Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area Avoidance and Mitigation Supplementary Planning Document Appendices (Consultation Draft)

Bracknell Forest Borough Local Development Framework www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk September 2011 Appendix 1: Thames Basin Heaths SPA 1 Appendix 2: Consideration of Development Proposals Affecting Internationally Designated Sites 2 Appendix 3: Residential Development likely to have a Significant Effect on the SPA 3 Appendix 4: The Identification of Strategic SANGs 5 Appendix 5: Full Assessment of SANGs 14 Appendix 6: SANGs Enhancement Works 55 Appendix 7: SPA Avoidance and Mitigation Costs 61

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Appendix 1: Thames Basin Heaths SPA Map of the Thames Basin Heaths

As endorsed by Thames Basin Heaths Joint Strategic Partnership Board Page 12 of 12 12 February 2009

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 1 Appendix 2: Consideration of Development Proposals Affecting Internationally Designated Sites

Figure 1: Consideration of development proposals affecting Internationally Designated Nature Conservation Sites

Is the proposal directly connected with or necessary to Ye s site management for nature conservation?

No

Is the proposal likely to have a significant effect on the No internationally important interest features of the site, alone or in combination with other plans and projects?

Ye s

Assess the implications of the effects of the proposal for the site's conservation objectives, consult English Nature and, if appropriate, the public

Can it be ascertained that the proposal will not Ye s adversely affect the integrity of the site? Permission may be granted No, because there would be an adverse effect or it is uncertain

Would compliance with conditions or other restrictions, such as a planning obligation, enable it to be Ye s Permission may be granted subject to ascertained that the proposal would not adversely affect the conditions or obligation the integrity of the site?

No, because there would be an adverse effect or it is uncertain

Are there alternative solutions that would have a lesser effect, or avoid an adverse effect, on the integrity of the site? Ye s No

Might a priority habitat or species on the site be adversely affected by the proposal?

No Ye s

Are there imperative reasons of overriding public Are there imperative reasons of overriding public interest, which could be of a social or economic interest relating to human health, public safety or nature, sufficient to override the harm to the site? benefits of primary importance to the environment?

No Ye s Ye s No

If minded to grant permission, planning authority must notify the First Secretary of State and must wait 21 days

Permission must not Permission may be granted subject to the Permission may only be granted for other be granted First Secretary of State securing that any imperative reasons of overriding public necessary compensatory measures are interest, following consultation between taken to ensure the overall coherence of the Government and theEuropean Natura 2000 is protected Commission and subject to the First Secretary of State securing that any necessary compensatory measures are taken to ensure the overall coherence of Natura 2000 is protected

7 Source: Circular 06/2005 Biodiversity and Geological Conservation

2 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Appendix 3: Residential Development likely to have a Significant Effect on the SPA

1. A total of 343 dwellings were approved prior to SPA designation.

2. There are also a number of sites with permission which have already, or have capacity to, provide a bespoke avoidance and mitigation solution. This includes the following large sites (2,373 in total) with full permission, plus others:

The Parks at RAF Staff College (605 net dwellings) - outline and reserved matters applications approved, permission falls to be reviewed under Regulation 63 and, should mitigation be required, the Council will work with the developers to provide a bespoke solution; Jennetts Park, also known as Peacock Farm (1,500 net dwellings) - outline approved and a bespoke solution is now approved; Celsius, London Road, Bracknell (268 net dwellings).

3. A total of 2,696 dwellings in the housing trajectory are sites with permission which have provided a bespoke solution, or sites which will be reassessed on their own merits at a later date as part of a Regulation 63 review, therefore should not be considered further in this strategy.

4. Since the beginning of the plan period, some development, not likely to have a significant effect on the SPA (mainly by virtue of its location more than 5km away from the SPA), has been permitted. These permissions total 69 dwellings.

5. The Core Strategy housing provision can therefore be broken down into two parts: one which is not likely to have a significant effect on the SPA (large sites with bespoke solutions and permissions granted which are not likely to have a significant effect [2,696 + 69= 2,765]) and one part which is likely to have a significant effect.

Table 1 Breakdown of Proposed Housing

Number

A Total housing provision in Core Strategy DPD Policy 10,787 dwellings CS15 plus a surplus of 7 dwellings(1)

B Housing provision not likely to have a significant 2,765 dwellings effect

C Housing provision likely to have a significant effect 8,022 dwellings (all expected to provide SPA avoidance and mitigation measures) in line with the SPD (2006-2026) (A-B)

D Developments Providing Bespoke SANGs(2) = 3,925 dwellings dwellings on three large sites(3) allocated for comprehensive development in Core Strategy DPD

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 3 Number

E Total no. of dwellings contributing to strategic 4,097 dwellings SANGs (2006-2026) (C-D)(4)

1. As shown in the Site Allocations DPD Preferred Option (November 2010). 2. Due to their size, the urban extensions identified in the Site Allocations DPD will also be expected to deliver bespoke SANGs. On adoption of the DPD, the number of dwellings on these sites will be removed from the calculation of total dwellings contributing to strategic SANGs. 3. Land north of Whitegrove and Quelm Park (2,200 dwellings), land at Amen Corner (725 dwellings) and Bracknell Town Centre (estimated 1000 net dwellings). 4. This includes 601 dwellings providing mitigation in accordance with the original Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy.

6. This shows the total number of dwellings (2006-2026) in the Core Strategy DPD provision likely to have a significant effect is 8,022. All these dwellings will be expected to contribute to the SAMM Project and provide SANGs unless a Habitats Regulations Assessment concludes no significant effect on the integrity of the SPA as agreed by BFC, in consultation with Natural England .

7. Some developments, because of their size, will be expected to provide bespoke SANGs. These are dwellings on two large sites allocated for comprehensive development in Core Strategy DPD (totalling 3,295). These are therefore removed from the calculation of the contributions to strategic SANGs.(1) As stated previously, these developments will be expected to contribute to the SAMM Project.

8. A total number of 4,097 dwellings will be expected to contribute to strategic SANGs between 2006 – 2026.

1 Due to their size, the urban extensions identified in the Site Allocations DPD will also be expected to deliver bespoke SANGs. On adoption of the DPD, the number of dwellings on these sites will be removed from the calculation of total dwellings contributing to strategic SANGs.

4 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Appendix 4: The Identification of Strategic SANGs

This is taken from Section 20 of the Technical Background Document to the Core Strategy DPD (2007) and updated, where relevant.

1. Focus groups of local residents, carried out for the BFC Parks and Open Spaces Strategy (2002), supported the concept of strengthening facilities at particular parks to serve the purpose of district parks, and reduce the number of visitors to the Look Out (adjacent to the Special Protection Area).

2. In addition to the above work, an independent study evaluated several areas of open space within the borough using a criteria-based approach. There were some generic issues identified by the study as potential reasons that visitor expectations were not being met:

Weaknesses in respect of welcoming, in particular in respect of the entrances. Poor on-site information. Poor nature of ponds and riverside areas. Poor levels of furniture provision. Failure to provide surfaced paths to accommodate circulation and through-route needs.

3. This implies that enhancing these specific areas, amongst others, would increase the attractiveness of the site to existing and new visitors and could encourage use of these sites over the SPA.

4. The first stage in the assessment of potential alternative open space provision was the identification of sites. This was carried out in the following way.

5. A review of existing open space of a strategic size was carried out in order to identify areas where enhancement may be possible to increase visitor capacity. The starting point for this was the PPG17 audit, which identified all areas of publicly accessible open space by typology (for example, woodland, amenity park etc.). Sites over 5 hectares with typologies Parks & Gardens (A), Natural and Semi-Natural Greenspace (D), Urban Woodlands (E) and Green Corridors (F) were considered suitable for potential enhancement, obviously excluding the SPA itself. In addition, smaller sites of these typologies were also considered if they were close to and had good links to other smaller sites, to form a larger total area. Sites of Amenity Greenspace (B) over 10 hectares were also considered.

6. Natural England proposes access agreements or compulsory purchase could be explored if an area of privately owned greenspace was considered of strategic importance to the network of open space. However, as part of this review no privately-owned land was put forward to the Council as having potential as mitigating open space. As a result, at this stage no privately owned land was considered suitable for inclusion within the suite of SANGs.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 5 7. From this initial list certain areas of open space were removed, which would almost certainly be undeliverable as an avoidance measure, for example because of established uses which would conflict with the purpose of SANGs.

8. This exercise concluded there were 17 individual areas of open space of a suitable size with the potential to avoid use of the SPA. Their suitability is subject to there being spare visitor capacity and the potential for enhancements to be carried out. The following sites met the criteria for further assessment of suitability:

Jock's Copse / Tinker's Copse / The Cut (south) Clintons Hill Englemere Pond Great Hollands Recreation Ground Horseshoe Lake Lily Hill Park Sandhurst Memorial Park Shepherd Meadows Swinley Park Silver Jubilee Field / Wicks Green, Binfield South Hill Park Edgbarrow Hill Ambarrow Court / Ambarrow Hill Garth Meadows Larks Hill Piggy Wood Longhill Park / Milman Close / Beswick Gardens Copse

9. A land identification exercise on a regional level for SEERA, carried out by Land Use Consultants(2)concluded some similar results and many of the sites in this study have been analysed in more detail. The sites included in the SEERA study, which were not assessed further, are listed below with reasons for their exclusion.

Table 2 Sites Excluded from the Regional Open Space Review

Site Reason for Exclusion

Mill Park This was not considered in the review as it is amenity open space (typology B). This area does contain an element of suitable dog-walking open space, but much of the site consists of sports pitches and a skate-ramp.

Bill Hill Available capacity was already reserved via avoidance and mitigation package agreed for Bracknell Town Centre.(1)

Allsmoor Wood The ownership of this site is unknown.

Land to the north of This is within private ownership and deliverability is unknown. Shepherds Meadows

2 Thames Basin Heaths SPA: Audit and assessment of land to mitigate effects of housing development. Available at: http://www.eipsoutheast.co.uk/downloads/documents/20070126123933.pdf

6 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Site Reason for Exclusion

Further land around Church Much of the land is within private ownership and deliverability Farm / Grove Farm lakes is unknown.

Land south of Hayley Green Much of the land is within private ownership and deliverability / west of Chavey Down is unknown. The further investigation referred to in Policy R7 of the Local Plan has not been carried out and this area of open space is not being carried forward into the Core Strategy DPD.

1. A new Appropriate Assessment undertaken in June 2010 in respect of the application 10/00434/EXT (an application of new planning permission for the Bracknell Town Centre redevelopment with periods for implementation extended from that under the existing planning permission) did not include Bill Hill as part of the bespoke SANGs solution due to a change in the mitigation standards from 12ha/ 1000 population to 8ha / 1000 population as set out in the Thames Basin Heaths SPA Delivery Framework JSPB (2009). Bill Hill may be included as part of a bespoke solution for larger development sites within its catchment. This will be in agreement with NE.

10. Next, additional information was collated on the suitable sites (or groups of sites) in order to identify the habitat and potential for enhancement.

11. The first stage in assessing the suitability of land for impact avoidance purposes is to address its quality and suitability to provide an area equally as attractive as the SPA to encourage new residents to visit this different area as opposed to the protected site.

12. During a project level appropriate assessment, the advice from Natural England(3) was, “…an area of greenspace is suitable as mitigation where it is self evident that the greenspace is suitable in terms of size, quality, capacity and location. As a general rule, where greenspace is of questionable value as mitigation, we would expect the local authority to seek evidence to satisfy itself that the land is, or could be made, suitable.” They go on to suggest the following examples of what could be sought as evidence:

The site is located in a place which would make it attractive to the particular people most likely to visit the SPA. The site is, or could be, of a type which is attractive in terms of its appearance and facilities. The site is not heavily used and has the capacity to attract more people of the type who would visit the SPA.

13. Research by Natural England(4) has been carried out to understand why people choose to visit particular sites. This provides an idea of the type of alternative sites which would be attractive to visitors of the SPA and what may deter visitors from certain areas. The following emerged as major features which would attract SPA users to a site:

Ability to let the dog off the lead. Safety on site. A quick journey time and convenient access from home. Provision of parking. Presence of way-marked paths. Presence of water on-site. Presence of view points. 3 A letter dated 24 February 2006 from English Nature regarding‘ Mitigation for the impacts of residential developments on the Thames Basin Heaths SPA: developments close to Lily Hill Park’. 4 Liley, Mallord & Lobley, 2005.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 7 Gravelled, relatively thin paths through deciduous woodland. Variety of semi-natural habitats and varied topography.

14. Research undertaken on the distance covered by SPA visitors(5) found dog walkers walked an average of 2.5km, penetrating a mean of 760 metres onto the heath. This underpins Natural England’s guidelines for the creation of SANG.(6) and provides a transparent and clear way of ensuring that the enhanced semi-natural open space meets the requirements of a SANG. Please note that there are separate requirements for those SANGs provided as part of a suite and an individual SANG provided as part of a bespoke solution.

15. The agreed Thames Basin Heaths SPA Delivery Framework(7) also contains some guidelines for the provision of SANGs. These include delivery of SANGs in advance of occupation, maintenance of the SANGs in perpetuity, protection of the nature conservation interest of SANGs, catchment areas, the need to have regard to NE’s SANGs Quality Guidance and the potential to uncouple small developments (less than 10 dwellings) from SANGs catchment areas.

16. As a result of the above findings, a considerable amount of research was carried out to establish the ability of each potential area of mitigating open space to meet Natural England's criteria, subject to enhancements to the open space. This included:

Visitor counts and surveys at each of the sites. Visitor counts were carried out for a total of 24 hours at each site, covering 6 different time periods during mornings, afternoons and evenings in the week and on the weekend. 683 surveys were carried out in 2006 and in 2008 (Leisure-net, 2006 & 2008). A review of the access on each site, including location of car parks, number of parking spaces, formal and informal entrances, length of footpaths (Strategic Leisure, 2006). A review of the accessibility to each site, including travel times by car and on foot, using the computer model Accession (Integrated Transport Planning Ltd, 2006). A review of legislation covering each site and nature conservation interests (several sources, including Bracknell Forest Council Parks and Countryside Service). A review of other research carried out on each site from other available information sources.

17. Appendix 5 provides a summary of how analysis of the information collected has been used to establish whether the site meets the criteria to provide SANG. This analysis gives details of the:

Main site features Nature conservation interests Legislation covering the site (SSSI, LWS, CROW etc.) Visitor usage levels and type Accessibility from the surrounding area Length of footpaths Entrances and car parks Linkages to other sites Potential as avoidance measure

5 Liley, Jackson & Underhill-Day, 2005 6 Natural England's SANGs Quality Checklist can be found on the Council's website at http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 7 See the Council's website at http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa

8 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 18. This exercise identified the following areas of open space, which could be secured and enhanced to provide suitable alternatives to use of the SPA over the lifetime of the development. A full description of why these sites were chosen and why others were rejected is detailed in Appendix 5.

Table 3 Suitable Areas of SANGs

Open Space Site(1) Estimated Area

Jocks Copse / Tinker's Copse / The Cut (south) / Garth Meadows / Larks Hill 22.3 / Piggy Wood

Shepherd Meadows 34.92

Englemere Pond 27.39

Horseshoe Lake 10.01(2)

Longhill Park / Milman Close / Beswick Gardens / Clintons Hill 15.79

Lily Hill Park 22.74

Ambarrow Court / Ambarrow Hill 13.56

Part of Great Hollands Recreation Ground 4.78

Total 151.49 ha

1. In 2007, South Hill Park was identified as an area of open space which had the potential to be a SANG. Due to its limited catchment (400m) it would however in practise only provide mitigation for residential developments of less than 10 dwellings. For such developments, the Council has SANGs in the south of the Borough. The site has therefore been removed from the Council's suite of SANGs through this SPD. 2. (excluding the water body)

19. The areas of open space are mapped in Appendix 5. The visitor catchment zone for larger areas of open space has been set at 5 kilometres, as this was the distance within which the majority of visitors were found to arrive. 86% of respondents travelled less than 5 kilometres (38% from within 1km and 48% from within 5km, Leisure-net, 2006). Where smaller SANGs are proposed, smaller catchments have been prescribed in line with the Delivery Framework. This includes:

Horseshoe Lake (19.38 hectares in total) which has a catchment of 4km. Ambarrow Court / Ambarrow Hill (13.56 hectares) which has a catchment of 4km; and Part of Great Hollands Recreation Ground (4.78 hectares) which has a catchment of 2km.

20. These catchment areas of open space cover the entire borough with the exception of a very small north-east section; however this area is predominantly designated as a Special Area of Conservation and owned by the Crown Estate so development proposals are highly unlikely to come forward in this area. A map showing the catchment areas in more detail is provided for each area of open space in Appendix 5. This will aid implementation and link development proposals to a particular area of open space.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 9 21. The Delivery Framework (JSPB 2009) states that SANGS on existing, publicly accessible sites is appropriate where there will be no harm to nature conservation interest and there is capacity and potential for improvement. This is subject to meeting the Natural England’s Quality Standards.

22. Any deficits in provision or quality of each potential SANG were established by the collection of data in earlier stages of the assessment (shown in Appendix 5). This information, in addition to the professional expertise of employees with responsibility for managing open space within the borough, was then used to collate a schedule of specific improvements to individual sites, which would ensure that the sites can comply with the relevant SANGS quality standards.The key elements of these enhancements were to increase accessibility of the sites and to provide a well-designed circular walk (preferably way-marked) of 2.3 – 2.5km.

23. Once areas were identified as potentially suitable to provide a function as alternative open space, the capacity of this existing open space must be established in order to ensure they have potential to absorb new visitors. An area will only be suitable as a SANG if either existing capacity can be identified, or if capacity can be increased.

24. The concept of carrying capacity can relate to various aspects of an area of open space, for example:

Ecological – this considers the level of use and impacts an area can support before, for example, the following factors are put at risk: soil erosion, pollution of water resource, loss of species or loss of habitats. Physical – this considers the threshold limit for space, beyond which facilities are saturated. This usually relates to safety thresholds and is commonly used by Environmental Health when licensing venues and identifying and assessing maximum capacity. Social – this is commonly viewed as the level at which visitor enjoyment diminishes and dissatisfaction sets in. Economic carrying capacity is the level at which visitor interference with non-visitor activities becomes economically unacceptable.

25. The key component we are concerned with when identifying recreational land as suitable for avoiding the impacts on the SPA is social carrying capacity. However, it is also essential to identify any ecological sensitivity to ensure that any increase in mitigation carrying capacity does not detrimentally impact on the ecology of the site.

26. The concept of social carrying capacity, does not relate specifically to the ability to draw people away from the SPA. This is a specific category of social carrying capacity, which we can call mitigation carrying capacity. Mitigation carrying capacity is exceeded if facilities are saturated so they no longer provide a draw away from the SPA, if visitors become dissatisfied or environmental degradation occurs.

27. Whilst acknowledging the difficulties highlighted in previously quoted research on the impractical nature of establishing a fixed value, for the purposes of this strategy it is important to quantify a level at which mitigation open space will be sought.

10 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 28. The Delivery Framework indicates that a minimum of 8ha of SANG land per 1000 new residents between 400 metres and 5 kilometres of the SPA should be provided. Natural England believes that this level of SANGs provision will draw new residents away from the SPA.

29. Having reviewed Natural England’s research, the Delivery Framework, and undertaken local research, the conclusion has been drawn that an average open space standard of 8 hectares per 1000 new population across the borough is appropriate for the provision of strategic SANGs. This standard is not directly transferable to bespoke solutions, where compliance with a general standard may not be sufficient to demonstrate that the requirements of the Habitats Regulations are met.

30. Studies by Leisure-net (2006 & 2008) established the total number of annual visits to the proposed SANGs and adjusted this to account for seasonality. The surveys were conducted over 450 hours of visitor usage data at 18 parks, over the time period 7am to 7pm on weekdays and weekends. In addition, 861 people were interviewed in more depth. Data was also collected on the frequency of people’s visits to estimate the number of people using each site. This data on local frequency of visit relates well to national benchmarks.

Table 4 Calculation of Open Space Use

% of People Frequency (visits per Visits per person per Visits per person Visiting week) week per year

34% 6.50 (either 6 or 7) 2.21 115

6% 4.50 (either 4 or 5) 0.27 14

21% 2.50 (either 2 or 3) 0.53 28

14% 1.00 (once a week) 0.14 7.5

25% 0.30 (less than once a 0.08 4 week)

100% 3.22 (# of visits per 168 (# of visits per week by average year by average visitor) visitor)

Source: Leisure-net (June 2006) Parks and Open Spaces Users Survey

31. This shows that 1 person who regularly visits the open space, on average, visits approximately three times a week and makes 168 visits per year. This figure can then be used to establish the number of people in the locality who use each area of open space; this is calculated in the table below.

32. The overall carrying capacity of each site can be calculated with reference to the 8ha/1000 standard set out in the Thames Basin Heaths Delivery Framework. For example, a new 8ha site would mitigate for 1000 new residents. However, as demonstrated by the visitor surveys, all of the potential SANGs have a level of existing visitor use. The actual mitigation

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 11 capacity of each site is the difference between the overall carrying capacity (based upon the 8ha/1000 standard) and the current visitor use, as demonstrated in the final column of the table below.

Table 5 Mitigation Carrying Capacity of SANGs

Open Total Equivalent Estimated Capacity Mitigation Residual Space visits no. of Area (ha) to Mitigate Capacity(2) area of per visitors (persons) (rounded) SANG year to (rounded)(1) (8ha/1000) capacity open available space (ha) (estimated)

Jocks 116,000 691 22.3 2,788 2,097 16.78ha Copse/ Tinker's Copse/ The Cut (south)/ Garth Meadows/ Larks Hill/ Piggy Wood

Longhill 37,000 221 15.79 1,974 1,753 14.1ha Park/ Milman Close/ Beswick Gardens Copse/ Clintons Hill

Lily Hill Park 86,000 512 22.74 2,843 2,331 18.65ha

Englemere 10,000 60 27.39 3,424 3,364 26.92ha Pond

Horseshoe 30,000 179 10.01 1,252 1,073 8.6ha Lake

Shepherd 90,000 536 34.92 4,365 3,829 30.64ha Meadows

Ambarrow 32,000 191 13.56 1,695 1,504 12.1ha Court/ Hill

Part of 19,000 114 4.78 598 484 3.9ha Great Hollands Recreation Ground

12 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Open Total Equivalent Estimated Capacity Mitigation Residual Space visits no. of Area (ha) to Mitigate Capacity(2) area of per visitors (persons) (rounded) SANG year to (rounded)(1) (8ha/1000) capacity open available space (ha) (estimated)

TOTAL 16,435 131.69 ha

1. The number of visitors using the open space was calculated by dividing the number of visits to the site, by the average number of visits made by users per year [see Table 3]. This methodology has been approved by Natural England. 2. Estimated Capacity to mitigate minus no. of visitors per annum.

33. Therefore it is estimated that the open space listed above has the capacity to mitigate against a total of 16,435 additional people if enhancements are implemented.

34. The total costs of enhancements presented in Section 4 and Appendix 7 will be included in the total mitigation package, which will be funded by proportional developers’ contributions.

35. The mitigation capacity is reliant on the implementation of the proposed enhancement works to provide sites of appropriate SANGs quality and will therefore relate to a specific number of people, in turn relating to a specific amount of new development.

36. Therefore, assuming implementation of the enhancements to the SANGS, the areas of open space listed above can provide mitigation for an estimated total of 16,435 new residents.

37. The broad enhancements to various areas of open space are provided in Appendix 6. This will be implemented as a rolling programme of works as development occurs funded by developer’s contributions.

38. Due to the strategic nature of additional housing development required to be delivered up to 2026 (the plan period), it is difficult to anticipate all the additional works which may be required to maintain SANGs in suitable condition. Future monitoring and surveys may indicate additional works or improvements that could improve suitability as SANGs.

39. As a result, the approach taken to SANGs will be a ‘mini-plan’ methodology, supported by Natural England. This SPD sets out the avoidance and mitigation principles and identifies SANGs, whilst a mini-plan or Open Space Management Plan will give full details of the exact works to be carried out at each site over a 5 year period. The Open Space Management Plans will be reviewed every 5 years in consultation with Natural England and other partners where relevant.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 13 Appendix 5: Full Assessment of SANGs

Figure 1 Sites Considered Suitable for Alternative Open Space

SANGs identified in the SPA Avoidance and Mitigation SPD

Larks Hill

Piggy Wood Tinker's Copse Garth Meadows Jock's Copse

Clintons Hill Longhill Park

Milman Close Lily Hill Park

Englemere Pond

Great Hollands Recreation Ground

Ambarrow Hill

Ambarrow Court

Horseshoe Lake

0 1 2 3 Km Shepherd Meadows

Legend Special Protection Areas

This Map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey Material with SANGs the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may BFBC Borough Boundary lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Bracknell Forest Borough Council LA100019488.

14 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa The Cut Cluster Countryside Corridor (Jock's Copse, Tinker's Copse, The Cut (south), Garth Meadows, Larks Hill and Piggy Wood)

Figure 2 The Cut Countryside Corridor SANG

This Map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey Material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. The Cut Countryside Corridor Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Bracknell Forest Borough Council LA100019488.

Scale 1:8,000 when printed at A4

0 100 200 300 400 Meters

Figure 3 The Cut Countryside Corridor 5km Catchment Zone

This Map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey Material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. The Cut Countryside Corridor Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Bracknell Forest Borough Council LA100019488.

Scale 1:60,000 when printed at A4

0 1 2 3 Km

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 15 Jock's Copse / Tinker's Copse / The Cut (south)

OS Coordinates: SU 857 704 Area: 3.63 hectares Typology: E / F (urban woodland / green corridor) Ward: Binfield With Warfield PPG17 Ref No’s: 70, 141, 135 PPG17 Audit: Jock's Copse – 40% Average, Tinkers Copse – 45% Average, The Cut (South) – 39% Average

Features

A generally naturalistic site (Bracknell Forest Borough Council, 2002) comprising a small copse (100% wooded cover) in a residential area combined with linear open space alongside the Cut river corridor (40% wooded). Both Tinkers Copse and Jock’s Copse consist of areas of ancient woodland which used to be set in an open rural farmland landscape. House building in the 1990s enclosed the copses, which had been derelict and unmanaged for quite some time prior to this.

Nature Conservation Interests

The area now provides a valuable wildlife oasis within the urban area, with primroses and carpets of bluebells in the spring. There are nesting species of woodpecker and tits present along with hazel coppice and woodmice also frequent the copse.

Legislation Covering the Site

Both Jock's Copse and Tinker's Copse are Local Nature Reserves and Local Wildlife Sites (formerly Wildlife Heritage Sites).

Visitor Usage

69% of visitors usually use this open space, with the remainder visiting other spaces including: Jock’s Lane, Englemere Pond, Lily Hill Park, Sandhurst Memorial Park and Ambarrow Court. The users visit on a relatively frequent basis, with a quarter of people questioned visiting more than 5 times a week.

The main reason given for visiting the site (53%) was for the children’s play area, which is adjacent to the copses. Other reasons were given for dog walking (14%) and for a cut-through (14%).

94% of respondents always or usually felt safe when visiting.

81% of respondents thought this was a busy site although 50% of people would continue to use the site if the visitor numbers doubled. Only 14% would go to other areas of open space or stop using sites altogether.

Visitor Numbers

Annual visitor projection – 52,000.

16 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Accessibility

50% of people arrive by car, and 44% by foot. All visitors have travelled within 5 kilometres, with the majority travelling less than 10 minutes to get to the site.

Length of Footpaths

There are 3 main footpaths covering a total length of 734 metres.

Entrances and Car Parks

There is no car park specifically for the woodland sites, but there is a formalised, tarmac car park for Jock's Lane open space, which is next to the wooded areas. There are 14 formal and informal entrances on foot. The visitor survey found that the car park availability of spaces, quality and convenience were good, and nobody questioned thought car parking provision was quite poor or very poor.

Linkages to Other Sites

This area could provide part of a larger route using the Cut Riverside Path and Garth Meadows.

Jock's Copse / Tinker's Copse / The Cut (south) - Potential as Impact Avoidance Measure

In general this site was used by people using the park’s facilities such as the play area, coffee shop and toilets, which lead to the site being busy in actual and perceived numbers. However, the semi-natural element of the site is quieter and has the potential to be increased in quality according to the PPG17 audit. In isolation Jock's Lane,Tinker's Copse and The Cut (south) may not provide suitable impact avoidance for the SPA, but the location of these sites in relation to other sites and the good parking facilities mean this area could potentially provide a good link as part of a circular walk including other sites.

Garth Meadows

OS Coordinates: SU 861 704 Area: 7.1 hectares Typology: D (natural & semi-natural green space) Ward: Warfield Harvest Ride PPG17 Ref No’s: 58 PPG17 Audit: 49% Average

Features

This is identified in the Parks and Open Spaces Strategy (2002) as a site with some natural features and 5% of the site is covered with woody planting. The remainder is open grassland grazed by cattle.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 17 Nature Conservation Interests

Managed as pasture to encourage wildflowers and typical farmland species, hedgerows around the site provide habitat for a variety of wildlife. The Cut river adjoins the south boundary of the site where riverside trees and banks support riparian habitats.

Legislation Covering the Site

None identified.

Visitor Usage

89% of all visitors surveyed stated this was the open space they regularly visited, which indicates a high proportion of local users. Other sites visited are Jocks Lane, Ambarrow Court and Larks Hill.

A large proportion of visitors (68%) visit more then 5 times per week, which is a higher percentage than for any other area of open space, and a further 9% visit 4 or 5 times a week.

Garth Meadows has a high proportion of dog walkers (89%) with other uses being walking (7%), jogging (%) and using it as a cut-through (2%).

The length of visit tends to be shorter for this site than for others, with 32% of people staying less than 30 minutes and a further 61% staying between 30 minutes and 1 hour; none of the visitors questioned stayed for longer than 2 hours on site. This highlights the function of this site as a local area of open space for short visits.

98% of respondents felt safe when visiting the site.

55% of people rated the site as busy, although only 7% stated it was always busy, and 32% rated it as not busy. Nearly all visitors surveyed (98%) stated they would continue to use the site, either at the same time or a different time, if visitor numbers doubled.

Visitor Numbers

Annual visitor projection – 21,000.

Accessibility

The majority of visitors (89%) walk or run to the site, with only 11% of people arriving by car. Correspondingly over three quarters of visitors have travelled less than 1 kilometre and all visitors came from within 5 kilometres of the open space. 84% travelled less than 10 minutes to reach the site.

Length of Footpaths

No all-weather footpaths were identified.

Entrances and Car Parks

There is no parking provision to these meadows and 3 formal entrances on to the site.

18 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Linkages to Other Sites

This area could provide part of a larger route using the Cut Riverside Path and Jock's Copse/Tinker's Copse/The Cut.

Garth Meadows - Potential as Impact Avoidance Measure

This is a semi-natural site which already provides predominantly for dog walkers, who tend to walk to the site and visit frequently.There is some perceived ‘busy-ness’ but visitor numbers are relatively low, so providing some screening could increase the capacity. There is potential for enhancements to include this as part of a larger area of alternative open space, including adjacent sites.

Larks Hill

OS Coordinates: SU 870 709 Area: 7.44 hectares Typology: D (natural & semi-natural green space) Ward: Binfield with Warfield PPG17 Ref No’s: 82 PPG17 Audit: 72% Average

Features

Larks Hill is a 6.7 hectare public open space situated off Harvest Ride in Warfield, north of Bracknell. The site was adopted by Bracknell Forest Borough Council in 1995, having been provided as part of the open space provision for the QuelmPark housing area.

Larks Hill was named due to the presence of skylarks and other farmland birds on the site. It now forms an important countryside link between the town and rural parishes, with fine views over the surrounding countryside. The site is a naturally regenerated grassland surrounded by a recently established ditch and hedge system, and contains young field trees and an orchard of apple, pear and plum trees.

Popular with local residents, dog-walkers and horse-riders, the Larks Hill car park is the beginning of one of a series of four Accessible Rural Routes around Bracknell, which is 2 kilometres long.

This is identified in the Parks and Open Spaces Strategy (2002) as a very naturalistic site with a fifth of the site being covered with woody planting.

Nature Conservation Interests

The following species from the Bracknell Biodiversity Action Plan have been found at the site, illustrating its importance as a green space on the edge of Bracknell's built-up area:

Bullfinch Barn owl Hobby

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 19 Cowslip Wild service tree

Larks Hill contains two grazing paddocks which contain cows between July and October. This avoids the majority of the nesting season and the cows are moved elsewhere before the site is overgrazed, leaving suitable ground cover for the birds. The spring barley compartment provides an agricultural habitat of value to the key farmland songbirds, including skylarks and wintering flocks of buntings and finches. A colourful show of the traditional annual flora of arable farmland is also produced, including corn marigold, corncockle, corn chamomile and cornflower.

Legislation Covering the Site

No designations were identified.

Visitor Usage

84% of all visitors surveyed stated this was the open space they regularly visited. Other sites visited are Jocks Lane, Englemere Pond, LilyHillPark, Garth Meadows and WestmorlandPark.

A relatively high proportion of visitors (58%) visit very regularly, more then 5 times per week.

Larks Hill has a high proportion of dog walkers (63%) with another main use being walking (18%).

84% of people stay less than an hour and none of the visitors questioned stayed for longer than 2 hours on site.

97% of respondents felt safe when visiting the site.

55% of people rated the site as busy and 29% rated it as not busy. 89% of visitors questioned stated they would continue to use the site, either at the same time or a different time, if visitor numbers doubled.

Visitor Numbers

Annual visitor projection – 33,000.

Accessibility

The majority of visitors arrive by car or van (87%) and only 13% arrive on foot. Most visitors (92%) have travelled less than 5 kilometres and 90% of visitors travelled less than 10 minutes to reach the site.

Length of Footpaths

6 all-weather footpaths provide a distance of 1242 metres of pathways.

20 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Entrances and Car Parks

Larks Hill is open to the public and a tarmac car park with 8 bays is available at the site. Six further formal pedestrian access points lead onto Larks Hill's hoggin paths which are predominantly suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs (although some may become soft in wet weather). The number and availability of parking spaces does not score so well, with 20% of visitors rating this as poor. Quality and convenience score slightly better although 9% rate the safety of the car park as poor.

Linkages to Other Sites

This site is in close proximity to Piggy Wood and there is the potential for links for Jock's Copse/Tinker's Copse/The Cut and Garth Meadows.

Larks Hill - Potential as Impact Avoidance Measure

As a very generic overview Larks Hill is used by local dog walkers, who drive to the site on a regular basis for shorter visits. The site is already well used and more visitors perceived the site to be busy at the existing level of use. In isolation Larks Hill does not appear to have potential for enhancements, with the site already being semi-natural in nature and an existing car park, although there does appear to be scope to increase the capacity of the car park. However, this site could potentially provide a good link as part of a circular walk including other sites.

Piggy Wood

OS Coordinates: SU 872 707 Area: 2.77 hectares Typology: D (natural & semi-natural green space) Ward: Warfield Harvest Ride PPG17 Ref No’s: 103, 104, 105 PPG17 Audit: 60%

Features

This is a ‘natural’ site (Bracknell Forest Borough Council, 2002) with 100% wooded cover. Once surrounded by open agricultural land, the wood and wildlife corridor are now enclosed in residential housing developed in the mid 1990's. The site was adopted by the Borough Council in 1998.

Nature Conservation Interests

Spring flowers including bluebells, wood anenome and wood avens, and cowslip and devils bit scabious have also been seen. Damsel and dragonflies are present due to the tributary of the Cut.

Legislation Covering the Site

Piggy Wood is a designated Local Wildlife Site (formerly Wildlife Heritage Site) and a Local Nature Reserve (LNR).

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 21 Visitor Usage

83% of all visitors surveyed stated this was the open space they regularly visited, with SwinleyPark and Larks Hill being the other sites frequented.

There is a range of visitor frequency, with a quarter visiting more than 5 times a week and a quarter visiting less than once a week.

Piggy Wood is mainly used for exercising the dog (50%) and a quarter of all users were cutting through this site on the way to somewhere else and 17% using the open space for jogging. A smaller proportion (8%) used the site for walking. Visits tended to be short, with 67 staying less than 30 minutes and no visitors staying more than 2 hours.

100% of respondents said they felt safe when visiting the site.

It was deemed to be a quiet area, with all respondents rating it as ‘not busy’ and 42% said it was always quiet. As a result of this, all visitors said they would continue to use the park as the currently do if visitor numbers doubled.

Visitor Numbers

Annual visitor projection – 10,000.

Accessibility

The majority of visitors arrive on foot (75%) with a low percentage of visitors arriving by car (8%) and a higher than average percentage arriving by bus (8%). There appears to a high proportion of local visitors (75%) who travel less than 1 kilometre to reach the site. This corresponds with a shorter travel time than average, with two thirds of visitors travelling less than 5 minutes.

Length of Footpaths

Four all-weather paths cover a distance of 483 metres.

Entrances and Car Parks

There is no car park but 2 formal entrances to the wood by bicycle or on foot.

Linkages to Other Sites

The site is linked to Quelm Lane and in close proximity to Larks Hill. There is potential for links to Jock's Copse/Tinker's Copse/The Cut (south) and Garth Meadows.

Piggy Wood - Potential as Impact Avoidance Measure

As a very generic overview Piggy Wood is used by dog walkers, who walk short distances to reach the site. The site is poorly used and the perceived use is also very low. Therefore, in isolation Piggy Wood has capacity and a suitable habitat to be used as impact avoidance.This site could potentially provide a good link as part of a circular walk including other sites.

22 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Shepherds Meadows

Figure 4 Shepherds Meadows SANG

Shepherds Meadow

Scale 1:6,000 when printed at A4 This Map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey Material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. 0 100 200 300 Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may Meters lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Bracknell Forest Borough Council LA100019488.

A 5km catchment area has been identified for the site as shown below:

Figure 5 Shepherds Meadows SANG 5km catchment

Shepherds Meadow

Scale 1:60,000 when printed at A4 This Map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey Material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. 0 1 2 3 Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may Km lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Bracknell Forest Borough Council LA100019488.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 23 OS Coordinates: SU 845 607 Area: 33.72 hectares Typology: D (natural & semi-natural green space) Ward: College Town PPG17 Ref No’s: 122 PPG17 Audit: 78% Very Good

Features

Shepherd Meadows, a nature conservation site named after wildlife artist David Shepherd, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in the south of the Borough. The site covers about 100 acres of wet wildflower meadow and woodland straddling the River Blackwater at the point where the counties of Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey meet. Acquired by Bracknell Forest Borough Council in 1990, the site is managed for its nature conservation importance and its recreational and landscape value.

Shepherd Meadows and Sandhurst Memorial Park have received a Green Flag Award every year since entering in 2004. The Civic Trust's Green Flag Award Scheme is a national standard for the quality of public parks and green spaces in England and Wales. Sites are judged on eight criteria:

1. A welcoming place 2. Healthy, safe and secure 3. Well maintained and clean 4. Sustainability 5. Conservation and heritage 6. Community involvement 7. Marketing 8. Management.

In 2004, Bracknell Forest Borough Council teamed up with Sandhurst Town Council to enter Sandhurst Memorial Park and Shepherd Meadows into the scheme - resulting in the first ever joint application Green Flag Award. A management plan for the sites was developed in conjunction with BBOWT (Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust) and the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership. Shepherd Meadows and Sandhurst Memorial Park received a Green Flag Award again in 2005/06.

This is identified in the Parks and Open Spaces Strategy (2002) as a natural site and 20% of the site is covered with woody planting.

Nature Conservation Interests

Flower-rich meadows are now rare and about one quarter of the species associated with herb-rich grassland in Berkshire can be found at Shepherd Meadows.

The woodland at Shepherd Meadows, dominated by oak, ash, and alder coppice, includes Spring displays of wood anemone and dog violets. The meadows are also rich in animal life with over 600 species of insects. During the spring the orange tip butterfly darts low over the vegetation in search of the cuckoo flower on which it lays its tiny orange eggs. Damsel and dragonflies breed in the ditches and along the riverbanks, and in late summer the meadows echo to the sound of grasshoppers and bush crickets.The meadows become a carpet of wildflowers and plants during the spring and summer months, with golden

24 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa meadow buttercups, blue devil’s-bit scabious, purple meadow thistle and the yellow birds-foot trefoil. In July and August the sweet scent of meadowsweet blossoms produces a heady aroma.

Birdlife at Shepherd Meadows includes flocks of siskins, meadow pipits and thrushes in winter, while in summer the site is home to breeding kestrels, warblers, the spotted flycatcher and woodpeckers. The River Blackwater and the feeder channels attract many waterfowl and wading birds.

Legislation Covering the Site

The majority of Shepherd Meadows is designated as part of the Blackwater SSSI with an area in the south designated a Local Wildlife Site (formerly Wildlife Heritage Site).

Visitor Usage

78% of all visitors surveyed stated this was the open space they regularly visited, with Wildmoor Heath the other site most visited.

There is a high proportion of very frequent users, with 41% visiting more than 5 times a week and only 6% visiting less than once a week.

Shepherds Meadows is mainly used for exercising the dog (60%) with the remainder of people using the site for used for walking (12%), cycling (6%) and relaxing / atmosphere (6%). Visits are predominantly more than 30 minutes and over a quarter of visits are between 1 and 2 hours.

93% of respondents felt safe when visiting the site. 65% of people rated the site as busy; however, 92% of visitors surveyed would continue to use the site if visitor numbers doubled.

Visitor Numbers

Annual visitor projection – 90,000.

Accessibility

The majority of visitors arrive on foot (51%) and the remainder by car (38%) or bike (7%). As a result of this a high proportion of visitors travel from within 1 kilometre (57%) and few travel longer distances (7% travel over 5 km). The journey time for most visitors (81%) is less than 10 minutes.

Length of Footpaths

5 all-weather footpaths cross the meadows providing a total of 1,621 metres of pathways.

Entrances and Car Parks

Two car parks provide parking for 25 vehicles and cycle parking for 7 bicycles. There are 10 formal entrances into the open space.

74% of visitors rated the number and availability of spaces as very good or quite good, although some (7%) did score this as quite poor. In addition 19% rated the safety as quite poor.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 25 Linkages to Other Sites

The site is part of the Blackwater Valley Path, a 23 mile long distance path following the BlackwaterRiver. Shepherds Meadows and SandhurstMemorial park are adjacent and have excellent pedestrian linkages between them.

Shepherds Meadows - Potential as Impact Avoidance Measure

Visitors to this semi-natural site tend to visit frequently and walk to the site for dog walking or other recreational purposes. It is a suitable site as an alternative to the SPA, as visitors to Shepherd Meadows also visit Wildmoor Heath. Improvements would be necessary to achieve potential capacity as the site is well-used. Car parking could be improved to encourage visitors from further afield. Improvements to, and links with the Blackwater Valley path could extend the effectiveness of the site.

26 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Englemere Pond

Figure 6 Englemere Pond SANG

Englemere Pond

Scale 1:4,000 when printed at A4 This Map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey Material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the 0 50 100 150 200 Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may Meters lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Bracknell Forest Borough Council LA100019488.

A 5km catchment area has been identified for this site as shown below:

Figure 7 Englemere Pond SANG

This Map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey Material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Englemere Pond Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Bracknell Forest Borough Council LA100019488.

Scale 1:60,000 when printed at A4

0 1 2 3 4 Km

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 27 OS Coordinates: SU 905 686 Area: 27.59 hectares Typology: D (natural & semi-natural green space) Ward: Ascot PPG17 Ref No’s: 46 PPG17 Audit: 41% Good

Features

The land was once part of the royal hunting forest which surrounded Windsor Castle, and it is still owned by The Crown Estate and managed by Bracknell Forest Council. The site’s main feature is the shallow acidic lake which offers a wide range of habitats from open water to marsh, all of which is surrounded by commercial forest and heathland areas. Each of these areas provides its own variety of plant species and a home for many birds, insects and animals.

Nature Conservation Interests

A large pond surrounded by a wide fringe of reed swamp dominated by common reed Phragmites australis. Away from the open water the reed swamp grades into an interesting plant community typical of base-poor conditions. The transition from open water through base-poor wetland to dry ground is an exceptionally good example of this type of habitat which is relatively scarce in the lowlands.

The species present in the reed swamp include bog mosses Sphagnum spp., sundew (a plant species of boggy areas which is listed on the Borough Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan), spike-rush, bog pond weed and bog St John's wort. Cotton grass and lesser reed mace are locally dominant. The western margin of the pond exhibits a transition into swampy woodland carr dominated by alder. The open water plant community is relatively species-poor with much bulbous rush, but the invertebrate community is of considerable interest with a rich dragonfly fauna. The reed swamp supports an interesting community of breeding birds, including reed warblers sedge warblers and reed bunting.

The site includes a catchment area of secondary woodland, large pine, birch and oak on acid soils, together with a small fragment of heathland.

The woodland is predominantly Scots Pine with patches of heather; including ling, bell heather and cross-leaved heath, in the forest clearings. Oak, mountain ash, willow and silver birch are also to be found here, and the alder trees are a favourite haunt of wintering migrant birds such as siskins and Redpolls which feed on the seeds.

Legislation Covering the Site

Englemere Pond is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) and a Local Nature Reserve (LNR).

Visitor Usage

75% of visitors usually use this open space, with the remainder visiting other spaces including: Swinley Park, Longhill Park, LilyHill Park and Jocks Lane.

64% of users visit the site more than 4 times a week.

28 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa The main reason given for visiting the site (82%) was to walk their dogs, with 7% for children’s play and 7% for a walk.

Visits were slightly longer than average, with 61% of people staying between 30 minutes and 1 hour.

78% of visitors always or usually felt safe when visiting.

Only 18% of respondents thought this was a busy site and 72% thought it was usually or always quiet. All of the people questioned would continue to use the site, either at the same or a different time if the visitor numbers doubled.

Visitor Numbers

Annual visitor projection – 10,000.

Accessibility

79% of visitors arriving by car with the remainder walking to the site. 93% of visitors travelled less than 5 kilometres and nobody travelled more than 10 minutes to get to the site.

Length of Footpaths

There is one main all-weather footpath which extends to 69 metres, however the informal footpath network and way-marked signs provides for a circular walk of approximately 1,600 metres.

Entrances and Car Parks

There is a small, tarmaced car park for approximately 14 cars, which provides 1 of the 5 formal entrances around the site. There may be some scope to improve the car park as 19% of respondents rate the availability of parking as satisfactory (as opposed to quite good or very good) and 14% rate the quality and convenience as satisfactory. 14% of visitors found the safety of the car park to be poor.

Linkages to Other Sites

This site is adjacent to Swinley Park.

Englemere Pond - Potential as Impact Avoidance Measure

Englemere Pond generally attracts dog walkers who visit quite frequently and arrive by car. The site is suitable SANGs due to the varied nature of the habitats, meeting many of the points raised in Natural England’s quality guidelines. It is also deemed a quiet site by current users and capable of taking more visitors, as all would continue to use the site if the user numbers doubled. The necessary enhancement works include the path network and parking safety. The amount of visitors the site could take may be restricted due to the nature conservation value.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 29 Horseshoe Lake

Figure 8 Horseshoe Lake SANG

Horseshoe Lake

Scale 1:4,000 when printed at A4 This Map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey Material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. 0 50 100 150 200 Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may Meters lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Bracknell Forest Borough Council LA100019488.

A 4km catchment has been identified as shown in the map below:

Figure 9

Horseshoe Lake

Scale 1:50,000 when printed at A4

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 Km © Crown Copyright and datatbase rights 2011 Ordnance Survey 100019488.

30 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa OS Coordinates: SU 818 622 Area: 19.38 hectares (including 8.9 ha body of water) Typology: D (natural & semi-natural green space) Ward: Little Sandhurst And Wellington PPG17 Ref No’s: 69 PPG17 Audit: 65% Very Good

Features

Horseshoe Lake lies about half a mile to the west of Sandhurst. Originally part of an extensive network of working gravel pits that have now been flooded, this site now occupies an attractive setting in the Blackwater Valley and is a popular venue for those who enjoy dinghy sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, birdwatching and walking. A bridleway runs along the northern boundary and a clear path circumnavigates the lake, providing very pleasant views of the site and the surrounding countryside. Horseshoe Lake also has a well resourced watersports centre, provided by Bracknell Forest Council and managed by Freetime Leisure.

Nature Conservation Interests

Site surveys carried out at Horseshoe lake in recent years have confirmed that the site is home to a wide variety of birds, including winter visitors and breeding birds. mallard, gadwall, pochard, tufted duck, goosander, wigeon, teal, shoveler, Canada goose, mute swan, great crested grebe, little grebe, coot, lapwing, common tern, redshank, ringed plover and little ringed plover.

House martins, swallows and swifts can be seen swooping for insects, and the barn owl is also known to inhabit the site.

Other wildlife includes several species of grasshoppers and crickets, twelve species of dragonflies and eighteen species of butterflies. These invertebrates depend on the range of habitats present, including open water, marginal shallows, shingle, bare ground, rough grassland and patches of developing scrub. Cattle graze on the banks of the lake at certain times of year, and, as part of the restoration programme, some tree planting has also taken place.

Legislation Covering the Site

None identified.

Visitor Usage

82% of all visitors surveyed stated this was the open space they regularly visited, with Sandhurst Memorial Park, SouthHill Park and the Look Out being other sites frequented.

Visitors tend to visit on a less frequent basis with 44% visiting less than once a week and only 8% visiting more than 5 times a week.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 31 Horseshoe Lake is used for a wide range of purposes, including exercising the dog (31%), walking (28%), organised sport (13%), relaxing (8%) and enjoying the wildlife (8%). Visits tended to be long, with 41% between 1 and 2 hours and 10% over 2 hours.

It was not deemed to be a crowded area, with 72% of respondents rating it as ‘not busy’ and nobody stating it was always busy. 92% of visitors would continue to use the park if visitor numbers doubled.

Visitor Numbers

Annual visitor projection – 30,000.

Accessibility

The majority travel by car (69%) and the remainder by walking (26%) or cycling (5%). There appears to be fewer very local visitors than average, with only 8% from within 1 kilometre and the majority (72%) travelling between 1 and 5 kilometres. This corresponds with slightly longer than average journey times with 31% travelling between 11 and 20 minutes and 6% travelling over 20 minutes.

Length of Footpaths

There are 4 all-weather footpaths running around and close to the lake, providing a total length of 1,490 metres of path.

Entrances and Car Parks

A 40 space car park is provided for recreational purposes and the watersports centre and the site can be accessed by 7 formal entrances including the car park. 62% of visitors surveyed used the car park. 29% of these thought the number of spaces was only satisfactory (as opposed to quite good or very good) and 21% thought the quality was satisfactory. In general the location was thought to be convenient, with 82% of users rating the convenience as very good or quite good. Safety of the car park could be improved as 8% of visitors rate this as poor and 46% rate the safety as satisfactory.

Linkages to Other Sites

The path around the lake is part of the Blackwater Valley path which is a 23 mile long distance path following the Blackwater River.

Horseshoe Lake - Potential as Impact Avoidance Measure

This site is an excellent SANGs, as it has a large catchment of visitors, travelling by car for recreational purposes and dog walking. It has been identified by the current users as not a busy area and this belief is borne out by the low visitor numbers collected. It is a semi-natural site with good links and a range of habitats, which could be enhanced to encourage additional visitors away from the SPA as existing users go to these areas too.

32 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Long Hill Park Group (Lily Hill Park, Longhill Park, Milman Close, Beswick Gardens, Clintons Hill)

Figure 10 Long Hill Park Group SANG

This Map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey Material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Long Hill Park Group Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Bracknell Forest Borough Council LA100019488.

Scale 1:4,000 when printed at A4

0 50 100 150 200 Meters

Figure 11 Long Hill Park Group SANG

This Map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey Material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Long Hill Park Group Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Bracknell Forest Borough Council LA100019488.

Scale 1:60,000 when printed at A4

0 1 2 3 Km

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 33 Lily Hill Park

OS Coordinates: SU 885 692 Area: 22.74 hectares Typology: A (parks and gardens) Ward: Bullbrook PPG17 Ref No’s: 83 PPG17 Audit: 81% Very Good

Features

Lily Hill Park is one of the parks within the Borough with the coveted Green Flag Status. The park forms part of the estate originally belonging to Lily Hill House and consists of parkland, woodland, and formal gardens. It is the focus of a £1.2 million restoration project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The House and Park were originally formed as a 19th century 'gentleman's residence'.William Vincent built Lily Hill House between 1849 and the early 1850's with the park developed in phases over the next 30 years. Many mature specimens of exotic pines and ornamental rhododendrons remain, however, the original design and 'feel' of the park had gradually been lost because of extensive natural birch regeneration. Removing much of this has reinstated vistas and views and to allow restoration the wildflower meadows that are important for butterflies.

An application was submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund in August 2000 for a capital grant to help fund a basic restoration programme. In July 2001 the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded Bracknell Forest Borough Council a grant for £113,000 towards developing a detailed design and restoration plan. Specialist consultants and the full-time Project Officer developed a detailed design and financial plan. This resulted in an award in March 2003 of a further £964,000 for restoring the site, forming Stage Two of Phase One of the restoration works.

Phase One of the restoration project is complete, returning the eastern half of Lily Hill Park to its former glory. Restoration work included tree work and shrub management, reinstating the historic path system, central ditch and drainage. While some tree felling is necessary to ensure a healthy mixed-age woodland, new tree planting will provide for the eventual demise of the present trees, and other areas have been planted up with non-invasive shrubs. Site furniture, including benches and tables, have also been installed, as well as interpretation boards to provide information about the site.

This is identified in the Parks and Open Spaces Strategy (2002) as a site which is predominantly naturalistic, as opposed to amenity open space, and 60% of the site is covered with woody planting.

Nature Conservation Interests

Approximately 17 hectares of the site is designated a Local Wildlife Site (formerly Wildlife Herbage Site) because it provides a large area of open space comprising a mosaic of habitats in an otherwise urban area. In 1997 the following Bracknell Forest BAP species were recorded: Cowslips, Ragged Robin, Stag Beetle, Bullfinch, Hobby and Noctule Bat. The site was then surveyed by BBOWT on 1 September 1998 and 142 different species were identified.

An ecological survey undertaken by Scott Wilson Consultancy Group (2002) has identified 5 elements in the park:

Semi natural plantation broadleaf woodland (this is the predominant habitat).

34 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Scattered ruderals/bracken. Semi-improved rural grassland. Cultivated grassland. Marshy grassland.

The mix of tree cover and grass meadows creates a haven for a wide variety of other wildlife, including birds such as the bullfinch, jay, woodpecker, nuthatch, wren, dunnock and the spotted flycatcher. The meadows are rich in wild flowers, which provide colour throughout the summer months. Cowslips, ladies' smock, ragged robin and even the common spotted orchid help make part of Lily Hill Park one of the more diverse Local Wildlife Site (formerly Wildlife Heritage Site)s in the Borough.

The large number of over mature trees provides opportunities for specialist invertebrates such as dead-wood beetles, as well as offering holes and cracks for roosting bats and nesting birds such as woodpeckers. A full list of species can be found in the Heritage Lottery Funding Application (July 2002).

Legislation Covering the Site

Lily Hill Park is a locally designated Local Wildlife Site (formerly Wildlife Heritage Site).

Visitor Usage

A visitor survey carried out in 1998 (details given in the Management Plan, 2002) gave an indication that the park was used by local people who made frequent visits. There was a reasonable mix of male and female visitors, adults and children and group / lone visitors. The most significant use of the park was for walking, including dog walking, and peace and quiet, seclusion, fresh air, the countryside nature and to experience wildlife. The level of use of the park is considered to be reasonably steady throughout the day and throughout the week. 85% of visitors had heard about the area through local knowledge of word-of-mouth and 86% thought the park was peaceful. 98% of visitors stayed for more than 30 minutes.

A public consultation in March 2002 demonstrated the need for the park to be restored and upgraded, with 91% of people questioned (sample size 3400 residents) strongly supporting the scheme.

Due to the overgrown nature of much of the park, visitor pressure tended to focus on just a few areas. As a result some areas, in particular Forester’s Hill, were relatively heavily used in comparison with the rest of the park, therefore subject to disturbance and erosion.

Quotes from press cuttings illustrate the nature of the park prior to works commencing. “Helen Tranter, head of culture and visual environment, said the park was overgrown with rhododendrons and “quite creepy” for visitors before work was started to clear up its eastern section in 2003. She said this phase, due to be completed in March, has now made the park much more open and attractive” page 10, Bracknell News, Thursday, January 13, 2005.

In the Leisure-net Solutions study (2006), 79% of all visitors surveyed stated this was the open space they regularly visited, with Jocks Lane, Swinley Park, South Hill Park, Crowthorne Woods and Popes Meadow being other sites frequented.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 35 There is a mix of frequent and infrequent users, with 39% visiting more than 5 times a week and 23% visiting less than once a week.

Lily Hill Park is used for a wide range of purposes, mainly exercising the dog (60%), but also relaxing (19%), walking (14%), jogging (4%), and enjoying the wildlife (2%). Visits tended to be of average length, with 63% between 1 and 2 hours and no visits over 2 hours.

68% of respondents felt safe when visiting the site.

Slightly more respondents rated the park as not busy than busy, within only 4% stating it was ‘always busy’, 37% stating it was usually busy and 39% stating it was usually quiet. However, 97% of visitors surveyed would continue to use the site if visitor numbers doubled.

Visitor Numbers

Annual visitor projection – 86,000.

Accessibility

The majority of visitors travel by car (65%) and the remainder by walking (33%) or cycling (2%). 30% of visitors travel from within 1 kilometre and the majority (54%) travel between 1 and 5 kilometres. The journey time for nearly all visitors (90%) is less than 10 minutes.

Length of Footpaths

12 footpaths were identified as of Spring 2006, covering a total distance of 2,781 metres. This is set to increase as a result of ongoing works on site.

Entrances and Car Parks

The car park has recently increased to include 56 spaces. There are a total of 16 entrances to the park, predominantly formal entrances. 67% of visitors surveyed used the car park and this was rated very well regarding number and availability of spaces, quality and convenience with no respondents scoring these as poor. Safety could be improved slightly however as 5% of car park users rated this as poor.

Linkages to Other Sites

This is very close to Longhill Park; therefore semi-natural pedestrian linkages between these areas could be enhanced to create a more coherent area of open space.

Lily Hill Park - Potential as Impact Avoidance Measure

The potential for this site to provide an alternative area of open space to the SPA has been accepted via a project level Appropriate Assessment for Bracknell town centre redevelopment (Bracknell Forest Borough Council, 2006a). It is a semi-natural park, which attracts visitors which also regularly visit the SPA.The site is generally deemed as not busy by visitors, therefore there is potential to increase capacity. Although this is acceptable on its own merits, when viewed alongside adjacent areas of Longhill Park and Clintons Hill this becomes a considerably sized area of alternative open space.

36 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Clinton's Hill

OS Coordinates: SU 888 693 Area: 3.94 hectares Typology: E (urban woodland) Ward: Bullbrook PPG17 Ref No’s: 32 PPG17 Audit: 59% Good

Features

This is identified in the Parks and Open Spaces Strategy (2002) as a naturalistic site and 90% of the site is covered with woody planting. It is an area of urban woodland.

Legislation Covering the Site

Clintons Hill is a locally designated Local Wildlife Site (formerly Wildlife Heritage Site).

Visitor Usage

78% of visitors usually use this open space, with the remainder visiting other spaces including: Lily Hill Park and Garth Meadows.

The main reason given for visiting the site (44%) was as a cut-through or to use the children’s play area (22%), with other users exercising the dog (11%), walking (11%) or meeting people (11%).

Only 22% of visitors always felt safe when visiting, which is considerably lower than any other sites.

Visits were usually short, with two thirds being less than 30 minutes.

Only 11% of respondents thought this was a busy site and 89% of people would continue to use the site if the visitor numbers doubled. Only 11% would go to other areas of open space or stop using sites altogether.

Visitor Numbers

Annual visitor projection – 11,000.

Accessibility

It appears to be a locally used site with 78% of visitors arriving by foot; this may be as a result of there being no formal parking. In addition, 89% of visitors travelled less than 1 kilometre and it took them less than 10 minutes to get to the site.

Entrances and Car Parks

There are 4 entrances to the open space, providing a mix of formal and informal access points.

Linkages to other sites

This is adjacent to Lily Hill Park and Longhill Park.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 37 Clinton's Hill - Potential as Impact Avoidance Measure

In general this site currently attracts visitors on foot using the site as a cut-through. It is deemed to be a quiet site where people may not always feel safe. The site is of the semi-natural nature required by Natural England’s quality guidelines and there is considerable scope for increasing the accessibility and attractiveness of this site to encourage additional visitors. This could be part of a larger area of impact avoidance open space proposed, along with adjacent sites.

Longhill Park / Milman Close / Beswick Gardens Copse

OS Coordinates: SU 892 694 Area: 10.46 hectares Typology: B / E (amenity greenspace, natural & semi-natural greenspace) Ward: Ascot PPG17 Ref No’s: 86, 90, 292 PPG17 Audit: Longhill Park– 73% Very Good, Milman Close – 41% Good, Beswick Garden Copse – 21% Poor

Features

Longhill Park is a 9.3 hectare site in the Parish of Winkfield, east of Bracknell town. It is, between Long Hill Road and Harvest Ride. The site has both open and wooded areas and is popular with dog walkers, families and children with a play area and benches provided. This area is a former refuse site which has been reclaimed for wildlife and public recreation.

The main car park for the site is accessed from Long Hill Road. There are four pedestrian access paths to Longhill Park, as follows:

At the junction of Long Hill Road / Harvest Ride The northern point of Harvest Ride The rear of Timline Green The rear of Milman Close.

Milman Close (0.53 hectares) is identified in the Parks and Open Spaces Strategy (2002) as a naturalistic site with 100% wooded cover and Longhill Park is predominantly naturalistic with 70% wooded cover. Beswick Garden Copse is a 0.54 hectare site adjacent to LonghillPark.

Nature Conservation Interests

The main open area of Longhill Park is managed as a hay meadow with a wide range of flora and fauna, whilst other areas include scrub, valuable old hedgerows and oak woodland at the western edge. At the last wildlife survey in 2003, 111 species were recorded at the site, including the bullfinch, one of Bracknell Forest's Biodiversity Action Plan species.

Legislation Covering the Site

Beswick Garden Copse and Longhill Park are locally designated Local Wildlife Site (formerly Wildlife Heritage Sites).

38 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Visitor Usage

71% of all visitors surveyed stated this was the open space they regularly visited, which is lower than average for the parks surveyed. Lily Hill Park is the other site mainly visited by respondents, with many also visiting the Look Out and Crowthorne Woods, amongst other sites. Visitors tend to visit relatively frequently basis with 40% visiting more than 5 times a week. In addition, 23% travel less than once a week.

These sites are predominantly used for exercising the dog (69%) and 17% of visitors came to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. A third of all visitors questioned stayed less than 30 minutes, but half stay between 30 minutes and an hour. 10% of visitors stay for longer periods of over 2 hours. 94% of visitors feel safe when using the sites.

It was not deemed to be an especially busy area, with 38% of respondents rating it as busy and 40% rating it as ‘not busy’. 88% of visitors would continue to use the parks if visitor numbers doubled.

Visitor Numbers

Annual visitor projection – 26,000.

Accessibility

The majority of visitors travel by car (83%), 10% walk and 2% cycle. 33% of visitors travel less than 1 kilometre and 52% travel between 1 and 5 kilometres. 77% of people travelling less than 10 minutes to get to the site and 94% of people came from within 20 minutes travelling time. The site is generally flat and reasonably accessible for the mobility-impaired. Cycling is permitted along the track to the SW of the site.

Length of Footpaths

There is 1 all-weather footpath which is 119 metres in length. There are a total of 13 access points onto the sites, with 7 informal and non-defined.

Entrances and Car Parks

A car park with 18 spaces provides for all 3 areas of open space. Safety of the car park scores poorly with 19% of users rating this as poor; considerably lower than other sites.

Linkages to Other Sites

This is adjacent to Lily Hill Park and in close proximity to Clintons Hill; therefore semi-natural links could make a larger contiguous area of alternative open space.

Longhill Park / Milman Close / Beswick Gardens Copse - Potential as Impact Avoidance Measure

This has good potential as SANGs, indicated strongly by the existing visitors who use both this site and the SPA for recreation, indicating a similar experience. The predominant user group is dog walkers who have travelled a relatively short distance by car to reach the site. It is not rated as a busy site and most visitors would continue to use these sites if numbers

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 39 doubled. There is a poor path network and parking facilities therefore scope for improvement.This could be part of a larger area of impact avoidance open space proposed, along with adjacent sites.

40 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Part of Great Hollands Recreation Ground

Figure 12 Part of Great Hollands Recreation Ground SANG

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Due to its smaller size, this site has a 2km catchment area, as shown below:

Figure 13 Part of Great Hollands Recreation Ground SANG 2km Catchment

Great Hollands Recreation Ground

This Map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey Material with Scale 1:25,000 when printed at A4 the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may 0 0.5 1 lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Km Bracknell Forest Borough Council LA100019488.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 41 OS Coordinates: SU 851 665

Area: 4.78 hectares

Typology B: (amenity green space)

Ward: Great Hollands South

PPG17 Ref No’s: 62

PPG17 Audit: 71% Good

Features

The woodland plantation area to the south of the recreation ground has a number of unmade paths including a cleared ride from east to west. In some areas the rhododendron is kept low which in combination with the tall conifers provides a sense of space. Although the site is listed as amenity green space, the area to be used as SANGs, is composed of woodland.

Nature Conservation Interests

None identified.

Legislation Covering the Site

None identified.

Visitor Usage

59% of visitors usually use this open space, with the remainder visiting other spaces including: the more formal part of Great Hollands Recreation Ground, SandhurstMemorial Park and Jocks Lane.

People tend to visit this site less frequently than average, with 43% of respondents visiting less than once a week, however 30% of respondents visiting more than 5 times a week.

The main reason given for visiting the site (33%) was for dog walking, with 25% visiting for children’s play.

Visits were slightly longer than average, with 23% of people staying more than 2 hours and 8% staying between 1 and 2 hours.

99 % of visitors always or usually felt safe when visiting.

38% of respondents didn’t think this was a busy site and 89% of respondents would continue to use the site if the visitor numbers doubled.

Visitor Numbers

Annual visitor projection – 19,000.

42 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Accessibility

51% of visitors arriving by car and 47% walked to the site. 47% of visitors travelling less than a kilometre, whilst 17% travelled further than 5km. .This is reflected in the travel time with 62% of people travelling between 1 and 5 minutes to reach the site.

Length of Footpaths

There are several interconnecting unmade paths estimated length 500 metres of which the cleared ride forms 190m. A circular route of 0.8km could be created by connecting and creating paths.

Entrances and Car Parks

There is a macadam car park providing for 60 cars whilst footpaths provide access to the site from surrounding residential areas via the recreation ground. 49% of all visitors surveyed used the car park and there is some scope for improvement as 10% of users rated it as satisfactory only.

Linkages to Other Sites

The woodland area is connected to the more formal part of Great Hollands recreation ground extending to the north.

Part of Great Hollands Recreation Ground - Potential as Impact Avoidance Measure

This site provides a small but attractive semi-natural environment, with dog walking being the main reason for visiting. The visitors in general appear to visit other amenity open space in addition. They tend to stay longer than at other sites. The site is not rated as busy and, with enhancements, could attract a higher number of visitors.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 43 Ambarrow Court / Ambarrow Hill

Figure 14 Ambarrow Court / Ambarrow Hill

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This Map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey Material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the 13 Maybrick House Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. 7 2 0 1 50 2 100 Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. 6 Meters Bracknell Forest Borough Council LA100019488. Perry's Figure 15 Ambarrow Court / Ambarrow Hill SANG 4km Catchment

Ambarrow Court/Ambarrow Hill

This Map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey Material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. 0 1 2 3 Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Km Bracknell Forest Borough Council LA100019488.

44 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa OS Coordinates: SU 824 628

Area: 13.67 hectares

Typology: D (natural & semi-natural green space)

Ward - Little Sandhurst And Wellington

PPG17 Ref No’s - 6, 7

PPG17 Audit - Ambarrow Court - 82% Good, Ambarrow Hill - 59.2% Good

Features

Ambarrow Court is an 8.7ha site located in Little Sandhurst between the A321 and the Reading-Guildford railway line. It forms the lower slopes of Ambarrow Hill (5ha), which joins to the north of the site and is owned and managed by the National Trust. A Local Nature Reserve and Local Wildlife Site (formerly Wildlife Heritage Site); Ambarrow Court contains a range of habitats including ancient woodland, birch and hazel coppice, marshes, ponds and pools, and a meadow.

Much of the site was once managed as a Victorian country estate, although the original house of 1855, has since been demolished. Remnants of this era exist through the exotic species such as bamboo, large specimen trees and yew hedges. A nature tail runs through the site and an interpretation board is located at the site car park.

Nature Conservation Interests

An extensive species list has been recorded at the site, with notable plants including bluebells and other spring woodland flowers, cuckoo flower, yellow rattle and mature specimen trees such as cedar and Douglas fir. Important animals recorded include the stag beetle, noctule bat and glow worm, which appear in the Bracknell Forest Biodiversity Action Plan.

Legislation Covering the Site

Ambarrow Court is a Local Nature Reserve.

Visitor Usage

72% of all visitors surveyed stated this was the open space they regularly visited, with Horseshoe Lake and Wildmoor Heath the other sites predominantly visited.

There is a spread of both frequent and infrequent users, with 26% visiting more then 5 times a week and 28% visiting less than once a week.

Ambarrow Court is predominantly used for exercising the dog (52%) with other uses being walking (17%), jogging (7%) and relaxing and enjoying the atmosphere (7%). The length of visit tends to be shorter for this site than for others, with 39% of people staying less than 30 minutes and a further 50% staying between 30 minutes and 1 hour. This highlights the function of this site as a local area of open space for short visits.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 45 100% of respondents felt safe when visiting the site.

20% of people rated the site as busy and 61% rated it as not busy. 83% of visitors surveyed would continue to use the site if visitor numbers doubled.

Visitor Numbers

Annual visitor projection – 32,000.

Accessibility

The majority arrive by car (76%) and the remainder on foot (22%) or bike (2%). A higher than average proportion of visitors (7%) had travelled more than 20 kilometres to reach the site, which corresponds with 7% having a journey time of 30 minutes or more. However 81% of visitors still travelled less than 5 kilometres and took less than 10 minutes to reach the site.

Length of Footpaths

Two all-weather footpaths cover a distance of 1,064 metres. Footpaths run near to three sides of the site, with the northern boundary linked to the Ramblers Route in this way. A disabled access path runs through Ambarrow Court, including handrails and passing places to allow wheelchair and mobility impaired users to access the range of habitats found throughout the site.

Entrances and Car Parks

The car park is accessed off the A321 which forms part of Ambarrow Court. Pedestrians can enter Ambarrow Hill from the north via Ambarrow Corner, from the Right of Way centred between the two sites, from the car park and from the south which connects to Ambarrow Crescent. There are 7 formal entrances and the small car park provides parking for approximately 17 cars. The availability, quality and convenience of parking spaces scores well, with 86% of visitors rating them as very good. However, some rate safety as poor (6%) or satisfactory (19%).

Linkages to Other Sites

These sites are adjacent to Edgbarrow Hill.

Ambarrow Court / Ambarrow Hill - Potential as Impact Avoidance Measure

These sites are semi-natural and provide a good alternative to the SPA, indicated by visitors who visit both sites. The majority of visitors travel by car from within a small catchment for recreation and dog-walking. It is not perceived as a busy site and this is corroborated by low visitor numbers. The National Trust, who own part of the site, have been approached and have agreed that the site can be used as a SANGs.

46 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Sites Not suitable for Alternative Open Space

Edgbarrow Hill

OS Coordinates: SU 833 637

Area: 61.5 hectares

Typology: D (natural & semi-natural green space)

Ward: Little Sandhurst And Wellington

PPG17 Ref No’s: 278

PPG17 Audit: 45% Average

Features

Edgbarrow Hill & Heath consist of woodland (Scots pine & sweet chestnut plantation) with areas of open heathland. Heathland vegetation mainly thrives in the land cut underneath the high power electricity lines. The site contains Wellington College Bog SSSI.

Nature Conservation Interests

Wellington College Bog SSSI supports just over 6ha of lowland heathland. Small numbers of silver-studded blue butterfly recorded on Edgbarrow Hill and Heath. This site appears to have suffered a decline in silver studded blue numbers over the last 10-15 years thought to be caused by a decline in the availability of early succession heather.

Legislation Covering the Site

Wellington College Bog, within the site, is a SSSI and Edgbarrow Hill and Heath are locally designated Local Wildlife Site (formerly Wildlife Heritage Sites).

Visitor Usage

77% of all visitors surveyed stated this was the open space they regularly visited, therefore nearly a quarter of visitors regularly visit other areas of open space. These include Shepherds Meadows, Wildmoor Heath, Sandhurst Memorial Park, Ambarrow Court and Westmorland Park.

The predominant user group (40%) is regular users visiting more than 5 times a week; however in addition to this 34% visit less frequently, either once a week or less than once a week.

Edgbarrow Hill is mainly used for exercising the dog (57%) with other major uses being as a cut-through to reach another destination (17%) and for walking (11%). The length of visit tends to be shorter for this site than for others, with 40% of people staying less than 30 minutes and a further 49% staying between 30 minutes and 1 hour. This highlights the function of this site as a local area of open space for short visits.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 47 100% of respondents felt safe when visiting the site.

49% rated the site as busy, although only 3% rated it as ‘always busy’. 34% rated it as not busy and 9% said it was always quiet. 89% of visitors surveyed would continue to use the site if visitor numbers doubled.

Visitor Numbers

Annual visitor projection – 16,000.

Accessibility

Just over half of visitors (51%) walk to the site and 40% travel by car. 37% of all visitors surveyed had travelled less than 1 kilometre to reach Edgbarrow Hill and a further 54% had travelled between 1 and 5 kilometres. The journey time for the majority of visitors (77%) is less than 10 minutes.

Length of Footpaths

No all-weather paths were identified.

Entrances and Car Parks

There is no car park linked to the site but there are 11 entrances for pedestrians into the site.

Linkages to Other Sites

The site is adjacent to Ambarrow Court and Ambarrow Hill.

Edgbarrow Hill - Potential as Impact Avoidance Measure

In general visitors to this site tend to be regular, local users visiting for shorter periods of time to walk their dogs or as a cut through. It was rated as a quiet site, and had correspondingly low levels of visitors. The semi-natural and quiet nature of the site indicate this would make a suitable alternative to the SPA, however the site is not within the Borough Council’s ownership, and there have been indications that the public access to this site is to be restricted because of security measures rather than extended.There is a public right of way across the site, but the additional access required to attract people from the SPA is unlikely to be secured.

Sandhurst Memorial Park

OS Coordinates: SU 842 612

Area: 27.26 hectares

Typology: H (outdoor sports facilities)

Ward: Central Sandhurst

48 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa PPG17 Ref No’s: 118

PPG17 Audit: 81% Very Good

Features

This park, which is accessed off the A321 Yorktown / Marshall Road, is open to the public and provides a range of facilities and attractions for a variety of formal and informal activities. Covering approximately 28 hectares, this site, managed by Sandhurst Town Council, has become one of the premier recreational sites in Bracknell Forest.

The Civic Trust's Green Flag Award Scheme is a national standard for the quality of public parks and green spaces in England and Wales. Sites are judged on eight criteria:

1. A welcoming place 2. Healthy, safe and secure 3. Well maintained and clean 4. Sustainability 5. Conservation and heritage 6. Community involvement 7. Marketing and 8. Management.

In 2004, Bracknell Forest Borough Council and Sandhurst Town Council entered Sandhurst Memorial Park and Shepherd Meadows into the scheme - resulting in the first ever joint application Green Flag Award. A management plan for the sites was developed in conjunction with BBOWT (Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust) and the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership. Shepherd Meadows and Sandhurst Memorial Park received a Green Flag Award again in 2005/06.

Since its modest beginning in 1949 when 2.4 hectares of land known as Brookside Field were purchased by Sandhurst Parish Council "for the purpose of a public recreation ground for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Parish of Sandhurst", successive Parish/Town Councils have gained the rights over adjacent farm and woodlands to make the Memorial Park what it is today. This is identified in the Parks and Open Spaces Strategy (2002) as a site with slightly more amenity value than natural features, and 10% of the site is covered with woody planting.

Nature Conservation Interests

None identified.

Legislation Covering the Site

None identified.

Visitor Usage

78% of all visitors surveyed stated this was the open space they regularly visited, with the Look Out the other site most visited.

There are fewer than average very frequent users, with only 9% visiting 4 or more times a week and 65% visiting once a week or less.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 49 Sandhurst Memorial Park is used for a wide range of purposes, with the main use being children’s play (44%). Other main reasons for visiting are to meet people / socialise (15%), exercise the dog (12%) and walk (10%). Visits are predominantly more than 30 minutes but less than 2 hours (83%).

78% of respondents felt safe when visiting the site.

44% of people rated the site as busy and 44% rated it as not busy. However, 93% of visitors surveyed would continue to use the site if visitor numbers doubled.

Visitor Numbers

Annual visitor projection – 150,000.

Accessibility

The majority travel by car (61%) and the remainder by walking (34%), cycling (2%) or bus (2%). 29% of visitors travel from within 1 kilometre and the majority (49%) travel between 1 and 5 kilometres. The journey time for nearly all visitors (98%) is less than 20 minutes.

Entrances and Car Parks

63% of visitors surveyed use the car park and a high percentage of respondents rated the car park size, quality, convenience and safety as very good or quite good.

Linkages to Other Sites

This is adjacent to Shepherds Meadows.

Sandhurst Memorial Park - Potential as Impact Avoidance Measure

Many of the visitors to the Memorial Park also visit the Look Out, but they did not specify whether this was for the children’s play area as opposed to the natural areas. Visitor numbers on this site are already high, although the same number of people rated the site as ‘busy’ and ‘not busy’. People visited less frequently and stayed longer, which may be a result of the type of user, visiting for the play area rather than daily dog walking. As the site already scores highly in the PPG17 audit, there is little scope for improvement, and the site because of its amenity nature does not currently attract large number of dog walkers. As a result there is little or no potential for this to be converted into alternative open space to attract users of the SPA.

Swinley Park

OS Coordinates: SU 833 637

Area: 267.55 hectares

Typology: D (natural & semi-natural green space)

Ward: Ascot

50 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa PPG17 Ref No’s: 132

PPG17 Audit: 47% Good

Features

Swinley Park is an area of the Windsor Estate between Bracknell and Bagshot to the west of the A322. Owned and managed by The Crown Estate, it comprises over 260 hectares of mainly Scots Pine woodland.

Nature Conservation Interests

This park includes the most important concentration of ancient broadleaved trees remaining in the southern sector of Windsor Forest. Most of the area consists of conifer plantation with patches of broadleaves, but scattered throughout are a number of ancient oaks, beech Fagus sylvatica and sweet chestnut Castanea sativa, notably along the rides and edges of forest compartments. Some of the oaks are pollards of great age and, although partially shaded by conifers, the decaying hulks of these ultra-mature trees provide habitats now rare in woodland. Many rare species of insect requiring dead and decaying large timber are known to be present. The area is also of interest for its birds, both hole-nesting species and birds of prey. An avenue of lime trees Tilia europaea supports a good local population of mistletoe Viscum album.

The site also includes Swinley Brick Pits, an area of old clay pits now much overgrown by birch, pine and rhododendron and including a number of small pools providing ideal habitat for several species of dragonflies, Odonata, and secluded cover for waterfowl, as well as breeding sites for all three species of newts.

Locally, where the ground is too wet for the proper establishment of coniferous trees, a wet heath flora has developed. A small colony of marsh clubmoss Lycopdiella inundata, rare in Berkshire, occurs in the brick pits area.

Legislation Covering the Site

This large area of private land is both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Visitor Usage

78% of all visitors surveyed stated this was the open space they regularly visited, with Englemere Pond and the Look Out the other sites most visited.

There is a wide spread of frequency of user with a third of respondents visiting more than 5 times a week, but also nearly a quarter visiting less than once a week.

Swinley Park is used for a wide range of purposes, with the main use being exercising the dog (54%). Other main reasons for visiting are cycling (19%), walking (11%) and jogging (8%). No visits are less than 30 minutes and the vast majority (47%) are between 30 minutes and 2 hours. In comparison to other sites a high proportion (14%) of visits are between 2 and 4 hours.

84% of respondents felt safe when visiting the site.

Only 19% of people rated the site as busy and 68% rated it as not busy. However, 95% of visitors surveyed would continue to use the site if visitor numbers doubled.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 51 Visitor Numbers

Annual visitor projection – 30,000.

Accessibility

The majority travel by car (81%) and the remainder by walking (44%) and cycling (5%).This site has a higher proportion of visitors from long distance; 14% of respondents had travelled more than 20 kilometres and half of all users travelled between 1 and 5 kilometres. As a result 16% of visitors have travelled more than 30 minutes to reach the site, which is the highest for all the sites surveyed. In addition 41% of people travelled less than 5 minutes.

Length of Footpaths

There are 8 all-weather footpaths providing a total distance of 8,348 metres of access around the site.

Entrances and Car Parks

There is a car park for 30 cars. There are 10 entrances around the site’s perimeter. Visitors to the site do not rate the car park particularly well with 39% of respondents rating the quality as quite or very poor and only 16% rating the quality as very good or quite good.

Linkages to Other Sites

Part of this site is adjacent to Englemere Pond.

Swinley Park - Potential as Impact Avoidance Measure

This site has all the characteristics of a suitable impact avoidance measure against the SPA, being of a suitable size, having the potential to upgrade access and being of a low visitor usage already, therefore having capacity to absorb more visitors as a result. However, the deliverability of this site as impact avoidance cannot be guaranteed or secured as the Borough Council does not own or lease the land, and discussions with the landowner have indicated that securing this land over the lifetime of the developments proposed in the DPD will not be possible. It is for this reason this site has not been included in the Appropriate Assessment.

Silver Jubilee Field / Wicks Green

OS Coordinates: SU 839 709

Area: 3.6 hectares

Typology: B (amenity green space)

Ward: Binfield With Warfield

PPG17 Ref No’s: 149 / 182

PPG17 Audit: 64% Very Good

52 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Features

Open grassed site with children play area. This is identified in the Parks and Open Spaces Strategy (2002) as a site with some natural features and one fifth of the site is covered with woody planting.

Nature Conservation Interests

None relevant to this Appropriate Assessment.

Legislation Covering the Site

There is no relevant legislation covering this site.

Visitor Usage

88% of all visitors surveyed stated this was the open space they regularly visited.

There is a spread of both frequent and infrequent users, with 34% visiting more then 5 times a week and 31% visiting less than once a week.

This site is mainly used by people walking their dogs (47%), with the other key uses being the children’s play area (22%) and walking (13%). Over half of visits are between 30 minutes and 1 hour, with 19% between 1 and 2 hours.

97% of respondents felt safe when visiting the site.

Only 22% of people rated the site as busy and 56% rated it as not busy and 85% of visitors surveyed would continue to use the site if visitor numbers doubled.

Visitor Numbers

Annual visitor projection – 14,000.

Accessibility

The majority of visitors walk to the site (84%) with 13% arriving by car and 3% cycling. Two thirds of visitors travel from within 1 kilometre and only a small proportion (6%) come from over 5 kilometres. As a result 85% of the journeys took less than 10 minutes.

Length of Footpaths

2 all-weather footpaths provide a walking distance of 493 metres.

Entrances and Car Parks

An informal parking area provides parking for approximately 12 cars. There are 6 formal entrances. Three quarters of respondents stated the car park was satisfactory as opposed to good or very good, therefore there is room for improvement. In addition, a quarter rated it as being poor quality with poor safety.

Linkages to Other Sites

This site stands alone.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 53 Silver Jubilee Field / Wicks Green - Potential as Impact Avoidance Measure

This site caters predominantly for local users with the majority of visitors arriving on foot despite the provision of parking.The site is not deemed to be busy therefore has capacity for further visitors. Although the site is only partially semi-natural, this has the potential to provide for an element of the SPA users; people wanting to take their dog for short local walks up to half a kilometre in length. Improvements to the car park and path network could encourage this use. The Council has been unable to reach agreement with Binfield Parish Council and is therefore unable to consider the site for SANGs provision.

54 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Appendix 6: SANGs Enhancement Works

Using the criteria identified in Natural England's SANGs Quality Guidance, an appraisal was made of how each area of open space already meets the quality guidelines of suitable mitigating open space. This was based upon the summaries provided in Appendix 5, site visits and discussions with the Parks and Countryside Service. As a result, potential enhancements which could improve the quality of the open space as mitigation land are identified.

Criteria which are not included in the table below, but are addressed within a separate section are:

The site is located in a place which would make it attractive to the particular people most likely to visit the SPA – this is being addressed by the accessibility mapping to ensure proposed development is within a suitable distance of the mitigation. Has not been heavily used up to now and has the capacity to attract more people of the type who would visit the SPA – this issue is addressed in the capacity study of each site.

Key = Potential for Improvement = PFI

Table 6 SANGs Enhancement Works

Dog off the Perception Provision of Circular walk Way-marked Thin, natural Water View points Attractive in lead of safety on parking of 2.5km paths paths on-site appearance site i.e. semi-natural

Jocks Copse / Tinker's Copse / The Cut (south) / Garth Meadows / Larks Hill / Piggy Wood

Yes Yes Some Not currently Currently Yes Yes Yes Yes although PFI none so lots as a group of of PFI. sites

Enhancements:

Production of an open space management plan. Main potential for enhancement is the creation of a circular route including all the sites. 55 Yes Yes Attractive in appearance i.e. semi-natural No No View points View Yes Yes Water on-site No Yes Thin, natural Thin, paths Yes PFI Way-marked paths Provides for Provides 1.6km PFI Circular walk Circular of 2.5km Yes – PFI Yes quality Yes Provision of Provision parking PFI Potential for Potential improvement Perception on of safety site Improving semi-natural linkages between the individual sites. linkages between semi-natural Improving signs to direct round a circular route. Way-marked paths on some parts Improved of the site. pedestrian and cycle entrances improved points of the route and additional non-car access (e.g. Additional parking spaces at different parking). internet) (leaflets, as circular walk Publicise bins and benches where appropriate. furniture, e.g. and/or upgraded New and perception of safety. safety presence on-site to improve Increased ranger interpretation and promotion of the site. Improve Production of an open space management plan. signs to direct round a circular route. way-marked Improved paths on some parts Improved of the site and creation additional paths to increase length walk. interpretation internet) (leaflets, and promotion of the site. and improve as circular walk Publicise and perception of safety. safety presence on-site to improve Increased ranger bins and benches where appropriate. furniture, e.g. and/or upgraded New Yes Yes Yes Englemere Pond Englemere Pond Enhancements: Meadows Shepherd Dog off the lead

56 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Attractive in appearance i.e. semi-natural Yes View points View Yes Yes Water on-site Thin, natural Thin, paths Yes Way-marked paths Yes Circular walk Circular of 2.5km No Yes – PFI Yes Provision of Provision parking size, safety safety size, Perception on of safety site Yes Way-marked signs to direct round a circular route. Way-marked paths on some parts Improved of the site. interpretation internet) (leaflets, and promotion of the site. and improve as circular walk Publicise and perception of safety. safety presence on-site to improve Increased ranger bins and benches where appropriate. furniture, e.g. and/or upgraded New Production of an open space management plan. Valley. along the Blackwater their walk people to extend signs to direct round a circular route and encourage way-marked Improved paths on some parts Improved of the site. interpretation internet) (leaflets, and promotion of the site. and improve as circular walk Publicise and perception of safety. safety presence on-site to improve Increased ranger bins and benches where appropriate. furniture, e.g. and/or upgraded New and a longer circular walk path will provide Valley and the Blackwater Shepherds Meadows Horseshoe Lake, Better linkages between DC. Wokingham within pit restoration a link to larger scale gravel could also provide Yes Dog off the lead Enhancements: Lake Horseshoe Enhancements: / Clintons Hill Hill Park Copse / Lily Gardens / Milman Close Beswick Longhill Park

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 57 Yes Mainly semi-natural PFI but Attractive in appearance i.e. semi-natural No Yes View points View No Yes Water on-site Yes PFI Thin, natural Thin, paths No No Way-marked paths PFI PFI Circular walk Circular of 2.5km Yes Yes Provision of Provision parking Yes PFI Perception on of safety site Production of an open space management plan Creation of circular route Production of an open space management plan. has already been enhanced in a LilyHillPark enhancement is the creation of a circular route including all sites. Main potential for on the other sites. enhancements should concentrate therefore manner; suitable Garden Copse nature of Milman Close and Beswick and semi-natural attractiveness Improve Production of an open space management plan. bins and benches where appropriate. furniture, e.g. and/or upgraded New the individual sites. linkages between semi-natural Improving signs to direct round a circular route. Way-marked path network on some partsImproved of the sites. car park and additional non-car access (e.g. of LonghillPark safety improve points of the route, Additional parking spaces at different pedestrian and cycle parking). entrances improved interpretation internet) (leaflets, and promotion of the site. and improve as circular walk Publicise and perception of safety. safety presence on-site to improve Increased ranger Yes Enhancements: of Great Hollands Recreation Ground Part Yes Enhancements: Dog off the lead

58 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Attractive in appearance i.e. semi-natural Good View points View Yes No Water on-site Thin, natural Thin, paths PFI Way-marked paths PFI Circular walk Circular of 2.5km PFI Provision of Provision parking Yes – PFI Yes safety safety Yes Perception on of safety site Rhododendron removal to improve attractiveness, perception of safety and biodiversity perception of safety attractiveness, to improve Rhododendron removal circular route signs for Way-marked interpretation site through new and leaflets Publicise interest for sculpture trail Woodland Production of an open space management plan. pedestrian and cycle entrances improved and additional non-car access (e.g. safety car parks to improve to existing Improvements parking). route. way-marked paths in a circular, Creation of new Production of an open space management plan and perception of safety. safety presence on-site to improve Increased ranger bins and benches where appropriate. furniture, e.g. and/or upgraded New interpretation and promotion of the site. Improve Yes Dog off the lead Ambarrow Court / Ambarrow Hill Court / Ambarrow Ambarrow Enhancements:

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 59 Notes: The reference to dogs being off the lead within this document does not exclude the requirements of other legislation, which requires dogs to be under close control at all times. Where potential for safety improvement is identified, this has been based on perceptions of safety from the current visitors surveyed during the site specific questionnaires.

The enhancements identified in the table above are required in order to bring each SANGs up to a suitable standard to provide an alternative to the SPA. Detailed works and costings, will be provided along with the implementation of this plan, in an open space management plan. It is difficult to identity the specific improvement works which may need to be carried out at each site over the next 20 years, therefore the open space management plan will be updated every 5 years.

60 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Appendix 7: SPA Avoidance and Mitigation Costs

1. The following information summarises potential expenditure relating to delivery of the Bracknell Forest Council Thames Basin Heaths SPA Avoidance and Mitigation SPD.

2. The measures identified are those which will require a lead role to be implemented by the Parks and Countryside Service (part of Environment, Culture and Communities) and the Strategic Access Management and Monitoring (SAMM) Project. The focus is on land management initiatives outside of the designated SPA as well as access management and monitoring on the SPA.

3. It should be noted that mitigation proposals require the provision and management of public open space at a level above and beyond that which is normally sought by developer contributions. The target Open Space of Public Value provision for Bracknell Forest is 4.3 hectares per 1000 of population (including 2.3 hectares passive space, see Chapter 4 of Limiting the Impact of Development SPD).(8)

4. Englemere Pond and Shepherds Meadows include SSSI sites and it is a statutory requirement that the SSSIs are maintained in a favourable condition by the landowners. Therefore, the financial contribution towards enhancing these sites to provide an alternative to the SPA is in addition to the finances required for management of the interest features for which the SSSI is designated.

5. Relevant action can be broken down into three main activities:­

Enhancement of SANGS, as identified within the SPA Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy; Sustainable management of SANGS in perpetuity; Access management and monitoring within and/or directly relating to the Special Protection Area.

8 This can be found at http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/lid.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 61 1. SANGs Contributions

a) SANGs Enhancement Works

Table 7 Works and Costs Identified by Open Space (as estimated at 2010/11)

(2) Sites(1) Actions Cost (£)

1. The Cut Habitat Management: 25,000 Countryside Corridor including Access Management: 190,000 Jock's Copse, Tinkers Copse, The Interpretation: 33,000 Cut, Garth Meadows, Furniture: 38,000 Larks Hill and Piggy Wood Total 286,000 (Link with Bracknell Town Council)

2. Shepherd Habitat Management: 18,000 Meadows Access Management: 43,000 (Link with Sandhurst Town Council) Interpretation: 23,000 Furniture: 18,000

Total 102,000

3. Englemere Pond Habitat Management: 106,000

(Link with The Crown Access Management: 87,000 Estate) Interpretation: 25,000

Furniture: 6,000

Total 224,000

4. Horseshoe Lake Habitat Management: 23,000

(Link with Blackwater Access Management: 106,000 Valley Countryside Partnership) Interpretation: 18,000 Furniture: 4,000

Total 151,000

62 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa (2) Sites(1) Actions Cost (£)

5. 'Long Hill Park' Habitat Management: 22,000 Group(3)(4) including Longhill Park, Milman Access Management: 80,000 Close, Beswick Gardens Copse and Interpretation: 39,000 Clintons Hill Furniture: 9,000

Total 150,000

6. Ambarrow Court/ Habitat Management: 45,000 Ambarrow Hill Access Management: 67,000 (Link with the National Trust) Interpretation: 18,000 Furniture: 28,000

Total 158,000

Total £1,071,000

Total including £1,128,000 indexation

1. Part of Great Hollands Recreation Ground has also been identified as a SANG (see appendices 4 and 5). This site has however not been brought into the cost calculations, since it is not required for mitigation purposes at this stage. 2. Baseline calculations are identified within relevant mini-plans. 3. The Long Hill Park Group includes Lily Hill Park.This site is however not shown here as it provides mitigation for the Bracknell Town Centre development and is not part of the suite of Bracknell Forest's strategic SANGs. 4. Due to particular development pressures in or around the Town Centre, it is possible that the Long Hill Park Group will be used as SPA mitigation for these developments. b) Additional Annual Maintenance in Perpetuity

6. There are costs associated with the management of green space (managed by the Council, or partner body such as Bracknell Town Council) which vary significantly across the Borough.

7. In general terms, expenditure will be highest where there is the greatest provision of formal facilities such as surfaced paths and parking. However, a pre-requisite of potential mitigation land is that it is semi-natural and encompasses some of the special qualities of the SPA.

8. It should be noted that there is an existing ‘base level’ of management of the proposed mitigation sites, which is not being funded through these contributions. However, successful delivery (particularly effective re-distribution of visitors) will require an increase to the existing management levels for the specific sites.

9. Accordingly, the costs identified below relate specifically to the sustainable management of the proposed enhancement to be implemented as a result of SPA mitigation measures.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 63 Additional maintenance Based on 2 new rangers plus £123,000 per annum in requirements incl. staffing maintenance. perpetuity

c) Administration and Education

10. Of particular significance are the production of the Open Space Management Plans (OSMP's) which detail the necessary enhancement works to the SANGS, project management of enhancement works and promotion of the SANGS.

Cost relating to Based on 0.5 increase to £25,000 per annum for 20 years (plan Biodiversity Officer existing post including period) support costs Total £500,000

An allocation for SANG promotional material £50,000

d) Summary of SANGs Costs (based on 2010/2011 costs)

11. These figures are likely to increase over time when inflation is factored in.

Table 8 Summary of Total SANGs Costs

SPA Avoidance and Mitigation Cost Totals (rounded) Works and Measures

A) SANGs Enhancement Works See table 1. above £1,128,000 incl. indexation

B) Additional Annual See above - additional £123,000 per annum, Maintenance in Perpetuity (over maintenance and increase in requires commuted and above existing revenue staffing requirements for 125 sum of budgets for 125 years) years £8,717,000 for 125 years

C) Administration and Education £25,000 annual staffing cost for £550,000 20 year plan period

£50,000 for educational resources/material

D) Facilitation Sum (35% contingency to forward plan and deliver £3,638,000 the total Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy)

Total SANGs measures: £14,033,000

64 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa e) Calculation of SANG Tariff ‘Per Bedroom’

12. The following estimates and assumptions were made to calculate the SANG tariff as shown in table 10.

Table 9 Estimates and Assumptions

Estimates and Assumptions Totals

Estimated total area of SANGs capacity available for 6 sites: 109.14 ha

The Cut Countryside Corridor = 16.78ha Long Hill Park Group (not incl. Lily Hill Park) = 14.1ha Englemere Pond = 26.92ha Horseshoe Lake = 8.6ha Shepherds Meadows = 30.64ha Ambarrow Court / Ambarrow Hill = 12.1ha

(as set out in Appendix 4)

Estimated total mitigation capacity of SANGs available (persons) 13,643 persons(1)

109.14 ha / 8 x1000

Estimated mitigation capacity of SANGs available (dwellings) 5,906 dwellings

13,643 people @ 2.31 people(2) per dwelling

Total cost of SANGs avoidance and mitigation measures (excluding £14,033,000 SAMM)

Estimated Cost per person of SANGs avoidance and mitigation £1,029 measures (excluding SAMM)

£14,033,000 ÷ 13,643 people

1. It should be noted that the potential to mitigate for 13,643 new population could almost certainly never be completely realised. This is because development does not always occur in areas where there is SANGs capacity and SANGs have particular catchment areas. In Bracknell Forest, for example, there are particular pressures on SANGs in the north of the borough. 2. Based on average occupancy per dwelling of 2.31 persons (for Bracknell Forest 2001 – 2026). Agreed figure used in the Bracknell Forest Council Thames Basin Heaths SPA Technical Background Document to the Core Strategy DPD (June 2007).

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 65 Table 10 Calculation of SANG Tariff per Bedroom

No. % Dwellings(1) No. Dwellings Estimated Charge per Bedrooms Occupancy(2) bedroom(3)

1 23% 1,358 1.40 £1,570

2 29% 1,713 1.85 £2,070

3 35% 2,067 2.50 £2,800

4 11% 650 2.85 £3,190

5+ 2% 118 3.70 £4,150

Total 100% 5,906

1. Indicative Estimate of Size of Dwellings Required to Accommodate Growth in Bracknell Forest. See Draft Strategic Housing Market Assessment (July 2010) Figure 3.14 2. Occupancy figures ‘per bedroom’ are not available for Bracknell Forest. These have been obtained from a number of data sources from local authorities in the region of the Thames Basin Heaths SPA and used to calculate estimated average occupancy figures, selected on a precautionary basis. The same occupancy figures have been applied to the calculation of the SAMM contributions. See SAMM Tariff Guidance on the Council's website at http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa. 3. Estimated occupancy x estimated cost per person + approx. 9% adjustment applied to ensure that total costs are recovered. 2. Strategic Access Management and Monitoring (SAMM) Contributions

13. The SAMM tariff has been calculated based on guidance issued by Natural England(9) 14. In 2009, the tariff was set at £630 per dwelling. It was agreed that the tariff would be collected by an Administrative Body (Hampshire County Council) and the delivery managed by Natural England. The sum provides for £190 towards annual expenditure and £440 to the long term investment fund. 15. The tariff was established with reference to the anticipated increase in population and a detailed analysis of the resources which would be needed to address the increased number of visitors to each part of the SPA. An estimate of the number of houses (2,824 per year over 17 years) was taken from the South East Plan (2009) and the cost of access measures and monitoring calculated in consultation with a wide range of organisations delivering similar services. Table 11 provides a summary:

Table 11 Calculation of £630 per dwelling

Annual Cost

Staff and wardening service £390,000 See Appendix 3 of SAMM Guidance Monitoring inc capital costs £55,500

Contingency £43,900

Administrative body fees £20,000

Natural England management fee £10,000

VAT contingency* £17,160

9 Thames Basin Heaths Strategic Access Management and Monitoring (SAMM) Project Tariff Guidance (March 2011) can be found on the Councils website at http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa

66 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa Annual Cost

Total cost £536,560

Revenue funding per house £190 Est. 2,824 houses/yr yielding £536,560

Capital investment per house £440 See Appendix 2 of SAMM Guidance

Total average tariff per house £630

Notes

The approach to rounding reflects the original calculations conducted by a number of individuals. This has been replicated to maintain consistency with previously published and agreed documents. The level of variation in the figures is not significant.

* VAT on all monitoring and capital costs; plus part of wardening costs.

16. Following discussions with the local authorities a legal opinion was jointly sought to establish whether the proposed tariff was compliant with ODPM Circular 05/2005 Planning Obligations. An opinion was received which concluded that the tariff did meet the requirements of the Circular except in regards to being a flat rate tariff. The opinion considered that a flat rate tariff would not be proportional and would fetter the local authorities’ discretion. 17. The opinion also stated that a tariff which included the number of bedrooms and/or distance would be proportionate and acceptable. The current Thames Basin Heaths SANG and SAMM tariffs take account of distance through the current distance zoning scheme. 18. In response, Natural England and the local authorities agreed a proportional tariff based on the number of bedrooms. A tariff developed using these guidelines is considered to meet all the requirements of current policy guidance and, in conjunction with SANGs, will be able to provide effective mitigation to address the impact of additional housing on the SPA. 19. The legal opinion states that the tariff can be established by reference to the overall sum needed to deliver the required mitigation. The overall sum required was established by the SAMM Outline Business Plan and has been agreed by the local authorities and Natural England. The best available figures are used throughout for calculating the tariff and local authorities are expected to use local data wherever appropriate. 20. The proportional tariff is calculated using a simple equation based on occupancy and a per capita Standard Cost. The standard cost is derived from the overall sum required and the number of new residents. In order ensure that the scheme is fit for purpose, the TBH SAMM tariff includes an enabling adjustment, which provides confidence that the overall income will be sufficient to ensure that the SPA is not adversely affected.

Tariff = (Occupancy x Standard Cost) + Enabling Adjustment

21. Table 12 provides an estimate of the per capita contribution required to provide the overall sum. The enabling adjustment is obtained by including data on the predicted mix of house size.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 67 Table 12 Overall Costs

Notes

Number of dwellings 2,824 Forecast delivery within 5km of SPA

Original revenue £536,560 Annual sum required for mitigation

Original investment £1,242,560 Invested into long term fund

Original total £1,779,120 Investment + revenue, total required annually

Original tariff £630 £1,779,120 ÷ 2,824 = £630 per dwelling

Occupancy 2.4 Agreed figure used in the Delivery Framework

Total no. Residents 6,778 2,824 x 2.4 (No. dwellings x Occupancy)

Standard Cost £263 1,779,120 ÷ 6778 (Total sum ÷ No. residents)

22. Table 13 shows an example of a proportional tariff scale for the TBH SAMM project. The scale uses average figures for occupancy and housing sizes obtained from a number of the relevant local authorities. Appendix 2 in the SAMM guidance details the calculations and provides background data. As there are no reliable figures for occupancy rates in Bracknell Forest, no local occupancy rates have been applied and sub regional averaged figures have been used to calculate the SAMM contributions. The 'example' SAMM tariff is set out in the guidance as follows. These are the tariffs which Bracknell Forest will apply.

Table 13 SAMM Tariff

No. of Bedrooms Tariff

1 £399

2 £526

3 £711

4 £807

5+ £1,052

68 www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa C. Total SPA Avoidance and Mitigation Costs Per Bedroom

Table 14 Total SPA Avoidance and Mitigation Costs per Bedroom

SPA Avoidance No. SANGs tariff per SAMM Tariff Total SPA Tariff and Mitigation Bedrooms bedroom per bedroom per bedrrom Measures

Enhancement and 1 £1,570 £399 £1,969 sustainable management of 2 £2,070 £526 £2,596 SANGs in perpetuity + 3 £2,800 £711 £3,511 strategic access 4 £3,190 £807 £3,997 management and monitoring (SAMM) 5+ £4,150 £1,052 £5,202 contributions per bedroom

23. SPA Avoidance and Mitigation costs may need to be reviewed and updated periodically.

www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/spa 69 Copies of this booklet may be obtained in large print, Braille, on audio cassette or in other languages. To obtain a copy in an alternative format please telephone 01344 352000

Development Plan Team Planning and Transport Policy Environment, Culture and Communities Bracknell Forest Council Time Square Market Street Bracknell RG12 1JD

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