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Cabinet

Report Subject Stour Valley Masterplan Meeting date 18th December 2013 Cabinet Portfolio Councillor Lawrence Williams - Tourism, Leisure & Culture Corporate Lead Bill Cotton, Executive Director – Environment & Economy

Service Director Gary Josey –Director for Housing, Parks & Bereavement Services Status Public Classification For decision

Key Decision Yes

Impacts on Key No Policy Framework Report author Michael Rowland- Parks Development Manager  01202 451632  michael.rowland@.gov.uk

Executive summary To seek adoption of the Stour Valley Masterplan as an overarching plan for the development of leisure throughout the Stour Valley corridor within the borough for the period 2014-2024. The plan is to: maximise accessibility and public enjoyment of this linear corridor on foot, bike, buggy and wheelchair; improve surfaces, signage, gateways and branding; develop facilities at key activity sites at intervals along the route; and to spread visitor pressure away from protected heathland sites in a way that is sensitive to the habitats through which it passes. Recommendations To adopt the Stour Valley Masterplan as an overarching strategic plan for the development of leisure through the Stour Valley corridor.

Reasons for 1. To set an overarching plans for the Stour Valley recommendations and to give consistent direction to the development of leisure and tourism within it. 2. To strengthen the Council’s strategic approach to the mitigation of future pressure on protected heathland sites. 3. To provide opportunities for the development of low impact tourism and leisure within the Stour Valley. 4. To provide space for residents to be more active, enjoy wider leisure opportunities and enjoy nature.

Background detail

1 The Stour Valley corridor within Bournemouth borough runs between Nature Reserve to the south and Millhams Mead Nature Reserve to the north. Within Bournemouth the corridor runs through the wards of East Southbourne and , and Iford, , Throop and Muscliff, Redhill and Northbourne, and North. It shares boundaries with both Christchurch and East boroughs.

2 The Stour Valley corridor includes the following accessible spaces managed by or on behalf of Bournmeouth Borough Council - BBC: Hengistbury Head Nature Reserve, Wick Fields, Riverlands & Tuckton Tea Gardens, Iford Playing Fields, Iford Meadows, Sheepwash Common, Throop Mill Car Park & River Islands, Hicks Farm, Erlin Farm, Muscliff Arboretum, Stour Valley Local Nature Reserve, Pelhams Park & Leisure Centre, Millhams Mead Local Nature Reserve.

3 The Stour Valley Way footpath trail runs between Hengistbury Head in Bournemouth and Stourhead in Wiltshire, a total of 77 miles. The signposting, branding and marketing of the trail is not consistent and it lacks the profile of both National Trails and prominent local trails such as the Tarka, Camel and Otter Trails found in Devon and Cornwall.

4 Hengistbury Head attracts over one million visits per year. It is a popular countryside site and beach site but it also contains areas of special protection including: a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Scheduled Ancient Monument, Ramsar Convention Wetland Site, Special Protection Area (SPA) under the European Union (EU) Habitats Directive and Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the EU Birds Directive.

5 Under both the EU Birds and Habitats Directives BBC has an obligation to mitigate pressure that arises from increased population through local housing development. In partnership with four other local planning authorities in South East Dorset, BBC levies a charge on new housing developments and applies the funds towards projects that provides or promote Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANGs) where the public can enjoy nature. The principle of this approach is to encourage more residents to make more use of less sensitive sites and less use of protected heathland sites.

6 The Stour Valley Nature Reserve, running between Muscliff and Northbourne is a large Local Nature Reserve with capacity to receive increased visitor pressure. A BBC e-panel survey - December 2012 - showed that whilst 93% of residents had visited Hengistbury Head - with 28% visiting at least once per month, only 47% had ever visited Stour Valley Local Nature Reserve - with only 8% visiting once per month.

7 Hengistbury Head is a popular site not only because of its special sea views and harbour views, but also because it provides a natural space with good visitor facilities, allowing longer visits. Many of the sites along the Stour Valley corridor could be enhanced to encourage more visits by improving the quality and facilities and increasing awareness of them.

8 The Stour Valley Masterplan – attached at Appendix One – shows a plan of the spaces along the Stour Valley corridor and gives an overview of areas through which the sites can be accessed and wider spaces that they provide access to, such as Hurn Forest or Bournemouth Seafront.

9 The Stour Valley Masterplan Proposals – attached at Appendix Two – lists a number of current and potential projects and improvements that are likely to increase the popularity of sites along the river corridor and deflect increased visitor pressure away from the protected local heathand sites such as Hengistbury Head, Kinson Common and Turbary Common.

10 The list of projects and improvements within Appendix Two is made up from identified strategic projects through existing strategies and plans, alongside ideas and proposals that have been put forward by one or more of: Staff and councillors from Bournemouth, Christchurch and East Dorset Councils, local residents, statutory organisations – such as Natural and the Environment Agency, and non government organisations – such as Dorset Wildlife Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

11 Projects within the plan will be developed as resources become available or as funding opportunities arise between 2014-2024. However the general order of development should be:

a Improve overall route surfaces and address breaks in route accessibility; b Improve quality signage, gateways and entrances; c Develop facilities at key activity sites.

Consultation

12 Internal consultation has been undertaken extensively across Council departments.

13 In addition broader views have been sought from; officers within Planning and Transport, Parks and the Corporate Asset Management Group, the Executive Director, Director responsible for countryside and Senior Countryside and Planning Officers within Christchurch and East Dorset District Councils, Rights of Way Officer within Dorset County Council, and Senior Officers within Natural England, and the Environment Agency.

14 Bournemouth ward councillors from the wards of East Southbourne and Tuckton, Littledown and Iford, Strouden Park, Throop and Muscliff, Redhill and Northbourne, and Kinson North, this includes the Portfolio Holder for Economy & Tourism. The Chair of the Scrutiny and Overview Panel for Environment & Transport – also of the Heathlands Executive - was also included.

A presentation was made to Scrutiny and Overview Panel for Environment & Transport on 12th November 2013.

15 Views have been sought from a number of interested external organisations who have a significant involvement in the overall Masterplan. These include:

Cherry Tree Nursery, who said: “We thoroughly look forward to hearing more details, and hope it may be an opportunity for mutually beneficial collaborative working.” Also Dorset Cycling Network,Sustrans, Dorset Wildlife Trust, Open Spaces Society, Ramblers, , Parish Council, British Horse Society and Access Dorset.

16 As projects arising from the plan are developed appropriate public consultation will be undertaken.

Options

17 Options exist to add or remove projects and initiatives from the Stour Valley Masterplan proposals list and / or to widen or reduce the area of the plan. The current area of the Stour Valley shown in Appendix One covers a distinct habitat type and a linear corridor with linked sites, similar to the existing Seafront Masterplan. The Masterplan is broad enough to allow for a wide range of projects to be achieved within it and is not explicit that all of those must or will be achieved.

18 A further option to do nothing exists. This is rejected as this offers no benefits and reduces opportunities for grants and funding.

Summary of financial/resource implications

19 The Director of Strategic Finance has been consulted.

20 The adoption of the Stour Valley Masterplan has no immediate effect on Council finances. Individual projects will be developed and assessed for financial implications as and when they come forward. The plan will provide strategic backing for external funding bids and increases the chances of achieving such funding.

21 The adoption of the Stour Valley Masterplan has no immediate effect on Council resources. Individual projects will be developed and assessed for resource implications as an when they come forward.

22 In the event of a project coming forward it will be assessed for future financial sustainability.

23 The plan is an aspiration at this stage, not all projects ideas will be developed. Those that can achieve funding through grants, fundraising and external investment, or are suitable as heathland mitigation projects, are most likely to be developed.

Summary of legal implications

24 The Director of Legal & Democratic Services has been consulted

25 The adoption of the plan strengthens the Bournemouth Borough Council’s strategic position in addressing legal obligations within the European Habitats and Birds Directives.

Summary of human resources implications

26 No adverse effects.

Summary of environmental impact

27 Individual projects and initiatives developing from the Stour Valley Masterplan will be assessed on a case by case basis to assess the impact they have on the Stour Valley itself.

28 The outcomes of the plan have the potential to mitigate impacts of an increasing population on protected heathland habitats.

Summary of equalities and diversity impact

29 An Equalities Impact Needs Assessment has been completed.

30 The outcomes of the plan have the potential to increase opportunities for more residents to enjoy local access to countryside:

a By making routes accessible to buggies, bikes and wheelchairs there is a particularly positive impact on quality of life for children, disabled and older people.

b By improving signage, promotion and the popularity of routes there is a potential positive impact for less confident user groups by increasing perceptions of safety.

Summary of risk assessment

31 An outline risk assessment has been completed. The Stour Valley Masterplan is low risk.

Background papers

Bournemouth e-Panel Survey 2012 Bournemouth Green Space Strategy 2007

Appendices

Appendix One: Stour Valley Masterplan Appendix Two: Stour Valley Proposals