Open Space, Play, Recreation and Community Growing Spaces

Open Space, Play, Recreation and Community Growing Spaces Public open space is a strategic asset that supports health and wellbeing, biodiversity, climate resilience, social cohesion and sustainable travel. Development proposals will be expected to protect, enhance, and deliver a high-quality accessible and multifunctional network of public open spaces that meets the needs of existing and future communities. All open space provided must be public open space, permanently accessible and protected for public use in perpetuity. A. Protection of Existing Open Spaces Existing open spaces will be safeguarded from loss, fragmentation, encroachment or deterioration. Development resulting in the loss, reduction or adverse impact on open space will only be supported where: a. The open space is demonstrated to be surplus to current and future requirements, based on the most up-to-date evidence available at the time of determination and supported by the relevant Town or Parish Council; or b. Equivalent or better replacement is secured prior to the loss, in a suitable and accessible location and is at least equivalent in terms of quantity, quality, accessibility usefulness and attractiveness, and is supported by a management plan to ensure long term viability. B. New Provision Major development must provide open space in line with the recommended standards as set out below. For minor development and for proposals where major development incurs a population increase of less than 1,000 people, provision of open space should be calculated on a pro-rata basis. On site provision of open space should be provided in the first instance, and be proportionate to the scale, nature and population yield of the development. Typology Standard: Hectares (Ha) per 1,000 population Parks and Gardens 1.4 (24.5%) Recreation Grounds 0.5 (9%) Natural and Semi Natural Greenspace 3.17 (56%) Amenity Greenspace 0.6 (10.5%) Accessible Greenspace Total= 5.67ha Allotments and community growing spaces 0.86ha of community growing space (including allotments) per 1,000 households Community Orchards do not typically count towards this provision Provision for children and teenagers 0.5ha of provision for children and teenagers per 1,000 population. Where development is large enough to provide the full 0.5ha of provision, this should include 0.25ha of equipped play and 0.25ha of teenage provision per 1,000 population. Development proposals are to be accompanied by an open space scheme. C. Open Space and Play Assessments Major developments will be required to submit an open space and play assessment, outlining how the development will affect existing public open spaces and play spaces (covering both the site and surrounding areas). This assessment should include consideration of deficiencies in current provision across the area, as identified in the Green and Blue Infrastructure and Open Space study, and deviations from the mix of accessible greenspace and play typologies may be permitted where deficiencies in provision in the local area of the site are corrected. Open space and play assessments should include detailed plans of existing and proposed spaces to demonstrate compliance with the open space standards. D. Off-Site Provision Off-site provision or financial contributions will only be accepted where it is clearly and robustly demonstrated that on-site provision of a specific typology: 1. is not physically achievable due to site specific constraints that cannot be reasonably addressed through design; 2. would result in fragmented, inaccessible or poor-quality provision; and 3. Would fail to meet the needs of future occupiers or users of the development. Policy ID.14 ~ Development Management Considerations In relation to Part B or the policy ~ Where provision for children and teenagers is delivered within accessible greenspace, and fully open to the public, the space can contribute to both the 5.67ha per 1000 population accessible greenspace standard, and the relevant typology standard. For the avoidance of doubt LAP’s will not be supported. Residential Development ~ includes Student Accommodation, Care Villages, Extra Care and Retirement Communities will be required to contribute to the open space standards as outlined in the Policy Commercial and Employment Development ~ can generate significant demand for public open space where employees, visitors, or customers spend extended periods on site. Public open space supports employee wellbeing, mental health, inclusive design and sustainable travel and mitigates pressure on surrounding spaces. Major commercial development will be required to provide or contribute towards public open space where demand is generated. Children’s play provision will not normally be required unless the development forms part of a mixed-use scheme including residential uses. In relation to Part D of the Policy ~ developer preference, land value considerations or general viability assertions will not, in isolation, justify off-site provision. In addition to the requirements set out ab