The document summarizes the key findings of a consultation survey conducted by Enventure for the Histon & Impington Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan. Over 2,100 responses were received from residents, workers, students and visitors. The survey found that respondents value the community feel of the area but are concerned about increased traffic, pressures on services, and housing affordability. Respondents favored improving cycling infrastructure and medical facilities over building on greenbelt land. Younger respondents expressed a need for more activities and affordable housing options. The conclusion calls for action to address traffic, parking, and service capacity concerns to maintain the identity of the community as it continues to experience expansion.

1. 21 November 2016
www.enventure.co.uk
Histon & Impington Parish Council
Neighbourhood Plan Consultation 2016
Key Findings

2. Background
• Neighbourhood Plan - vision for Histon &
Impington area over next 15 years
• Put policies in place to help deliver vision
and influence planning permission for
development
• Survey to consult with people who live, work
and study in H&I (and visit) about issues,
priorities and ideas, as well likes and
dislikes
• Findings will be used to draft initial Plan

3. Methodology
• 3 focus groups and 11 in depth interviews
• Questionnaire design
• Paper survey distributed to all addresses in
H&I with pre-paid envelope to return them
• Online survey, publicised via social media,
website and posters
• 2,167 responses received over 4 week period
Mixed methodology - quantitative and qualitative

4. Where responses came from

5. Survey respondent profile
71%
11%
28%
4%
19%
16%
5%
Live here
Work here
Study here
Own or manage
business here
Visit for shopping
Visit for
restaurants, bars…
Other
14%
31%
55%
One
Two
Three or more
36%
2%
15%
23%
19%
5%
Under 16
16-24
25-44
45-64
65+
Prefer not to
say
43%
51%
6%
Male
Female
Prefer not to
say
Gender
Relationship to H&I Age
Number of people in household

6. Perceptions of Histon & Impington today
82% like the
community
“There is a community
spirit. You’ve only got
to sit on the bench for
five minutes and
someone will come
and talk to you.”
“If you live in Histon you
get the best of both worlds.
You do get the rural village
life, but also the amenities
immediately on your
doorstep.”
“People feel
engaged with
the community
that they are a
part of. ”

7. Histon & Impington in the future
“Friendly” and “Safe” community in 15 years’ time
“Although there will be
growth and there will be
changes, it would be nice if
it remained a distinctive
community rather than a
suburb of Cambridge.”
58%
44%
38%
34%
More traffic
Pressure on medical facilities
Affordability of housing
Pressure on school places
Biggest worries about the future

8. Facilities in Histon & Impington
Importance Require improvement
94%
90%
89%
87%
87%
85%
84%
81%
Availability of medical services
Availability of school places
Availability of footpaths &
cycle routes
Facilities for older people
Availability of informal open
space
Availability of formal open
space
Facilities for children & young
people to meet
Supply of affordable homes
54%
53%
49%
47%
44%
39%
38%
35%
Availability of medical services
Supply of affordable homes
Availability of footpaths & cycle
routes
Availability of car parking
Availability of school places
Facilities for children & young
people to meet
Availability of informal open
space
Facilities for older people

9. Additional housing needed
What do we need more of in Histon & Impington?
“I think there needs to be
additional, properly affordable
housing so people don’t feel
they have to move away from
this community if they’ve
grown up here.”
66%
61%
54%
53%
52%
44%
43%
39%
39%
23%
16%
22%
19%
21%
29%
31%
31%
20%
24%
54%
17%
17%
26%
27%
19%
25%
26%
40%
37%
22%
Affordable or starter homes (1-2 beds)
"Growing family" homes (2-3 beds)
Downsize homes for older people
Low cost rental housing
Family homes (3-4 beds)
Bungalows
Flats / Apartments
Care home places
Sheltered housing
Larger homes (5+ beds)
Need more Don't need more Don't know

10. Building on the Green Belt
What do you think about building on the Green Belt?
44%
38%
8%
4%
6%
Don't agree any new houses should be
built on Green Belt
Willing to accept some new houses, as
long as there's significant delivery of
affordable houses
Relaxed about development on Green
Belt
None of above
Don't know
“On brownfield,
on some of the
disused sites,
not onto virgin
Green Belt.”

11. Size of future housing developments
Almost six in ten
agree with smaller
developments, but
most do not agree
with larger ones
What size developments should be allowed?
57%
56%
24%
11%
37%
34%
71%
83%
6%
11%
5%
6%
Small developments (less than 100
houses)
Single housing plots
Medium developments (100-250
houses)
Large developments (250+ houses)
Agree Do not agree Don't know

12. Location of housing developments
23% suggested
north east of
community
28% said “NO” to
new developments

13. Development for energy projects
Comfort with allowing development for energy projects on
Histon & Impington’s Green Belt land
10%
28%
17%
46%
Don't knowUncomfortableNeitherComfortable

14. Expansion of light industrial site
Comfort with expansion of light industrial site off Butt Lane
61%
16% 15%
8%
Comfortable Neither Uncomfortable Don't know

15. Traffic and speeding in the community
58% worry about more traffic in the future “The traffic is getting
a bit crazy.”
37% in favour of changing traffic
routes to avoid sensitive areas
“Anywhere where you’ve got
schoolchildren about I think
should be 20mph zones.”
“In this village all through
traffic comes through on the
main road…I think the only
option here is for us to look
at a bypass.”
33% in favour of introducing
20mph zones in the community

16. Parking in the community
47% think that the availability of car
parking needs improving
“We have a perennial
problem outside the
infant school in
particular with some
people parking
grossly irresponsibly.”
31% worry about car
parking in the future
“If I’m trying to cycle
my children home
safely then the
number of parked
cars makes it very
difficult.”
“People bring their cars and park
in Impington to get to the guided
bus or to the ordinary bus simply
to save on the fare from
Cottenham.”
17% want to see more parking
restrictions

17. Perceptions of local public transport
55% in favour of direct bus services into Cambridge
“They’re supposed to be every
20 minutes but I could be
waiting 40 minutes for a bus.”
51% would like to see a new guided
bus stop towards north west of
community
“If we could have another stop
for the guided bus at the other
end of the village I think that
would really help.”
“I choose to drive in, because if
I take the children in, it’s
pushing ten pounds to get
there and back.”

18. Cycling and walking in the community
59% think best way to reduce traffic and
pollution is to improve cycle paths
“If you really promoted it as a
cycling village and put in some
more cycle lanes and then I think
you would alleviate some of that. I
definitely know people who don’t
need to drive at all, but they never
really think of cycling.”
49% think availability of footpaths
and cycle routes need improving and
89% think this is important
“I never cycle into Cambridge
because I’m terrified of the
traffic.”

19. Things for young people to do
36% of respondents were aged under 16 & 26% of them agreed
that there was nothing for young people to do
27%
20%
18%
13%
10%
Youth / social
club
Better sports
facilities
Safe meeting
places
More parks
Skate park
What is missing?
21% overall agreed that there is nothing
for young people to do

20. Business in Histon & Impington
15% said they worked for, owned or ran business in H&I.
Of these, 41% were based at home
20%
16%
13%
11%
Nothing / no support needed
Provide more parking areas
Better Broadband / wifi / mobile
coverage
Improve public transport / transport
links
How can Parish Council support your business?
“Where is the parking going
to be for people to visit those
businesses?”
“Broadband is absolutely
appalling in certain pockets
of the village…”
“The only thing they could
really do is mention us
every now and again”

21. Key subgroup differences
Significant differences between under 16s and residents aged 16+
Indicator Under 16s Residents 16+
Agree that there is nothing for young people to
do
26% 17%
Want community to be described as ‘modern’ in
future
30% 5%
Worry about fewer jobs and businesses in
future
18% 10%
Think employment opportunities need
improving
34% 15%
Think more low cost rental housing is needed in
the community
66% 49%
Think more family homes are needed in the
community
62% 49%

22. Enventure Conclusions (not Parish Council)
Medical facilities &
school places seen
as important
Many people think
they need
improvement
Important for future if
community continues
to expand
Expectation that
community will
expand
Important that H&I
retains it identity and
continues to be “safe”
and “friendly”
Ensure that H&I does
not become a suburb
of Cambridge
Opinion divided on
whether to build
houses on Green Belt
Some willing to
accept it if it provides
affordable homes,
others against it
If building on Green
Belt, small
developments and
single plots only
Traffic and parking
are increasing
problems
Traffic biggest worry
and almost half think
parking needs
improving
Could potentially get
worse in the future
without action taken