North District Council

Green Space Action Plan

An Action Plan of the Green Space Management Strategy

(2014 – 2019)

Green Space Action Plan (2014-2019)

Introduction ...... 3 Hierarchy of public Green Space in North Herts ...... 3 Town Centre Parks and Gardens ...... 3 Neighbourhood parks ...... 3 Countryside Parks ...... 4 Amenity Green Space ...... 4 Grass Verges ...... 5 Capital Programme of Improvement Works ...... 7

A Green Space Action Plan updated 04-02-13 2

Introduction

The purpose of the Green Space Action Plan, a document integral to the Green Space Management Strategy, is to form a structured approach to the development of Town Centre Parks and Gardens, Neighbourhood Parks, Countryside Parks, Amenity Green Space and Grass Verges managed by District Council within the District. This results in a Capital Programme of Improvement Works to produce sustainable management of the Authority’s assets and to make continuous improvement in line with user needs.

Hierarchy of public Green Space in North Herts

Town Centre Parks and Gardens

These are areas of land that are normally enclosed, designed, managed and maintained as a public park or garden. Their primary purpose is to provide accessible, high quality opportunities for informal recreation and community events. They may include equipped play areas, facilities for young people and sport facilities such as tennis courts or bowling greens. Investment in these sites featured heavily in the 2010 -14 action plans and with the exception of Bancroft Gardens in works are now complete. Therefore the current action plans identify little need for investment over the next 5 years in town parks & gardens. In the case of Bancroft a funding allocation was made available in the 2010-14 action plans and this will be carried forward to provide core funding for a Parks for People Lottery application.

Policy for Town Parks & Gardens: To refurbish Bancroft Gardens, Hitchin through a Parks for People Lottery grant. In the case of other town centre parks & gardens maintain the improved infrastructure through existing revenue budgets.

Location Site Avenue Park Hitchin Bancroft Gardens Hine Memorial Garden** Seebohm Garden** Broadway Gardens, Howard Park & Gardens Royston Priory Memorial Gardens* *Awarded Green Flag status for 2012/13 ** Too small to be regarded for Green Flag status

Neighbourhood parks

These are recreational grounds located within or on the edge of towns or villages. They are within walking distance of the main residential areas that they are serving.

A Green Space Action Plan updated 04-02-13 3 They can have a different range of facilities to Town Parks & Gardens, such as sport pitches, equipped play areas youth facilities including skateparks as well as informal open space. In previous action plans these sites received limited investment and due to their proximity to residential areas are now being prioritised.

Policy for Neighbourhood Parks: To provide core funding to allow partnership working with key partners such as Groundwork Hertfordshire and the Countryside Management Service to work with stakeholders to provide enhancements and community ownership of local green space.

Location Site Baldock Clothall Road Hitchin Swinburne St Johns Purwell Cm Ransoms Cadwell King George V Letchworth Grange Baldock Rd Jackmans Creamery Wilbury Royston Newmarket Rd Studlands Rise Great Ashby District Park

Amenity Green Space

These are landscaped areas that have a visual amenity and/or have separate land uses e.g. separating a major road from housing areas, areas of grass within housing areas and business parks and village greens. Their primary purpose is to provide opportunities for informal recreation often close to housing areas or to enhance the visual appearance of residential and other areas. As for neighbourhood previously little investment was made in this area and due to their proximity to residential areas are now being prioritised for investment.

Policy for Amenity Green Space: To provide core funding to allow partnership working with key partners such as Groundwork Hertfordshire and the Countryside Management Service to work with stakeholders to provide enhancements and community ownership of local green space.

A Green Space Action Plan updated 04-02-13 4 Location Site Baldock Nightingale Way NHH

Hitchin Butts Close Burford Way Smithsons Windmill Hill Greenfield Ave Russell Slip Oughtonhead Way Passingham Ave Letchworth Hillbrow Temple Jackmans Central Blackmore Waysbrook Grange Central Royston Burns Rd Serby Ave York Way Briary Lane

Grass Verges

These are landscaped areas of less than 0.1 hectares in individual size but add up to several hundreds of thousand square metres across the District. They have a visual amenity and usually separate a major road from pedestrian pathways.

Traditionally, these roadside verges are frequently cut to short amenity standard however, some areas could be managed to promote wild flower areas by altering the mowing regimes improving biodiversity in urban areas.

They are green routes/linkages including river corridors, major road verges and hedgerows that connect different areas within urban and rural areas and join green spaces together. They provide opportunities for walking, cycling or horse riding routes and for wildlife migration. Further details and actions are contained in the Councils Biodiversity Reference Document - Habitats.

Policy for Verges / Green Corridors: To work in partnership with key partners such as the Groundwork Hertfordshire and the Countryside Management Service to work with stakeholders to provide habitat and recreational improvements to green space

Countryside Parks

These are areas with residual natural habitats. Their primary purpose is for wildlife conservation, biodiversity and environmental education and awareness but may include areas of more formal recreation. These are valuable natural habitats and partnership with the Countryside Management Service has developed conservation management plans which volunteers play a key role in their delivery. The key sites have also obtained Local Nature Reserve status and obtain annual grant funding

A Green Space Action Plan updated 04-02-13 5 from the Rural Payment Agency. They are also suitable for Green Lag applications. Further details and actions are contained in the Councils Biodiversity Reference Document 2.31 Urban Habitats and 2.32 Actions for Urban Habitats.

Policy for Countryside Parks: To work in partnership with key partners such as Groundwork Hertfordshire and the Countryside Management Service to work with stakeholders to deliver the actions of agreed management plans.

Location Site Baldock Weston Hills** ** Hilltop Spinney Hitchin ** Purwell Ninesprings Conservation Area Letchworth * Pix Brook Meadows Quinn Close Conservation Area Jackmans Spinnies Grange Spinnies Howard Wood Royston Bury, Style and Green Walk plantations Studlands conservation area Great Ashby Great Ashby Country Park *Awarded Green Flag status for 2012/13 **Awarded Local Nature Reserve status

A Green Space Action Plan updated 04-02-13 6 Capital Programme of Improvement Works

The capital expenditure indicated is purely estimated. Partnership working and grant outsourcing etc may well alter these figures when the site specific Management Plans and Design Blueprints are formulated.

FIVE YEAR GREEN SPACE CAPITAL PROGRAMME OF IMPROVEMENT WORKS

Proposed Investment

Location Site Investment Year Value Baldock Clothall Road Replace Clothall Rd 2016/17 £15,000 boundary fence and gate Hitchin Swinburne Improve disability access, 2016/17 £30,000 add pathway to Oughtonhead, enhance biodiversity Replace field gate St Johns ------Purwell Improve entrances, enhance 2014/15 £25,000 biodiversity and interpretation. Walsworth Cm Tarmac car park. Enhance 2017/18 £30,000 biodiversity Ransoms Renew Nightingale Rd 2017/18 £10,000 railings. Cadwell Enhance riverside 2015/16 £5000 biodiversity King George V Repairs to car park, signage, 2016/17 £60,000 improve main entrance. Restore electricity to garages Butts Close New path, replace benches, 2015/16 £30,000 replace vehicle gate, historical interpretation Windmill Hill Replace Hermitage Rd wall 2018/19 £70,000 Smithsons Resurfacing, enhance 2015/16 £30,000 planting and biodiversity Letchworth Grange Entrance improvements, remove ascot fencing & add bike restrictors, enhance biodiversity 2015/16 £15,000 Baldock Rd Improve entrances, hedgerow pruning Boundary chainlink fencing, 2014/15 £60,000 Jackmans Resurface car park 2015/16 £30,000 Creamery Wilbury Enhance biodiversity 2017/18 £3,000 Temple Improve accessibility from 2017/18 £7,000 Gardens hostel entrance

Hillbrow Improve accessibility from 2018/19 £30,000

A Green Space Action Plan updated 04-02-13 7 Location Site Investment Year Value garage block entrance, hedgerow pruning & improve boundary fencing Royston Newmarket Rd Entrance improvements 2017/18 £5,000 Great Ashby District Park Pathways, entrance 2017/18 £45,000 enhancements, planting Total £500,000

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