Category: Uncategorized

The Neighbourhood Plan Business and Tourism group have launched a local business survey to find out more about how local buisnesses feel about doing business in the Hurst Green area.

Are you a business owner, an employee of a local company, or perhaps thinking about starting a business, or a resident who is interested in local business? 

Please consider completing the online survey, it will only take a few minutes and will help us drive real change through the neighbourhood planning / improvement process. 

You can access the survey online at: [survey concluded]

For an alternative response method, or to request a paper format, please contact the Clerk to the Parish Council via email at clerk@hurstgreen-pc.org.uk or via telephone on 01580 860111.

The Neighbourhood Plan group have conducted a survey of local residents around their attitudes towards tourism in our area.  

The design and the subsequent analysis was freely undertaken by volunteers from the Neighbourhood Plan. 

Summary of results from residents completing the survey:

• Do you think people consider coming to or staying in the Hurst Green area for tourism?
  
• Visiting friends, and the local attractions and landmarks were the main reasons people thought attracted visitors to Hurst Green
  
• Not enough local attractions or landmarks, as well the area not having enough shops were among the top reasons residents thought were putting visitors off visiting the Hurst Green area.
  
• Nearly 90% of respondents thought the visual appearance of the village was important is to residents and visitors. 
• Over a third of respondents were in favour of sensitive tourism development in and around Hurst Green, and thought that Hurst Green could serve as a gateway to the surrounding area and local attractions.
  
• Interestingly, over 80% of respondents weren’t aware that the largest Napoleonic barracks in Sussex (around 4,000 people) was located just south of Hurst Green at Silver Hill.

Read the full survey results:
Evidence #37 – Hurst Green Neighbourhood Plan local tourism survey

Following the Neighbourhood Plan Local Housing Demand Survey, the Neighbourhood Plan conducted a survey of local residents around their attitudes to car parking.  The respondents from around the Parish represented around a fifth of local households.

The design and the subsequent analysis was freely undertaken by volunteers from the Neighbourhood Plan and by Parish Councillors. 

Summary of results from residents completing the survey:

• Nearly 70% of residents said they were unhappy with the parking situation in their road, rising to over 80% of residents who lived on Station Road and London Road.
• 100% of residents who lived in Coronation Gardens, Foundry Close, Great Oak and Dairy Close were unhappy with the parking situation in their road.
• 90% agreed that Hurst Green does not have enough available and safe car parking for residents.
  
• Nearly a quarter of residents reported that their car or vehicle had been damaged whilst parked on the road or pavement around Hurst Green.  While less than 3% of residents thought it was safe to park or leave their vehicle parked on the A21.
• 91% of respondents were concerned about people parking on the pavements and grass verges around Hurst Green.
• 85% of respondents were concerned about parking on Station Road (the road the Village Hall is on) near to the junction of the A21.
• 71% of respondents would be supportive of the Parish Council providing nearby allocated car parking spaces to rent at low cost.
• 82% of respondents were supportive of double yellow lines near to road junctions in and around Hurst Green.

Read the full survey results:
Evidence #36 – Hurst Green Neighbourhood Plan local car parking survey

Using the feedback from resident surveys and from public events held throughout 2018 and 2019, our community has decided that our vision for our Neighbourhood Plan is:

Health and Happiness

Hurst Green will become a thriving, safe and friendly village within the High Weald, along with the hamlets of Swiftsden and Silver Hill, which foster a healthy lifestyle and encourage residents to live active, social and meaningful lives.

Business, Economy and Tourism

We will strongly support local prosperity and will create a thriving village community, that supports existing and new local businesses, and seeks to boast a prosperous, well-presented village, where people want to live, work and visit.

Housing

We will support sustainable and sensitive housing development that enables us to deliver on our vision and objectives, developing the facilities that are needed to address the current and future needs of our community.

Travel and Transport

We will seek to remove all non-local traffic from the Parish’s existing roads, creating an environment that reduces the speed of motor traffic and encourages walking, cycling and low carbon transport over car-use for shorter journeys.

Land and Nature

We will go to great lengths to protect and promote our outstanding natural environment and will seek to improve access to the countryside and our nearby green spaces, restoring land for the benefit of people and wildlife.

Aims

To help us deliver our vision, the following 9 aims have been developed by the community for the Neighbourhood Plan, these are:

1) Protect against inappropriate and speculative development and to provide guidance and greater influence over how Hurst Green should be developed in the future.

2) Improve public safety and reduce the harmful impact of road traffic, while providing sufficient parking for the community.

3) Develop local planning policies for Hurst Green which development proposals should adhere to.

4) Create an environment that encourages residents to live active, social, meaningful lives that promote good health and well-being.

5) Bring forward action on facilities and improvements, which are needed by the village of Hurst Green; and the hamlets of Silver Hill and Swiftsden.

6) Improve the visual appearance and overall perception of Hurst Green as a place where people want to live, work and visit.

7) Enhance our existing, and create new open green spaces and improve access to the countryside.

8) Increase business, retail and tourism opportunities to encourage local employment, and grow the local economy.

9) Conserve and enhance the built and historic environment and improve the general street scene around the parish.

Together we can succeed where other communities have failed. To volunteer, or if you are interested in finding out more, please contact  Steve or Andrew by completing our expression of interest form.