Crane Riverside Park, Request for Funding
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Contact: Nick Pratt Tel: 020 8583 4647 E-Mail: [email protected] West Area Committee [Monitoring] 20 September 2007 Crane Riverside Park, Request for Funding Report by: Head of Leisure and Cultural Services Summary This report seeks Members agreement to a contribution of £5,000 towards the production of a Management Plan for Crane Riverside Park. Members attention is drawn to the two reports attached as Appendix A and B which provides details of the Scope of the Work to be undertaken as part of the Management Plan for Crane Riverside Park and a vision for Crane Park which has been produced by the Friends of the River Crane Environment FORCE. 1.0 RECOMMENDATION 1.1 That Members agree to the allocation of £5,000 towards the production of a Management Plan for Crane Riverside Park. 1.2 That Members agree to the allocation of £5,000 from an appropriate s106 agreement upon receipt of funding as detailed in paragraph 3.4 below. 2.0 BACKGROUND 2.1 Appendix A and B of this report sets out in some detail the vision for the Project and its importance to Hounslow and to neighbouring authorities. It describes the approach to be taken and establishment of a broad partnership of interested groups and organisations. To this extent, the project fits well with the Council’s desire to engage and empower Local Communities to take an active participation in their local environment. The request for match funding represents good value for the work to be done and the wider social benefits that will result. 3.0 AVAILABILITY OF s106 FUNDING 3.1 The following two Unilateral Undertakings were signed in May and reported to WAC in July - North Feltham Garage, North Feltham Trading Estate, River Gardens, Feltham and - 610 River Gardens, Feltham. 3.2 Both relate to the redevelopment of existing industrial sites to provide warehouse/ industrial units with ancillary offices. Prior to commencement of the developments both will contribute £10,000 to be utilised towards improvements to the Crane River Park CPA (and £5,000 towards improvements to traffic/parking measures in the area). 3.3 Members noted the newly signed agreements, and that upon receipt of the contributions these will be reported to the Area Committee for allocation within the terms of the agreement. The CPA contribution, which will total £20,000 (plus an additional index linking amount) is to be used for improvements to the Crane River Park CPA. 3.4 As the contributions have not yet been received the amounts do not have a scheme number, though the applicant is currently in the process of removing various of the planning conditions which will allow commencement of development, and trigger the payment. It is not possible to make an allocation in advance of receipt of the monies, however, to ensure preparation for the allocation via Area Committee the relevant spending departments have been made aware of the newly signed agreement, and the Area Committee is asked to agree that the contribution, upon receipt, can be allocated within the terms of the agreement - towards improvements to Crane Park. 4.0 HEAD OF FINANCE COMMENTS 4.1 The estimated cost of the production of the Management Plan for Crane Riverside Park is £20,000. A contribution of £5,000 towards the costs of the plan is requested from the London Borough of Hounslow. 4.2 An allocation of £5,000 from the S106 receipts re North Feltham Garage and River Gardens Feltham will need to be considered by the Area Committee. Background Papers: NONE This report has been or is due to be considered by: West Area Committee This report is relevant to the following wards/areas: APPENDIX A CRANE RIVERSIDE PARK MANAGEMENT PLAN DEVELOPMENT OUTLINE SCOPE OF WORKS Introduction The friends of the River Crane Environment (FORCE) launched a vision for Crane Park in April 2006. This was subsequently developed in discussion with representatives of Richmond and Hounlow Councils, London Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency as a “Vision for Crane Riverside Park”, a copy of which is attached as Appendix B. The vision is, “to improve the management of the existing Crane Park and its integration with local communities, and to extend the boundaries of the Park to provide a continuous accessible Parkland link between Hounslow Heath and Twickenham Railway Station”. Crane Park at present covers some 35 Ha. This expanded Park would be known as “Crane Riverside Park” and would cover some 90 Ha. This document outlines a Scope of Work for the production of a “Management Plan for Crane Riverside Park”, as the first phase of the Project Development. A Steering Group has been set up for the Crane Riverside Park Project, chaired by FORCE and with representation from Richmond and Hounslow Councils along with LWT and Green Corridor. At the same time, Green Corridor, a West London Environmental Charity, and London Wildlife Trust (LWT) have been developing a Project outline for a five-year and catchment wide scheme, to be known as the “Crane Valley Project”. The Crane Riverside Park Management Plan will be developed with reference to this larger Project. One option is for the subsequent implementation of the Management Plan to be undertaken as part of the Crane Valley Project. Scope of Work The Scope of Work for the production of a Management Plan for Crane Riverside Park is outlined as follows: 1 Information Gathering • Identify the current management strategies for the existing Crane Park area (by review of documentation and discussion with appropriate staff in Richmond and Hounslow Boroughs) • Assess Crane Park usage and options from the General Public and User Groups (by review of existing survey data and interview with interested parties and the General Public) • Identify the ownership of the expanded area of the proposed Crane Riverside Park • Identify the legal requirements and constraints regarding the incorporation of additional land within the expanded park • Collate base data on current land use and types, ecology and environment, historical land use and remaining features, local resident populations, local facilities and transport links, etc • Identify the key actual and potential User Groups for Crane Riverside Park • Identify and meet with key potential Partners for the Project 2 Analysis • Identify the needs and potential opportunities for the User Groups as well as potential conflicts of interests • Identify gaps and additional information requirements for the Park Development • Consider the Financial/Logistical/Legal requirements for appropriate management of the existing Park, incorporation of the wider Park area and development and management of this wider area • Liaise with the Crane Valley Partnership to integrate this Project with the wider Crane Valley Project • Identify a framework for main Project Development and timescales 3 Management Plan Development • Produce a set of Maps with the key features and the Crane Riverside Park area • Produce a list of target issues for resolution as part of the Park Development 4 Design an Implementation Plan • Specify the objectives of the Implementation Plan • Identify the key steps to meeting these objectives • Identify potential financial vehicles for the implementation • Develop a programme of work for meeting the objectives • Integrate this design with the proposal for the Crane Valley Project Approach A budget of £20,000 is proposed for the Management Plan, with funding as follows: • £10,000 Grant support • £5,000 support from both Richmond and Hounslow Councils In November 2006, a site visit was carried out with the Representative Officers and Councillors from Hounslow and Richmond Councils where the Scope of Work was discussed and agreed in principle. The on-going phases of the Project are as follows: • Submission of Grant applications by FORCE • Tendering process for Consultants undertaken by the Steering Group • Management Plan Project undertaken over a six month period in 2007, managed by the Steering Group • Submission of the bid for the main Crane Valley Project, incorporating the findings of this Management Plan, end 2007 APPENDIX B A VISION FOR CRANE PARK FRIENDS OF THE RIVER CRANE ENVIRONMENT The Vision To improve the management of the existing Crane Park and its integration with local communities, and to extend the boundaries of the Park to provide a continuous accessible Parkland link between Hounslow Heath in the West, and Twickenham Station in the East. The Purpose To provide a larger, more closely managed and integrated linear park, to join together existing fragmented green spaces, increase the use and appreciation of the Park by Local Communities and link the Park both physically and within the public imagination, with the 30 km West London Green Chain which runs from Harrow in North West London to the Thames at Isleworth. This Park would complement the Lea Valley Park, which performs a similar purpose in East London. The Organisation Friends of the River Crane Environment (FORCE) is a Charitable Organisation, originally set up in 2003 to represent the interests of the Environment, Local Residents and Visitors to the corridors of the River Crane and the Duke of Northumberland’s River within and local to the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It opened to public membership in April 2004, received charitable status in 2005 and currently has some 370 members. More information is available at www.force.org.uk Current Status of Crane Park Crane Park currently extends for around 2.5km between Hanworth Road in the West and Meadway in the East, covering some 35 Ha of which 25 Ha is within Richmond Borough and the remainder in Hounslow. The Park consists of Woodland and Meadow, with the less formal and more heavily wooded area being to the West of the Chertsey Road, including Crane Park Island Nature Reserve managed by London Wildlife Trust.