Redevelopment survey: what Roehampton REALLY thinks

As the illustration above shows, there's been a fantastic response to my consultation on the Council's plans to redevelop the top end of Danebury Avenue. Nearly five times as many people completed my survey than bothered to return the council's "heads they win, tails you lose" survey in the library at the end of July.

I've published a detailed report on the results of the survey: you can download a copy here.

I have news for the Council. On not one single aspect of their new plans for Roehampton do they have a local mandate to proceed. Yes, people think Danebury Avenue can - should - be better. Yes, they would like to see some investment in the area. But no, not at any price, and certainly not at the price being demanded by the Conservative Council. Among the key findings:

• 91% oppose building on the green space at the top of Danebury Avenue beside the library
  
• 72% demand that all or most of any new homes built here be affordable
  
• 66%, when forced to choose between the Council?s plan for a supermarket that would send hundreds of lorries and cars down Danebury Avenue or no supermarket at all, say no to extra traffic
  
• Even on the one issue the Council claims clear support for: the demolition of Allbrook House above the library, 45% said no to this in our survey, compared to 34% who agreed with the council

If we genuinely care about Roehampton; if our intent really is to provide better facilities and more opportunities for the Alton Estate and to better unite the Alton with Roehampton Village, then these findings cannot be ignored. Roehampton has spoken.

The Council must now listen and respond appropriately. It must suspend these plans as there is clearly no local support for them. It needs to return to the ideas it tore up earlier this year, upon which it has consulted more extensively. And it must look seriously at whether the best course is simply to renovate and redesign the existing buildings instead of its wasteful and unnecessary slash-and-burn approach.