Decision details

- To seek approval for the allocation of S106 funding (£35,000) to support improvements to access and education facilities at Lily Hill Park.

- 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.

That £ 35,000 of S106 contributions (as summarised in ANNEX 1) are allocated to fund improvements to access and education facilities at Lily Hill Park.

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.”

2.         The justification for requiring developers to supporting the improvement of open space and outdoor recreational facilities is given under point 8. Promoting Healthy Communities, The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which states that:

“Access to high quality open spaces and opportunities for sport and recreation can make an important contribution to the health and well-being of communities.”

3.         The borough council has adopted a Parks and Open Spaces Strategy (2012) and the improvements at Lily Hill Park are in accordance with delivering the following two priorities:

2. Maintain Green Flag status for existing award-winning parks and attain additional Green Flag Awards for suitable sites.

5. Manage the restored historic parks of South Hill Park and Lily Hill Park to a high standard in line with approved management and maintenance plans

4.         The borough council has adopted the Play, Open Spaces and Sports (POSS) Study which identifies detailed site recommendations for parks such as Lily Hill Park i.e. 4.41 …There are a number of sites which would be suitable for the promotion of educational features such as nature trails, outdoor classrooms and community kitchen gardens as specified in Table 10d. Lily Hill Park and South Hill Park being the most suitable due to their size and popularity…

1.         The boardwalk and pond viewing platform at Lily Hill Park is old and not fit for purpose. Not replacing it isn’t an option, as it provides important access to the pond, and a link between the Edwardian Water Garden and Starch Copse that cuts out having to walk a longer route around. It needs to be replaced with a more accessible and durable version.

2.         Not providing new interpretation boards would be a missed opportunity to educate visitors about the pond wildlife and celebrate and respect the site’s wider important biodiversity value.

3.         S106 funding is currently the only viable option to deliver these improvements.

Lily Hill Park is managed as a Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG), which means that funding is usually available to deliver improvements to help mitigate any adverse effect from development on the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area. On this occasion, upgrading the boardwalk or providing new pond interpretation wouldn’t qualify for SANGs funding as they’re not listed in the site’s Open Space Management Plan and there is insufficient funding available, having just invested a large sum in upgrading Lily Hill Park’s path network.

There is also insufficient council capital funding to deliver these improvements this financial year.

4,         Not using the s106 development monies could result in a failure to mitigate the impact of development and a missed opportunity for ‘providing, expanding or improving open space, and/or outdoor recreational facilities.’ It could also lead to funds being returned to the developers, if no other qualifying scheme was located through which to deliver enhancements in the time available.

5.         The wide range of S106 contributions available in the borough have been assessed in order to eliminate those lying outside the distance constraints of the developments as set out in the respective s106 agreements.

6.         Development monies amounting to £90,709 are already secured through the Foundation House development (14/00933/FUL), which is 500 metres away from the nearest boundary with LHP and  within distance constraints set out in the legal agreement.

None