This research into urban green spaces was Improving Urban Parks, Play Areas and Open Spaces DTLR commissioned to inform the work of the Urban Green Spaces Taskforce. The study looked at the uses and users of urban green spaces, barriers preventing use, the wider benefits to quality of life in urban areas and examples of innovative approaches to creation, management and maintenance. Improving Urban Parks, Play Areas and Open Spaces Urban Research Report £25 ISBN 1 85112 576 0 DTLR TRANSPORT LOCAL GOVERNMENT REGIONS Improving Urban Parks, Play Areas and Green Spaces May 2002 May 2002 Nigel Dunnett, Carys Swanwick and Helen Woolley Department of Landscape, University of Sheffield Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions: London The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions has actively considered the needs of the partially sighted in accessing this document. 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May 2002 Product Code 02HC000107 CONTENTS Acknowledgements 6 Summary 7 Introduction 7 People and activities in urban green Spaces 10 The ideal urban green space 12 Adding up the benefits 12 Structures and mechanisms 13 Community involvement 14 Making things happen 15 A role in urban renewal 16 Overview and conclusions 17 Chapter 1: Background 20 Definitions and typology 22 Research methods 26 Content and organisation of report 28 Chapter 2: People and Activities 33 Introduction 33 Frequency of visits 38 Patterns of visits 38 Who are the users? 39 Why do people use urban green spaces? 40 Categorising users 45 Chapter 3: Barriers to use of Urban Green Spaces 46 Introduction 47 Definitions of non-users and infrequent users 47 Previous research 48 What are the barriers to use? 49 Barriers for under represented groups 51 Tackling the main barriers 54 Revitalising urban green spaces 64 Chapter 4: The Ideal Urban Green Space 66 Introduction 67 Previous research 67 The ideal urban green space 68 Spaces for all 77 3 Chapter 5: Adding up te Benefits 78 Introduction 79 The range of benefits 80 Social benefits 80 Environmental benefits 86 Economic benefits 90 Quality of life capital 90 Chapter 6: Structures and Mechanisms 93 Introduction 94 Institutional frameworks 94 Action on the ground 100 Tools for the task: strategic approaches to greenspace provision and planning 113 Chapter 7: Communities and Involvement 127 Introduction 128 The range of community involvement 128 Models for active community involvement 131 Self management 133 The role of friends and user groups 136 Community engagement and development 138 Encouraging involvement 145 Costs and benefits of community involvement 147 Conclusions 152 Chapter 8: Making Things Happen 154 Introduction 155 Funding and budgets 155 Making the most of resources: creative approaches to funding 162 Partnerships 166 Ownership 173 Conclusions 175 Chapter 9: A Role in Urban Regeneration 180 Introduction 180 Helping to attract inward investment 182 Spin-offs from grassroots green space initiatives 185 Parks as flagships in neighbourhood renewal 189 Strategic, multi-agency area based regeneration, linking environment and economy 193 Conclusion 199 4 4 Chapter 10: Overview and Conclusions 200 Introduction 200 The Importance of urban green space 200 Tackling the barriers 201 It’s all about design 202 Working with others 203 Breaking down organisational barriers 203 Strategic approaches 204 Establishing the information base 205 Sharing good practice 206 References and Bibliography 207 Appendix 1: Detailed work Carried Out for Strand 1 and 2 209 Telephone survey of non-users 209 Appendix 2: Using the typology as a basis for reporting on the extent of Urban Green Space 212 5 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to thank all the representatives of the case study local authorities, for providing us with such a wealth of assistance and information in the course of this research. We would also like to express our appreciation to all the other people, representing community groups, friends groups and other organisations in each area, who also gave so generously of their time to contribute. Thanks also go to all the participants in the focus groups, to the British Market Research Bureau for conducting the telephone survey, to the Urban Parks Forum for carrying out the telephone profiling survey and to the officers of all the local authorities who contributed to that survey. Ann Beer provided valuable material on experience of green space structure planning and community involvement in housing green space in Europe. The research has been helped by the project Advisory Group of Peter Matthew, Sarah Fielder, Douglas Crockett and Michael Bach from DTLR, together with Alan Barber, Ken Worpole and Judy Ling Wong, who were members of the Urban Green Spaces Task Force, and Paul Bramhill of the Urban Parks Forum. Particular thanks to Rachel Conner of DTLR, who provided overall supervision of the research, for all her hard work, help and support. Authors Nigel Dunnett Carys Swanwick Helen Woolley Assisted by Ian Baggott Thom White Frances Wells Rebecca Hay Ming Chia Lai Shanti McAllister Bruce Irvine Department of Landscape University of Sheffield Third Floor Arts Tower Western Bank Sheffield S10 2TN Tel: 0114 222 0600 e-mail: landscape@sheffield.ac.uk 6 SUMMARY Introduction 1. The vital importance of parks and other urban green spaces in enhancing the urban environment and the quality of city life has been recognised in both the Urban Taskforce report and the Urban White Paper. This report sets out the findings of research carried out to inform the work of the Urban Green Spaces Taskforce, set up to advise the government on proposals for improving the quality of urban parks, play areas and green spaces. It reflects the need for additional research identified in both the Urban White Paper and the report by the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee of the House of Commons on Town and Country Parks in 1999. The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) commissioned the work in April 2001 and appointed the Department of Landscape at the University of Sheffield to carry out the research. The brief divided the research into two strands, which ran in parallel. 2. Strand 1 was designed to: G Provide reliable identification of different categories of users of urban green spaces and how they use the range of types of such spaces, especially children and young people, the elderly, the disabled and people from an ethnic minority background. G Determine the frequency and extent of use of urban green spaces and how this varies by different types of users and geographic location. G Provide a comprehensive picture of the range and nature of activity in urban green spaces, and the facilities offered. G Investigate what users want from urban green spaces and the extent to which the spaces meet these expectations. G Develop a typology of open spaces and users that enables quick and useful reference. G Examine the ways in which parks and urban green spaces contribute to enhancing the quality of life for people in urban areas and in particular the ways in which different groups of people benefit from the range of types of urban green spaces. G Examine the barriers which deter different groups of people from using urban green spaces and play areas and identify the key factors that would encourage greater use. G Examine how and to what extent parks and urban green spaces contribute to enhancing the quality and performance of urban environments in terms of their social, economic and environmental benefits. 7 Improving Urban Parks, Play Areas and Green Spaces 3. Strand 2 was designed to: G Assess current local authority practices for planning, providing, managing and maintaining urban green spaces and play areas, and identify strengths and weaknesses and areas where there may be potential for using other approaches to achieving improvements in standards. G Identify and evaluate the range of innovative models which are developing or could be developed for creating, managing and maintaining urban green spaces and play areas. G Develop new or innovative evidence based approaches and models for the management and maintenance of urban green spaces, which would: promote the effective involvement of local residents, user groups and business communities: extend and improve the ‘capacity’ of local user and for resident groups: and foster a greater sense of ownership and civic pride among the range of stakeholders DEFINITIONS 4.