From June 07 onwards we gathered views from as many people as possible about their own area within Petersfield, and other areas, such as the Town Centre.

In order to achieve this the Town was split into 25 areas. All area summaries have been completed. You are, however, still encouraged to contribute to these areas by adding comments at the foot of the area summary page itself. Your comments will be considered and the summaries may be amended.

These were the responses to the unstructered public consultation on the launch Saturday. They are not all relevant to the Design Statement but are recorded here as they are all valuable. Some of these views may be used by other future projects run by Petersfield Tomorrow.

Comments collected at our launch event on June 16:

• Financial support for The Kings Arms youth centre.
• Toilets on The Heath very poor.
• Too many cafes and coffee shops being built - far too many.
• Pedestrianise The Square! It is a wasted resource when the market isn’t there (which is great) but can coexist.
• Too many coffee bars. Keep the small shops. Improve entrances to the town.
• No pedestrian centre.
• Library and post office are important.
• Ban all traffic on High Street and The Square.
• Clean up the town - too much litter everywhere - it is shameful! No more eating places.
• Whole centre of the town pedestrianised.
• Too many pubs. More clothes shops please. It is an excellent place. Convenient with the station. Nice cafes for lunch.
• Carrier bag free town.
• Pedestrianisation will be the death blow to the centre of Petersfield.
• The sooner the High Street is pedestrianised the Square gentrified the better. Andy Millar.
• Against pedestrianisation. Guide dogs need kerbs. Very uneven surface. Adverse effect on vibrancy.
• Pedestrianise the High Street at weekends and zebra crossing and make it more twee.
• Pedestrianise The Square. An annual event like the Harting Festivities for Petersfield.
• Get rid of traffic on the High Street on a Saturday.
• No parking in The Square. Deliveries before 9 am. Daily cleaning of the town.
• Independent shops - not twee!
• More facilities for young people - shelters, playing fields, inexpensive sport facilities and activities. Promotion and funding of Kings Arms essential.
• Please a pedestrian way at The Square area. Thank You.
• Underground car park.
• Too many pot holes.
• Around the station is a real mess. No cleaning outside the town centre.
• Parking in roads near the station - please help us make our residential roads safer and maybe restrict speeds.
• Street cleaning - Sunday mornings at least, to clear up from Saturday nights (pubs to pay).
• No to pedestrianisation but please better crossing points, kerb drops for push chairs and wheelchairs. Wider paths. Not courtesy crossings that mean nothing.
• Pedestrianise High Street at weekends.
• Tesco - oppose expansion, EHDC should have good representation to deferral. Important to keep local green spaces for wildlife. Local independent shops are very important to keep.
• Fountains in the Heath pond. (for visual effect and to aerate the pond for the fish)
• Petersfield has unique character, friendly. Industrial development should be discouraged, would spoil the town character.
• More parking in centre.
• Pedestrianisation of High Street to be a priority.
• Too many flats and high density housing being built.
• Children’s centre along lines of Sure Start.
• Do NOT pedestrianise the High Street.
• Stricter planning controls on new buildings in conservation area.
• Move statue to Festival Hall car park. Modern hexagonal cafe on centre with removable sides. Ice creams and kids in the middle of town.
• Change name back to St.Peters in the Field.
• Do NOT pedestrianise High Street.
• Playgrounds - please invest and update. Remember families and children live here too.
• Avoid pedestrianisation - visit Hemel Hempstead and Chesham town centres to see the impact - less atmosphere - kills town.
• More clothes shops less cafes.
• More buses please - difficult connections and sometimes impossible. Library needs support - is being run down - no telephone directory there. Proper cinema - tragedy to knock down art deco building. Silly to have Kings Arms in a rubbish building when you can refurbish the art deco building.
• Keep green spaces.
• Make good use of space next to The Market Inn. Cut down the conifers and open up.

View photographs from the launch event in The Square, June 16th - Click HERE

Comments collected at our public consultation 14 July 2007

Controlled traffic crossing needed for High Street.
No more coffee shops please (eg Costa, Rams Walk)
Confusing pedestrian crossing on High Street.
Lavant Street: More thought should go into the design of buildings before they go up. Lavant Street is a prime example of thoughtless buildings.Why is the street not more used by people? Because it has no beauty anymore. Build yes if you have to, but keep it in sympathy with a beautiful character town.
High Street congested. Pedestrains only? (on Saturday’s and Wednesdays?)
The Village needs a controlled crossing for older residents to get into town.
More parking places for disabled people in the Square, please - there is only one at present!
Car parking needed behind Lavant Street to be two storey.
Lavant Street should be one way.
Maintain tourist office (discussion in September by EHDC)
No more eating places please!! - or food outlets.
Litterbins need closing lids.

Do you think Petersfield should be located within the South Downs National Park?

Yes - please, we must stay within the park.
Yes - Otherwise we shall be swamped with property developers.
Yes - Do not spoil our residential roads with blocks of flats.
Yes - Petersfield should remain in the National Park plan to maintain it’s natural beauty and market town character.
Yes - It will hopefully help to preserve a beautiful market town and surrounding green areas.
Yes - To preserve the town.
Yes - Everyone in the country needs beautiful places to visit.
Yes - stunning surrounding countryside. Do not want the SDNP to be urban fringe for tourism.
Yes - Petersfield should be the central hub of the South Downs National Park. It has good transport links and facilities.
Yes - Petersfield is bordering the downs and should not be excluded from national park status.
Yes - Petersfield is a lovely market town and needs to be preserved as such so please keep it in the South Downs National Park.
Yes - The countryside within Petersfield and close to the town boundaries offer a flora & fauna that is complimentary to the “official geological chalk downs” that in itself is stunning and adds to the beauty of the area.
Yes - If not there will be lots of property built and developed.
Yes - To preserve the character of town.
Yes - Along with the villages of Steep and Sheet.