South Tyneside Council Open Space Strategy A Final Report April 2009 Part of the Scott Wilson Group South Tyneside Council Open Space Strategy Table of Contents 1 Introduction and Background 01 • Introduction • A Vision for South Tyneside’s Open Spaces • Purpose of the Strategy • Overview of South Tyneside • The Importance of Open Space Health Sense of Place Education Environment Open space in South Tyneside • Methodology Definition of Open Space A review of existing policy, strategy and plans Audit and digital mapping Assessing need: Consultation Area analysis Comparison with other authorities Management issues • Consultation (What People Said) • Open Space and Planning Framework National Policy Planning Policy Guidance (PPG’s and PPS’s) National Agency Sport England CABE Space Guidance Green Flag Award Local Planning Framework Local Development Framework (LDF) • Informing the Local Development Framework www.scottwilson.com www.strategicleisure.co.uk South Tyneside Council Open Space Strategy 2 Audit Findings 42 • Introduction to Section 2 Assessing Open Space Quantity Assessing Open Space Quality Assessing Open Space Accessibility • The Open Space Resource • Parks and Open Space • Natural and Semi-Natural Greenspace • Provision for Children & Young People • Formal Outdoor Sports Facilities • Allotments • Cemeteries & Crematoria 3 Resourcing Open space 87 4 Recommendations and Action Plan 94 • Design of Open Space • Parks and Open Space • Woodlands/Natural Open Space/Local Nature Reserves and Wildlife Sites • Outdoor Sport • Provision for Children and Young People • Allotments • Action Plan • Resourcing the Proposals • Implementation Plan Disclaimer 113 www.scottwilson.com www.strategicleisure.co.uk South Tyneside Council Open Space Strategy Table of Appendices 1 Quality Audit Assessment Criteria 2 Public Consultation Questionnaire 3 Site List 4 Standards Calculator 5 GIS Mapping www.scottwilson.com www.strategicleisure.co.uk Section 1 Introduction and Background South Tyneside Council Open Space Strategy 1 Introduction and Background Introduction 1.1 Section 1 of the Open Space Strategy identifies the context, background and methodology against which the Strategy has been developed. The main headings within this section are: • Purpose of the Open Space Strategy - Why South Tyneside Borough Council believe it necessary to develop an Open Space Strategy. • Methodology - the steps and criteria used in developing this Strategy • The Nature and Character of South Tyneside - including the characteristics and differences across the Borough and its local communities • The Planning Framework - the key policy guidance at the National, Regional and Local Level and how the Open Space Strategy will fit within the Council’s Local Development Framework. • The Importance of Open Space - to identify from the consultation what people have said, what the issues are and how openspace can support the Council’s wider agendas in relation to health, conservation, crime, education and regeneration • Other Policies and Strategies - these are the current strategies that will have an influence on the Open Space Strategy www.scottwilson.com www.strategicleisure.co.uk 1 South Tyneside Council Open Space Strategy South Tyneside Borough Council Vision for Open Space 1.2 In developing the Open Space Strategy it is important to develop a corporate vision that can be shared with stakeholders, ‘To provide easily accessible local, high quality, open spaces that are fit for purpose, safe, well maintained, clean and are important to local people. This will be achieved through transparent and robust planning policies that ensure open space contributes to everyday life of residents whilst supporting the regeneration and maintaining the local character of the Borough.’ www.scottwilson.com www.strategicleisure.co.uk 2 South Tyneside Council Open Space Strategy Purpose of the Strategy 1.3 The Open Space Strategy has been developed to provide South Tyneside with a strategic framework that will guide the future planning and management of the Borough’s parks, open spaces and outdoor sports provision. 1.4 The Strategy will also address the Government’s requirement for the Council to undertake a Planning Policy Guidance Note 17 (PPG17) ‘assessment of local need’ in relation to developing a comprehensive audit of local need and transparency in the Council’s future planning policy, for the provision both now and in the future of open space, outdoor sport and recreational facilities. 1.5 The Open Space Strategy has been developed in accordance with the stages outlined in the Companion Guide to PPG 17 ‘Assessing Needs and Opportunities’ (2002) and has involved the following steps and tasks: • The development of an open space working group of external and internal stakeholders to work alongside and champion the development of the Open Space Strategy. • A review of existing strategies, policies and corporate information that may influence the provision of open space, outdoor sport or recreational facilities, this has involved a comprehensive review of existing planning policy administered by the Council in relation to open space provision. • A review of all data held by the Council in relation to current levels of open space, outdoor sport and recreational facilities, this has led to the identification of all open space, outdoor sport and recreational facilities within the Borough. • A digital mapping assessment that initially identified the range of provision by its specific type or purpose. This in turn has been built into a comprehensive dataset that has incorporated the quality and accessibility findings from the site audits and consultation. This has been developed into a computer based Geographic Information System (GIS) digital map that can be reviewed and updated to guide and support the Council to make informed spatial management decisions in the future. • Consultation with stakeholders across the Council, local, regional and national governing bodies. • The GIS data set has enabled the Council to test quantitative, qualitative and accessibility standards for each type of provision and at different levels from local to area based to Borough- wide analysis. 1.6 A key output is the development of an action plan that will support and guide the future management, investment and planning processes with regard to open space, outdoor sport and recreation. 1.7 PPG17 requires local authorities to develop and establish standards of provision for parks and other types of open space. It also requires that when setting such standards, local authorities recognise the current levels of provision and also the needs of local people regarding both the present and future provision. Therefore there are three core elements of work required by local authorities, these being audit of current provision, public consultation and the development of local standards. 1.8 The audit of current provision involves an assessment of quantity, quality and accessibility and for each element the information required is outlined as follows:- • Quantity - to identify the open space by type and to develop a local typology that identifies what type of space it is, what is its primary purpose and how much is there? • Quality - what is the current physical condition of each site and its infrastructure and does it meet the purpose for which it was provided? • Accessibility - Is the right type of space in the right place to meet local need or demand, which neighbourhoods or communities are not served by provision and what is an acceptable distance for local people to travel to the differing provision? www.scottwilson.com www.strategicleisure.co.uk 3 South Tyneside Council Open Space Strategy 1.9 Consultation has to be undertaken with stakeholders, governing bodies, local people, schools, clubs and people with an interest in open space provision. This is necessary to establish the local levels of use made for each type of space. It also lets people have their say as to whether provision meets their local needs and to what extent it meets their aspirations. It helps identify the barriers that may prevent people from using the space provided. 1.10 The development of local standards will help to guide the planning process in relation to identifying deficiencies in provision in terms of which neighbourhoods or local communities are not best served by open space, indoor sport and space for other recreational needs. The standards will establish clear thresholds for quantity, quality and accessibility of provision and guide the space and facilities required from development. 1.11 The audit or local assessment is based on the following guiding principles:- • The enhancement and improvement of the quality and accessibility of existing provision and facilities; • The development and delivery of a network of good quality open space and sports facilities that are sustainable; • Local need identified through consultation and the establishment of standards; • The value of open space for sport and recreational facilities and the wider benefits they bring through health, social interaction, community cohesion, biodiversity and the well being of local people. 1.12 The outcome will be the development of a robust evidence base of provision and standards for all types of open space at both the Borough and local level. 1.13 In addressing the requirements of PPG17, the Open Space Strategy has established standards of provision to enable the Council to plan for the future provision of open space, sport and