Crane Riverside Park, Request for Funding

Contact: Nick Pratt Tel: 020 8583 4647 E-Mail: nick.pratt@Hounslow.gov.uk

West Area Committee [Monitoring] 20 September 2007

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. The River Crane runs through the entire length of the Park in one or two channels with toe boarding almost throughout.

The Park is part of the Crane Corridor Site of Metropolitan Importance, which covers 130 Ha including Hounslow Heath, and this in turn forms part of the West London Green Chain, arguably, the longest and most complete wildlife corridor in London, extending some 30km from Harrow in North London to the River Thames in Isleworth.

Crane Park is reasonably well used but, over the last twenty years, it has been a low priority for management time and capital expenditure from both Richmond and Hounslow Councils. As a consequence, the Park has a rather neglected look with poor Signage and Pathways and a recent survey of users indicated a level of concern regarding personal safety.

Crane Park Island Nature Reserve covers some 1.8 Ha; it was first set up in 1981 and has been managed by London Wildlife Trust since 1986. One great value of the Reserve is it shows what can be achieved in this area through careful and imaginative management.

The ecology of the island has been developed through the addition of Artificial Stream Channels, Reed Beds and Ponds and as a result, it supports a good breeding population of Water Voles and Kingfishers and provides habitat for Owls, Bats, Treecreepers, Dragonflies etc. Adjacent to the Reserve is the “Shot Tower”, recently renovated under a £400k Lottery Fund Project and the two resources are managed together to provide daily environmental activities for Schools and regular events for Children and their Parents outside Term time.

The Vision for Crane Park

The existing Crane Park requires some basic infrastructure improvements such as the Pathways and Signage for example. In addition, there is poor linkage between the North Bank of the Park, managed by Richmond Council and the South Bank managed by Hounslow Council. At present, the Park is not well known within either Borough and its visibility could be improved by events, walking guides and other activities.

There is considerable scope for exporting the environmental improvements made on Crane Park Island to the wider Park and thereby provide habitat for species migrating from the Island as well as improving the environmental linkages along the broader West London Green Chain. LWT and FORCE has already made a start on this process by, for example, planting some 1000 square metres of floodplain silt banks with reeds and sedges from the Island.

There is also great potential for improving the relationship between the Park and the lives of local people. The Local Communities include some of the more deprived parts of Richmond and Hounslow Boroughs (both the Butts Farm and the Edgar Road Estates for example are within a few hundred metres of the Park) and many local people do not currently use the Park.

The Shot Tower has recently benefited from a major refurbishment and is operated by London Wildlife Trust as an Environmental Education Centre, open to the general public and with classroom facilities for use by Local School Groups. LWT is a key partner to this proposal and the Shot Tower is an important resource for office space, public liaison and educational programmes under the Project.

Hanworth Road marks the current Western Boundary of the Park. A similar Woodland Habitat extends to the West however, and beyond this is the wide Green Corridor created as part of the re-development of the disused Feltham Marshalling Yards and Hounslow Heath, both of which are designated as Metropolitan Sites of Importance in their own right. There is public access along the entire reach through to Hounslow Heath and therefore potential to extend the formal limit of the Park right through to the Heath itself.

The Meadway marks the Eastern Boundary of the Park. To the East of this lies a formal Public Gardens, known as Kneller Gardens, and further East are a matrix of green spaces, including the Mereway Nature Park, Twickenham Rifle Club land, Marsh Farm Allotments, Craneford Playing Fields (East and West) and Twickenham Junction Rough. This latter Site is designated as a Site of Local Importance and is currently in a number of private hands.

This Eastern area was recently addressed by Richmond Council in the Crane Valley Planning Guidelines, which have been adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document. This document identifies the provision of public access through Twickenham Junction Rough, the naturalisation of the River Crane and the improvement of associated green space as key aspirations, with planning gain from local development as one route for achieving them.

FORCE has been closely involved in a number of recent improvements in this area, including the development of Mereway Nature Park and improving the linkages between these green spaces. A natural outcome from these developments would be to extend Crane Park to include these areas and thereby linking it through to London Road and Twickenham Railway Station.

The overall effect of these extensions would be to add some 15 hectares to the Western end of the Park and a further 15 to 20 hectares to the Eastern end, creating a total Park area of up to 70 Ha. In addition, it would create a Green Corridor of some 4.5km length, linking Twickenham Station with Hounslow Heath and providing a green link within and local to some of the more deprived areas of this part of London

The Proposed Approach

This document is an initial proposal put forward by FORCE and we are looking for responses from potential Key Partners prior to taking the proposal forwards. The potential Key Partners in developing this vision are Richmond Council, Hounslow Council and London Wildlife Trust. An initial meeting was held between these parties last year and support provided in principle to the scheme. Support shall also be sought from other interested parties such as the River Crane Forum, Local Residents Groups, other interest Groups and the General Public.

It is proposed that this document is updated, following response from these parties and then used as the basis for a bid to “Awards for All” for a grant to produce a Feasibility Report for the Project. This document would identify the Scope of Works and associated methodology, the key parties, programme and the risks and opportunities. The output would be a costed proposal for submission to “Parks for People” for a major support grant for the Project itself.

A three to four year programme of work is envisaged, with one or more full time officers, employed through LWT and based in the Shot Tower, a capital works budget and an outreach programme.

Some match funding will be required (around 30 per cent), part of which can be in the form of volunteer time and FORCE are already providing volunteer activities every month in the area. In addition, Richmond Council are envisaging Local Parks investments over the next few years and the first Section 106 based Scheme, from work at Harlequins Rugby Ground, is due for completion in the next six months, with more likely to follow.

The Programme

This vision paper will be circulated widely for comment and review over the next few months. A meeting with the Councils and LWT is envisaged for Summer 2006 with a proposal to “Awards for All” following soon after. The Feasibility Study would be completed in the first half of 2007 with the submission to “Parks for People” as the final part of this contract. On this basis, the main Project is anticipated to start by late 2007.