West Vale Resident Engagement Panel launches with its first virtual meeting

Last month, members of our Resident Engagement Panel took part in their first online meeting to share their views about the area around the Crossbank and Summervale towerblocks and help inform our plans for West Vale.

Our Resident Engagement panel is made up of people who live and work in the local neighbourhood. Over the coming months we will be listening to them to find out what’s important to them. Understanding this will help us decide what we build at West Vale so we create a vibrant neighbourhood where people, families and businesses can thrive.

The panel’s first session was held virtually due to the current Covid-19 pandemic and members were welcomed by our Project and Partnership Officer, Kevin Field.

Using the Place Standard tool

To get to the heart of what matters most to people about the area around West Vale, we’re using a tool called the Place Standard. This uses a set of simple questions about a wide range of subjects including streets and spaces, natural spaces, play and recreation, facilities and amenities and so on. By gathering responses to these questions, we can see what your priorities are.

Our Resident Engagement Panel kicked us off with using the Place Standard tool and we had some very useful conversations based on it. Panel members told us:

• They had questions about how the increased volume of traffic, access and potential temporary access routes during the work will affect them
• Using local businesses as potential suppliers for the development is important to them
• They are interested to know more about how new homes will be allocated to people
• Dust and litter from the site was a concern
• Our plans to prevent antisocial behaviour and flytipping are a priority
• They want to see improved street lighting and parking
• Creating usable green spaces with benches, tables etc is important to them.
• They wanted to know how trees will be managed
• They have questions about how alleyways will be maintained.

Thank you to everyone who contributed during the session. Your input will help inform our plans and we’ll be keeping you updated throughout the project.

Join our Resident Engagement Panel

Our Residents Engagement Panel is open to anyone in the West Street and Vale Drive area who wants help shape the West Vale Redevelopment project. The panel and the West Vale project team will meet regularly to discuss ideas, consult at key stages in the project and address any concerns that local people may have.

If you’d like to be part of the panel, contact us at westvale@fcho.co.uk.