St John Questionnaire – Comments

Increasing Traffic through Village?

• Increased since traffic calming on Hounster Hill  – Alternative Routes.
• Improved alternative routes.
• Improved alternative routes.
• Improved alternative routes.
• If anything it’s worse with bikes. Restrict traffic to residents only alternative routes Resident and deliveries only.
• Signs saying “Unsuitable for Through Traffic”  Already traffic increase is a problem. Not safe to walk with children, dogs, horses and cyclists.    Accidents from speeding over 20mph – Alternative routes- Anything to stop through traffic to Millbrook. People still drive too fast and do not allow for people walking on road.
• Sat Navs send vehicles down unsuitable lanes like Sunwell Lane.
• More Road Humps needed.
• Chicanes and width restrictions. Too much traffic going through St John. Cars go much too fast causing. problems for walkers horses and children – More signs saying No to through traffic – Alternative routes ie not through St John.
• Improved alternative routes.
• Enough traffic comes through here now.
• Sat Nav problems of deliveries.
• Alternative routes.
• Use of satnavs – Better signs “No through traffic”.
• Proportional increase in traffic only, as many will still not drive via St John.
• Road humps are unsafe need alternative more effective solution.
• Road humps have increased noise with no reduction of speed or volume of traffic Alternative route needed.
• Speed bumps were only slight improvement.
• Alternative routes and stop through traffic.
• We need alternative route.
• Need less bumps but more chicanes.
• Improved alternative main roads.
• Internet delivery effects are unavoidable.
• Speeding white vans short cutting through village.
• Full width humps and cushions do little to slow some traffic.
•  Need flashing speed signs, improved width restriction signs.
•  Increased through traffic causing road wear & noise – improved alternative routes.
•  Internet delivery problems over ford.
•  Improved alternative routes.
•  Lorries and vans are too big to come through village – deliver drivers ignore width signs – need alternative routes with signs.
• Volumes have reduced but speed is still a problem – alternative route improved.
• Traffic has not reduced through the ford.
• Alternative routes needed.
• Add Advisory Signs like “No time advantage”.
• Chicanes would help.
• Current speed measures have reduced problem in St John’s Lane but not in the village itself- Alternative routes needed.
• No more traffic calming – only alternative routes.
• Narrow lanes need resurfacing.
• Chicanes and alternative routes would help.
• Alternative routes please.

Parking in St John?

• Resident only parking – restrictions would only make it worse.
• Too many vehicles parked on road.
• Only parking area is limited plus pub car park. Need small parking area for residents without drives.
• Parking restrictions would cause more problems.
• Parking is OK as we have the pub car park.
• Definitely no yellow lines.
• Parking is not yet a problem.
• Parking is only a problem when events are on.
• Just need some proper roadside parking.
• More employment in parish would increase traffic.
• Sometimes the odd car is left untaxed at side of village hall.
• Sometimes a problem.
• Small car park for visitors.
• Certainly not yellow lines.
• Car park would be good but there is nowhere to put it?
• No to yellow lines- no more urbanization.
• No to yellow lines – God forbid!
• No to parking restrictions as would need to be policed.

Local Buses?

•  Would use if more frequent.
•  More regular service required.
•  They are great and useful.
•  We have one small bus, which is adequate but needs to run more frequently.
•  Unsuitable and infrequent.
•  Present bus seems to suit folk who need to get to Torpoint.
•  Use bus if there was a weekend service.

Development in St John village?

• We are a Conservation Village not a town.
• Need to maintain the look of the village – planning should be made easy to extend existing properties.
• Time moves on and modern buildings should reflect this.
• Houses required only for local need.
• Infill only under tight control – Not more than 10 – Limited possibilities.
• House prices are far too high.
• Infill should be closely monitored and very limited.
• Need to be kept and maintained as a simple country hamlet within a natural beautiful country and wildlife setting.
• Best areas for development are Millbrook Torpoint and Antony.
• St John has a good range of houses which families are free to buy.Affordable housing is good but there would have to be development in St John which is not appropriate.
• Need a small number of extra council houses/flats  Small number of affordable homes.
• Infill should be allowed as there is a lot of wasted space which could be used sensitively.
• Develop Gooseford Lane and Jacks Lane.
• Infill only with similar housing not multi-occupation.
• Creeping development leads to complete annexing of villages.
• No infill – it will put pressure on already minimum services.
• Maintain traditional buildings – gives village charm – please no more development – keep the village as it is – Still enough affordable homes.
• Infill should be allowed for local need – extend if necessary with affordable houses.
• Infill only if in keeping with rest of village.
• Infill but only each on its own merit – not a blanket rule.
• Extending the village boundary will change village completely.
• Infill is inevitable.
• Demography?
• Younger families will move in naturally.
• Need a mix of ages. Older people do not want change and should be more tolerant of younger people.
• Present demographic balance is unavoidable.
• Need more younger families.
• Fine….I’m getting on.
• Not sure how this can be achieved – everyone ages!
• Surely it is about right.
• Happy but would still like to see younger families.
• No to happy with demography – worried!

More accommodation for visitors?

• Don’t want to go the way of Cawsand & Kingsand.
• B&B yes but hotel and holiday lets no.

Other Facilities?

• Street lights.
• Public toilets.
• Play area.
• Tennis court behind village hall.
• Shop and doctor’s surgery.
• Re-furbish village hall.
• Children’s play area behind village hall.
• Play area in village hall grounds.
• Village hall field is not used adequately already.
• Children’s area behind village hall.
• Use of St John’s Inn?
• Needs to be run by local people  – Sell essential goods milk bread etc.
• Another children’s area behind village hall.
• Needs to benefit residents providing prices not extortionate.
• Bread milk local farm produce etc.
• More access to pub children’s play area.
• Basic milk bread stamps papers etc.
• Post office shop bread milk papers.
• PO Facilities.
• Should remain a pub.
• Shop/Pub for basics.
• Milk bread and papers.
• Pub is too expensive to use.
• Maybe bread milk papers.
• Pub play area encourages families.
• Use as village store even post office.
• Use as village store.
• Village store/post office.
• Book exchange/coffee house.
• Newspapers.
• Use as shop.
• Takeaway, community shop/farm & locally sourced products.

Need a Local Shop?

• Not if over priced as they normally are!
• Small shop/tearoom.
• Village stores would be good.
• Insufficient customer base for stand alone shop.
• Would support village shop.
• Yes if prices are reasonable.
• Would use if local produce and reasonably priced.
• Yes for bread milk etc.
• Yes for papers and groceries.
• Yes for staple foods and papers.
• Papers vegetables.
• Newspapers & smaller groceries.
• Small shop would be good idea for basics
• Local veg stamps etc.
• Fresh local produce.
• Fresh produce if competitively priced.
• Basics bread milk papers veg.
• Yes to shop but probably not viable – would try to support.
• Yes we need a village shop.
• A shop would have too much competition from supermarkets.

Protect Wildlife and natural habitats?

• Stop conservation area/fields being dug up and filled with hardcore/tarmac, which has happened already.
• More nesting boxes and reduce traffic flow.
• Better enforcement.
• Reduce traffic.
• Restrict tourists.
• Some of the unused land should be designated for wildlife only.
• Less traffic over ford would help wildlife.
• Close the Ford to traffic to help wildlife.
• Stop speeding especially over the ford.
• Reduce pollution.
• Restrict night time shooting to daylight non-farming times.
• Limit traffic over ford.
• No wind farm to protect wildlife.
• Prevent rubbish from through traffic.
• Better dog control!

Happy with Local Footpaths?

• Maintain signposts.
• Repairing styles and trimming vegetation.
• Better maintenance.
• Keep hedges trimmed and signs pointing the way to go.
• Should be safer footpaths properly graded with gravel.
• Better access to some making sure signs and styles maintained.
• Voluntary events to maintain footpaths.
• We should maintain them ourselves.
• Use groups to clear them.
• Use youth groups.
• Keep them clear – install styles or better gates.
• Stop dogs.
• Better signage.
• Ensure all are open for use.
• Regular trimming.
• Someone with secateurs and saw once a year.
• Regular maintenance and graveled.
• Local volunteers to clear & repair.
• Most seem fairly well managed.
• Better signposting.
• Replace footpath signs.
• Volunteer groups.
• Bridge should be repaired road should be lowered to stop upper part silting up.
• Bridge needs to be repaired.
• Better maintenance, more rubbish collection, stopping traffic cutting up the mud banks.
• Road humps on approach road.
• Stop discharges from sewage works.
• Stop tree felling.
• Improve the road and bridge.
• Improve footpath/footbridge to enable circular walks.
• Main channel needs dredging.
• Maybe better access for bird watching from both banks.
• Ford should be closed to motor traffic – cycle & pedestrian only.
• Mooring facilities/leisure.

Close Ford?

• No – More traffic through village.
• No – Trouble reversing my car each time if it is closed.
• Yes – We could have a footpath only across the Ford?
• No it would increase traffic through the village
• Closing it would mean more confrontation in the lanes
• More traffic through village
• Yes – Close ford except to bicycles and pedestrians

Support Turbines/Renewable Energy in Parish?

• In limited numbers – Not large scale Solar
• Offshore only!
• Only Solar and tidal.
• Don’t bring down fuel bills only cost money only make rich richer
• Council should put solar panels on its property
• Support renewables if benefits local people. Tidal
• Blot on the landscape and Rame could not be classed as AONB. Solar & Waste to Energy is preferred.
• We need renewable energy and should support turbines in parish.
• Would support RE if used for locals.
• Support RE only on appropriate sites.
• Water Energy and Offshore wind.
• Not Wind Farms Not Waste to Energy in Peninsula.
• If cost effective ignoring subsidies  Turbines out of character & Noisy.
• Prevent erection of turbines.
• Against wind power  Believe Nuclear Power is the strategic solution.
• Turbines are too large ugly and loud. Support tidal and solar.
• No to Turbines yes to tidal.
• Tidal, wave, solar and offshore wind.
• Not Wind turbines.
• Would not adversely affect area in numbers proposed.
• Would very much adversely affect peninsula for no environmental gain.
• Would support RE if community/personal led on appropriate scale.
• Object to Mendennick WF but properly planned community WF would be OK
• Tidal and barrage are reliable.
• Support RE as long as it is in the right form No to turbines in parish!
• Support RE so long as it does not create a major eye sore – against Mendennick!
• Turbines proposed are too close to dwellings.
• Turbines would spoil peninsula – noise, naval air traffic & safety issues.
• Solar and tidal should be supported.
• Against turbines in parish – noise problems – tidal and wave power better.
• No as turbines would not attract visitors and be a blot on the landscape- I think they would adversely affect the peninsula – not what those coming to Cornwall would want to see.
• Support RE if sympathetic to environment – No to Turbines in parish – inefficient and destroys visual environment- No to incinerators.
• Seem to be sound arguments for and against turbines.
• No to turbines and no to fields of solar panels.
• No to turbines yes to tidal/wave and limited solar.
• Absolutely no to turbines on Rame Peninsula- support all except wind.
• No to turbines – Planning and efficiency concerns.
• Mendennick would set a precedent.

Improvements needed to Peninsula?

• Restrictions on further housing development.
• More small-scale businesses.
• Local needs housing that is not sold off.
• Development should be strictly controlled – develop Maker Heights.
• Do not cut bus frequencies.
• Better bus service and street lighting.
• Local Store and Infill in character via private enterprise.
• New wide access road to Millbrook.
• Cornwall is too dependent on second homes, tourism and immigration including the English!
• Decent bus service.
• Any further housing industry or commerce would increase the traffic flow through St John!
• Encouragement of small businesses.
• No to supermarkets or national chains.
• Housing limited to local needs – No large estates.
• Yes more industry but limit to existing industrial estates.
• Need piecemeal developments and conversions.
• Reduce traffic cutting through St John and improve public transport.
• Even if the 81 bus stopped at the top of the hill between Raleigh and Antony it would help.
• No to industry, commerce or more tourists – inappropriate traffic/congestion in narrow lanes.
• Public transport and reliable ferry service.
• Road surfaces improvement and winter gritting.
• Biggest problem is proposed wind farm.
• Non use of biological bleaches and disinfectants – more solar use needed.
• Road infrastructure not up to coping with industry, tourists increase.
• Lack of employment, high renting cost, holiday homes deserted in winter.
• Less second homes which make it harder for locals to buy.
• See so many buses with just 2 people on board. It would be more cost effective and less intrusive if they were given taxi vouchers.
• Better road infrastructure.
• Current travel restrictions prevent Torpoint spreading even closer to St John so leave as is.

Biggest Problems in Parish?

• Parking – Traffic – Road repairs – Rat run.
• Improve garden waste collection to reduce bonfires.
• Wind Farm on doorstep needs to be stopped.
• Road humps damage cars and peoples’ backs.
• Through traffic increased since I came here 13 years ago. Reduce traffic as roads can’t take it and not safe.
• Lack of public transport for non car owners.
• Through traffic.
• Traffic through St John.
• Lack of visible police presence – Bring back walking policemen.
• Leave Rame Peninsula alone!
• Stop the expanding boat yard in Millbrook and stop any more social housing.
• Threat of Mendennick Wind Farm.
• Traffic cutting through village.
• Traffic going too fast through village.
• Traffic pollution and threat of Wind Farm.
• Confrontation in the narrow lanes.
• Survival of our pub is vital- we are remarkably content.
• Main road from Tregantle to Millbrook.
• Dumping of rubbish at the ford.
• Too much traffic through ford.
• Reduce through traffic.
• Through traffic volumes.
• Visit St John Inn infrequently so perhaps it is illogical to claim that a thriving pub is important- however that is the current problem.
• Compared with other places I have lived I would change nothing – feel lucky to be here!
• Broad Band speeds.
• Traffic speeds!
• State of the roads.