Date: 07/10/2008
Almost three-quarters of Glossopdale residents now believe Glossop town centre is 'attractive' or 'very attractive', following major investment of more than £2.9 million to boost the local environment.
And 77 per cent of people, interviewed earlier this year, declared they were 'satisfied' or 'very satisfied' with the improvements -- funded, thanks to a successful bid for government regeneration cash by High Peak Borough Council, and carried out in partnership with Glossop Vision.
Following the extensive work -- which included extending stone paving on the High Street and other key areas of the town centre, and improving the appearance of the area around the railway station and its pedestrian link to Norfolk Square -- 73 per cent of residents said they were impressed by the town's smart new look.
This figure has risen by almost a quarter since 2005, when only 50 per cent found the town centre 'attractive' or 'very attractive', and by 15 per cent since last year, when 58 per cent of residents described it as such.
Glossop Vision conducted a survey of 5,000 people in Glossopdale to seek their views on the town centre improvement scheme, how issues such as litter and street cleanliness affected the area where they live and which issues were most important to them.
The number of people 'very satisfied' or 'fairly satisfied' with street cleaning was 66 per cent, compared with 53 per cent in 2005, while those 'very satisfied' or 'fairly satisfied' with the way public areas are kept free of litter was 56 per cent, compared with 44 per cent in 2005.
The percentage of residents reporting dog fouling in parks fell from 71 per cent in 2005 to 52 per cent this year.
Key issues pinpointed by residents as of most concern were street cleanliness (82 per cent), dog fouling (61 per cent), highway maintenance (60 per cent) and gully emptying (49 per cent).
"We are delighted by this positive reaction to the recent improvement work that has been carried out in Glossop town centre -- it's an encouraging vote of confidence and evidence that all the hard work and inevitable disruption was worth it in the long run," said John Haken, Executive Councillor for the Environment.
"We worked very closely with Glossop Vision to find out what residents wanted, within our budget, and to make sure that the work was done as efficiently, effectively and sympathetically as possible. I would like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding while it was carried out -- and I am sure most people will agree that the finished result has made a major difference to the appearance and atmosphere of the town, making it a much more attractive place in which to live, work, visit and shop.
"This project is just part of the Borough Council's long-term commitment to investing in Glossopdale -- including refurbishment work in Manor Park, the new all-weather sports pitch at Hadfield and new play facilities planned in Simmondley. The Glossop Vision survey also highlighted other issues of local concern, and we will make sure that further improvements are achieved in priority areas identified by residents."
Glossop Vision board member Jo Ward, of Volunteer Centre Glossop, said: "It has been exciting and rewarding for the board to be involved in this important project to upgrade the town centre, and the results of the survey are very satisfying. They reveal that we are in tune with local people's needs, and we look forward to continuing to work with both them and our partners High Peak Borough Council to further enhance quality of life in Glossopdale."