As seen in the high proportion of people coming to live in Ropley because of its attractiveness, its landscape is a major asset and the most fragile. Conserving this, whilst allowing for the inevitable use of the car and its associated problems of safety and parking congestion, is perhaps the key issue underlying the concerns raised by the questionnaire.
Though many hedges and trees have been lost in the process of farms merging into larger units the parish is still well wooded overall, with many smaller copses and smaller fields, and an excellent network of footpaths, making it attractive walking country. There is a good spread of wildlife, with badgers, foxes and numerous deer. Indeed if you compare the village today with old photographs of 50-80 years ago it’s striking how its appearance has improved, thanks to tree planting and preservation efforts by villagers through the century.
A large area, of 3700 acres, including a lime quarry, farm ponds, ducks, and extensive wildlife. | |
There is substantial underground water, measured and monitored by the River Authority, though this is siphoned off to supply the rivers under their management. | |
The gas and oil pipelines pass underground (but don’t service the village). | |
There’s a very good network of footpaths, bridleways, green lanes; see Ropley Footpaths book, reprinting next year. | |
Open space; recreation ground. | |
Farmers currently use new generation chemicals that break down quicker, leaving fewer residues, which helps wildlife. | |
Two Conservation Areas. |
No large woodland feature. | |
Electricity/telephone poles an eyesore in many areas, particularly in the conservation part of the village. The Ropley Society campaigned for some years to have these put underground, but the momentum was lost. | |
Colonial buildings nearly all gone, creating suburban rather than rural feel. | |
Road names lacking, Hammonds Lane, Maddocks Hill, Vicarage Lane, Church St | |
Litter a problem, particularly generated by the young coming from school buses, also fly tipping in farmers’ gateways and fields |
When asked what should be done to help protect the environment, 62% of respondents identified recycling as the main action. The second priority was for an improvement in public transport but there is little evidence from the questionnaire that people are prepared to use it. A similar situation is expressed by 35% of the people with the desire to reduce traffic, whereas the all-round use of the car seems likely to increase. There was also general support (approx 25% of the respondents) for improved rights of way, energy saving and more local employment.
Recent government legislation to protect hedgerows and other countryside amenities struck an accord with the wishes of the majority of the village with 70% of the 300 respondents expressing a willingness to help with the protection of wildlife habitats and 200 offering their services to maintain footpaths.
When asked what landscape features should be protected, 650 (80%) voted for hedges and ponds. These were closely followed by trees, open spaces and banks.
A high number of people (844) answered questions on improving the environment of Ropley and on roads, lanes and paths to make the countryside more attractive. Analysis is almost impossible, the tables show the support for each action and allow the reader to make their own judgement.
When asked what disturbances do the residents of Ropley suffer from the answers were somewhat surprising with 48% of people complaining of low flying aircraft and 34% by microlights. Analysing the location returns shows that the highest number of complaints are from the outer areas of the village. Traffic noise is the next biggest offender with houses near the A31 Winchester Road being affected most.
Whilst not yet a major problem for the village as a whole (17% complained), this is more likely to worsen in the future as the pressure to urbanise the village grows.