Delivering and Maintaining Quality Open Spaces for Recreation Richard Nicholson Greenspace Development Team Leader Boro

1. Delivering and Maintaining Quality Open Spaces for Recreation Richard Nicholson Greenspace Development Team Leader Borough of Poole Leisure Services RTPI South West Region Planning for Amenity 18th June 2010 Cirencester

3. Money collected contributes to funds for district wide facilities including: • Major Built Facilities (e.g. leisure centres, multi use games areas) • Youth/Adult Outdoor Play (e.g. sports pitches and facilities) • The remainder is then paid into the ward-based funds of the electoral ward in which the development is taking place. There are three collections in each ward: • Equipped Children's Play (children’s play areas) • Casual Play (informal areas for open space play) • Amenity Open Space (general improvements to open spaces) • A percentage of casual play and amenity open space money is collected from the wards for improvements to the following strategic outdoor facilities: • Beaches • Poole Park • Upton Country Park

4. Although Poole has a beautiful natural environment and some high quality parks, the amount of public open space in some of the older and more densely urban areas is limited and does not meet Local Plan standards for provision

5. Amenity Open Space 0.8 hectares per 1,000 Casual and Equipped Children’s play 0.6-0.8 hectares per 1,000 Youth and Adult Outdoor play 1.6-1.8 hectares per 1,000 Total 3.2 hectares per 1,000

8. Amenity open space will be provided on-site if the development is of a sufficient size to justify the provision of at least 0.2ha. Where the area of open space is less than this and in the case of Equipped Children’s Play, Youth and Adult Outdoor Play and other recreational facilities, provision will be off site.

11. Where practicable in areas of deficiency, acquisition of additional land will be a priority. Where this is not possible, the shortfall will be addressed by focussing on the overall “fitness of purpose” of existing space. Well thought out upgrading can do much to increase the capacity and utilisation of recreational land • ….to improve open space for the enjoyment of the people of Poole we can often make more difference to the QUALITY of open space than we can to the QUANTITY

14. PPG 17 PPS1 DTLR “Green Spaces Better Places” CABESpace What are we scared of? The value of risk in designing public space How to…. Series from Greener Safer Cleaner Communities initiative CABE English Partnerships and The Housing Corporation Urban Design Compendium Play England publications DCSF 10 Design Principles for successful Play Spaces PlaceShaper PlayShaper SpaceShaper BoP Core strategy Emerging BoP Public Realm Strategy

15. Kathryn Gustafson designer of the Diana Memorial Fountain The Guardian October 12 2004 ‘I feel we made a mistake in letting people walk in the water. I apologise for that. I though people would picnic near the memorial, and run their hands through the water, think about their lives, think about Diana’

17. Engagements and dialogue not consultation. This involves challenging, pushing boundaries, developing a shared understanding of the space, creating informed decision makers • Watching how a space is used. • Cross-service working: using other expertise and not reinventing the wheel.

18. CIRIA: Construction Industry Research and Information Association • Large trees in the urban environment – a design and management guide (RP939) • Long-lived large trees alongside other green infrastructure have an important role to play in the urban environment for the many benefits they bring. Many of these benefits have been unattributed and undervalued although most people prefer to see trees in urbanised areas and not just in parks and natural woodland. • There is also a realisation that large trees have a significant role to play in climate change adaptation by providing summer shade and cool corridors, and, that there is the potential for cost benefits to developers.

19. CIRIA: Construction Industry Research and Information Association Large trees in the urban environment – a design and management guide (RP939) • A great deal of work has been undertaken through reports such as Trees in Towns II; guidance for local authority tree strategies; and work by Trees and Design Action Group (TDAG), Natural England, CABE, Forestry Commission, etc. At the same time ongoing research work, such as the ASSCUE project in Manchester, is establishing the evidence base for the benefits attributable to trees and other green infrastructure in helping cities adapt to climate change. • The report will detail practicalities, technical requirements, environmental and cost benefits for delivering and maintaining large landscape trees and other green infrastructure in new and existing developments as well as avoidance of potential adverse impacts.

21. Trees contribute to the green infrastructure of Poole. Parks and open spaces with trees, connected by green routes comprising highway trees, trees growing on footpaths and cycle routes and trees growing in gardens adjoining highways and footpaths contribute to this green infrastructure, to the benefit of residents and visitors. Greening the connections as well as the spaces is to be encouraged. (See South East Dorset Green Infrastructure Framework Document adopted by BoP December 2009)

22. Solar access (allowing sunlight for the purposes of solar collectors) may become increasingly important in the future and will be considered by Leisure Services in devising planting schemes that are intended to have a long future.

29. www.leisureprojects.net www.arbsolutions.org.uk