PARKS AND OPEN SPACES STRATEGY London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Section 2 - Technical Appendices and Evidence Base PROJECT TITLE: A1763 London Borough Of Barking and Dagenham Parks and Opens Spaces Strategy Client: The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Version Date Version Details Prepared by Checked by Approved by Principal V1.0 Jon Sheaff, Peter Neal, Tim Gill, Jon Sheaff Jon Sheaff Sarah Williams, Aniela Zaba Peter Neal Margarida Oliveira, Julia Halasz, Visakha Sroy, Tom Jackson, Erin Gianferrara, Duncan Royle, Ian Dickie V2.0 22.06.2017 Additional information provided Jon Sheaff, Tim Gill Jon Sheaff Jon Sheaff within Section 1.3 Benchmarking and standards; Section 6.0 - Events in Barking and Dagenham and Section 7.0 - Play provision in Barking and Dagenham This document has been prepared for the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham by: Jon Sheaff and Associates Unit 5.1, Bayford Street Business Centre London E8 3SE www.jonsheaff.co.uk Study team: JSA Jon Sheaff Margarida Oliveira Julia Halasz Visakha Sroy Tom Jackson Peter Neal Tim Gill Sarah Williams Aniela Zaba Erin Gianferrara Duncan Royle Ian Dickie Acknowledgements The project team would like to thank LB Barking and Dagenham for contributing to the analysis, providing the necessary data and guidance in a timely matter. 2 LB Barking and Dagenham | Parks and Open Space Strategy | Technical Appendices and Evidence Base CONTENTS - SECTION 2 TECHNICAL APPENDICES AND EVIDENCE BASE 1.0 The Strategic Policy Context 5 7.0 Play provision in Barking and Dagenham 38 11.0 Public Consultation and Engagement 64 1.1 Planning context 7.1 Evidence base on outdoor play and its benefits 11.1 On-line questionnaire 1.2 Barking and Dagenham corporate strategies 7.2 Benefits of outdoor learning in natural spaces 11.2 Public consultation events 1.3 Benchmarks and standards 7.3 Existing pattern of outdoor play provision 11.3 Masterplan consultations 7.4 Best practice considerations 11.4 Meeting with the Barking and Dagenham’s Access and Planning 7.5 Programming and events Forum 2.0 Baseline characteristics 11 7.6 Recommendations 11.5 Meeting with the BAD Youth Forum 11.6 A workshop with Northbury Primary School 2.1 Strategic context 11.7 Meetings with council officers 2.2 Topography, geology and habitats 11.8 Action Plan workshop 2.3 Settlement patterns 8.0 Food growing in Barking and Dagenham 44 11.9 Discussions with neighbouring authorities 2.4 Demographics and ethnicity 8.1 Why grow food in parks? 11.10 Social media comments 2.5 Health 8.2 Green space, gardening & health 11.11 Summary of findings 2.6 Education 8.3 Health impact of food growing 2.7 Green Infrastructure 8.4 Community and social impact of food growing 2.8 Crime and anti-social behaviour 8.5 Educational impact of food grow 2.9 Housing supply and growth 8.6 Food growing and climate change 12.0 Capital Investment Strategy 69 8.7 The business case for food growing 12.1 Regeneration Area renewal 8.8 Food growing in Barking & Dagenham 12.2 External funding 3.0 Value of parks and green spaces 18 12.3 Other external funding options 12.4 Barking and Dagenham Council capital investment 3.1 The economic value of greenspace 12.5 Conclusion 3.2 The social value of greenspace 9.0 Outdoor playing pitch provision in Barking and 3.3 The environmental value of greenspace Dagenham 52 9.1 Playing pitch strategy 13.0 Future funding and governance options for 4.0 Barking and Dagenham’s greenspace 20 9.2 Implementation of the outdoor playing pitch strategy (OPPS) Parks and Open Spaces 72 4.1 Greenspace provision 13.1 Future funding streams 4.2 Barking and Dagenham indicators 10.0 Corporate Natural Capital Accounting in 13.2 Alternative governance models Barking and Dagenham 54 5.0 Quality Assessment 26 10.1 Executive summary A.0 APPENDICES 76 5.1 Assessing quality 10.2 Introduction 5.2 Quality assessment criteria 10.3 Background to CNCA A1 Quality assessment of parks and open 5.3 Recent changes and trends in quality 10.4 Natural capital asset register 10.5 Physical flow account spaces - supporting evidence maps 10.6 Monetary flow account A2 Play assessment 6.0 Events in Barking and Dagenham 32 10.7 Natural capital maintenance cost account 10.8 Conclusions 6.1 Introduction A3 Online questionnaire 6.2 Context A4 Public consultations and workshops 6.3 Proposals and reasoning 6.4 Key parks sites A5 Masterplans consultations 6.5 Community events 6.6 Strengthening the events process A6 Social media feedback and comments 6.7 Licensing of parks and events infrastructure 6.8 Delivery elements A7 Background to CNCA 6.9 Structure and working practices 6.10 Conclusion A8 CNCA’s methodology A9 Feasibility estimate LB Barking and Dagenham | Parks and Open Space Strategy | Technical Appendices and Evidence Base 3 List of Abbreviations AAP Area Action Plan ANGSt Accessible Natural Greenspace Standard CO2e Carbon equivalent CNCA Corporate Natural Capital Account EA Environmental Agency GIS Geographic information systems JSNA Joint Strategic Needs Assessment LBBD London Borough of Barking and Dagenham MENE Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment NICE National Institute for Health and Care Excellence ONS Office for National Statistics ORVal Outdoor Recreation Valuation Tool OSA Open Space Assessment SEG Socio-Economic Group SuDS Sustainable Drainage System 4 LB Barking and Dagenham | Parks and Open Space Strategy | Technical Appendices and Evidence Base in areas which are vulnerable, care should be taken to ensure that risks can 1.1 THE PLANNING CONTEXT be managed through suitable adaptation measures, including through the planning of green infrastructure’. National Planning Policy Framework (2012) Specifically in respect of Green Belt, the NPPF proposes that ‘The The NPPF (2012) supersedes a number of planning policy statements fundamental aim of Green Belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping and guidance, including PPG17 and its companion guide. It sets out the land permanently open; the essential characteristics of Green Belts are their government’s planning policies for England in support of the government’s openness and their permanence.’ objective to achieve sustainable development. The NPPF also provides a ‘framework within which local people and their accountable councils can This Open Spaces Strategy will discuss all of the strategic planning objectives produce their own distinctive local and neighbourhood plans, which reflect the set out in the NPPF. needs and priorities of their communities.’ Considerable emphasis is placed within the NPPF upon the design of the built The London Plan (2016) environment, stressing the importance of ‘high quality and inclusive design for The London Plan (2016) is the Mayor’s spatial development strategy for all development, including individual buildings, public and private spaces and London. The development strategy for Barking and Dagenham will include wider area development schemes’. the managed release of some surplus industrial land for housing and other Further emphasis is placed upon the delivery of health outcomes, with complementary uses, consolidating the offer of the remaining industrial land. developments required to be ‘safe and accessible, containing clear and legible ‘Any new development and infrastructure brought forward in this area must pedestrian routes, and high quality public space, which encourage the active avoid adverse effects on any European site of nature conservation importance and continual use of public areas’. (to include SACs, SPAs, Ramsar, proposed and candidate sites) either alone or in combination with other plans and projects’. Local planning authorities should: Policy 7.18 of the London Plan addresses the need for ‘protecting local open ‘set out a strategic approach in their Local Plans, planning positively for spaces and addressing local deficiency’. The policy sets out the requirement the creation, protection, enhancement and management of networks of for LDFs to: ‘ensure that future open space needs are planned for in areas with biodiversity and green infrastructure’. the potential for substantial change such as opportunity areas, regeneration areas, intensification areas and other local areas’ and to ‘ensure that open Green infrastructure being defined as ‘a network of multi-functional green space needs are planned in accordance with green infrastructure strategies to space, urban and rural, which is capable of delivering a wide range of deliver multiple benefits’. environmental and quality of life benefits for local communities’. Open space is defined as: ‘all open space of public value, including not just land, but Policy 2.18 focuses on green infrastructure and the need to protect, promote, THE STRATEGIC POLICY CONTEXT also areas of water (such as rivers, canals, lakes and reservoirs) which offer expand and manage the extent and quality of and access to London’s network important opportunities for sport and recreation and can act as a visual of green infrastructure. Green infrastructure is considered as a multifunctional amenity’. network that will ‘secure benefits including, but not limited to: biodiversity; natural and historic landscapes; culture; building a sense of place; the The framework continues: economy; sport; recreation; local food production; mitigating and adapting ‘Access to high quality open spaces and opportunities for sport and recreation to climate change; water management; and the social benefits that promote can make an important contribution to the health and well-being of individual and community health and well-being’. communities. Planning policies should be based on robust and up to date The London Plan requires London boroughs to develop open spaces strategies 1 assessments of the needs for open spaces, sports and recreation facilities to guide the protection, promotion, enhancement and effective management and opportunities for new provision. The assessments should identify specific of London’s network of open spaces. The Mayor has published (jointly with needs and quantitative or qualitative deficits or surpluses of open spaces, CABE) best practice guidance on the preparation of open spaces strategies: sports and recreational facilities in the local area.