SOU THEND-ON-SEA BOROUGH COUNCIL DRAFT Green Spaces Strategy 2005 - 2015 Leisure, Culture and Am enity Services Departm ent Draft Green Spaces Strategy 1. Introduction – forwarding comments by the Leader and Chief Executive 2. What is a Green Space Strategy and why do we need it? 3. How does it link to existing local, regional and national policies? Flowchart 4. Scope of strategy 5. Where are we now? Brief description of current facilities Description of audit methodology Results of audit 6. The community Demographic information Consultation info 7. Key Issues Accessibility Health Anti-Social Behaviour Education Sustainability Urban Renaissance and Economic Regeneration Social Inclusion Play Marketing Sustainability and Sustainable Management Wildlife and Biodiversity Sport and Recreation Horticulture and Horticultural Features Council Housing Land Nature Conservation Areas Highways Land 8. Standards of provision Level of distribution Quality Quantity Accessibility Size Development contribution to provision (district parks neighbourhood parks local parks playgrounds/youth provision allotments sport and recreation amenity green space civic realm Southend-on-Sea Green Spaces Strategy 2005 - 2015 council housing land nature conservation areas) 9. Development plan key projects plan format 10. Reference list 11. Apendices Appendix 1 Map of Southend Parks and Open Spaces Appendix 2 List of Southend Parks and Open Spaces Appendix 3 Young People Consultation Results Appendix 4 Southend-on-Sea Allotment Sites Appendix 5 Example Calculation of Developers Contribution for provision Appendix 6 Marketing Plan Appendix 7 List of Sites of Importance to Wildlife in Southend Tables Table 1 Southend-on-Sea Age Structure Table 2 Use of Parks and Open Spaces Table 3 The main reason for visiting parks Table 4 What encourages people to use Parks Table 5 Survey Results of Southend’s Parks & Open Spaces Audit Diagrams Diagram 1 Local Policy Context Diagram 2 Scope of making use of school playing pitches 1 Southend-on-Sea Green Spaces Strategy 2005 - 2015 1. Introduction Good quality green spaces are important to the quality of life enjoyed by the citizens of Southend on Sea. This has been recorded in local consultation work and by studies carried out by CABE Space. The benefits of parks and open spaces effect our physical and mental health, help to mitigate the more dramatic effects of our climate such as flooding, promote and sustain wildlife, provide a focus for the community and a venue for social, sporting and recreational activities. Southend is a dense urban area and as a result has limited green or open space. Such spaces are under increasing pressure as the need for development grows. These pressures along with a growing population mean existing facilities are less able to satisfy the increasing demands placed upon them. This underlines the need to safeguard current spaces and to incorporate new spaces and facilities in new development schemes. The purpose of this document is to provide a measure of the quality and quantity of those facilities currently available, identify areas of deficiency and opportunity, and to set out a template for the future of green space within the borough. The strategy will also consider the wider civic realm in relation to the development of the town as a whole. This strategy recognises and encompasses the council’s vision for the town as… “A vibrant coastal town and a prosperous regional centre where people enjoy living, working and visiting” Community Plan, Southend Together Local Service Plan 2003 In order to realise this vision the council has five key ambitions:- Regeneration, Education, Social care, citizen focused and effective. This strategy directly links to each of these key local ambitions. However, the strategy also recognises the national and regional context within which the council operates. It recognises the need to inform and influence both national and regional agencies and to develop new and innovative partnerships to deliver these ambitions for the benefit of residents, visitors and business. 2. What is a Green Space Strategy and why do we need it? It’s a document that enables Southend on Sea Borough Council to formulate a holistic vision for all green spaces, their use and how future demands and pressures can be met. It sets out how to improve and develop green spaces in an action plan over a period of time against identified resources. Although Southend has an existing but time-elapsed Parks Strategy it lacks an overarching vision pulling together all green open spaces on the wider objectives and aims of the Council’s Community Plan. These are improvements to health, environment, quality of life, regeneration, economy, culture, planning, transport, bio-diversity and the public realm. Nationally, funding for parks and open spaces has been in decline for more than twenty years. In some areas parks are seen as ‘no go areas’ where the fear of crime discourages people from visiting. Facilities have been closed down where the lack of maintenance has left them in an unsafe condition. Park keepers are no longer employed. The numbers of gardeners and maintenance staff have been dramatically reduced. The provision of parks is not a statutory service and as such has made it an easy target for savings. The government has now recognised the growing problem and lent support to schemes such as the Green Flag Award and 2 Southend-on-Sea Green Spaces Strategy 2005 - 2015 the establishment of CABE Space where the intention is to improve the condition of these important spaces. Budgetary constraints embodied by cuts in maintenance and landscape budgets have meant that Southend Parks and Open Spaces are suffering. Whilst existing demands can only be barely future demands may not be able to be met. Parks and green spaces are at the heart of Southend on Sea and they will need to be constantly improved to withstand demands and pressures and will need protection against neglect or loss. Together with the above and on the basis of an audit of all green spaces the strategy therefore will be used to attract funding from all sources available: external, internal, Government grants, private, other. Further the strategy will identify possible partnerships with other Council’s Departments and outside groups and agencies yet again to tap into alternative funding streams. The Government has indicated it would announce a Local Public Service Agreement (PSA) target that will be linked to Green Spaces. This will allow for funding opportunities when the target is met. 3. How does this strategy link to national, regional and local policies? National policy Planning policy guideline 17 (PPG17) provides guidance and advice to local authorities regarding the provision, enhancement and protection of parks and open spaces. It also promotes the use of S106 agreements to ensure developer contributions to enhance existing or establish new open spaces. In addition, the guidance note presumes against the disposal of existing sports and recreational facilities unless significant improvements to amenities can be achieved for residents by releasing part of a site for development. In 2002 the then Department of Transport, Local Government and Regions (now Office of the Deputy Prime Minister – ODPM) published the report of the Urban Green Spaces Taskforce. The report recognised the significant beneficial contribution made by green space to the quality of life. It made extensive recommendations on the improvement and enhancement of parks. The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment diversified in 2002 to establish CABE Space. This branch of the organisation was established to promote the benefits of parks and open spaces, to encourage best practise and the involvement of the local community and the need for more strategic planning in the context of green spaces. Regional policy The East of England Plan (draft revision to the Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England, December 2004) recommends that local authorities identify and implement proposals to create a ‘green grid’ of high quality, linked and accessible open spaces, which enhances biodiversity. The Thames Gateway Project published its implementation plan ‘Greening the Gateway’ in 2005. The report described the aim of the project of establishing sustainable communities in which homes, jobs, schools and public services are provided together. It recognises that cleaner, safer and greener spaces are vitally important to quality of life and builds on the earlier report ‘Sustainable Communities: building for the future’ (ODPM February 2003) which aims to improve the quality of our parks and green spaces. 3 Southend-on-Sea Green Spaces Strategy 2005 - 2015 Thames Gateway Green Grid This project focuses on the regeneration and economic development of the Thames Corridor. The project recognises the need to ensure a functional green infrastructure to provide a sense of place, environmental protection and to enhance the quality of life for communities within the Gateway. This policy is detailed within the document “Creating sustainable communities: Greening the Gateway a green space strategy for Thames Gateway” published by The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Southend is part of the ‘Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership’, and is working with its neighbouring authorities towards an integrated strategic approach linking Parks and Green Spaces outside and inside the borough and promoting greenways. Development pressures The green space strategy seeks to set down local standards to meet the needs of local residents both now and in the future. The emerging Southend-on-Sea Local Development Framework incorporates the Regional Spatial Strategy allocating an additional 6000 dwellings to the Borough. It is clear that this will have major implications for the town. • Additional residents will place greater demands on existing green space facilities. • Increased pressure on the council to sacrifice open space for development The additional dwellings in Southend will be built between 2001 and 2021 which if the average household size remains at 2.2 occupants will entail a population increase of 13,200 people.