St Sampson’s Douzaine wants to hear from parishioners about plans to create a new community blue print for the area.
A mailshot went to all addresses in the parish at the beginning of this month, outlining what a ‘community plan’ is and how it could benefit St Sampson’s and the people who live there.
The leaflet was sent out with parish rates bills.
With St Sampson’s the focus for much future development in Guernsey, the parish officials said they wanted to engage with people who live there to see if a community plan could work.
The leaflet (above) was used to “explain the benefits and potential detriments of a community plan for the parish”.
While creating a community plan would not prevent the parish being the focus of new residential developments, it could help guide the work, said the parish.
“Development and planning are always high on the Douzaine’s agenda as they try to read, research, reflect and respond to the multitude of planning permissions and development frameworks,” said Douzenier Jennifer Merrett.
“There is also real concern as how and when the housing allocated areas within the parish may be developed, what that might look like and how our roads will cope.
A Community Plan is a document created by the community that sets out how those who live, work and spend time in St Sampson want to see it change in the future. When adopted, it becomes Supplementary Planning Guidance and part of the Island Development Plan.
ST Sampson’s douzaine
“We can either continue to do this on a piecemeal approach, or we can seek our parishioner’s appetite for supporting a community plan for all or part of the parish.
“A community plan could help our parishioners’ voices be heard. It can influence development in the parish by identifying needs, aspirations, guiding improvement to the parish led by parishioners. They could help by commenting on how they would like to see the parish develop. It can cover any aspect of community life including housing, services, roads, schools, community spaces, parks and social spaces like a community hub.
“We can continue to be reactive or decide to be proactive by helping develop a community plan.”
Anyone who wants to comment on the community plan idea should contact the Douzaine by 1 June.
If the parish then decides to work on a community plan, a committee would be set up to do that – which Douzenier Paul Watts said would need input from a wide range of backgrounds.
“A community plan would be prepared independently of the Douzaine,” he said. “A community plan committee would take ownership for engaging with parishioners and drafting the community plan, with professional assistance if required.
“Funding for engaging with the community, surveys, presentations etc along with any professional support could be from the Douzaine or the community plan committee could decide to use a hybrid of financial options.”
Community plans in action
Both St Peter’s and St Martin’s have already embraced the concept of a community plan.
St Peter’s launched a public consultation feeding into its community plan nearly five years ago.
A document for the parish exploring the future residential, recreation and economic opportunities for the following two decades was prepared by residents over a three-year period, the first exercise of its kind in Guernsey.
The results included calls for more pedestrian links in the community, and an expanded Post Office.
The St Martin’s plan is said to be “almost finished”.
If St Sampson’s proceeds with setting up a community plan committee, it would look to work with the Vale to reflect the shared relationship the two parishes have, said St Sampson’s Douzaine.
Comment
Anyone who wants to comment on the St Sampson’s community plan idea should contact the Douzaine by 1 June.
You can:
Email: communityplan@stsampson.gg
Write: Le Chambre de la Douzaine , Le Murier , St Sampson, GY2 4HQ
Visit: The Douzaine office is Monday – Friday from 09:00 to 14:30
Call: 244130
Online: Find out more at www.stsampson.gg
Comment: Visit the Constables St Sampson’s Parish Facebook page
