Agenda item

Access Improvement Works

·          PROW maintenance

·          S106 funded projects – quality improvement works to parks and open spaces

·          SANGs improvements

Minutes:

Public Rights of Way (PROW)

 

The South East Berkshire Ramblers continued their good work to improve the accessibility of PROW by replacing stiles with new accessible kissing gates. Sections of PROW had been outlined where the paths would benefit from the older ‘step over’ or ‘squeeze’ stiles being replaced with new metal or wooden kissing gates. If a stile or gate was no longer needed it would be taken out and medium mobility kissing gates were used where possible; four foot wide cattle grids were another suggestion. Work was undertaken to the principle of least restrictive access, according to actions in the Bracknell Forest Rights of Way Improvement Plan.

 

These gates had been funded by the Ramblers Association and installed by Bracknell Forest Council and volunteers. New gates had been installed along Bracknell Footpath 16 (Peacock’s Meadow) and two along Binfield Footpath 6 (Wick’s Green). Further gates were due to be installed along Binfield Footpath 11 (Murrell Hill Road), Bracknell Footpath 15 (at the junction with Easthampstead Park Driveway), and a further wooden gate at Binfield Footpath 16, replacing the tight kissing gate off Peacock Lane.

 

The Forum thanked the South East Berkshire Ramblers for their support and volunteering.

 

At Winkfield Footpath 4, work was being undertaken with the land owners in cooperation with Planners Farm to mitigate seasonal flooding. Surfacing and drainage works would see a new corrugated pipe installed along the path, which would be covered with ‘reject’ stone. The area would be inspected after to see whether a further top surface needed to be funded (crushed concrete and plannings).

 

At Crowthorne Footpath 4, which ran alongside Edgbarrow School, the surface of the footpath had been raised to help mitigate seasonal flooding. The boardwalk at Wildmoor Heath (Sandhurst Footpath 14) had also been extended in sections where it became boggy underfoot.

 

At the Devil’s Highway, there had been a short section of surface improvements to the Restricted Byway which led up from Bracknell Road to the Forestry Commission car park. This was the second time the surface had been re-laid after the first attempt proved unsuccessful due to adverse weather conditions. This time, the drier weather had allowed the surface to settle and bind well.

 

Two new interpretation panels had been produced in partnership with the Forestry Commission and were to be installed near Devil’s Highway and Muzzies roundabout. This was part of mitigation measures to provide ‘educational’ signage at key access points into the forest (SPA). It was suggested that signs would be useful to tell people, for example, where the nearest café was. Bracknell Forest Council was improving its mobile website.

 

Section 106 funded quality improvements to parks and open spaces

 

Section 106 funding was to be used for longer term projects and pathways, and the benefits needed to be demonstrated to the land owner. Permissive routes could be undertaken but the risks would need to be assessed, as with short term access routes for a matter of days or weeks, the developer would likely request the funding contribution back. A formal PROW was better as there was more certainty. A ‘pro-forma’ could be completed and submitted to BFC for those with ideas for suitable Section 106 projects.

 

It was queried whether the funding had been used for West End Lane. Cabbage Hill was to be secured as SANGS for the Berkeley’s development in Warfield. Natural England was not supportive of allowing horse access. It was queried whether Bracknell Forest LCAF could ask why this was, as a wide enough path was all that was needed.

 

At Westmorland Park there was a new path network, wildflower meadow areas, ornamental planting, a new site notice board and site signs.

 

Phase 1 (part 1) of works included Snaprails Park: stream bank restoration works, new willow sculpture; Edmund’s Green and Lane: wildflower meadow creation, new paths and environmental sculptures; Blackmoor Pond: new pond viewing platform and floating island. New interpretation was being designed for Blackmoor Pond and Edmund's Lane

 

Further Phase 1 (part 2) works were currently underway at the Newt Reserve (Warfield), The Greenway (Sandhurst), Church Hill House (Bracknell), Goddard Way (Warfield), Farley Copse (Binfield), and Warfield Chase/Bedfordshire Down (Warfield).

 

Phase 2 works included visitor car park improvements at Sandhurst Memorial Park, a Green Flag Award winning site in conjunction with Shepherd Meadows, improvements to children’s play and outdoor sports provision at the Green Flag Award winning Jocks Lane Recreation Ground, which was managed by Bracknell Town Council, and improvements to facilities at Bracknell Rugby Club including pitch drainage works.

 

Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspaces (SANGs)

 

SANGs work included the Cut Countryside Corridor Group, Garth Meadows: new interpretation was being designed; Larks Hill: provision of new site notice board; Piggy Wood: new bridges; the Longhill Park Group, Longhill Park: a new combined site notice and interpretation board, removal of chain link fence and new steps amongst other changes.

 

It was suggested that a footpath straight to the sports centre would be useful, straight out of Church Road and connecting the Blackwater Valley to the sports centre and the lake.

 

Consideration was being given to whether the Edmunds Green Group (which included Whitegrove Copse, Edmunds Green, Bluebell Hill and Harvest Hill) could function as a future SANG. At Englemere Pond, there would be a new boardwalk and track improvements, new fingerposts highlighting the footpath (PROW) link between Ambarrow Court and Horseshoe Lake, Ambarrow Hill would be linked to Ambarrow Court by creating path network and installing waymarkers, and work was starting on a plan for the Great Hollands SANG. Work proposed at Ambarrow Hill and Court was very popular with The National Trust as they did not have the funding to do this work themselves.

 

The SANGs work related to the decision 'That the list of Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspaces (SANGs) was updated to comprise:

 

Ambarrow Court and Hill

Edmunds Green Group (incorporating adjacent green spaces including Whitegrove Copse, Bluebell Hill, The Chestnuts and Harvest Hill)

Englemere Pond

Horseshoe Lake

Great Hollands Recreation Ground (part of)

Longhill Park Group (incorporating adjacent green spaces including Milman Close, Beswick Gardens Copse and Clintons Hill)

Lily Hill Park

Popes Meadow

Shepherd Meadows

The Cut Countryside Corridor (comprising Larks Hill, Garth Meadows, Jock’s Copse, Tinker’s Copse, Piggy Wood, the Cut Riverside Path and Anneforde Place)'


 

Contact Information

Democratic services

Email: committee@bracknell-forest.gov.uk