Yateley Town Council Planning & Community Policies 1987

The 1987 Town Plan was designed to be a repeat of the 1981 Town Map Review. Although a non-statutory review the objective in 1987 Plan was to form the basis of the Town Council's future policies. It was issued to higher levels of local government "in the expectation that it will contribute to planning the proper needs of the town with respect to facilities, infrastructure, transport, planning applications and other matters which affect the community of the Civil Parish."

Public Participation

The Town Plan noted that the population of Yateley had risen from 4,469 in the 1961 Census to 20,449 in the 1981 Census. As in 1981, questionnaires were delivered to all households and a total of 741 were returned representing just over 10% of the Civil Parish. When asked whether they considered the "general level of facilities, health, schools, public transport etc is adequate" 74% said NO. Well over half those responding had lived in Yateley less than 5 years, and 7% had lived here more than 25 years. Only one third did their weekly shopping in Yateley, another third shopped in Camberley, but only 5% shopped in Fleet.

Community Issues

The 1987 Town Plan covered a very wide range of community issues including a survey of shopping facilities, education and school attendance numbers, allotments, car parking, recreation, community halls, the Blackwater Valley Recreational Project, Blackbushe Airport, and Gypsies. Policies were included for each topic.

Land-use planning issues

Transport & Highway policies were put forward including the establishment of services to railway stations. Inevitably the planning constraints to the north and south, floodplain, common land and SSSI, were quoted as making major new development "impossible". "Because of an acute shortage of land within the Parish of Yateley there should be no further land released for residential development in and around Yateley". It was conceaded that "a limited amount of infilling may be necessary, but in considerng whether large individual properties should be demolished for redevelopment, care must be taken to retain the existing character of the area."