Conservation& Management Plans

2027 - 2017 Conservation& Management Plans Alexandra Park St Helen’s Road Hastings East Sussex Lat: 50⁰ 51’ 58”N Long: 000⁰34’08”E Alexandra Park CONTENTS REFERENCE SECTION 1 PAGE REFERENCE SECTION 3 PAGE Strategy and Policy 1 3.0 Green Space Management 24 Location and extent of Alexandra Park 1 3.1 Generic Management 24 Executive summary 2 3.1.1 Leases and Rights of Passage 24 Foreword from Lead Member 2 3.1.2 Sustainability Issues 24 1.0 Introduction 3 1.1 Background 3 3.1.3 Bio-diversity and conservation 25 1.2 Purpose of the plan 3 3.1.4 The Waterways Project 25 1.3 The Green Flag Standard 3 3.1.5 Tree Collection 27 1.4 Generic park management 3 3.1.6 Green Corridors 30 1.5 Summary Statement 4 3.1.7 Water Quality and Safety 30 3.1.8 Pest Control 30 1.6 About the Park 4 3.2 Physical Management 30 1.7 Management Prescriptions 5 3.2.1 GM contract 30 1.8 Organisational Structure 6 3.2.2 General management 31 3.2.3 Area 1 Lower Park 31 REFERENCE SECTION 2 PAGE 3.2.4 Past Management 31 3.2.5 Current Use 31 2.0 Community Involvement and Marketing 7 3.2.6 Environmental quality 32 2.1 Good Access for All 9 3.2.7 Play area 32 2.1.1 Getting to the Park 9 3.2.8 Access and Paths 32 2.1.2 Car Parking 11 3.2.9 Vegetation Management 33 2.1.3 Good Access 11 3.2.10 Waterways 33 2.1.4 Vehicular movement 12 3.2.11 Structures 33 2.1.5 Cycling 12 3.2.12 Railings and main entrances 35 2.1.6 DDA 12 2.2 Community cohesion 12 3.2.13 Management aims and objectives 35 3.2.14 Management Prescriptions 36 2.2.1 The Friends of Alexandra Park 14 3.2.15 Compartment Prescriptions - Lower Park 37 2.2.2 The Alexandra Park Greenhouse Group 14 3.2.16 The Upper Park 38 2.2.3 Customer Care 15 3.2.17 Past management 39 2.2.4 Cultural Heritage 15 3.2.18 Current Use 39 3.2.19 Environmental quality 39 2.3 Education and Healthy Activity 16 3.2.20 Access and Paths 39 2.3.1 Education 16 3.2.21 Vegetation Management 40 2.3.2 Interpretation and information 17 3.2.22 Water features 41 2.3.3 Events 17 3.2.23 Depot Buildings 41 2.3.4 Sport and Recreation 19 2.3.5 Play 20 3.2.24 Chalybeate Spring and Dr McCabe’s Well 41 2.3.6 Healthy Living 22 3.2.25 Railings 41 2.4 Clean, Safe and Green 22 2.4.1 Community Safety 22 3.2.26 Management aims and objectives 41 2.4.2 Inappropriate Behaviour 22 3.2.27 Upper Park 41 2.4.3 Risk Management 23 3.2.28 Objectives 42 2.4.4/5 Anti Social Behaviour - Public Space 23 3.2.29 Management Prescriptions 42 Protection Orders 3.2.30 General Prescriptions and Capital Works 42 2.4.6 Providing a clean safe environment 23 CONTENTS 3.2.31 Compartment Prescriptions - Upper Park 42 3.2.32 Maintenance and Management 44 3.2.33 Paths 44 3.2.34 Railings 44 3.2.35 Grass 44 3.2.36 Trees and Shrubs 44 3.2.37 Woodland 44 3.2.38 Area 3 Shornden 44 3.2.39 Past and current management 45 3.2.40 Current use 45 3.2.41 The Reservoirs 45 3.2.42 Paths 45 3.2.43 Woodland Management 45 3.2.44 Grassland 45 3.2.45 Safety 45 3.2.46 Management aims and objectives 45 3.2.47 Aims 45 3.2.48 Objectives 46 3.2.49 Compartment Prescriptions 46 3.2.50 Capital Spending since 2004 47 3.2.51 Monitoring Our Success 47 REFERENCE SECTION 4 PAGE 4.0 Policies and Action Plan 48 REFERENCE SECTION 5 PAGE 5.0 References and Acknowledgments 52 5.1 Reference points 53 5.2 Acknowledgments 53 5.3 Review 53 5.4 Judges Feedback 2020 54 APPENDIX A PAGE Waterways Project 58 APPENDIX B PAGE Conservation and Restoration Plan 59 SECTION 1 STRATEGY AND POLICY LOCATION AND EXTENT OF ALEXANDRA PARK Alexandra Park stretches from Bethune Way in the south to Old Roar Gill in the north, some 3 kilometres, alongside St. Helens Road. It also reaches out to Bohemia and Silverhill in the West. 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: FOREWORD FROM THE LEAD MEMBER OF PARKS: COUNCILLOR MAYA EVANS Alexandra Park is a fantastic resource, hugely valued by the community. Not only are Alexandra Park and St Leonards Gardens two of our town’s most valuable historic parks, both are at the The Council, supported by local community very heart of the community. They play a vital role in groups, has the privilege of looking after this helping improve the quality of people’s lives, provide a “jewel in our crown”. quality environment for residents and visitors and provide a focus for cultural and community activities This Management and Development Plan seeks throughout the year. This difficult year has really to ensure the quality of maintenance is upheld demonstrated the importance of our parks to the and continual improvements are delivered. It community, providing an essential environment for people to physically exercise, as well as an opportunity for should be read in conjunction with the mental health well-being. Although this year has been Conservation and Restoration Plan which sets challenging beyond expectation, having beautiful green the context for restoration and ongoing aims spaces has made it bearable for many of our residents. and objectives, subject to funding. Our plans demonstrate the Council’s The Park is large and diverse; its significance varies commitment to maintaining our parks to provide a wide by area and it faces some interesting challenges range of horticultural, arboricultural, heritage, in terms of use. The Park is now key in the conservation, wildlife interest, and recreational and play provision of cleaner bathing water for the facilities to meet the need of the local community and town with an extensive new natural filtration visitors. We will be looking to maximise our green spaces scheme throughout the waterways. It also in terms of increasing biodiversity, which expands our provides perhaps less obvious environmental ability to carbon capture, and facilitates our aims around benefits, such as flood mitigation; all of which have carbon neutrality and tackling climate change. to be managed together. We will continue to strengthen our relationship with our Grounds Maintenance Contractor, idverde, together with Fundamentally the plan seeks to ensure all the incredible community groups who help support that management achieves the required environmental and sustainable management of the standards of maintenance; that effective repairs parks. are made and that materials utilised are sympathetic to the park’s heritage. The plan will Both Alexandra Park and St Leonards Gardens have been highlight the essential details such as choice of successful in retaining the prestigious Green Flag awards, plants, furniture, types of surfacing, paint colours, Alexandra Park having been first given the award in 2005, signage etc. to achieve this aim. followed by St Leonards Gardens in 2009. We are proud to be recipients of the Green Flag as the award is valued and recognised as the benchmark national standard for publicly accessible parks and green spaces. Hastings is extremely fortunate with its spectacular natural environment, an integral part of the town’s history, a lifeline for health and well-being, essential for tackling climate change, as well as playing a key role in the economic renaissance of the town. 2 1.0 INTRODUCTION: 1.1 Background to the plan The importance of Parks & Open Spaces in an urban • The plan is a working document, acting as a environment was recognised by the Victorians in the reference for future management. late 19th Century; this is as true of Alexandra Park • The plan is a fluid document that will be reviewed as anywhere else. The motivation for landscaping annually to include new information and Alexandra Park was primarily to encourage housing amended management. development as part of the expansion of the town. • The plan will provide policies for management and a maintenance schedule which will be Public parks were created to enhance the health and summarised at the end of the document. wellbeing of the population and to give opportunities to socialise, thus enhancing the community spirit. It is perhaps not so surprising 1.3 The Green Flag Standard that today the value of Parks are recognised for those self-same reasons. Despite this importance The Green Flag and Green Heritage Award was Alexandra Park, like so many others, had been achieved for the Park in 2006 and continues to set allowed to decline during the 1980s and ‘90s. the standard for future management. The criteria for the Green Flag Award aligns with the Council’s Parks In 1997 an application was made to the Heritage and Open Spaces Strategy (adopted Quality Standard) Lottery Fund to restore Alexandra Park. The bid which forms the basis for our future management. (project cost £3.46m) was successful and work commenced in 1999. The project was completed Green Flag Judge’s recommendations have been in 2005. considered as part of the annual review of this plan and are presented separately pending incorporation The full details of the restoration works can be found into this plan.

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