Parks and Green Spaces Strategy 2020 - Summary

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The Parks and Green Spaces Strategy is one of three related Environmental Management Strategies along with the Wildflower and Grassland Strategy and the Play Strategy.

The Parks and Green Space Strategy provides a framework for steering the shape and direction of the priorities and development of parks and green spaces from 2020 till 2030. The strategy focusses on Council-owned land with core priority sites being analysed at in detail.

Initial engagement was undertaken in summer 2020 with key stakeholders showed that parks and green spaces are well used for a variety of uses, and most stakeholders supported changes in fees and charges. A summary of the results is provided in Section 5 of the Parks and Green Spaces Strategy.

Strategy overview

The Parks and Green Spaces Strategy is comprised of two "Tiers" of documents:

  • Tier 1 (this report) provides the strategic overview at the borough level, including: setting the policy context; outlining how the strategy was developed; outlining the current picture within the borough; an overview of initial engagement; reviewing levels of existing provision; identifying income opportunities; recognising park management models and providing good practice, quality and guidance.
  • Tier 2 reports provide more detailed information on the existing provision by Locality Area and looking at key issues, challenges, and opportunities within the Locality Areas, drawing on the information provided in Tier 1.

This summary provides an overview of Tier 1 of the strategy.

Aims and principles of the Strategy

  • The focus of the Strategy is on Council-owned parks and green spaces and its priority sites. However, it also considers the importance of planning policy/development management across the wider network of parks and green spaces within the borough.

  • The strategy aims to support the provision of high-quality parks and green spaces to meet the needs and aspirations of the people of the Cheshire West and Chester. Ensuring provision is planned and managed with the active involvement and engagement of the community, with parks and green spaces provided where needed and ensuring they are accessible for all.

  • Parks and green spaces will be planned in line with co-production principles to help break down barriers between people who use services, people who provide services, and people who design services. Consultation and engagement with the community is recognised as essential in the planning, management and maintenance of parks and green spaces.

  • The Strategy will help to identify where there are deficiencies within parks and green spaces and where the priorities for improvement should be. It will recognise forms of opportunities for income generation, types of park management models and how these could be applied within the Borough. It will also help the Council deliver the priorities of their Council Plan 2020-2024.

Structure of the Strategy

The Parks and Green Spaces Strategy is set out under the following headings:

  • Introduction (includes overview and aims and objectives).
  • How the strategy was developed (a step-by-step process).
  • Strategic Context (includes a review of relevant policy and strategy at a national and local level).
  • The Current Picture (background of the whole borough analysing different indicators of health, population, deprivation, and access to private outdoor spaces).
  • Review of Stakeholder and Community Consultation (provides a summary of the initial engagement in Summer 2020, and previous community consultation).
  • Local Provision (examining the existing local provision in terms of quantity, quality and access).
  • Income Opportunities (identifying different income opportunities through sites, development, taxation, and ecosystem services including example case studies).
  • Park Management (recognising and outlining park management models including advantages and disadvantages for each and case studies).
  • Good Practice, Quality and Guidance (setting out guidance for how quality and management of parks and green spaces can be achieved).

Tier 2 Locality Area Frameworks

The Locality Area Frameworks provides more detailed information regarding issues, challenges and opportunities for Parks and Green Spaces by Locality Area, drawing on the information provided in Tier 1.

The frameworks provide a strategic profile for the locality and provides a guide to making prioritising choices in relation to improvements. The Borough Council’s priority sites all have individual sites summaries outlining the existing quality, description, recommendations, and opportunities for income for each site.

The Parks and Green Spaces Strategy is one of three related Environmental Management Strategies along with the Wildflower and Grassland Strategy and the Play Strategy.

The Parks and Green Space Strategy provides a framework for steering the shape and direction of the priorities and development of parks and green spaces from 2020 till 2030. The strategy focusses on Council-owned land with core priority sites being analysed at in detail.

Initial engagement was undertaken in summer 2020 with key stakeholders showed that parks and green spaces are well used for a variety of uses, and most stakeholders supported changes in fees and charges. A summary of the results is provided in Section 5 of the Parks and Green Spaces Strategy.

Strategy overview

The Parks and Green Spaces Strategy is comprised of two "Tiers" of documents:

  • Tier 1 (this report) provides the strategic overview at the borough level, including: setting the policy context; outlining how the strategy was developed; outlining the current picture within the borough; an overview of initial engagement; reviewing levels of existing provision; identifying income opportunities; recognising park management models and providing good practice, quality and guidance.
  • Tier 2 reports provide more detailed information on the existing provision by Locality Area and looking at key issues, challenges, and opportunities within the Locality Areas, drawing on the information provided in Tier 1.

This summary provides an overview of Tier 1 of the strategy.

Aims and principles of the Strategy

  • The focus of the Strategy is on Council-owned parks and green spaces and its priority sites. However, it also considers the importance of planning policy/development management across the wider network of parks and green spaces within the borough.

  • The strategy aims to support the provision of high-quality parks and green spaces to meet the needs and aspirations of the people of the Cheshire West and Chester. Ensuring provision is planned and managed with the active involvement and engagement of the community, with parks and green spaces provided where needed and ensuring they are accessible for all.

  • Parks and green spaces will be planned in line with co-production principles to help break down barriers between people who use services, people who provide services, and people who design services. Consultation and engagement with the community is recognised as essential in the planning, management and maintenance of parks and green spaces.

  • The Strategy will help to identify where there are deficiencies within parks and green spaces and where the priorities for improvement should be. It will recognise forms of opportunities for income generation, types of park management models and how these could be applied within the Borough. It will also help the Council deliver the priorities of their Council Plan 2020-2024.

Structure of the Strategy

The Parks and Green Spaces Strategy is set out under the following headings:

  • Introduction (includes overview and aims and objectives).
  • How the strategy was developed (a step-by-step process).
  • Strategic Context (includes a review of relevant policy and strategy at a national and local level).
  • The Current Picture (background of the whole borough analysing different indicators of health, population, deprivation, and access to private outdoor spaces).
  • Review of Stakeholder and Community Consultation (provides a summary of the initial engagement in Summer 2020, and previous community consultation).
  • Local Provision (examining the existing local provision in terms of quantity, quality and access).
  • Income Opportunities (identifying different income opportunities through sites, development, taxation, and ecosystem services including example case studies).
  • Park Management (recognising and outlining park management models including advantages and disadvantages for each and case studies).
  • Good Practice, Quality and Guidance (setting out guidance for how quality and management of parks and green spaces can be achieved).

Tier 2 Locality Area Frameworks

The Locality Area Frameworks provides more detailed information regarding issues, challenges and opportunities for Parks and Green Spaces by Locality Area, drawing on the information provided in Tier 1.

The frameworks provide a strategic profile for the locality and provides a guide to making prioritising choices in relation to improvements. The Borough Council’s priority sites all have individual sites summaries outlining the existing quality, description, recommendations, and opportunities for income for each site.