A message from Nick Timothy MP:
Thank you to everyone who has completed my survey on the future of Lakenheath.
You can see a very brief summary of the results below. I look forward to working with residents and councillors in coming months to make sure we use this opportunity to get the very best for Lakenheath.
Best wishes
- The first question of the survey was as follows: ‘The Pride in Place Funding aims to support projects under the following eight themes. Please rank them.’ The largest number of respondents pointed to the following THREE areas as the most important to focus on. a) Regeneration of high streets and heritage as the most important area to focus on, followed by b) Health and well-being and c) Work, productivity and skills. We therefore look in depth at these top three areas of focus below, although the top priorities within each of the other themes is noted below also.
Regeneration, High Streets & Heritage
The top choice in this area was to improve the village centre and Lakenheath High Street which 41% of respondents chose as a number one priority. The next most popular selection was to create or improve green spaces and community gardens, chosen by 26% of respondents as number one. Here is a selection of comments from respondents:
- ‘We need key infastructure to support our growing community. A larger supermarket with a greater variety of stock than the co-op offers. A petrol station/electric charging station would fill a gap.’
- ‘The village of Lords Walk has no children’s play area or community centre. Shameful.’
- ‘Path linking lakenheath and eriswell lord walk and maintain public paths’
- ‘Not exactly Lakenheath, but Lords Walk NEEDS a playground.’
- ‘What will be the old primary school, developed into community hub, unite services.’
- ‘Use some of the money to enhance and improve existing village facilities: village hall, pavilion, playing fields, skate park, church, cemetery, warren, etc.’
- ‘Easier pedestrian access to our surrounding Green areas is necessary to encourage walking, cycling, etc’
- ‘Make it safer to cross the road. Crossing at new school location and park areas’
- ‘Mobile signal in the village is terrible.’
- ‘SEN’
- ‘Repurpose old school for mixed educational and community use.’
- ‘Use old school site for community use. Adult education and Lakenheath Heritage Centre Local community transport – electric bus’
- ‘Traffic calming as come in to village eriswell road end as cars and lorries come at high speed into the village and out of the village’
- Health and well-being
- The top choice in this area was to support community-level health provision which 47.4% of respondents chose as a number one priority. The next most popular choice was improve local sport and leisure facilities chosen by 42.2% as number one. Here is a selection of comments from respondents:
- ‘The current doctors surgery in Lakenheath is struggling to cope with the population already, so something will definitely need to be done if we are going to have 1700 more people living here.’
- ‘Health services in community hub’
- ‘A pool and leisure centre would be great for physical and mental health’
- ‘Currently our available healthcare is dire and with population growth this is an area that demands action, we need a health centre which will actually see you and a dentist surgery too.’
- ‘It would be lovely to have a leisure centre in the village to make it more accessible for young people and those who do not drive’
- ‘Create something similar to mildenhall hub where people can meet, keep fit and activities for all ages. Incorporating cafe/library/safe space, also creating jobs for more people in the village. Having swimming or running track for use by school but also public maybe popular too. Elderly with health conditions can also benefit from a facility like this in the village.’
- ‘We need a walk in centre for things like blood tests and minor injuries etc and a dentist. Current provision cannot cope with more people moving in to the village’
- ‘Please do more for the elderly, reduced mobility, partially sighted and blind.’
- ‘How about our own leisure centre ? I love the cycle footpath idea around the river banks How about safer pathways along high street’
- ‘Invest in new school site for sports facilities that can be used by community- e.g. 4G pitch’
- ‘Improve NHS services, our Doctors will nit be able to cope with the growth of the housing. We need a dentist’
- Work, productivity and skills
- The top choice in this area was to support small businesses and social enterprises which 47% of respondents chose as a number one priority. The next most popular selection was to develop local skills training and apprenticeships, chosen by 37.5% of respondents as number one. Here is a selection of comments from respondents:
- Use the old school site for creating a community hub. The hall would be great for a community space: Epic Dad centre/ toddler groups etc.
- ‘CCTV on all exits/entrances to village. Or at least ANPR.’
- Housing
- The top priority of respondents within this theme was Renew Neighbourhoods and improve local environments with 38.9% choosing it.
- Cohesion
- The top priority of respondents within this theme was Support youth and civil-society groups with 55.7% choosing it.
- Transport
- The top priority of respondents within this theme was Improve roads and local access routes with 58.2% choosing it.
- Safety and security
- The top priority of respondents within this theme was Support policing and village centre management with 45.8% choosing it.
- Education and opportunity
- The top priority of respondents within this theme was Support youth development in schools with 49.5% choosing it.
Other questions
Asked if respondents believed Pride in Place funding should be used to develop more cycle and walking paths in Lakenheath, 72.4% agreed (with 47.4% strongly agreeing) while around 12% disagreed.
Respondents were also asked if they would support more dedicated places for special educational needs and disability provision being created at the old Lakenheath Primary School following the opening of the new school on Station Road. 83% said they supported this idea, with 60% strongly supporting it.
