Strumpshaw Parish Council Council meeting 16th March 2021 Agenda item Buckenham Wood Project Committee

1. Introduction

The Buckenham Wood Project Committee (BWPC) held its first meeting on 2nd March 2021.

2. Memorandum of Understanding

A report about a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which has been developed with District Council is attached (appendix). The BWPC considered this and recommended that the Parish Council should approve the document.

3. Project priorities

The BWPC considered each member’s thoughts about the priorities of the items listed in the project scope document. The highest priorities were considered to be:

• Publicity • Signage • Guiding visitors • Clarity of communication • Delineation of the boundary with the neighbouring wood • Location and risk assessment of the designated paths

The items which were considered could be delayed until later in the project development were:

• The clay lining of the wet area • Improving the vehicle access • Establishing a new wildflower meadow

4. Next steps

Committee members are obtaining quotations for a third wooden identification display at the northern entrance to the Council’s wood from the neighbouring wood and three notice boards to be located at the three entrances. They are also drafting map(s) to indicate the layout of the Council’s wood and developing a system to identify and delineate the designated paths.

They wish to have a safety sign provided on Wood Lane so that traffic travelling east is aware of the concealed entrance. They are also investigating locating an external blind spot traffic mirror on the southern verge opposite the car park.

The Committee is also considering the potential impact on the flora and fauna of topping the central glade twice a year. HH/MH 3/3/21 Page 1 of 7 5. Recommendation

The Council is recommended to endorse the Memorandum of Understanding with Broadland District Council.

Maureen Hammond

BWPC Chairman

HH/MH 3/3/21 Page 2 of 7 Appendix Text of Memorandum of Understanding with Broadland District Council

Introduction

The text below has been proposed by Broadland District Council (BDC) as the Memorandum of Understanding between the Parish Council (SPC) and BDC about the Buckenham Wood Green Infrastructure Project. Points to note are that:

• The total available to the project is £26,466.67; • The funds have to be spent or committed by 25th November 2024; • There is a mechanism by which the funds will be released by BDC to pay for individual work packages (in the ‘purpose and terms’ section); • The details in the phase 1 description are the same as those proposed by SPC.

______Memorandum of Understanding

Between

Strumpshaw Parish Council

And

Broadland District Council

This Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) sets out the terms and understanding between Strumpshaw Parish Council and Broadland District Council in the project co-ordinaton of an area of land, referred to from hereon in, as land at Buckenham Wood.

Broadland District Council has agreed to give Strumpshaw Parish Council the sum of £26,466.67 of Secton 106 monies, upon receipt of invoices for works completed, in which to assist with their vision for the project at Buckenham Wood.

Background As a rule, these funds fall to the Council to allocate and spend on projects that are within the East Broadland Green Infrastructure Plan, the West Broadland Green Infrastructure Plan and the Growth Triangle Area Acton Plan. On occasion other projects outside of these plans may be funded on the basis that they meet the criteria of ‘green infrastructure capable of mitgatng the impact of growth on the Natura 2000 sites (Broads, areas of the coast) by providing suitable viable alternatves’. This essentally means providing new, or enhanced, opportunites in green space provision that are high quality enough that they are capable of interceptng visits to the highly sensitve and protected Natura 2000 sites.

HH/MH 3/3/21 Page 3 of 7 The area of land that forms the focus of this MoU is in Strumpshaw, consistng of woodland and areas of bluebells, See fgure 1

The intenton to enhance the area has been put forward by Strumpshaw Parish Council, supported by S106 monies from Broadland District Council, originated due to Broadland District Council’s statutory obligaton to deliver green-space that can provide a viable alternatve to visitng N2K sites for daily recreatonal needs. The delivery of Green Infrastructure is central in facilitatng how policy compliant growth is implemented across the district and therefore Broadland District Council are commited to,

“ensure the provision of adequate informal open space to meet the recreatonal needs of existng and future residents and to mitgate the potental impact of visitor pressure upon sensitve internally designated sites1…”

As a consequence of Broadland District Council’s and Strumpshaw Parish Council’s joint requirements to deliver Green Infrastructure it has been agreed that the enhancement of Buckenham Woods, and the subsequent development of the site for public access, would help meet this requirement.

The proposal phase 1 Broadland District Council is proposing to provide Strumpshaw Parish Council with £26,446.67 of S106 monies on invoice of works completed, in which to help improve the area known as Buckenham Woods. The Parish Council have agreed the following list as their priorites for phase 1

• enhancing, or developing new, paths, partcularly on the eastern part of the Council’s wood,

surfacing them with natural screefed sandy soil, delineatng them more clearly (which could be by the use of felled sycamore logs) and blocking of paths visitors should be discouraged from using; • Carrying out risk assessments of the steep areas in the eastern part of the wood and assessing the measures necessary to alleviate any risks. • Improving the sloping path on the north west of the Council’s wood near the wet area (where there are currently steps) in a manner that reduces future maintenance costs; • Improving the path from the north of the site to the central causeway and glade, also in a manner that reduces future maintenance costs; • developing the inclusive access to the central glade area from the parking area and providing more benches; • establishing a wildfower meadow on the central glade as the soil in this area is imported and of low grade; • improving the safety of the vehicle access to the parking area from Wood Lane, including signpostng the concealed access, improving the visibility splay as well as providing new vehicle and pedestrian access; • improving the habitat, including tree safety work and improving the opportunites for nestng through cherishing dead and dying trees; • Clay lining the wet area in the dip to produce a viable pond;

HH/MH 3/3/21 Page 4 of 7 • providing signs and maps giving informaton about the story of the woods and the wildlife, encouraging visitors to use the designated paths and to avoid the potental hazards from the steep drops.

Purpose and terms This MoU sets out to establish that the full sum of 26,466.67 provided by Broadland District Council will be spent by Strumpshaw Parish Council exclusively for the improvement and enhancement of Buckenham Woods, these monies will be paid in the following way The Parish Council commissions and orders each work package. The PC passes each priced order to Broadland which then sends the funds necessary to pay for that order to the PC. The PC then pays each invoice when the partcular work package has been completed.

Duraton Broadland Council will ringfence these monies to the PC. The funding must be spent / commited within 5 years of the fnal occupaton of the dwellings therefore the ringfenced monies need to be spent / commited by 25/11/2024.

This MoU may be modifed by mutual consent of authorised ofcials from Broadland District Council and Strumpshaw Parish Council. This MoU shall become efectve upon signature by the authorised ofcials from Broadland District Council and Strumpshaw Parish Council and will remain in efect untl the monies have been spent as per the terms set out within this MoU.

HH/MH 3/3/21 Page 5 of 7 Figure 1

Authorised signatory

HH/MH 3/3/21 Page 6 of 7 Phil Courter Broadland District Council Thorpe Lodge Yarmouth Road NR7 ODU

Signature:

Date:

Megan Wilby - Clerk to Strumpshaw Parish Council 59 Bretngham Avenue Cringleford Norwich NR4 6XJ

Signature:

Date:

HH/MH 3/3/21 Page 7 of 7