TO:
EXECUTIVE
MEMBER FOR CULTURE, DELIVERY AND PUBLIC
PROTECTION
September 2021
Parks and Open Spaces Quality
Improvement at The Chestnuts
Director of
Place,
Planning and Regeneration
1.
PURPOSE
OF REPORT
1.1
To seek
approval for the allocation of S106 funding (£23,991.08) to
support improvements to recreation, biodiversity and heritage
features at The Chestnuts green space in Warfield Harvest
Ride.
1.2
To confirm which financial contributions secured from developers
under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 will be
applied to the project (see
Annex 1).
1.3
If approved, the S106 monies will be used
to restore a historic icehouse, provide information to visitors
about this important heritage feature, improve public access to the
site and carry out improvements to wildlife habitats.
2
RECOMMENDATION(S)
2.1
That £23,991.08
of S106
contributions (as summarised in Annex 1) are allocated to fund
improvements at The Chestnuts.
3
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION(S)
3.1
Developer contributions are collected
through S106 agreements to support “providing, expanding
or improving open space, and/or outdoor recreational facilities
(which may include the acquisition and/or improvement of land
and/or buildings and/or carrying out or assisting in the carrying
out of nature/landscaping conservation projects) within 3
kilometres of the Site.”
3.2
The justification for requiring developers to supporting the
improvement of open space and outdoor recreational facilities is
given in
The National Planning
Policy Framework (NPPF):
‘8. Promoting healthy and safe
communities
98. Access to a network of
high-quality open spaces and opportunities for sport and physical
activity is important for the health and well-being of communities,
and can deliver wider benefits for nature and support efforts to
address climate change…’
·
continue to provide easy access
to the natural environment
·
protect our highly valued green
spaces and strategic green gaps
3.4
The
borough council has adopted a
Parks and
Open Spaces Strategy (2012) and the improvements
at The Chestnuts are in accordance with delivering the following
two priorities:
1. Monitor and assess quality standards across
parks and open spaces. Manage sites to a high standard; carry out
improvement works to sustain and improve quality in line with the
Bracknell Forest Council ‘Plus One Principle’ and
relevant national guidance.
6. Enhance the natural qualities of parks and
open spaces. Protect and enhance biodiversity.
Positively manage trees and woodlands, to
include new planting to provide for future
generations.
3.5
Historic England explain the
importance of our historic environment in their report
Heritage Counts 2014: THE VALUE AND
IMPACT OF HERITAGE:
‘The majority of people in England visit
heritage sites and believe that they are important to local
communities. The historic environment is valued for its
contribution to our knowledge and sense of identity, and because it
helps to make places feel ‘special.’’
4
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED
4.1
Not carrying out these enhancements could lead to a failure to meet
the objectives in The Council Plan and Parks and Open Spaces
Strategy. It would also be a missed opportunity to preserve an
important heritage feature that could bring value to the local
community.
4.2
Not using the s106 development monies
could result in a failure to mitigate the impact of development and
be a missed opportunity for ‘providing, expanding or
improving open space, and/or outdoor recreational
facilities.’
4.3
It could lead to funds being returned to
the developers if no other qualifying scheme was located through
which to deliver enhancements in the time available.
4.4
The wide range of S106 open space and
recreation contributions available in the borough have been
assessed to eliminate those lying outside the distance constraints
of the developments as set out in the respective s106
agreements.
4.5
The Chestnuts site is
managed as part of the Bullbrook Countryside Corridor Suitable
Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG). This provides an alternative
place for recreation away from the Thames Basin Heaths Special
Protection Area. There is insufficient funding available from SANG
contributions to complete these comprehensive works to the level
they are required, which is why s106 funding is the only viable
option.
5
SUPPORTING
INFORMATION
5.1
The Chestnuts and
connecting Chestnuts Lane, are green spaces that comprise 1.7
hectares of land in Warfield Harvest Ride. The sites are remnants
from the Warfield Park estate and comprise a mixture of shrubs,
grassland and veteran Sweet Chestnut trees that are thought to be
approximately 200 years old.
5.2
The sites form part of a green corridor
running west to east, following the line of an old track which used
to offer access to the cottage gardens. A tarmac cycleway
runs along its length. This can be used by pedestrians,
cycles, wheelchairs and prams as a form of access or passage to and
from the Whitegrove Housing Estate, the surrounding areas of Public
Open Space and the Tesco’s shopping complex.
5.3
The brambled, scrubby
and long grassed areas offer habitat for smaller mammals, birds,
butterflies and insects. The veteran trees on-site contain a lot of
dead wood, which is important for species such as beetles and fungi
and is retained where it is safe to do so. Other species that are
dependent on ancient trees include noctule bats and bullfinches,
species within Bracknell Forest’s Biodiversity Action
Plan.
5.4
The
site’s name, The Chestnuts, is derived from one of the main
features of the site, which is the line of Sweet Chestnut trees,
preserved for their age, beauty and conservation
values.
5.5
The
icehouse, part of the old Warfield Park, would have been
traditionally used to store ice throughout the year, before the
invention of the refrigerator. It is a man-made underground chamber
and ice was transported from other sites and stored here. The
structure underwent small renovation works in 2015 to include
lintel replacement over the archway, a new door and repair work to
the dome. See photo in Annex 5.
5.6
The
proposed project plans to undertake further works to this historic
building, to both promote the heritage of the area and Warfield
Park, and create a visual attraction for members of the public and
site users. This feature has been underutilised over recent years
and needs improvements to prevent the building falling further into
disrepair. Alongside this, improvement works offer a fantastic
opportunity for increased education and site enjoyment for locals
and residents of the area.
5.7
The
planned works will include the removal of encroaching vegetation on
the exterior of the building, installation of fencing and
interpretation boards to further emphasise the building, and some
repair works to be done to the viewing area (the main entrance of
the building). A more detailed description of the works to be
undertaken can be found in Annex 5.
5.8
S106 funding is secured in accordance with adopted planning policy.
Of significance is Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning
Document (SPD) (2015) (ref. section 5.11 Open Space of Public Value
and the ‘Plus One’ Principle whereby works are
prioritised towards improving quality of existing open spaces over
time.
5.9
In
addition to being secured to fund quality improvements, there is a
requirement that developer contributions are allocated to open
spaces capable of serving the development from which the
contribution was paid. This means that available funding
needs to be allocated to a site within close proximity of the
contributing development. The contributions to be allocated are set
out in Annex 1.
6
ADVICE RECEIVED FROM STATUTORY AND OTHER OFFICERS
Borough Solicitor
6.1
The allocation of funding proposed in this report complies with the
requirements of the s106 agreements.
The approval of the recommendation
in the report falls within the decision-making remit of officers in
consultation with the Executive member pursuant to the Bracknell
Forest Council Constitution 10 March 2021 Part 2, section 6
paragraph 6.2 (a)(vi).
Director:
Resources
6.2
The financial implications are set out in the report.
Equalities Impact
Assessment
6.3
An EIA scoping assessment has been carried out for this project and
included in Annex 3. There are no negative
impacts resulting from the proposed project.
Strategic Risk Management
Issues
6.4
S106 contributions will need to be refunded should they not be
allocated in accordance with the respective legal agreement.
The project is designed in such that a way that there are no
significant increases to maintenance costs and site management can
still be accommodated within existing revenue budgets.
Infrastructure and Implementation
team manager
6.5
The proposed improvement to The Chestnuts is in compliance with the
terms of the relevant S106 agreements. This will help to
improve the quality and capacity of outdoor leisure in the area,
thereby mitigating the impact of the relevant development in this
regard.
7
CONSULTATION
Principal Groups Consulted
7.1
Historic England
Residents.
Representations Received
7.2
We have consulted Historic England on this project, who are
positive / supportive of the work to restore the
icehouse.
Residents have been consulted more widely on
their three favourite things about living in the borough, and the
support they’d need to recover from the pandemic. Parks and
countryside feature were listed as one of the three favourite
things about living in the borough, and residents feel they are far
more likely to need access to green spaces and walking, cycling
opportunities.
See Annex
6 for findings from the
Coronavirus phone survey of Bracknell Forest residents - July
2020.
Background Papers:
ANNEX 1:
S106 Allocation details
ANNEX 2:
Application form
ANNEX 3: EIA
Scoping assessment for project
ANNEX 4: Site
maps
ANNEX 5:
Details of improvements
ANNEX 6:
Coronavirus phone survey - July 2020
Contact for further information
Charlie
McNish
Email:
Rangers@bracknell-forest.gov.uk
Tel: 01344
354441
Revision V1
19.09.2021
ANNEX
2: Parks and Countryside Service Application Form
|
Section
|
Criteria
|
Project 7
|
|
1: Contact Details
|
Name
|
Charlie
McNish
|
|
|
Contact
|
Charlie.McNish@bracknell-forest.gov.uk
|
|
2: Organisation Information
|
Name of organisation
|
Bracknell
Forest Council
|
|
|
Other
|
|
|
|
Department/service area/section
|
Parks and
Countryside Service
|
|
|
Lead officer
|
Stephen
Chown
|
|
|
Lead member
|
Cllr John
Harrison
|
|
|
Lead director
|
Andrew
Hunter
|
|
|
Decision maker
|
Cllr John
Harrison
|
|
|
Date of decision
|
TBC
|
|
|
Reason Key
|
|
|
|
Making representations
|
|
|
|
Financial impact
|
|
|
|
Consultation carried out?
|
Yes
|
|
|
Consultation details
|
Park visitor
questionnaire
Covid-19 Residents' Survey
2020 (see annex 6).
|
|
|
Equalities scoping report completed and provided
with the application?
|
Yes
– see annex 3
|
|
|
Document(s) to be considered
|
|
|
|
Background papers
|
|
|
|
Open/exempt?
|
|
|
|
Explanation for exemption
|
|
|
|
Key decision
|
|
|
|
Exempt report
|
|
|
2: Project Description
|
Type of project
|
Blue and Green
Infrastructure - Active Open Space of Public Value (Active
OSPV)
|
|
|
Other
|
|
|
|
Project Address
|
The
Chestnuts, Warfield,
Bracknell RG42 3UN
|
|
|
Accompanying map
|
Yes – see
annex 4
|
|
|
Parish
|
Warfield
|
|
|
Ward
|
Warfield
Harvest Ride
|
|
|
POSS reference number
|
134
|
|
|
Brief description of scheme
|
Restoring
historic icehouse and carrying out improvements to public access
and biodiversity.
|
|
|
Policy / Strategy Objectives Being
Delivered
|
·
The Parks and Open Spaces
Strategy
·
The POSS Study
·
Council Plan – protecting and
enhancing our environment
|
|
|
Total estimated cost of scheme
|
£23,991.08
|
|
|
Estimated amount of s106 funding
required
|
£23,991.08
|
|
|
Existing funding
|
Yes
|
|
|
Timeline
|
The work is
expected to start this autumn, with the work expected to run for at
least six months.
|
|
|
Details of previous improvement
projects
|
The icehouse
structure underwent small renovation works in 2015 to include
lintel replacement over the archway, a new door and repair work to
the dome.
|
|
|
Additional information
|
|
|
|
Project finished?
|
No.
|
Lead Contact: Charlie
McNish
Position (Officer /
Member):
Ranger
Date:
12 August 2021
ANNEX
3: Equality Impact Assessment Scoping
Initial Equalities Screening Record
Form
|
Date of Screening:
12.08.2021
|
Directorate:
Place, Planning and
Regeneration
|
Section: Bracknell Forest
Council Parks and Countryside Service
|
|
1. Activity to be
assessed
|
Quality improvements to outdoor facilities at
The Chestnuts
|
|
2. What is the
activity?
|
Project
|
|
3. Is it a new or
existing activity?
|
New
|
|
4. Officer responsible
for the screening
|
Charlie McNish
|
|
5. Who are the members of
the screening team?
|
Charlie McNish and Rose
Wicks
|
|
6. What is the purpose of
the activity?
|
The aim is to conduct works to
the exterior of the historic ‘Icehouse’ building, to
enhance the educational and visual opportunities that the building
provides, in accordance with Planning Obligations SPD (section
5.11) and the BFC Parks and Open Spaces Strategy 2012.
|
|
7. Who is the activity
designed to benefit/target?
|
The improvements will benefit all users of the site.
|
|
Protected
Characteristics
|
Please tick
yes or no
|
Is there an impact?
What kind of equality impact
may there be? Is the impact positive or adverse or is there a
potential for both?
If the impact is neutral,
please give a reason.
|
What evidence do you have to
support this?
E.g. equality monitoring data,
consultation results, customer satisfaction information
etc
Please add a narrative to
justify your claims around impacts and describe the analysis and
interpretation of evidence to support your conclusion as this will
inform members decision making, include consultation
results/satisfaction information/equality monitoring
data
|
|
8. Disability
Equality – this can include physical, mental health, learning
or sensory disabilities including conditions such as dementia.
|
Y
ü
|
N
|
Positive impact.
Access is going to be improved to the Icehouse
heritage feature for all to enjoy, including those in
wheelchairs.
Site lines will be improved by vegetation
clearance, making the site feel more secure.
Interpretation will be designed so that
it’s easy to understand and accessible for visually impaired
people.
|
How to make greenspaces more
inclusive and accessible (sensorytrust.org.uk)
In order to optimise use for people, greenspace
must be both accessible and worth visiting. Good accessibility is
fundamental although there has, in the past, been a tendency
towards an exclusive focus on one or two forms of disability (for
example wheelchair users) and the physical aspects of site design
(ramps and paths). However, accessibility is also to do with other
factors such as distance from home and sociocultural factors
– do people want to go there and do they feel safe and
comfortable there? Social factors are sometimes overlooked but are
often very significant in making people with disabilities feel
excluded from landscape
|
|
9. Racial
equality
|
Y
|
N
ü
|
|
|
|
10. Gender equality
|
Y
|
N
ü
|
|
|
|
11. Sexual orientation
equality
|
Y
|
N
ü
|
|
|
|
12. Gender
re-assignment
|
Y
|
N
ü
|
|
|
|
13. Age equality
|
Y
|
N
ü
|
|
|
|
14. Religion and belief
equality
|
Y
|
N
ü
|
|
|
|
15. Pregnancy and maternity
equality
|
Y
|
N
ü
|
|
|
|
16. Marriage and civil
partnership equality
|
Y
|
N
ü
|
|
|
|
17. Please give details of
any other potential impacts on any other group (e.g. those on lower
incomes/carers/ex-offenders, armed forces communities) and on
promoting good community relations.
|
N/A
|
|
18. If an
adverse/negative impact has been identified can it be justified on
grounds of promoting equality of opportunity for one group or for
any other reason?
|
N/A
|
|
19. If there is any
difference in the impact of the activity when considered for each
of the equality groups listed in 8 – 14 above; how
significant is the difference in terms of its nature and the number
of people likely to be affected?
|
Yes.
|
|
20. Could the impact
constitute unlawful discrimination in relation to any of the
Equality Duties?
|
Y
|
N
ü
|
|
|
21. What further
information or data is required to better understand the impact?
Where and how can that information be obtained?
|
N/A
|
|
22. On the basis of
sections 7 – 17 above is a full impact assessment
required?
|
Y
|
N
ü
|
|
|
23. If a full impact
assessment is not required; what actions will you take to reduce or
remove any potential differential/adverse impact, to further
promote equality of opportunity through this activity or to obtain
further information or data? Please complete the action plan in full,
adding more rows as needed.
|
|
Action
|
Timescale
|
Person Responsible
|
Milestone/Success
Criteria
|
|
Ensure that the interpretation
is designed so that it’s inclusive for all (plain
English/colour/contrast/large print/installation etc.)
Consider alternative formats
such as large print and braille.
|
March 2022
|
Charlie McNish and Rose
Wicks
|
People can easily access and
enjoy the new facilities.
|
|
Create new paths to provide
better access in and around the site.
|
March 2022
|
Charlie McNish
|
People can easily access and
enjoy the new facilities.
|
|
24. Which service,
business or work plan will these actions be included in?
|
Parks and Open Spaces Strategy - S106 quality improvement
programme, based on the Plus 1 Principle.
Bullbrook Countryside Corridor Open Space Management Plan.
|
|
25. Please list the current
actions undertaken to advance equality or examples of good practice
identified as part of the screening?
|
When carrying out site quality improvements,
the following actions are undertaken to ensure that any new /
improved site features are made accessible to all park users:
Follow guidance from the Sensory Trust:
·
Advice
and guidance – Sensory Trust Guides
·
Developing inclusive communication - Sensory Trust
Provide appropriate specifications to
contractors, which include the need to adhere to equalities best
practice guidelines.
|
|
26. Director’s
signature.
|
Signature:
Date:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When complete please send to
abby.thomas@bracknell-forest.gov.uk
for publication on the
Council’s website.
ANNEX
4: Site maps
ANNEX
5: Details of improvements
The proposed project plans to create a more appealing educational
and visual feature for residents and visitors. This will be
achieved through various works to the exterior of the Icehouse, all
of which will have to be performed delicately to avoid any damages
to the building itself.
The exterior of the building, and its ‘dome’, is
currently overgrown with brambles and is unrecognisable as an
icehouse or historic building from the main path to the south of
the building.
An important part of the project
would be to remove this external vegetation and allow the dome
shape of the building to be more easily seen, attracting interest
from members of the public using this path.
Opening some of
the shaded areas at the entrance of the icehouse would help with
the security of the building and avoid people breaking the
gates.
Once this vegetation is cleared, which will be completed outside of
bird nesting season, new estate-style fencing around the building
will further emphasise and protect this important historic
feature.
A new interpretation board will be provided to educate readers on
the building’s former use, as well as Warfield Park.
Establishing a new pathway leading from the main path around to the
north side of the building where the main entrance is, and the
visual access into the building, will open access to this feature
for more people to enjoy
Sympathetically renovating the existing gate/ entrance to the
building, which is currently in a poor state of repair, would open
up this feature for even more people to enjoy.
Chestnut Tree and stone plaque
In July 2020 we asked 1,800 residents about
their experiences during the coronavirus pandemic through a phone
survey.
All responses were confidential and the
results are now being used to help us plan for the borough's
recovery from coronavirus over the next 3 years.
The survey was carried out by independent
company Public Perspectives. It included a range of questions on
the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on residents, their family
and the local community. Residents were asked to list their
favourite 3 things about living in the borough. The main things
residents enjoy are:
·
the borough’s parks and
countryside
·
council run sports and leisure facilities
·
highways
As part of this survey, residents
provided views about accessing healthcare and the support they need
to recover from the experience of the pandemic. Around six-in-ten
residents spent more time in nature, visiting open spaces since
lockdown began on 23 March and about half of residents tried a new
form of exercise or exercised more, while smoking and drinking
levels remained about the same.
Of the residents surveyed, 67% agreed that
they are more likely to walk or cycle and 62% agreed they are more
likely to use local parks and open spaces.
