11. Conclusions Vision and Objectives
The proposals that have emerged from the Village Plan exercise range from the immediately achievable, which can be delivered at relatively low cost by existing bodies, volunteers and property owners, to long-term aspirations, which may or may not come to fruition depending on a number of external factors, including land-ownership, finance and cooperation from local authorities and other public and private sector interests.
Both perspectives are equally valid. There is a need to get some “quick wins”, to put into place some action which is a positive outcome of the consultation and work that so many people have put in and without which the whole exercise may be seen as nothing more than a talking shop. At the same time, the Village Plan must also give direction and a vision of how the residents wish their village to develop in the longer term. Only by doing this can measures and actions be put in place to ensure the vision is eventually achieved.
This gives rise to the following vision for the village:
Vision
Silverdale will be a socially mixed, environmentally friendly and economically prosperous community, with recreational, shopping, library and public transport facilities to meet the main needs of its residents and visitors, and housing for local people of all ages who wish to remain there; the community will be working together to protect its special environment and to enable all to enjoy it in a way that maintains enjoyment by future generations.
Objectives
In order to achieve the Vision, the following objectives, which have arisen from the Consultations and the work of the Action Groups, would need to be met. These form the link between the “top down” vision and the “bottom up” actions that have been generated from the Groups. While the detailed actions may change over time, the objectives should remain constant.
- A major improvement in the physical appearance and maintenance of the village centre.
- The provision of a central square, green or meeting place, together with priority being given to pedestrians over cars in the village centre.
- Adequate, clearly differentiated public car-parking spaces in the village centre and at other key locations (e.g. school, bowling club, station)
- Well supported, prosperous local shops at the current level of provision.
- An enlarged library meeting expressed local needs.
- Improved statutory support for emergency cover provided by first responders and the fire service.
- Freedom from anti-social behaviour, disturbance, vandalism and petty theft.
- An enhanced and well publicised bus and train service.
- Road layouts, speed limits and driving behaviour that give priority to the safety of walkers, cyclists and horse riders, without undue visual impact.
- Adequate provision of low cost housing to meet local needs and of accommodation to enable older people who wish to do so to remain in the village.
- All new development to be of high quality design, in the local vernacular, and normally confined to previously developed land.
- Adequate information and liaison to enable local people to influence decisions about the future of their community and to take care of their environment.
- A healthy, low key tourism industry that derives its income from, and so relies on preserving and celebrating, the ecology and beauty of the area.
- Freedom from pollution from dog fouling, noise and other sources.
- Maximum, safe use of existing sports and play facilities; and improvements and extensions to them so as to enable sharing of existing and new facilities.
- Provision of high quality new sports and play facilities to meet the main requirements of local children, young people and adults within the village.