HAVENGATEWAY SUB-REGION STRATEGY Access to the Countryside in and around Towns volume I FINAL REPORT April 2007 CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction 5.0 Proposals 1.1 The Haven Gateway Sub-region 5.1 Proposals for all Towns 1.2 Description of the Study Towns 5.2 Colchester 1.2.1 Colchester 5.3 Harwich 1.2.2 Harwich 5.4 Ipswich 1.2.3 Ipswich 5.5 Felixstowe 1.2.4 Felixstowe 6.0 References 2.0 Method 7.0 Appendices 2.1 Initial mapping 2.2 Green Space Audits Appendix I Brief 2.3 Identifying green space functions, improvements Appendix II Green Space Audit Form and potential new sites and links Appendix III List of Audited Greenspaces 2.4 Process Appendix IV Audits of Green Spaces - Colchester and Harwich (CD-ROM) 3.0 Summary of Results Appendix V Audited Greespaces of Green Spaces - Ipswich and Felixstowe (CD-ROM) 3.1 Colchester Appendix VI List of Proposed Improvements from Site Audits 3.2 Harwich Appendix VII Relevant Policy Initiatives; 3.3 Ipswich Open Space and Recreation Provision 3.4 Felixstowe Countryside In and Around Towns Accessible Natural Green Space Standards 4.0 Analysis Health and Green Space Education 4.1 Defining Needs Objectives of the Haven Gateway 4.2 Common Issues Sustainable tourism 4.3 Access to the Wider Countryside 4.4 Meeting Green Space Standards Rights of Way Improvement Plans 4.5 Opportunities Biodiversity Action Plans 1.0 INTRODUCTION Essex Landscape Design were commissioned by the Countryside to be more active or to take a change of scene, that they will Agency to undertake a strategic study of the existing supply have the opportunities to do so close to home. and future for open space in four towns in Haven Gateway as an exemplar for the Countryside in and around Towns initiative 4 A Classroom (CIAT). The project brief was devised by the Countryside Agency The countryside in and around towns provides hands-on learning and Suffolk County Council with advice from Essex County Council opportunities in a variety of ‘outdoor classrooms’. This supports (see Appendix I). The CIAT initiative was new in looking at the all parts of the national curriculum with a particular relevance to many ways in which green spaces could function, with many environmental education and rural studies. green spaces being multi-functional. Ten functions are described in the CIAT vision: 5 A recycling and renewable energy centre The countryside in and around towns recognised the potential of 1 A bridge to the Country open spaces sustainable management of the waste, water and Networks of new and improved parks, woodlands and other green pollution generated in urban areas. Waste production has been spaces are linked to the urban centre and wider countryside by minimised and waste re-use and recycling schemes are further footpaths, bridleways and cycleways. Urban parks, country parks reducing the amount of waste going into landfill. and other green spaces are joined up to form continuous green corridors between town and country. 6 A Productive Landscape Farmers operating close to urban areas take full advantage of 2 A Gateway to the Town their proximity to large urban markets, supplying consumers The quality of the countryside in and around towns in an indicator with high quality local produce through direct marketing as well and advertisement of the quality of a town or city. As a gateway as supermarkets. Every large town and city benefits from regular to the urban area it creates a powerful first impression to visitors Farmers’ Markets. and possible investors. 7 A Cultural Legacy 3 A health centre The countryside in and around towns contains many imprints of A more accessible and attractive countryside and green space the history of our towns and communities, their development infrastructure close to where most people live and work provides and expansion or sometimes even their disappearance. an invaluable respite from the stresses of urban living. This makes it more likely that when a GP recommends their patients 3 8 A Place for Sustainable Living This report draws together the results of the field work and Careful decisions have been taken about where to accommodate assesses it against current policies and initiatives. It also attempts the need for new development, especially for affordable homes. to assess the current provision against the specific needs of the Those decisions have followed an examination of the pros and local population. cons of increasing housing densities in existing urban areas, expanding market towns and villages, allowing the selective This study has been undertaken by Crispin Downs, Siobhan Mayer expansion of cities, and creating new settlements. and Almudena Quiralte from Essex Landscape Design together with landscape manager Steve Plumb. It involved substantial 9 An engine for Regeneration contributions from parks and planning offices at Suffolk County Strategies for local regeneration use the countryside on the Council and the district authorities in the Haven Gateway area. urban edge to help communities develop their own confidence, skills and prospects. Residents in these areas are fully involved in creating and managing recreational spaces, community gardens, allotments and in bringing about other environmental improvements to make their neighbourhoods more ‘liveable’. 10 A Nature Reserve The countryside in and around towns contains historic and newly established woodlands, wetlands, meadows and a broad array of other natural habitats. The importance of this environment to biodiversity is fully recognised and reflected in all management and land use decisions. The primary aims of the study were to: » Identify and plot the existing green spaces over 2ha and links between them » Audit the green spaces » Identify the functions of the existing green spaces » Develop appropriate standards for green spaces in the area » Identify shortfalls in provision and possible new sites for Fig 1. Haven Gateway Study Area green space and how to make better non-vehicular links in light of the proposed increase in population. 4 that Local Development Documents should provide for 50840 net 1.1 THE HAVEN GATEWAY additional dwellings by 2021 in the Haven Gateway sub-region. These figures form the basis of the Haven Gateway Partnership’s SUB-REGION submission to become a New Growth Point (HGP 2006). This submission emphasises the need to address the shortfall in The Haven Gateway sub-region is of national and regional affordable housing. importance, providing a strategic transport gateway for trade and tourism between the UK, the rest of Europe and elsewhere There is concern about the impacts of such expansion if it is not in the world. The Gateway includes the main towns of Ipswich, properly planned. In another study of the Haven Gateway (Royal Colchester, Harwich and Felixstowe, the surrounding villages and Hoskoning 2005) a survey of key stakeholders highlighted the rural hinterland of Tendring, Colchester Borough and parts of issues of congestion and the need for new infrastructure. The Babergh, Suffolk Coastal and a small part of Mid Suffolk, and the current congestion levels were seen as unsustainable in the long north Essex and south Suffolk coastline as well as the ecologically term. The Essex Local Transport Plan 2006 -2011 highlights that rich estuarine environment of the rivers Stour and Orwell. many of the road junctions within Colchester town centre are operating at or near capacity with two junctions have Air Quality The sub region has never been developed in a co-ordinated MA in operation. There is also serious congestion associated with fashion in the past and has only recently been formally recognised proposed expansion of the port area at Harwich (ECC 2006b). as a sub region in the draft East of England Plan, the designation subsequently being endorsed through the public examination The resulting large increase in population, often in denser housing process in the Panel report. The draft East of England Plan sets will place greater pressures on existing green spaces. It will a challenging agenda for the Gateway up to 2021 and beyond mean also that there will be the loss of areas of urban fringe (ECC 2006a). countryside to make way for new development. There is already a strong collective vision for the Gateway: There has been an increased recognition of the importance of …to deliver a high quality environment for its residents, workers providing sufficient suitable green space infrastructure on the and visitors, by capitalising on its location as a key gateway, quality of life of residents, and this is being reflected in national realising its potential for significant sustainable growth, addressing policies (see below). It is vital to plan for these areas and links at its need for economic regeneration, creating an additional an early stage so that they form an integral part of the strategic focus for growth of hi-tech, knowledge based employment and plan for the area rather than attempting to achieve it through protecting and enhancing its high quality attractive historical, the individual planning applications. Much recreational provision cultural and natural assets (EERA, 2004 [RSS 14, p.56]) has traditionally developed in an ad hoc manner which often means that there are few if any linkages between sites and a The Haven Gateway has been identified as a major area for shortage of provision in areas of highest need. This can result growth both in terms of housing and commercial activity. The in people having little alternative other than to drive to reach East of England Regional Spatial Strategy (EERA