Stockton-On-Tees Green Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2018-2021
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Stockton-on-Tees Green Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2018-2021 Big plans for an outstanding Borough Contents 1 Introduction page 3 2 Strategic priorities 2018-21 page 4 3 About the plan page 7 4 Projects and outline proposals page 13 5 Countryside sites / natural environment page 16 6 Urban parks and amenity green space page 28 7 Play and informal sport page 39 8 Community food page 45 9 Access page 48 10 Cemeteries page 57 11 Information and management page 58 Appendices Appendix 1: Project prioritisation – assessment criteria page 60 Appendix 2: Natural & semi-natural green space: accessibility, quantity and quality/value of provision page 62 Appendix 3: Urban parks and amenity green space: accessibility, quantity and quality/value of provision page 64 Appendix 4: Play and informal sport: accessibility, quantity and quality/value of provision page 69 Appendix 5: Allotments: accessibility, quantity and quality/value of provision page 77 Appendix 6: Green corridors: accessibility, quantity and quality/value of provision page 79 Stockton-on-Tees Green Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2018-21 | 2 1 Introduction 1.1 This Green Infrastructure Delivery Plan sets out priority projects under the Borough’s Green Infrastructure Strategy. 1.2 Green infrastructure is an inter-connected, multifunctional network of open spaces and other environmental assets. Through the development and sustainable management of the Borough’s green infrastructure the plan aims to deliver a wide range of economic, social, health and environmental benefits. 1.3 The Council aims to develop and manage green infrastructure ‘to promote positive quality of life, quality of place, and sustainable development benefits to enable economic growth’ (Council Plan, 2017-20). The projects identified in the plan contribute towards this overall ambition and many other specific objectives set out in the Economic Strategy and Growth Plan 2017-20 and emerging Local Plan. 1.4 The majority of projects identified in the plan would be implemented by Stockton Borough Council with the support and involvement of a range of partners, although it also includes schemes which could be implemented by third parties. A variety of funding and delivery mechanisms will be utilised including Section 106 agreements. 1.5 The original version of the Plan was informed by consultations and other research undertaken between 2008 and 2010, and reflected the priorities of the Council and its partners at that time. A partial review of the plan was then undertaken in 2013. This current version of the Plan has informed by consultations with ward councillors and partner organisations, and also takes into consideration the findings of an Open Space Assessment carried in 2016-17 as part of the evidence base review for the Local Plan . 1.6 Implementation of the Delivery Plan will be managed and monitored through an officer steering group, under the Council’s Delivery Framework. The group will also oversee the on-going review and revision of the plan, in consultation with members, officers and external parties as required. 1. Knight, Kavanagh & Page (2017) Stockton-on-Tees Open Space Assessment 3 | Stockton-on-Tees Green Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2018-21 2 Strategic priorities 2018-21 2.1 All projects and actions contribute towards one of more of the ten strategic objectives set out in the Green Infrastructure Strategy. However, given that the Strategy was published in 2011, and set out a very broad range of aspirations, the following priorities have been identified for the period to 2021. These reflect the Council’s corporate objectives as set out in the Council Plan 2017-20, Economic Strategy (2017-2031) and Economic Growth Plan (2017-20) and other key documents. 2.2 The Plan also recognises the challenges the Council faces due to reductions to local authority and other public sector budgets. This has significant resource implications for the future development and management of green infrastructure and is an important consideration when identifying and prioritising specific projects (see 3.9). Green Infrastructure Current priorities under this plan Strategy objectives Promoting regeneration Provide attractive and multi-functional green infrastructure in locations where this will improve the image of the Borough and/or directly support sustainable economic growth. Addressing the impacts Contribute to sustainable water management, including of climate change natural flood management. Improving health and Provide a connected, safe and attractive network of well-being open spaces, play/informal sport facilities and strategic traffic-free routes, to encourage physical activity and help reduce health inequalities. Promoting leisure and Develop and secure the sustainable management of tourism a hierarchy of ‘strategic’, ‘district’ and ‘local’ parks; countryside sites, and routes for walking, cycling and horse-riding. Maximise the recreational value of the River Tees. Encouraging active & Develop a strategic network of traffic-free routes for sustainable travel walking and cycling. Increasing biodiversity & Conserve and enhance natural habitats, with a conserving other natural particular focus on major sites and the development of resources ecological networks in urban and rural areas. Enhancing landscape and Conserve and enhance significant landscape and the historic environment heritage features, and address issues of landscape quality where this contributes towards wider economic growth priorities. Stockton-on-Tees Green Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2018-21 | 4 Producing food and Support community and partner-led initiatives where renewable energy these are in line with the Council’s wider objectives. Improving awareness Provide appropriate information and interpretation and understanding relating to key parks and open spaces, access networks and other key amenity assets. Work in partnership with other organisations to engage communities and support public partication. Making places safe, Improve signage and improve the appearance and welcoming and accessibility of key sites and trails. accessible 2.3 Through the on-going review of the Delivery Plan consideration should be given to addressing the Council’s aspirations to: • Provide a major events space. • Increase cemetery provision to serve Stockton itself and the south of the Borough (specifically the communities of Yarm, Eaglescliffe, Preston and Ingleby Barwick). 5 | Stockton-on-Tees Green Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2018-21 3 About the plan Themes 3.1 Objectives, projects and proposals are set out under the following themes, addressing the broad priorities set out in chapter 2: • Countryside sites / natural environment (chapter 5): country parks, nature reserves and natural assets/habitats e.g. woodlands, meadows, wetlands, ponds, rivers and streams. • Urban parks and amenity green space (chapter 6): town parks, recreation grounds and amenity green spaces. • Play and informal sport (chapter 7): play areas and informal sport facilities such as skate parks and multi-use games areas. • Community food (chapter 8): allotments, community gardens and orchards. • Access (chapter 9): footpaths, bridleways and cycleways, and facilities that support the recreational use of the River Tees. • Cemeteries (chapter 10): including formal cemetery and woodland burial provision. • Information / management (chapter 11): cross-cutting actions which will deliver sustainable management of green infrastructure and encourage community use and participation. Stockton-on-Tees Green Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2018-21 | 6 Strategic and local green infrastructure 3.2 The Delivery Plan incorporates a broad range of projects which will develop both the Borough’s ‘strategic’ and ‘local’ green infrastructure. 3.3 The Stockton-on-Tees Green Infrastructure Strategy identifies an indicative network of primary and secondary green infrastructure corridors, and many of the projects included within the plan seek to enhance and develop sites, access routes and river corridors within this network (Figure 1). Most of these can be viewed as ‘strategic projects’ which will generally deliver economic, environmental, social and health benefits at the Borough or district scale. 3.4 In addition the Delivery Plan identifies several projects which are of local significance. These ‘local projects’ are generally small-scale schemes and are identified on the basis of the areas mapped in Figure 2. These correspond to the ‘analysis areas’ used for the Open Space Assessment (2017): • Billingham • Eaglescliffe • Ingleby Barwick • Rural • Stockton • Thornaby • Wynyard • Yarm 7 | Stockton-on-Tees Green Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2018-21 Figure 1: Strategic green infrastructure network Stockton-on-Tees Green Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2018-21 | 8 Figure 2: Project areas / Open Space Assessment analysis areas 9 | Stockton-on-Tees Green Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2018-21 Green infrastructure delivered through new development 3.5 New or enhanced green infrastructure is often delivered through new development. Major housing development sites are shown in Figure 3 and it is important to take into consideration any green infrastructure to be delivered within these sites, although this plan does not generally include that detail. Figure 3: Housing allocations, commitments and safeguarded housing land Stockton-on-Tees Green Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2018-21 | 10 Implementing and updating the plan 3.6 Implementation of the Delivery Plan will be managed and monitored through an officer steering group, under the