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Norton Common, Letchworth North Hertfordshire District Council Customer Services NORTON COMMON, LETCHWORTH MANAGEMENT PLAN 2015 – 2020 1 North Hertfordshire District Council Customer Services Purpose of This Document The purpose of this document is in the first instance to be a guide to the people maintaining and developing Norton Common. Primarily it is intended to be a document that is used on a regular basis. Therefore it has to be fit for purpose as a management tool. Secondly this document is intended to assist with the application of the Green Flag process. Therefore the main plan is preceded by a synopsis of the key criteria as detailed within the Green Flag Award Scheme and the management plan will be the key supporting document. The third aim is to link together the various strategies and objectives of North Herts District Council. Initially this will be the Corporate Core Values which are: • Aiming to deliver what our customers want • Delivering high quality services • Striving to continuously innovate and improve • Encouraging a listening and learning culture amongst our colleagues • Promoting equality in service delivery and within our organisation The Vision for North Hertfordshire is: • Making North Herts a vibrant place to live, work and prosper The following documents will also influence this management plan: • Norton Common Management Plan 2005-2010 & 2010-2015 • Biodiversity Action Plan • Cultural Strategy • Greenspace Strategy & associated action plans • Tree Strategy • Community Strategy • Grounds Maintenance Contract 2012-2017 • Local Bye laws 2 North Hertfordshire District Council Customer Services CONTENTS Purpose of This Document.................................................................................................................... 2 Introduction............................................................................................................................................. 4 Site History.............................................................................................................................................. 4 Description.............................................................................................................................................. 5 Access ..................................................................................................................................................... 6 Available Facilities ................................................................................................................................. 7 Bowling Greens ...................................................................................................................................... 8 Skate Park ............................................................................................................................................... 8 Outdoor Swimming Pool ....................................................................................................................... 9 Grounds Maintenance Contract............................................................................................................ 9 Conservation and Biodiversity of Norton Common ......................................................................... 10 Previous Plans...................................................................................................................................... 11 Relevant Dates Relating to the Plan................................................................................................... 11 Legislation............................................................................................................................................. 11 Summary of the Green Flag Criteria as it exists at Norton Common ............................................. 13 Welcoming Place.................................................................................................................................. 13 Healthy, Safe and Secure .................................................................................................................... 14 Clean and Well Maintained .................................................................................................................. 16 Sustainability ........................................................................................................................................ 17 Conservation and Heritage.................................................................................................................. 18 Community Involvement...................................................................................................................... 19 Marketing............................................................................................................................................... 20 Management.......................................................................................................................................... 21 Aims and Objectives ............................................................................................................................ 22 Management Objectives, maintenance and development arrangements ...................................... 23 Monitoring and Review ........................................................................................................................ 23 Action Plans and Maps ........................................................................................................................ 25 3 North Hertfordshire District Council Customer Services Norton Common, Letchworth Garden City Introduction Norton Common is owned by North Hertfordshire District Council (NHDC) and is managed by the Grounds Team, a section of the Customer Services Directorate based at Letchworth Garden City with additional input from Countryside Management Service (CMS) and the Friends of Norton Common. The District of North Hertfordshire is one of ten districts in Hertfordshire. It is the second largest in land area occupying 37,537sq. hectares. Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, East Hertfordshire, St. Albans, Stevenage and Welwyn and Hatfield border the District. The District comprises of Letchworth Garden City, the market towns of Baldock, Hitchin and Royston, and a large rural area with thirty three parish councils. NHDC offices are centrally located in Letchworth Garden City. In recognition of its strong local communities it operates five Area Committees which determine local planning applications, champion community development and consider and report to Cabinet on matters affecting their area. Each of the 26 electoral wards of the district is represented at one of these Area Committees. The whole of the grounds maintenance service for the North Herts District is externalised and is currently undertaken by John O'Conner’s Grounds Maintenance Ltd on a contract arrangement from 1st April 2012 to the 31st March 2017. Site History Norton Common lies within the town of Letchworth Garden City, just to the north of the town centre. The area was once open grassland and arable, with marshy areas. Its boundaries were delineated by the Enclosure Act of 1798 which allowed the commoners of Norton to graze cattle on the site. By the late 19th Century grazing had declined at the common and all rights were acquired by one owner who managed the site for game. Under this regime, the open nature of the site became almost completely lost under a blanket of thick scrub. With it went some of the rich variety of plants and animals that had thrived there. Although in decline, the site was still of high wildlife value and in 1904 the land and freehold were acquired by the First Garden City Ltd.. In 1907 Norton Common was recognised in early designs for Letchworth Garden City as “an area of beauty, worthy of preservation” and pathways were cut through the wood so that local people could enjoy it. In 1922, Letchworth Urban District Council took over, stressing the importance of retaining the natural characteristics 4 North Hertfordshire District Council Customer Services whilst providing some recreation facilities. Between 1931 and 1936 tennis courts, a bowling green, bandstand and swimming pool were built. Conservation work has been carried out over the years since, by North Hertfordshire District Council, the Letchworth Naturalists Society, the Countryside Management Service and latterly the Friends of Norton Common, to ensure the survival of the remaining flora, some of which are of great local rarity. Description The 25 hectare site provides for a range of recreational activities, both formal and informal. These comprise tennis courts, two bowling greens, outdoor swimming pool, skate park, Multi-Use Games Area, children’s play areas and picnic area, all located in the south eastern corner. The remaining larger part of the site is a mix of secondary oak / ash woodland, mature hawthorn scrub, parkland, open glades and rides, all open to the public. The Pix Brook and several of its tributaries traverse the common, some rising from springs on the site. An additional man- made channel runs parallel to the brook. The site is the focus of a green corridor following the course of the Pix Brook through the town via Pix Brook Meadows to Standalone Farm, to link with the Letchworth Greenway, the Ivel Valley with its Kingfisher Way path and the long distance Icknield Way. The common is a Local Wildlife Site, the primary ecological importance of which are two areas of boulder clay marsh with tufa springs. This is
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