Hart PPG17 Assessment Main Report
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Hart PPG17 Assessment Main Report Contents 1: Introduction 4 The Need for this Assessment 4 The Context for the Assessment 5 The Content of the Assessment 6 Format of the Report 9 Acknowledgements 9 2: Summary 10 Introduction 10 The Policy Context 10 Local Views 11 Audit Report 13 Quality Standards 13 Accessibility Standards 14 Quantity Standards 15 Issues and Options 16 Planning Policy 16 Conclusions and Recommendations 16 3: The Policy Context 19 Introduction 19 Key Points 19 4: Local Needs 21 Introduction 21 Summary of Key Conclusions 22 The Accessibility of Provision 24 What Matters Most to Local Residents? 24 Countryside Issues 25 Pitch Issues 26 Youth Issues 28 Parish and Town Councils 29 Policing Issues 31 Housing Association views 32 General Concerns 32 Good Practice Sites 33 Kit Campbell Associates, Edinburgh: Hart PPG17 Assessment – Main Report 1 of 109 Site Specific Issues 33 Suggested “Wasted Spaces” 35 5: Audit Report 38 Introduction 38 Scope of the Audit 38 Allotments 39 Bowling Greens 39 Equipped Play Areas 42 Multifunctional Greenspace 44 Pitches and Courts 46 Benchmarking 47 Conclusions 49 6: Quality Standards 50 Introduction 50 7: Accessibility Standards 52 Introduction 52 Recommended Distance Thresholds 53 8: Accessibility Assessment 54 Introduction 54 Methodology 55 District-wide Overview 56 Conclusions - Accessibility 61 9: Quantitative Assessment 80 Introduction 80 Quantity Standards 80 Allotments 81 Artificial Turf Pitches 81 Athletics Facilities 82 Bowling Greens - Outdoor 82 Equipped Play Areas 83 Grass Pitches 84 Parks, Gardens and Commons 85 Teenage Facilities 86 Tennis Courts 87 Indoor Provision 87 The Impact of Population Growth 89 10: Issues and Options 90 Introduction 90 Provision Issues 90 Funding Issues 97 Management Issues 100 11: Draft Planning Policy 102 Introduction 102 Principles 102 Draft Policy 102 KCA Development Control Model 104 12: Conclusions and Recommendations 105 Introduction 105 Policy Priorities 105 The Evidence Base 106 Keeping the Community Informed and Involved 107 Volume 2: Appendices A: Methodology Kit Campbell Associates, Edinburgh: Hart PPG17 Assessment – Main Report 2 of 109 B: Policy Context C: Survey of Town and Parish Councils D: Project Greenspace Survey E: The Audit Process F: Audit Report G: Draft Quality Standards H: Draft Accessibility Standards I: Accessibility Assessment J: Draft Supplementary Planning Document Volume 3: Background Notes Project Greenspace Survey: Open-ended Responses Confidential Notes from Stakeholder Interviews KCA Development Control Model Kit Campbell Associates Open Space, Sport and Recreation Consultants Chuckie Pend 24A Morrison Street Edinburgh EH3 8BJ Telephone 0131-229 1006 February 2006 Kit Campbell Associates, Edinburgh: Hart PPG17 Assessment – Main Report 3 of 109 1: Introduction The Need for this Whenever people step outside their home, or place of Assessment work, they enter the public realm – the streets, squares and greenspaces which are an essential component of our villages, towns and cities. If well designed and maintained, they contribute hugely to making somewhere an attractive place in which to live. This is something which the Georgians, in particular, understood well, with their squares and crescents, all facing networks of attractive greenspaces. Greenspace planning, however, has been much neglected since Georgian times, with a few exceptions including the great Victorian parks, the Garden City movement and of course the New Towns. Management and maintenance have also suffered as a result of Compulsory Competitive Tendering for grounds maintenance in the mid eighties. The effect has been sharply to reduce the cost of maintaining parks and greenspaces and too many are now maintained by operatives using machines rather than gardeners using knowledge and skill. At the same time, there has been an increase in vandalism and anti-social behaviour. One result has been that the quality of the public realm has declined significantly in just twenty or thirty years. But in the past 4-5 years, a new greenspace movement has emerged in the UK which champions the value of networks of high quality greenspaces and sport and recreation facilities. Reversing the trend of the three decades will take some time, but the Government has recognised the problem and, with the publication of Planning Policy Guidance PPG17, Open Space, Sport and Recreation, requires planning authorities to undertake assessments of needs and opportunities in Kit Campbell Associates, Edinburgh: Hart PPG17 Assessment – Main Report 4 of 109 their areas. More generally, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister presents much of its work on sustainable communities under the broad strapline of “Cleaner, Safer, Greener Communities” and is requiring local authorities to deliver them. This is also a great opportunity to reassert the importance not only of providing high quality greenspaces but ensuring that they remain of high quality by managing them properly. Effective provision and good management and maintenance are different sides of the same coin and one without the other is likely to be a waste of time and resources. Almost all of the cost of managing and maintaining publicly accessible open spaces in Hart is met Alexandra Park in Hastings from local or national taxation. As there are many other following its recent upgrading – competing priorities for resources, there is an obvious regarded as the “best thing the Council’s ever done” by some need to ensure value for money. This is the background to residents. Why does Hart have this Assessment. It can be summed up as relating to three nothing like this? main things: The need to comply with Government planning guidance The need to bring planning and management together to ensure that Hart is an attractive place in which to live, work and play or to visit The need to match aspirations with resources The Context for the Not all plans and strategies are of equal importance. The Assessment most important, obviously, are Government plans and targets, followed by regional and then local ones. For obvious reasons, those at lower levels of this “cascade” of plans should reflect and seek to deliver objectives set in wider plans. If they do not, planning for the future is disjointed and no-one can be quite sure what their priorities should be. PPG17 notes that “open spaces, sport and recreation all underpin people's quality of life. Well designed and implemented planning policies for open space, sport and recreation are therefore fundamental to delivering broader Government objectives. These include: Supporting an urban renaissance - local networks of high quality and well managed and maintained open spaces, sports and recreational facilities help create urban environments that are attractive, clean and safe. Green spaces in urban areas perform vital functions as areas for nature conservation and biodiversity and by acting as 'green lungs' can assist in meeting objectives to improve air quality. Supporting a rural renewal - the countryside can provide opportunities for recreation and visitors can play an important role in the regeneration of the economies of rural areas. Open spaces within rural settlements and accessibility to local sports and Kit Campbell Associates, Edinburgh: Hart PPG17 Assessment – Main Report 5 of 109 recreational facilities contribute to the quality of life and well being of people who live in rural areas. Promotion of social inclusion and community cohesion - well planned and maintained open spaces and good quality sports and recreational facilities can play a major part in improving people's sense of well being in the place they live. As a focal point for community activities, they can bring together members of deprived communities and provide opportunities for social interaction. Health and well being - open spaces, sports and recreational facilities have a vital role to play in promoting healthy living and preventing illness, and in the social development of children of all ages through play, sporting activities and interaction with others. Promoting more sustainable development - by ensuring that open space, sports and recreational facilities (particularly in urban areas) are easily accessible by walking and cycling and that more heavily used or intensive sports and recreational facilities are planned for locations well served by public transport.” This assessment is very much a local one, of specific relevance to the Hart District. The local context for it is set primarily by the Community Strategy (prepared by the Local Strategic Partnership), together with the Council’s Corporate Plan and the Local Plan (both prepared by the District Council). In the planning cascade, this assessment will contribute to the District’s first Local Development Framework (the replacement for the Local Plan) and also help to set wider Council priorities for open space, sport and recreation provision. The Content of the The Community Strategy, Planning the Future of Hart Assessment Together, seeks to bring together all of the issues affecting the District’s future to ensure that everyone is “pulling in the same direction”. It aims “to improve, sustain and promote the social, economic and environmental well- being of communities in Hart District”. It is based around five broad themes: community safety; safe and affordable housing; environment; transport; and health and well- being. There is also a single “cross-cutting theme” of youth issues. This statement makes clear that the LSP acknowledges and