Westmill Neighbourhood Plan
Across June and July of 2025, we gathered feedback from Westmill residents in a variety of ways, including surveys, ideas boards, the map tool, eight Neighbourhood Action Week events, and The Big Door Knock.
We’re pleased to share an update on the progress we’ve made so far based on your feedback, which will play a key role in shaping the draft Neighbourhood Plan for Westmill.
When we asked for your thoughts on the five key areas we had previously identified as being important to your community, you told us that they didn’t fully reflect what matters most (scroll down to see what those five key areas were). Based on what you said, we’ve now revised these areas and updated the actions, which are outlined below.
These actions are still in the planning stage and may evolve further, but we want to keep you informed as we continue to develop them.
Anti-Social Behaviour and Safety
| You said… | What we’re doing… |
|---|---|
| There's a lot of anti-social behaviour across the neighbourhood. | We’re working closely with the local Police team to understand known areas of concern and explore opportunities for CCTV in the local area where possible. If you feel unsafe in your home or community and need support, please let us know here. |
| There is a lack of lighting that encourages anti-social behaviour. | We’re looking to meet with Hertfordshire County Councillors to explore what options might be available to improve lighting across Westmill. |
| You'd like a review of the CCTV across the estate. | We're looking to work closely with our Development team and North Herts Council (NHC) to review the effectiveness of the cameras. |
Community
| You said… | What we’re doing… |
|---|---|
| You'd like more affordable youth activities. | We're currently reviewing what's already available in the community and how we can best support local groups and the community centre to communicate these activities. |
| You're not sure what's on in your local community, or when. | |
| You'd like more community events and residents' meetings. | We’re exploring ways to empower residents to host community events, led by residents for residents. We also hold a Joint Steering Group for the redevelopment of John Barker Place around eight times a year at Westmill Community Centre. If you’d like to find out more, or how you could get involved, click here. |
Grounds Maintenance and Cleanliness
| You said… | What we’re doing… |
|---|---|
| There is a lot of litter and fly tipping. | We’re working with our Estates team to identify key areas where resident-only locks may be suitable. We’re also exploring the use of friendly reminders across the neighbourhood to encourage everyone to dispose of their waste properly. |
| The bin areas in communal blocks are overflowing and aren't being collected frequently enough. | Although bin collections are managed by your local council, we’ll share this feedback with North Herts Council and continue working closely with local partners to help improve the area and keep your neighbourhood a great place to live. |
| The cleaning standards in communal areas and blocks are not meeting residents' expectations. | We're working with our estates team and partners on this. You can find more details about what we're doing here. |
| There are a lot of overgrown areas that aren't being maintained. |
Transport and Speeding
| You said… | What we’re doing… |
|---|---|
| There isn't enough parking around John Barker Place. | We’re working with our development team to explore the possibility for adding more parking bays in the next phase of building. You can stay up to date with progress at John Barker Place here. |
| There are a lot of speeding cars, particularly near Mattocke Road | Our neighbourhood team is looking to arrange a meeting with the County Councillor, local Councillors, and the local police team to talk about concerns around speeding on the estate. |
| There isn't enough pedestrian crossings across Westmill, and I find it hard to cross the road safely. | Our neighbourhood team is planning to meet with the County Councillor to discuss and recommend suitable locations for zebra crossings and pedestrian island crossings. |
June - July 2025
A huge thank you to all Westmill residents for your involvement in the recent Neighbourhood Action Weeks and Big Door Knock visits!🙏🏼
Between 23 June to 17 July, we hosted various activities in Westmill, focusing on the five key areas that residents identified as most important to them.
Through 800 Big Door Knock visits, community centre drop-ins, and a number of events as part of our Neighbourhood Action Weeks, here's what we learned from you...
Previously...
Between April 2023 to March 2025 we received valuable feedback from residents, helping us identify the areas that matter most in your community. We gained this feedback through Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM's), Neighbourhood Action Weeks, Big Door Knocks, complaints, transactional surveys and more.
Here are the five key areas that were highlighted:
- More communal cleaning and maintenance
- Bin areas
- Lighting concerns
- Residents meeting
- Parking.
We asked residents to let us know if they agreed with the five key areas above, or if they'd like us to focus elsewhere.
Through hotspot data, we also found that many residents have previously raised concerns about damp, mould, and condensation, as well as anti-social behaviour. We included questions on these areas too, so we could be confident we’re focusing on the issues that matter most to you.
If you have damp or mould in your home, report it to us immediately on 0330 343 0016 or use the button below.
A message from Joe Williams, Executive Director of Customer Services
"I encourage all residents to join in on these important discussions, whether at community events or here on settle connect.
Your participation is key to making sure the commitments we make genuinely reflect the needs of your community and local neighbourhood. Where we are not directly responsible for an area or service, we will aim to work with the partners to make improvements."
At Settle we are relentlessly resident focused. Our aim is to provide homes residents are proud of and build communities that are welcoming to all.
Our 2030 plan has been developed by feedback from residents, colleagues, and local partners with priorities and commitments shaped by what we know is important to you and your community. Neighbourhood Plans empower you to have a say in how we deliver the 2030 vision in your area.
We believe that working together with residents and community partners can create real opportunities for positive change in your neighbourhood.
