Cambridgeshire Green infrastructure Strategy Appendix 15 Strategic Network Projects Contents 1 Introduction 2 Existing and future Green Infrastructure projects - Strategic Network Projects (Table 15.1) 3 Green Infrastructure projects – detail Strategic Area 1: River Nene Strategic Area 2: Huntingdonshire Fens and Woods Strategic Area 3: Great Ouse Strategic Area 4: Eastern Fens and Towns Strategic Area 5: Chippenham Fen Strategic Area 6: Cambridge and Surrounding Areas Page 1 of 46 1 Introduction Within the Strategic Network there are a series of existing projects that deliver Green Infrastructure in Cambridgeshire. Projects can sit within target areas or in other parts of strategic areas. They relate to one or more of the Green Infrastructure themes and other important issues for the county and help deliver the objectives for the Strategy. This Appendix provides more details on the projects identified in Chapter 4. 3 Existing and future Green Infrastructure projects Table 15.1 (Cambridgeshire Green Infrastructure Strategy Strategic Network Projects) shows how each of the Strategic Areas is broken down into a series of Target Areas. Each of these contains a number of projects that help to deliver Green Infrastructure for the target area, and therefore contributes to the delivery of the four objectives of the Strategy. The local authority area the target area projects sit within are also indicated, as are whether they are existing or future projects. The table also shows projects that are located across a strategic area, rather than just within a specific target area. Key to Table 15.1: CCITYC: Cambridge City Council ECDC: East Cambridgeshire District Council FDC: Fenland District Council HDC: Huntingdonshire District Council SCDC: South Cambridgeshire District Council Bold: Existing project Italic: Future project Page 2 of 46 1 Table 15.1 Cambridgeshire Green Infrastructure Strategy - Strategic Network Projects STRATEGIC AREA STRATEGIC AREA PROJECTS TARGET AREA TARGET AREA PROJECTS LOCAL AUTHORITY AREA Strategic Area 1 : River Nene Fens Adventurers Wisbech Wisbech Country Park FDC Partnership: Green Fen Way Whittlesey FDC March March Country Park FDC Fens Waterways Link Nene Washes and River Nene (Old Links to Peterborough Green FDC Course) Wheel & Peterborough Waterspace Strategy Strategic Area 2 : Huntingdonshire Fens Adventurers Great Fen Great Fen Masterplan HDC Fens and Woods Partnership: Green Fen Way Delivery Great Fen/South HDC / PCC Fens Waterways Link Peterborough Access Link Ramsey Healthy Walks Programme HDC The Great Fen HDC Huntingdonshire Ancient Woodlands Woodland Linkage HDC Programme Strategic Area 3 : Great Ouse Fens Adventurers Grafham Water Woodland Linkage Project HDC Partnership: Green Fen Way Grafham Water – Brampton HDC Wood Link Fens Waterways Link St Neots St Neots A428 Pedestrian HDC Underpass St Neots Green Corridor HDC Project Ouse Valley & Paxton Pits Ouse Valley Wet Meadows & HDC Wet Woodlands Ouse Valley Way HDC Paxton Pits Nature Reserve HDC Cow Lane Gravel Pits HDC Huntingdon Huntingdon Green Spaces HDC Huntingdon West / HDC Northbridge St Ives Houghton Meadows HDC Restoration Project St Ives Accessible Greenspace HDC Fen Drayton Fen Drayton Lakes SCDC RSPB habitat and visitor SCDC infrastructure management Needingworth Hanson RSPB wetland project Earith Rights of Way improvement HDC projects Page 3 of 46 Chatteris Chatteris Country Park FDC Chatteris – Somersham FDC / HDC Railway Corridor Enhancement Block Fen Block Fen Minerals After use FDC Wetland & Restoration Project Creation of wet grassland FDC following mineral extraction Ouse Washes Environment Agency Ouse FDC Washes Habitat Creation Project Ouse Washes – management FDC of the Ouse Washes Strategic Area 4 : Eastern Fens Fens Adventurers Littleport Littleport Urban Greenway ECDC and Towns Partnership: Green Fen Way New River Town Park ECDC Cycleway Improvements ECDC Fens Waterways Link Woodland Creation ECDC Ely Ely Country Park ECDC Woodland Creation ECDC North Ely Development ECDC Ouse SuDS ECDC Sustainable Access across A10 ECDC Soham Soham Commons Restoration ECDC Improved public open space ECDC and town parks Ely Ouse Environmental Stewardship ECDC Schemes – Commons Eastern Gateway Green ECDC Infrastructure Expansion Strategic Area 5 : Chippenham Chippenham Fen Continued Reserve ECDC Fen management Water management ECDC investigation Strategic Area 6 : Cambridge & Northstowe Enhance Rights of Way Links SCDC Surrounding Areas Wicken Fen and Anglesey Abbey Wicken Fen Vision ECDC / SCDC Chalk Rivers Project Wicken Fen Heritage Trails ECDC / SCDC Cambridge Cambridge Nature CCITYC Fowlmere Nature Reserve Conservation Strategy* *(and Extension and Development future) Cambridge Fringe Sites* *(and CCITYC / SCDC future) Page 4 of 46 of Facilities Cambridge ‘Necklace’ CCITYC / SCDC Projects* *(and future) Cambridge City Centre CCITYC Cambourne Large scale public open space CCITYC Wimpole Wimpole Cycling Link SCDC Linear Monuments West Cambridgeshire Woodlands West Cambridgeshire SCDC / HDC Hundreds Habitat Woodland Linkage Project Enhancement Project Bourn Brook Enhancement SCDC Fens Waterways Link Page 5 of 46 3 Green Infrastructure projects - detail The below section provides more detail (where available) on the projects contained within the Strategy. This information is correct as of April 2011. STRATEGIC AREA 1: RIVER NENE Strategic Area Projects: Name of Project Fens Adventurers Partnership: Green Fen Way Summary of The Green Fen Way project aims to make significant Project and Core improvements to countryside access networks (both Objectives Public Rights of Way (PRoW) and permissive paths) in the Fens Adventurers area with the aim of benefiting rural tourism and businesses. The project will provide an important legacy for future projects to build on and will help to redress the balance of funding towards the Fens. Outputs 300 improved way-marks/signs (quantified 30 projects improving access to the countryside where possible Increased revenue for local businesses along route e.g. ha species improvements. rich grassland) Increase tourism and overnight stays. GI Outcomes 4: By providing improved access to the countryside for (which GI local residents and visitors. objectives is it 3: Supporting local rural tourism businesses. hitting - in order 2: Encouraging use of sustainable transport links when of importance) accessing the countryside. 1: Improving the condition of paths and Right of Way. Name of Project Fens Waterways Link Summary of The Fens Waterways Link (FWL) will enhance river Project and Core navigation to connect the Cathedral Cities of Lincoln, Objectives Peterborough and Ely as well as King’s Lynn, Denver, March, Ramsey, Huntingdon and Cambridge. Outputs Opening up 240km of contiguous waterway (80km of new (quantified waterway and increased access to 160km of existing where possible navigations) the project will: e.g. ha species • Improve access to the rich heritage and landscape rich grassland) of the Fens; • Benefit the natural environment by linking major wetland sites and creating new habitats; • Improve and increase GI assets, and give local people a sense of ownership of their waterways as Page 6 of 46 a place of belonging with rich opportunities for recreation, enjoyment and healthy activities; • Promote waterways as a venue for ‘real world’ learning, training and skills development; and • Enable visitors, businesses and others to become champions for the waterways at the heart of local communities. Lead Delivery Environment Agency Agent and Partners Initial consultation by the Environment Agency led to the formation of a strategic group of more than 40 stakeholders contributing to the FWL vision. Funding In November 2009 Environment Agency appointed a new (Partners and Project Manager, whose role is to provide strategic Mechanisms) leadership for the project and drive forward partnership development and fundraising efforts. Ball Park Costs Cambridgeshire-based phases of the project: (capital and operational Total cost £63.6m expenditure Total navigation 105km where known) Delivery Overall the project can be seen as a long-term vision, Timetable with completion expected in fifteen to twenty years. The precise delivery timetable will be largely dependent on the availability of funding. Outputs • Wildlife habitat enhancements (quantified • Links to large-scale habitat restoration projects where possible • Capital improvements to the waterway and e.g. ha species associated amenities rich grassland) • Promoting sustainable transport via waterway, cycleway, bridleway, footpaths etc • Creating major countryside tourism asset that connects existing and new attractions • Providing focus for economic regeneration centred around new development adjacent to the waterway • Protecting and enhancing cultural heritage and landscape character of the Fens • Providing increased access to outdoor destinations, sporting, recreation and leisure opportunities • Giving local people a sense of ownership of their local waterways as a place of belonging • Promoting waterways as a venue for learning and skills development GI Outcomes Objective 3: Promote Sustainable Growth and Economic (which GI Development objectives is it Objective 4: Support Healthy Living and Wellbeing Page 7 of 46 hitting - in order Objective 2: Mitigate and Adapt to Climate Change of importance) Target Area 1.1 Wisbech: Name of Project Wisbech Country Park Summary of The objective is to overcome lack of accessible open Project and Core space in Wisbech.