We were really pleased that 57 local residents completed surveys at our consultation event in October. The results have been very useful in helping us to understand more about how local people would like to use the space and why they might like to be involved in the community garden:

It was particularly interesting to see the enthusiasm for communal growing spaces, with 86% of respondents seeing these as essential. As a result we will definitely be creating shared areas, along with individual plots which are needed to encourage consistent use of the site.

Another important consideration for many respondents was the inclusion of wildlife areas, with nearly 90% seeing these as a crucial element of the garden. We aim to be considerate of wildlife across the site and will be providing dedicated areas to support local biodiversity and native planting such as the Bog Garden, Meadow Areas, Bird Feeding Stations and Nest Boxes.

Social areas also stood out as an important feature to many, with 80% viewing these as an essential part of the garden. The social aspect of the garden was also reflected in the reasons respondents’ gave for wanting to take part, with 80% stating that they would like to get to know their neighbours and local community better. This was coupled with a strong desire by 96% wanting to improve the environment of their local neighbourhood:

We are now using this data and other feedback to refine plans for the garden,  and it is also a brilliant basis to demonstrate the strong support for the garden to potential funders. Thank you again to everyone who came along and took part in the survey!