In 2019 The Ernest Cook Trust and Gloucestershire County Council led a consultation on the potential to create a new sustainable community at Wisloe. Here we outline what you told us.
A community workshop and exhibition were held on the 24 September 2019. Invitations were sent to approximately 1,000 local addresses and 129 people attended. The purpose was to update on the plans and the process, listen to feedback and answer any questions. We posed nine questions to attendees. A summary of responses to each of the questions we asked follows but the key themes were:
Truly sustainable development, helping to tackle the climate and ecological crises
Distinct new place that avoids coalescence between existing settlements
Create better public transport, walking and cycling connections to prevent worsening traffic congestion
Ensure adequate school places, access to health services and other community and social infrastructure
Promote health and wellbeing
Respect and reflect the rural character of surrounding villages, towns and the countryside
Make a positive impact on and link with the existing natural landscape
Improve drainage
This is by no means an exhaustive list. We will be exploring how we respond to these and other themes as we progress and look forward to anyone with an interest working with us.
Summary of responses to individual questions
What's most important to you in creating a vibrant community?
Promotes health and wellbeing including opportunities for exercise
Good links and connections that make Wisloe walkable and welcoming (including for dog walkers)
Mix of housing including genuinely affordable housing
Avoiding coalescence
A vibrant local economy
Protect and enhance the environment and maintain a rural and green feel
What aspects of Wisloe do you think could be improved?
Development should be in-keeping with the existing local character and existing buildings should be sensitively incorporated and respected
Help solve existing traffic issues with improved links and connections, especially for walking and cycling, including finding ways to cross the A38 safely
A joined-up approach to other developments in the area
Providing a full range of houses and house prices
Having places in Wisloe for food production, such as allotments
Reducing noise
Which mixed uses would you like to see in Wisloe?
A new school
Increased doctors' surgery and hospital capacity
New employment and commercial areas including support for existing apprenticeships and local educational establishments such as UTC at Renishaw plc, Rednock School and SGS Berkeley Green
Parks and green spaces
Spaces for sports and recreation and collaboration with existing facilities such as Slimbridge AFC
Shops and other community facilities
Highspeed broadband
Farming retained in the area, possibly producing vegetable boxes for residents in any new development
What does sustainability mean to you?
Keeping people living locally
Highly insulated houses and buildings
Comprehensive energy strategy
A place that still looks good and has integrity in 100 years' time
Retaining some agricultural land
What infrastructure is important to you?
Solution to congestion including at Box Road, the 'M5 end' of the Old Dursley Road and at the entrance to Wisloe
Streets and connections that encourage walking and cycling to reduce car dependency
Improvements to public transport including links to Cam & Dursley station
What green elements do you consider a priority?
Integration into the landscape
Orchards and tree planting
Gravel seams
Agricultural land
Sustainable drainage systems that form an integral part of a landscaping scheme
Car sharing clubs
Carbon neutral – what do you think this means for Wisloe?
A comprehensive energy strategy which explores the benefits of energy and carbon storage solutions
Buildings with low embodied energy
Houses that generate their own energy
Carbon offsetting, creating woodland for example
Electric car charging
What innovation in building design is right for Wisloe?
A mix of traditional and modern looking homes - large and small, terraced, semi-detached and detached - that are high-quality and reflect the local character
Small scale walkable neighbourhoods/villages in keeping with the scale of Slimbridge and Cambridge