Table of contents
Introduction 1
Executive summary 2
Summary of findings 3
Options A, B and C 3
Opinion of the site 4
Developing the plans 5
Rating the consultation 5
Questionnaire and findings 6
Contact Details 21
Westminster City Council Moxon Street Consultation
Introduction
Consultation sessions for the proposed development of the Moxon Street site in Westminster were held at Council House, Marylebone Road on Tuesday 27th January from 6-9pm and twice on Wednesday 4th February at 11am and 6pm. A short survey was handed out during the session to gain feedback from those who attended.
Seventy seven responses to the survey were collected, with most of those completing it being present at the aforementioned consultation sessions or having responded via letter/e-mail. The results of this survey should be treated with caution as 77 responses cannot be seen as representative of the local community as a whole.
Over four in five (83%) of those who completed the survey are local residents; others who completed the survey are either from local businesses or have other connections with the area.
Prior to the public consultation events, private consultation sessions were held with key stakeholders. The views of these stakeholders were considered and helped influence the options presented at the public consultation sessions.
The key stakeholders are:
· The Marylebone Association
· The St Marylebone Society
· The London Farmers Market
· Howard de Walden Estate
· Parish of St Mary Magdalene
· St. Vincent’s RC Primary School
· St Marylebone CE School
· Portman Estate
· CiT
· Westminster Primary Care Trust.
Following the public consultation sessions, University of Westminster representatives were met with and are now considered to be key stakeholders for the project.
Executive summary
Key findings:
· Two thirds (66%) of respondents who selected an option chose B. Option A was the second most popular with 27% and option C was selected by 4 respondents (7%).
· Development was supported if there were tangible benefits to the community.
· The Farmer’s Market and its location are of great importance to local residents. The majority want it to remain where it currently is or very nearby.
· Building height and accordance with historic building lines are important to residents in terms of avoiding obstruction of views and wind gusts.
· In terms of other community uses for the site a third (35%) would like a library, and three in ten (30%) a GP Surgery/Health Centre. Of the 60% who wrote in another use other than those suggested 26% wanted more open spaces/parks and 26% leisure or arts facilities.
Summary of findings
Options A, B and C
When asked which development master plan option they thought provided the best outcome for the site, two thirds (66%) of those who answered the question selected option B. Option A was the second most popular with 27% and option C was selected by 4 respondents (7%).
Option / Advantages / DisadvantagesA / · St Vincent Street public courtyard
· Increased community uses
· Higher financial return for land sale
· Greater mix of on-site uses / · More densely developed
· Farmer’s market relocated to street
B / · New public square on Moxon Street
· St Vincent Street public courtyard
· Farmer’s market maintained on site / · Reduced financial return for land sale
· Height of development increased
· Does not follow historic building lines
C / · Historic building lines and heights
· Impact of development reduced / · Reduced financial return for land sale
· Reduced mix of uses on site
· Limited residential development
· St Vincent Street not widened
Opinion of the site
Three quarters (72%) of respondents felt that any educational use on this site would be best placed at the southern end. Four in five (81%) would like to see street trees introduced on Aybrook Street. There is divided opinion on the need for shops on the site, with a third (34%) in favour and (39%) against, the rest were on the fence. Sixty-three percent of respondents felt that building heights should conform to those typical of the area.
The Farmer’s Market was a key issue for many of those attending. Respondents chose up to three locations which would be most preferable for the Farmers Market to be held. The four options nearer to the site (Moxon/Albert Street) were the most popular options. Keeping the market on site (Option S) is the clear preference with 60% of respondents opting for this, whilst options T and U received 40% and 30% respectively. Option W gained 36% of the response.
60% of the respondents chose the ‘on site’ option for the placement of the farmers’ market. The off site options that were closest to the existing site were generally more popular than those further away. Option X is the least popular, with 6% (just 4 respondents), followed by Y and Z (8% each) and option V, which gained 10%. See page 9 for a full record of responses.
Developing the plans
One third (35%) of respondents would like to see a library provided on this site, with 30% (18 respondents) a GP Surgery/Health Centre. However, respondents were also able to write in their own answers and three in five (60%) did so. These verbatim comments have been classified and generally a quarter (26%) of these comments mentions the need for leisure/arts facilities, such as a swimming pool or art gallery. The desire for open spaces was also mentioned, with 26% of the responses written covering this. One in five (21%) of those who wrote something in wanted the farmers market to stay.
When asked about the use of open spaces 64% of respondents would consider an outdoor café/dining to be the best use for it. Two thirds (67%) also wrote in some other ideas. The most popular use written in was for a public garden/park/open space (40%). Three in ten (28%) of those who wrote something in continue to favour a farmers market, whilst 13% mentioned a recreational area or piazza.
Forty four people responded to whether they felt there were any other issues that the master plan should consider. One of the most popular responses was car parking facilities, in particular underground facilities, with bicycle parking mentioned. Furthermore, the height of buildings for ‘wind flow’ and ‘gusts’ and ‘light’ are considered important to be kept in check. There was comment that some felt that there were enough community services already, such as GPs, dentists, childcare and libraries nearby. As already discussed some respondents do want these facilities so there is some divide in opinion. There were also continued suggestions that Moxon Street requires more open areas, and that noise issues should be considered.
When asked if they had any further comments, there were some respondents claiming that development of the site was favourable and long overdue, and those who feel Moxon Street needs to protect the open space available and do not want to see an adult education centre on this site. The perceived village atmosphere of Marylebone was often mentioned, with the fear that this development would impact upon it. The open ended nature of these questions, with comments at the back of this report, means that the findings are quite diverse. It would therefore be misleading to give a percentage on how many people supported or opposed the Adult Education Service as this question was not explicitly asked.
Rating the consultation
When asked whether information was clearly presented at the consultation event, 70% of respondents agreed, often commending it as ‘very good’, or ‘very well presented’. However, 11% did not think it was clear and some of these comments discussed perceived bias in the presentations and lack of substantial representation from the council. One in five (19%) people offered an ‘other’ response, suggesting there was too much ‘technical jargon’, or furthering points from previous questions, such as ‘where is the option for more space and not less?’
Other ‘key stakeholders’ who are considered necessary to be consulted as development progresses include local residents, the ‘next generation’/‘students’, as well as local services such as ‘St. Vincent Primary School’ and ‘Faraday House residents’
Questionnaire and findings
Seventy seven responses to the survey were collected, with most of those completing it being present at the consultation sessions or having responded via letter/e-mail. The results of this survey should be treated with caution as 77 responses cannot be seen as representative of the local community as a whole.
Q1: Contact detailsQ2: Which, if any, of the following applies to you?
Answer Options / Response Frequency / Response Count
Local resident / 83% / 60
Visitor to the area / 0% / 0
Local business / 11% / 8
Other (listed below) / 6% / 4
Arts Information Officer, WCC
Library user and library manager - Marylebone
Work at university
Live and work in Marylebone, member of 2 local amenity societies
answered question / 72
skipped question / 5
Q3: There will be additional consultation events through the development of this site. Would you like to be invited to these consultation events?
Answer Options / Response Frequency / Response Count
Yes / 97% / 68
No / 3% / 2
Q4: Which, if any, of the following statements do you agree with?
Answer Options / Agree / Neither agree nor disagree / Disagree / Don't know / Response Count
Building heights should conform to those typical of the area and surrounding development / 45 / 12 / 14 / 1 / 72
Bicycle parking should be introduced along Aybrook and Moxon Streets / 37 / 20 / 12 / 2 / 71
I would like to see more shops on Moxon Street / 24 / 18 / 27 / 1 / 70
I would like to see street trees introduced on Aybrook Street / 58 / 10 / 4 / 0 / 72
Any educational use on the site would be best placed at the southern end, close to other existing educational facilities / 52 / 10 / 8 / 2 / 72
answered question / 73
skipped question / 4
Building heights should conform to those typical of the area and surrounding development / 63% / 17% / 19% / 1% / 72
Bicycle parking should be introduced along Aybrook and Moxon Streets / 52% / 28% / 17% / 3% / 71
I would like to see more shops on Moxon Street / 34% / 26% / 39% / 1% / 70
I would like to see street trees introduced on Aybrook Street / 81% / 14% / 6% / 0% / 72
Any educational use on the site would be best placed at the southern end, close to other existing educational facilities / 72% / 14% / 11% / 3% / 72
answered question / 73
skipped question / 4
Q5: What community uses, other than educational, would you like to see provided on the site?
Answer Options / Response Frequency / Response Count
GP Surgery/Health Centre / 30% / 18
Childcare / 18% / 11
Youth Centre / 10% / 6
Library / 35% / 21
Other (listed below) / 60% / 36
answered question / 60
skipped question / 17
Other (listed below and classified) / Percent of those who stated other and gave an answer
Leisure/arts / 26%
Art gallery
Cafes
Leisure centre with swimming pool
Performance/rehearsal/exhibition space for free/affordable hire
Sports - Garden - Gym - Swimming Pool - Village Hall
Swimming pool and gym
Recreational
Outdoor cafe/dining - sculpture and displays
Play space for St. Vincents School
Leave as it is/Farmers Market / 21%
Farmers Market
Farmers Market
Leave as it is so that the community (i.e. the people that actually live here) continue to enjoy it as an open area, which provides parking for our visitors and a permanent site for the market
None - farmers market 'on-street'
None/maybe a crèche
Not sure we need any more?
Area for Farmers Market
Education centre / 6%
Secondary school - non faith
Main interested in adult education
Care centre for the elderly / 15%
Social centre for the elderly
Care centre for elderly residents or sheltered accommodation for elderly residents
Sheltered accommodation
Day centre for the elderly
More provisions for elderly people and people with babies, etc.
Open/green space / 26%
Most important is public space and good design
Green space - areas for people to sit, relax, eat their lunch - watch the world. See Paddington Gardens at lunch time - it overflows
Open space
Open space
Open space, i.e. Park
Piazza - recreational - no educational
Public open space should be the community use
Open space
Open space
Other / 6%
Not any of these if it is a choice between indoor community use and an Urban Square
Village hall
Q6: Please state which THREE of the following locations you would most prefer the Farmers Market to be held.
Answer Options / Response Frequency / Response Count
S / 60% / 40
T / 40% / 27
U / 30% / 20
V / 10% / 7
W / 36% / 24
X / 6% / 4
Y / 8% / 5
Z / 8% / 5
answered question / 67
skipped question / 10
Q7: Which development masterplan option do you think provides the best outcome for the site?
Answer Options / Response Frequency / Response Count
A / 27% / 16
B / 66% / 40
C / 7% / 4
answered question / 60
skipped question / 17
Q8: If a provision for public open space was included on the site, what would you consider to be the best use for that space?
Answer Options / Response Frequency / Response Count
Outdoor café/dining / 64% / 42
Other (listed below) / 67% / 44
answered question / 66
skipped question / 11
Other (please specify) / Percent of those who stated other and gave an answer
Recreational area / 13%
Recreational
Art and crafty exhibition/market - performing arts.
Children’s playground/green area
There are enough in the area - although a cafe is preferable to restaurants - perhaps an outdoor cinema facility in summer?
Play space for St. Vincent's School is a priority
Public square or piazza / 5%