries find it difficult to deliver goods.
• Reduction in business rates would encourage more shops.
• Balance of shops or should be governed by economics not subsidy.
• Shops provide a good service, especially the independent shops however there is a premium on product pricing in Co-op.
• Suggestions for more shops / services included a bakery, butchers, a take-a-way food service open on a Sunday and a launderette.
• An electric car power point would be useful.
• Several respondents expressed concern of the loss of the petrol filling station in Millbrook.We have a relatively good range of shops – it is sad that in West Street two shops are closed which makes the street look less prosperous.

Q.  ‘In principle’ would you like to see more business/employment opportunities in the Rame Peninsula?

The following comments were received:

• Petes Garage would be an ideal building to be converted into business space with possibly accommodation above.
• Business opportunities need in the village not outside area.
• Plenty of facilities – Maker, Gallows Park & Retail Park in Millbrook – need economic mood to improve.
• More employment within the area would be good – small industry, craft & tourism opportunities.  Cycle hire?   Learning to sail courses.
• Building more houses is ‘not’ viable without the infrastructure to support people.   Millbrook needs more employment opportunities.
• In principle any employment which will help to keep young families in the villages would be more welcome.
• The school needs to be developed to cater for the rising number of young families.
• Businesses both large and small would be encouraged in the Peninsula.
• Gallows Park has great potential – needs to demonstrate good security for users / potential users – CCTV? Linked alarm to constabulary?
• Apprenticeships for young people in heritage skills to work on both traditional boats & land based heritage assets.
• The support of creative arts is strong in the community.
• Existing businesses should be supported to increase workforce training & opportunities to increase capacity through affordable shared housing as well as attracting new businesses or new builds.
• The Peninsula cold use its heritage assets to create employment through conservation and then through development of accommodation and economical space.  Developments should be carbon neutral to help sustain new enterprise and protect the unique natural environment.
• Keep public spaces like Maker Heights a community asset.
• Top priority should be target local youth unemployment & homelessness.

Yes if small, ie craft / art – we have many talented artists & craft people in the area.

Q.  What are your views on home working and aspirations for business space in the local community?

Comments included:

• Potential for better & small scale businesses, eg Gallow Park / Millbrook Business Park could be revitalised & set up as  ‘Transit Depot’ –“Mother Ship” to deliver large scale goods to, eg refrigerated units then   distributed in small trucks.
• Use the water as a means of bringing in heavy goods
•  Focus on Insworke Peninsula with brownfield areas, old quarries.
•  Use Tregantle as transit point.
• There is a severe lack of infrastructure to allow small / home businesses to scale up gradually within the local community.
• There is lots of local derelict space which could be utilised for this purpose.
• Building for Youth Homelessness key.
• Affordable accommodation for apprentices.
• Micro and small businesses need flexible accommodation.
• Business space should be developed at appropriate level, ie space for creative start up, artist studios, digital media, heritage culture are key.
• A hub that is accessible for homeworking – competitively priced printing would be helpful.
• Maker Heights would be a good resource if access was easier, i.e. road repair is urgently needed.
• Not enough attention is paid to the potential of spaces such as Maker Heights & other historic buildings providing excellent opportunity for niche business accommodation.

The ‘Green’ Issue?

Attendees were asked to tick if they are IN PRINCIPLE in favour of the following;

Windpower                                       6 in favour2 opposed

Solar power                                     9 in favour1 opposed

Ground source heat pump –              10 favour1 opposed

Biomass                                          8 in favour

Tide Energy

Feedback:

• These comments all positive if assessed with the environmental impacts for a very unique natural environment.
• We have a Ground Source Heat Pump & Biomass at Maker Heights and we are looking for significant investment of 50K+ in solar at the moment.
  These energy saving measures are business critical for local micro & SMES.
• I am quite satisfied with waste collection & recycling materials but would like a ‘free’ collection of garden waste.
• ‘Green’ is all about achieving a self-sustaining balance. Any progress towards this in the community is highly positive. Self-sufficiency in the locality is the target.
• Tide & ground source give more consistent energy but involve significant capital costs unlikely to be provided by private enterprise. Would public money be available???
• Biomass-saving subsidies are available.
• Research Insworke Peninsula derelict areas (quarries) for business development and housing rather than using more obvious greenfield areas.
•  Recycling – develop businesses to recycle GRP boats (many redundant vessels using quarry space).
• Support local produce.
•  Home energy – could MPC provide forum on its website where parishioners could share tips & experience?
•  Local food will always struggle against the power of supermarkets unless mood or economics change.
•  Encourage use of waterpower – research steams, old leats etc. & use small scale water powered turbines (eg Cotehele Mill).
•  It would be good to have a dump for house waste more local than Saltash or Taphouse.
• Solar panels for homes need to be very well subsidised to be affordable.
•  Investigate possibilities for green / sustainable / renewable energy generation (in line with government targets).
• There would be significant economic, environmental and social benefits if more people could be encouraged to use the local shops.
•  All measures highlighted (support of local produce/recycling facilities/growing food – allotments / street lighting / home energy saving measures) would benefit the community and make the local economy more resilient – high demand for this locally.

Street Lighting?

Comments received:

• Should not be on all the time.
• Can be (and is) a great pollutant at night in Millbrook – it should be kept to bare minimum – can sensors be used?
• Turn off Street Lighting from midnight to 6am. Power may be cheap at this time but will not be in longer term.
• Street lighting should be on sensors so not on all the time.

Traffic and Transport

Q.  How do you travel?

	Individually	Community Group
Own Car	12	6
Cycle	2	1
Bus	3	3
Other	3	1
Community Bus		1
Walk	3
Ferry	2

 

Do you regulary use	Cremyll Ferry	TorpointFerry
Often	4	11
Sometimes	2	4
Rarely	1
Never

Q.  Does your community group use the Cremyll Ferry?

Regularly             =         3 respondents

Infrequently       =         5 respondents

Q.  Does your community group use the Torpoint Ferry?

Regularly            =          5 respondents

Infrequently       =          3 respondents

Q.  If you don’t use the Cremyll and/or Torpoint ferry, what are the reasons?

• The cost of the bus for a very short distance is too expensive.
• Disabled transport is too expensive.

Other comments received:

•  Would like a more frequent bus service around peak times – I would not use my car for work if this was available.
• Using local facilities could significantly reduce the need to travel.

Leisure and Recreation

The following questions were asking regarding Leisure & Recreation?

Q.  How often to you/members of your group use or visit the following in the Rame Peninsula?

	Often	Sometimes	Rarely	Never
	Number of ticks provided
Playparks	2	1	4	5
Tennis Courts	1	1	1	9
Millbrook lake / lakeside	12	2
Millbrook Tanyard	4	3	3	1
Local beaches	9	2	2	2
Other suggested local open space;Maker Heights	4
Mount Edgecumbe Country Park	7
Millbrook Creek	2
Empacombe / Public Footpaths	1

Q.  Which 3 from the list below are most important to you?

Playparks	6
Tennis Courts	2
Beaches	9
Tanyard	2
Lake / lakeside	10
Other – suggested sites included Maker  Heights and The Creek	5

 Q.  Why are these areas important to you?

• Places for young people and families to go.
• There is currently youth provision on a Monday evening within Millbrook Football Club, a Youth drop in provided by Torpoint & Rame Youth Group –   young people have requested a more dedicated space.
• Natural beauty and for recreational purposes.
• Pleasant environment.
• Recreation which is free!! is important in a rural community where wages are quite low.
• Places for young people and families to go.
• Maker Heights – very important as community orientated.  Meeting / open spaces for community activity / business / recreation.
• Tanyard is at the centre of the village and one of the first things people see when they drive in – a lovely space for community projects.
• TheTanyard provides a pleasing garden oasis in the centre of the village, though it could be vastly improved by taking away the central round flower bed and providing a level surface for activities.
• The lake and lakeside amenity is vital to wildlife and brings tourism.
• Lake –  nature reserve / dog walking.
• Maker – café – artistic community / beauty.
• Creek – Millbrook Parish Council has jurisdiction over mooring and other activity in creek via Millbrook Lake Moorings Association (MLMA).  Approx. 100 parishioners have moorings but use is much wider via friends and family.  Creek needs to be considered in any local plan as it has great potential in addition to current use / interests.
• I play tennis once a week and will encourage my grandchildren.
• I walk to the beach when I have time.
• Playparks – grandchildren activity.

Q.  If you do not use any of these areas often please explain why?

• MLMA as a group, local facilities are not used, however group members as private individuals use all facilities listed.  These should be allowed to thrive or wither depending on local support.  If folk want it they will show interest in time – beware of subsidies, gives false improve of real importance of facilities to parishioners.
• Do not use playpark because too old! But maybe when grandchildren come along.
• My children are now grown up and do not have a need for playparks.

 Finally … the suggestions box

• All Saints Church – Small congregation is struggling to keep it going.  Some development here; perhaps Methodist Church Hall not used to a potential.
• Young people of Millbrook need their own dedicated youth facility.
• Young people are the priority of any development plan and need to be included.
• Water and river to be used.  Historically the village came into existence because of its situation on the estuary.
• Water and river to be used.  Historically the village came into existence because of its situation on the estuary.