Events Calendar

Took place on Thursday February 28 2008

Community Planning Workshop

HACKBRIDGE WEEK: NOTE OF SESSION ON COMMUNITY PLANNING

This workshop was led by local resident and chair of the Future Hackbridge group, Simon Courage and Graham Dean from Sutton Council. The participants came up with a SWOT analysis of Hackbridge as follows:

Strengths

Economy

Many existing assets (eg, river) which could be used to bring people (and therefore
investment) to the area
Local enterprises and entrepreneurial spirit
Opportunities for new development

Society

Skilled inward commuters to Hackbridge
Community: people say hello to each other on the way to and from the station
Mo with the mobile coffee shop: he helped set up local badminton club
Police safer neighbourhood team
Neighbourliness
Safe area all considered
Community facilities: All Saints, pavilion etc
Not just another uniform London suburb
Medium density
Variety of housing types

Environment

River Wandle and access to green spaces
Good transport links, especially trains
Variety of housing style and age
Good biodiversity
Growing cultural diversity

Weaknesses

Economy

Poor local range of job opportunities for local people
No good, local secondary school

Society

Divides and little communication between different communities
Tribalism of local young people and not a lot for them to do
Antisocial behaviour
Neighbourly in some areas (eg, older streets), not so neighbourly in others (eg,
newer blocks of flats)

Environment

Huge amount of traffic
Fragmented housing areas
Transient population: how to reach them and stabilise residence in area
People don't come out: too little in area to do
Smell from sewage works
Bored young people

Opportunities

Economy

Foster enterprise: more facilities like Sutton business centre
Make use of future growth in labour supply as unskilled jobs move abroad by
creating jobs in area
Create a new Hackbridge secondary school (new population will need this) with
integrated further education and training centre. Make this a national centre for
excellence in sustainable technology and living
Encourage local family commitment to education as investment in children's future

Society

New health centre
New youth centre
Reduce barrier effect of main road(s)
Foster light industry with higher skills
Training and apprenticeships for young people in new, higher skills
use redevelopment of Felnex to create a new centre for Hackbridge near school
and station
Make Hackbridge the gateway to the new regional park
Engage with growing cultural diversity

Environment

General Appearance: improve general environment of Hackbridge; first impressions
at station and environs; better maintenance; lighting; signage; etc
Take ownership of ‘forgotten' spaces and areas
London Road: reduce traffic, re-introduce lorry ban/restrictions
Improve pedestrian environment and public spaces (including links to parks)
Get on with it!!

Type of event: One Planet Living

Related principles: Culture and Heritage Equity and Fair Trade Health and Happiness

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