Community Spaces Bedgrove Park Management Plan 2016/17 Aylesbury Vale District Council www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk Reviewed: May 2016 Aylesbury Vale District Council Community Spaces – Bedgrove Park Management Plan Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................... 2 2 Location ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 3 A Welcoming Place ................................................................................................................................................... 7 3.1 Character Area 1 – The Spinney and the Park’s Trees .................................................................................... 8 3.2 Character Area 2 – Formal and Informal Recreation Space ............................................................................ 9 3.3 Character Area 3 – Wildlife Meadow ............................................................................................................... 10 3.4 Character Area 4 – Sports Pitches .................................................................................................................. 12 3.5 Character Area 5 – Built Facilities and Car Park ............................................................................................ 13 4 Healthy, Safe and Secure ....................................................................................................................................... 14 5 Clean and Well maintained ..................................................................................................................................... 16 6 Sustainability ........................................................................................................................................................... 21 7 Conservation and heritage ...................................................................................................................................... 23 8 Community involvement .......................................................................................................................................... 25 9 Marketing ................................................................................................................................................................. 29 10 Management ....................................................................................................................................................... 31 11 Vision ................................................................................................................................................................... 33 11.1 Summary ......................................................................................................................................................... 33 11.2 Future Challenges and SWOT Analysis.......................................................................................................... 33 11.3 The Action Plan 2016 – Onwards ................................................................................................................... 34 11.4 Completed Actions 2008 – 2015 ..................................................................................................................... 38 Appendices Appendix 1 – Bedgrove Park Historical Overview Appendix 2 – Strategic, Legal and Planning Appendix 3 – Bedgrove Park Ward Demographic Make Up Appendix 4 – Bedgrove Park Byelaws Appendix 5 – RoSPA Play Area Access Audit and Play Value Assessment Appendix 6 – RoSPA Play Area Safety Inspection Report – Example Appendix 7 – Maintenance Procedures and Regimes for Bedgrove Park Appendix 8 – Bedgrove Community Centre Condition Survey and 10 Year Maintenance Plan Appendix 9 – Species of Trees Recorded in the Park Appendix 10 – Stakeholders for Bedgrove Park Appendix 11 – Summary of Consultations Carried Out Appendix 12 – Vale Countryside Volunteers Programme Appendix 13 – Community Tree Planting – We Need You! 1 Aylesbury Vale District Council Community Spaces – Bedgrove Park Management Plan 1 Introduction This management plan, produced by Aylesbury Vale District Council1 (AVDC) outlines the management and maintenance practices for Bedgrove Park located in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. The initial management plan for the Park was compiled in 2005 and was produced to guide the Park’s development following public consultation with local residents and has been updated annually since then. This plan is a working document and as such will be reviewed and updated on an on-going basis. The management plan includes proposed improvements of facilities, structures, recreation, and the landscape as part of a master plan for the site. The aim is to create a modern park that is suited to the needs of a growing town and to retain Green Flag2 status following successful applications in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015. Bedgrove Park is a valuable leisure resource that needs to be managed with great commitment and also great sensitivity. The purpose of this plan is to provide a guiding document that enables the Council’s Community Spaces team, contractors, stakeholders, and residents to understand the significance of the park and the objectives of work and activities carried out within the Park. Bedgrove Park is one of the most important green spaces in Aylesbury and is being continually improved to meet the needs of a growing and changing community. It was officially opened by Dr. Roger Bannister in May, 1972 as part of the Aylesbury Festival of Sport. A historical overview of the park can be found in Appendix 1. The Park has a modern feel accommodating sports and play facilities plus areas for informal recreation and wildlife. It provides the local community and visitors alike with an attractive outdoor green space, Community Centre, wildflower meadow and spinney - one of the few remaining areas of mature trees in Aylesbury. Since the installation of the new equipped play facilities in 2007 the Park continues to attract visitors from across the town and the football pitches encourage use from across the District. This document is set out to include location information and the eight themes of the Green Flag Award field assessment criteria including: . A Welcoming Place . Healthy, Safe and Secure . Clean and Well maintained . Sustainability . Conservation and heritage . Community involvement . Marketing . Management Within each of the above sections information is provided regarding the current situation, and where applicable proposed improvements. All proposals are covered in an action plan included on page 36 of this document. This revised plan is based on the current management practices and future aspirations. 1 URL: http://www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk 2 URL: http://greenflagaward.org/Default.aspx 2 Aylesbury Vale District Council Community Spaces – Bedgrove Park Management Plan 2 Location Bedgrove Park is the principal public open space in the Bedgrove Ward, an area with a relatively large local residential catchment of over 9,200 people. It is situated on the urban fringe, south-east side of Aylesbury, has excellent views of the Chiltern Hills and covers approximately 15 hectares. Figures 1 and 2 on page 4 and 5 include a location map and site layout plan. Given its close proximity to the local school, community centre, churches, shops and residential dwellings, plus its football pitch provision, it attracts a wide variety of local and district wide users. The population of Aylesbury Vale has risen by 5.1% since 2001 to 174,100 in 2011 (Census 2011) making it the third largest district in the country, Aylesbury alone has a population of approximately 65,500. As residential developments in and around the town continue to grow, it is expected that the number of Park users will also rise which may lead to additional needs in terms of the amount and range of leisure provision. The management and development of the park is influenced by factors affecting the town and the wider district. Strategic, Legal and Planning information is provided in Appendix 2. Working in partnership with Buckinghamshire County Council, AVDC have produced a set of demographic ward profiles for Aylesbury Vale, known as ‘A Classification of Residential Neighborhoods’3 (ACORN). Bedgrove Ward is available in Appendix 3. This information provides an understanding of the area and helps the Council to guide future developments in the Park with respect to the amount and type of provision. 3 URL: http://www.buckinghamshirepartnership.co.uk/partnership/BSP/partners/profiles.page 3 Aylesbury Vale District Council Community Spaces – Bedgrove Park Management Plan Figure 1: Location map Nearest Postcode: HP21 9TT 4 Aylesbury Vale District Council Community Spaces – Bedgrove Park Management Plan Figure 2: Site plan including location of activities and facilities 5 Aylesbury Vale District Council Community Spaces – Bedgrove Park Management Plan Figure 3: Map of Landscape Character Areas 6 Aylesbury Vale District Council Community Spaces – Bedgrove Park Management Plan 3 A Welcoming Place Aim The Park will be a welcoming place, creating a positive and inviting park for all ages and abilities Objectives . To ensure access for all . To create an open and welcoming Park . To encourage more people to come to the Park . To encourage events that will aim to