Residents’ rating of 10 priorities that arose during the Village Consultation from early this year and from previous consultations.

The draft Neighbourhood Plan will reflect residents’ priorities and their relative importance to one another.

• Have regard to the national planning policy and advice
• Contribute to the achievement of sustainable development 
• Be in general conformity with strategic policies contained in the development plan for the area of the authority

Q1. WHAT IS GOOD ABOUT THE AREA?

Over 90% of respondents stated that the Open Spaces, Wildlife, Walking, SANGS and the Canal area as the top good thing about the area. Quiet, low crime aspect was the next top response along with good rail & road links to major towns. The Village Green/Play Area was also a popular response. A significant number of respondents were also positive about friendly residents, a positive community, village feel, Deepcut Café and Milano’s.  

Q2. WHAT IS BAD ABOUT THE AREA?

Over 70% of respondents felt that the lack of a supermarket/shop and other amenities was a negative factor. Many commented on the levels and speed of traffic and poor road conditions in the village. The impact of construction works, poor bus service, lack of health GPs and pressure on infrastructure figured highly. Some residents are clearly experiencing anti-social behaviour of varying forms; noise, apparent drug taking, dog fouling and littering. The MOD’s poor care of its estate, including the housing stock and noise from the military area were mentioned frequently.

Q3. WHAT MAKES A NEIGHBOURHOOD GOOD TO LIVE AND WORK IN?

Echoing responses from Q1, Opens Spaces and access to Green Spaces was identified by over 50% of respondents as the biggest factor in making a neighbourhood a good place to live. Considerate, helpful neighbours; local amenities such as a small supermarket and grocery/butcher/bakery shops; a pub/eating places were also identified by almost 50% of responders also featured highly. A quiet peaceful environment and frequent village events/activities were also classed as positive beneficial elements of a good village. Respondents identified a sense of community; taking pride in the village, a mix of resident ages would be factors in a positive village environment.

Q4. WHAT PRESSURES AFFECT THE AREA NOW AND IN THE FUTURE?

Pressure on the infrastructure once the 1,200 homes were built on the old Princess Royal Barracks site; traffic levels in the future and indeed now were also major concerns along with future parking availability. The increase overall in housing units was felt to be a pressure too; indeed, the nature of the village and the retention of green spaces were felt to be at risk due to the level of growth.

Q5. WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE?

The single biggest need was for a small supermarket/village shop, closely followed by better public transport; parking and residents and business demonstrating a sense of pride in the village through better care of public spaces and shop fronts and environs. Speed control, improvements to the condition of DBR and Lake Road; health facilities, community events – and the Pub - were also high on people’s wish list.

The Deepcut Neighbourhood Development Plan has been created to establish a vision for the village and to help deliver the local community's aspirations and needs for the plan period, supported by policies to manage land use and development.

It will be a statutory document, part of the Surrey Heath Borough Council Local Plan and planning framework and used to determine planning applications within the Deepcut Plan area.

It must comply with the following basic conditions (National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) Planning Guidance para 065)

• Have regard to the national planning policy and advice
• Contribute to the achievement of sustainable development 
• Be in general conformity with strategic policies contained in the development plan for the

area of the authority

• Be compatible with EU regulations

The Committee has looked at the Village Consultation from early this year and combined with previous consultations has developed a list of 10 key issues that Village residents and neighbours are most passionate about.

We would like to make sure that the draft plan reflects those priorities and their relative importance to one another.

To do that, we would be most grateful if you could complete a short survey, link below.

Once we have the results, the information will be shared with you all.

Survey closing date:   30 NOVEMBER 2021

SPRING 2021 CONSULTATION HAS NOW ENDED BUT FEEL FREE TO COMPLETE & RETURN IF YOU ARE NEW TO THE VILLAGE OR FORGOT TO COMPLETE ONE.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO GATHER INFORMATION TO HELP WITH POLICY DEVELOPMENT.

Please see below a word doc so that you can save your changes and send it back to us. Thanks. Please send responses to secretary@deepcutforum.org.uk.

We will also be sending it out as a leaflet to all the village.

Deepcut Neighbourhood Forum (DNF) committee members were able to secure feedback on 7 September 20016 when they attended the PRB Development Update meeting. Many visitors were kind enough to voice their preferences for a future Deepcut Village or took the questionnaire away to respond further at their leisure.

Preferences at the event in relation to the wider Deepcut Village centred around:

• Need for traffic calming measures along Deepcut Bridge Road
• Protecting the ‘green lung’ which runs up from Lake View Road to the golf course
• Addition of a local gym
• Protection of the trees throughout the village
• Need for medical facilities in the village itself
• Much support for creating a better village centre, access to the church, a local pub
• Necessity of reducing traffic and improving parking in Deepcut Bridge Road

The Forum welcomes everyone’s views and will be incorporating as many as possible in the Deepcut Neighbourhood Plan being created at the present time.

Please, whether a resident, employed here or a visitor, let us have your ideas and thoughts to help us with the plan so that it truly reflects what we all want for the future of Deepcut Village.

Contact: stakeholdersconsultation@deepcutforum.org.uk

Or

If you have any time to help the committee, any particular skills you may feel would be helpful or news for us, please contact: secretary@deepcutforum.org.uk

If you live, work or play in Deepcut, it’s time to tell us what you want for the future

Deepcut Neighbourhood Forum Consultation:

Please tell us - What do you love about Deepcut?   OR What don’t you like?

Business and enterprise development

Have you been in contact with the new Deepcut Business Forum which has already started collecting ideas from local businesspeople? They’ll be very pleased to get your input. We know that about one in ten local residents is self-employed and perhaps working from home, rather than in the few business premises locally. The growth of Deepcut will bring lots of new opportunities. Whether you employ others, or work as a sole-trader, we need to know how you see your business developing and what infrastructure you need in place in order to survive and thrive in this area over the next five to ten years. Tell us the positive changes you want (eg quicker broadband) so we can help to publicise and encourage these positive developments

What to do now  We need to hear your views. This is how you can let us know what you think:

Pick up a questionnaire in the café, in the Spar, at the village centre, fill it in and return it to us at the address below. OR You can go to our website on www.deepcutforum.org.uk  to download and complete our questionnaire, which should be returned to the address given at the top of the page.

OR We will be leafletting your area in the next … weeks. Please respond when you see something come through your letterbox.

OR We will be holding meetings locally over the next three months. Please look out for notices on the website and in public places locally.  We will also be contacting key stakeholders by phone to talk about their plans for the area in the future and how they fit in with residents’ preferences.

If you should wish to share any of the above information please feel free. Attached below are two downloadable items in pdf format for you to share with anyone you feel is interested - thank you.