Green spaces . using planning Assessing local needs and standards Green spaces…your spaces Background paper: Green Spaces…using planning PARKS AND GREEN SPACES STRATEGY BACKGROUND PAPER GREEN SPACES…USING PLANNING: ASSESSING LOCAL NEEDS AND STANDARDS _____________________________________________________________ Green Spaces Strategy Team April 2004 City Design, Neighbourhood Services Newcastle City Council CONTENTS 1 Introduction 2 Planning Policy Guidance Note 17 3 National and Local Standards 4 Density and housing types in Newcastle 3 Newcastle’s people 6 Assessing Newcastle's Green Space Needs 7 Is Newcastle short of green space? 8 Identifying “surplus” green space 9 Recommendations Annexe A Current Local, Core Cities and Beacon Council standards ( Quantity of green space, distances to green spaces and quality) Annexe B English Nature's Accessible Natural Green Space standards Annexe C Sample Areas Analysis; Newcastle's house type, density and open space provision. Annexe D Surveys and research Annexe E References and acknowledgements 2 1 Introduction 1.1 We need to consider whether we need standards for green spaces in Newcastle. What sort of standards, and how to apply them. 1.2 Without standards there is no baseline against which provision can be measured. It is difficult to make a case against a proposal to build on or change the use of existing open space or a case for open space to be included in a development scheme if there are no clear and agreed standards. 1.3 Standards are used to define how much open space is needed, particularly when planning new developments. Local authority planning and leisure departments have developed standards of provision and these have been enshrined in policy and guidance documents. These standards are predominantly for determining the quantity of open space. Having provision standards is a way to ensure that development proposals do not create a deficiency of open space and loss of amenity. 1.4 Efforts have been made in planning policies to consider the various types of open space, and standards have now started to appear differentiating between play provision, outdoor sports and certain other defined activities and uses. 1.5 The 1990 Town and Country Planning Act defines “open space” quite narrowly. “Any land laid out as a public garden, or used for the purposes of public recreation, or land which is a disused burial ground”. This seems inadequate and probably needs revision. Open space should by its very nature be land that is not built over but may be paved, grassed or have other vegetation. Thus not all open space is actually green space. Open space may be public or private. Public access may be total or restricted. 1.6 Access is an important issue. Having the right quantity of space is no good if it is too far from homes and communities. Thus attempts have been made to define catchments and minimum acceptable distances from the various types of open space. A hierarchy of levels of provision is often defined ranging from large scale regional or city-wide facilities down to the smaller and more local scale. 1.7 There has been debate particularly over the last 5 years or so about the decline in the quality of open space. The need to have standards for maintenance, facilities, appearance, safety and all the other aspects of spaces that make them pleasant and attractive to visit and to use is now recognised. 3 1.8 Newcastle has no current planning standards for the provision of woodland, natural or semi-natural green space or cemeteries. Nor are there standards on minimum acceptable dimensions of green space, minimum levels of facilities for say a district park or doorstep play area. It is therefore harder for the city council to argue that particular facilities are needed, in the absence of specific standards and evidence of demand or need. 1.9 There are different options for Newcastle that are explored in this paper. The main alternatives are as follows. Do nothing. The Unitary Development Plan contains standards that have served a purpose in restricting loss of open space and allowing some new open spaces to be provided. Why change these? The answer is that doing nothing will not give Newcastle better green space provision. Past success has been on larger developments like the Great Park or where a developer chose to provide green space, as at Newcastle Business Park. There are many sites where green space benefits could have been negotiated but were not. Doing nothing will also not satisfy people who told us in our consultation exercises that green spaces need better protection. No standards Are standards really needed or is this an outdated concept? Standards can serve a purpose in protecting and improving green spaces and public places – yet many of the UK’s best parks were provided in Victorian and Edwardian times when there were no standards. Can we rely on creative urban design to provide a good range and quality of open space? The answer again is that some recent developments have provided good quality green space but not all. The quayside for example has little green space for the many new residents who will be living in the apartment blocks. Basic standards are needed: this need not stifle design or limit design quality. Needs based standards If we follow current best practice guidance, a detailed needs assessment should allow us to develop standards that address our needs. Consultation is strongly recommended in the guidance to find out what people want to see provided or improved. 1.10 Conclusion If we choose not to follow the best practice guidance we would have to be able to justify this decision. From all the strategy development work and consultation there is no obvious reason to depart from the guidance. The third option for needs-based standards is the most responsible way forward for Newcastle. This background paper will inform Newcastle’s Green Spaces Strategy April 2004. It will also provide material for the City’s statutory plans: the Community Strategy (“The Newcastle Plan”) and the forthcoming Local Development Framework due to replace the Unitary Development Plan in 2007. A 4 key issues report on the Local Development Framework has also been published in April 2004 entitled “Planning Newcastle: a chance to have your say.) 5 2 Planning Policy Guidance Note 17 (PPG17) 2.1 This was revised and re-issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in 2002 and represents a very clear and positive government response to the need for better protection and more improvement of open spaces. The guidance has focused on the need for better and locally determined standards justified by consultation and a comprehensive companion guide was issued in September 2002. Whilst the PPG and guidance offer much detailed advice and good practice they stop short of providing a tried and tested method for determining local standards. The guidance is very specific and key sections are quoted below. 2.2 Assess needs “To ensure effective planning for open space, sport and recreation it is essential that the needs of local communities are known. Local authorities should undertake robust assessments of the existing and future needs of their communities for open space, sports and recreational facilities. “ 2.3 Assess the different needs: different types of open spaces and different needs of people. “As a minimum, assessments of need should cover the differing and distinctive needs of the population for open space and built sports and recreational facilities. The needs of those working in and visiting areas, as well as residents should also be included.” 2.4 Audits of quantity as well as quality “Local authorities should also undertake audits of existing open space, sports and recreational facilities …Audits should consider both the quantitative and the qualitative elements of open space, sports and recreational facilities. Audits of quality will be particularly important as they will allow local authorities to identify potential for increased use through better design, management and maintenance.” 2.5 Identify deficiency and surplus “Assessments and audits will allow local authorities to identify specific needs and quantitative or qualitative deficits or surpluses of open space, sports and recreational facilities in their areas. They form the starting point for establishing an effective strategy for open space, sport and recreation at the local level (tied into the local authority's Community Strategy), and for effective planning through the development of appropriate policies in plans.” 6 2.6 Strategies and planning policies “Good quality assessments and audits, leading to clear strategies supported by effective planning policies, will provide vital tools for resolving the potential conflicts that arise between different uses and users of open space, sports and recreational facilities. The Government expects all local authorities to carry out assessments of needs and audits of open space and sports and recreational facilities in accordance with the paragraphs above.” 2.7 PPG 17 insists on a need for local standards “The Government believes that open space standards are best set locally. National standards cannot cater for local circumstances, such as differing demographic profiles and the extent of existing built development in an area.” 2.8 Set standards by doing a needs assessment “Local authorities should use the information gained from their assessments of needs and opportunities to set locally derived standards for the provision of open space, sports and recreational facilities in their areas. Local standards should include: i. quantitative elements (how much new provision may be needed); ii. a qualitative component (against which to measure the need for enhancement of existing facilities)and iii. accessibility (including distance thresholds and consideration of the cost of using a facility). 2.9 Use standards to maintain an adequate supply “Setting robust local standards based on assessments of need and audits of existing facilities will form the basis for redressing quantitative and qualitative deficiencies through the planning process.