Community and Stakeholder Consultation (2018) Forming part of the South Worcestershire Open Space Assessment and Community Buildings and Halls Report (FINAL MAY 2019) 1 | P a g e South Worcestershire Open Space Assessment - Consultation Report Contents Section Title Page 1.0 Introduction 4 1.1 Study overview 4 1.2 The Community and Stakeholder Needs Assessment 5 2.0 General Community Consultation 7 2.1 Household survey 7 2.2 Public Health 21 2.3 Key Findings 26 3.0 Neighbouring Local Authorities and Town/Parish Councils/Forum 29 3.1 Introduction 29 3.2 Neighbouring Authorities – cross boundary issues 29 3.3 Town/Parish Councils 34 3.4 Worcester City Council – Ward Members 45 3.5 Key Findings 47 4.0 Parks, Green Spaces, Countryside, and Rights of Way 49 4.1 Introduction 49 4.2 Review of local authority policy and strategy 49 4.3 Key Stakeholders - strategic context and overview 55 4.4 Community Organisations Survey 60 4.5 Parks and Recreation Grounds 65 4.6 Allotment Provision 68 4.7 Natural Green Space, Wildlife Areas and Woodlands 70 4.8 Footpaths, Bridleways and Cycling 75 4.9 Water Recreation 80 4.10 Other informal amenity open space 82 4.11 Outdoor recreation in areas of sensitivity and biodiversity 83 4.12 Other comments and observations 89 4.13 Key Findings 90 5.0 Play and Youth facility provision 93 5.1 Review of Policy and Strategy 93 5.2 Youth and Play facilities – Stakeholders 97 5.3 Key Findings 102 6.0 Concluding remarks 104 2 | P a g e Glossary of Terms Term Meaning ACRE Action with Communities in Rural England ANGSt Accessible Natural Green Space Standard AONB Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty CCG Clinical Commissioning Group EA Environment Agency FiT Fields in Trust GI Green Infrastructure HAP Habitat Action Plan HIA Health Impact Assessment IDP Infrastructure Delivery Plan LAP Local Area for Play LEAP Local Equipped Area for Play LNR Local Nature Reserve LWS Local Wildlife Site MHDC Malvern Hills District Council MRC Main Rural Centre MUGA Multi Use Games Area NDP Neighbourhood Development Plan NEAP Neighbourhood Equipped Area for Play NICE National Institute for Health and Care Excellence NPPF National Planning Policy Framework PC/TC Parish Council/Town Council PPG17 Planning Policy Guidance Note 17 RA Ramblers Association ROWIP Rights of Way Improvement Plan SAP Species Action Plan SSSI Sites of Special Scientific Interest SPD Supplementary Planning Document SWC South Worcestershire Councils SWDP South Worcestershire Development Plan WASt Woodland Access Standard WCC Worcestershire City Council WDC Wychavon District Council WWT Worcestershire Wildlife Trust Acknowledgments Many individuals, groups and organisations have provided information, views and support in preparing this study. Input from these stakeholders is fundamental to the report, and provides the basis for the evidence in supporting the standards, options and recommendations in relation to open space and outdoor recreation facilities. The study has been carried out by Ethos Environmental Planning in conjunction with associates Leisure and the Environment. 3 | P a g e 1.0 INTRODUCTION This is one of three reports provided within the overall Open Space Assessment for South Worcestershire 2019. It is a supporting document to the two main reports: The Open Space Study and the Community Buildings Study. It provides consultation findings from various stakeholders and feeds into other aspects of the study as explained below. 1.1 Study Overview The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2018 requires local planning authorities to set out policies to help enable communities to access high quality open spaces and opportunities for recreation (Section 8 – Promoting healthy and safe communities). These policies need to be based on a thorough understanding of local needs for such facilities and opportunities available for new provision. In view of the above, in 2018 the South Worcestershire Councils (Malvern Hills District Council, Worcester City Council and Wychavon District Council, (collectively abbreviated as the SWCs) appointed Ethos Environmental Planning to provide an up-to-date and robust assessment identifying needs, surpluses and deficits in open space and recreation facilities1 to support the production of the review of the Local Plan. In summary, the main requirement of the brief is to provide an open space assessment (including community buildings) to assist the South Worcestershire Councils in identifying local needs for different types of open space and recreational facilities and to derive open space standards and the levels of provision required in new development. These standards then need to be applied to the study area to: • Identify areas that may be lacking particular types of facilities and illustrate where attention should be focused with regard to providing new or improved facilities, and where Developer Contributions should be sought/spent; • Provide robust evidence to resist inappropriate development on open spaces; • Identify any open spaces that are surplus to requirements; • Establish an up-to-date evidence base to help to inform the SWDP policy review of open space provision during the Local Plan review period, and assist in future monitoring of open space and recreational facilities, including any allocated through Neighbourhood Plans; and • Enable the SWCs to establish strategic requirements for existing urban areas and potential new allocations, including the possibility of a new settlement. The assessment will also provide evidence to enable the SWCs to develop stronger funding bids when looking to improve provision in deprived areas or provide specific facilities that the study indicated are needed in particular areas. In order to meet this brief Ethos are providing: • An Open Spaces audit and assessment2 • A Community Buildings audit and assessment3 As such the overall outcome of the study will feature two main reports as noted above drawing upon an evidence base appropriate to each study comprised of: 1 Excluding pitch sports which have been covered by a separate Playing Pitch Study (PPS). 2 Including play space and natural green space/recreation 3 Excluding swimming pools, leisure centres and dedicated sports halls. Community Buildings refers to local village halls and community centres. 4 | P a g e • Consultation and engagement with all relevant key stakeholders, agencies and organisations as well as the wider community and general public; • A detailed audit of all open spaces, outdoor recreation facilities and community buildings (as defined within the scope of each assessment report); and • Analysis and assessment of the adequacy of current and future facility provision based on recommended national guidance such as that provided by national government, Fields in Trust, Play England and ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England). 1.2 The Community and Stakeholder Needs Assessment This report makes a cross-cutting contribution to the overall study in providing evidence that will be used in both of the main study reports4. It primarily relates to the Open Spaces Assessment but relevant findings and information will also be carried forward in the Community Buildings Study. In the two main reports (Open Space Assessment and Community Buildings Assessment) the consultation findings will be combined with other evidence, findings and assessments such as that completed in the audit, mapping and analysis process. Undertaking comprehensive consultation and engagement with all relevant stakeholders and the wider community is an essential part of the overall process. It is an expectation of the NPPF and is needed to ensure that the study is robust in relation to recommended national guidance. The report examines local need for a wide range of different kinds of open space and recreation facilities. It has drawn upon a range of survey and analytical techniques including a review of consultation findings from relevant play, leisure and open space studies. It outlines the community consultation and research process that has been undertaken as part of the study as well as the main findings. The consultation report is made up of four main sections: • General community consultation • Neighbouring local authorities; and town and parish councils • Parks, green spaces, countryside, and rights of way • Play and youth facilities Each section provides additional detail on the consultation process relevant to that section and at the end of each section there is a short summary of the key findings. The consultation and research programme was undertaken from August to October 2018. The extent of the research reflects the breadth and diversity of the study and a consequent need to engage with as wide a cross section of the community and stakeholders as possible5. In summary, questionnaire surveys were undertaken as below: • A general household survey (postal and online) • A survey of town and parish councils 4 Additional consultation has also been undertaken in relation to Community Buildings. These additional findings will be included in the Community Buildings Study. 5 It should be noted that this report provides consultation evidence in the form of the observations and views/opinions sourced from many different organisations, individuals and studies. On occasion the views and observations expressed by individuals and groups may not be consistent with each other, nor are such individual contributions necessarily accurate or up to date. 5 | P a g e • Local groups and organisations’ surveys In addition to the above a number of