Knowsley Replacement Unitary Development Plan - Knowsley Council

URBAN GREENSPACE, SPORT AND RECREATION
URBAN GREENSPACE, SPORT AND RECREATION
EXPLANATION OS2
THE BENEFITS OF URBAN GREENSPACE
10.7
The Council has identified a need to continue to
improve the quality of urban greenspaces in
Knowsley, to ensure that they contribute in different
ways to community needs. Urban greenspaces vary
widely in type (see figure 10.1), size and value to the
community, and smaller sites may not be identified
specifically on the Proposals Map. New development
within or affecting greenspaces (irrespective of
whether the quantitative standards in policy OS3 and
OS4 are met) should aim to protect or enhance their
qualities, which can include the following:
• Visual amenity
• The provision of open vistas within the
urban area;
• Increasing tree coverage by providing suitable
sites for tree planting;
• The provision of visual screening for
commercial uses;
• The framing of transport corridors, providing
a welcoming and attractive gateway to urban
areas; and
• Contribution to the landscape and identity of
the surrounding area.
• Urban quality and residential amenity
• Supporting regeneration and improving
quality of life for communities by providing
visually attractive green spaces close to
where people live;
• The provision of buffers between residential
and commercial areas, and alongside
roads, thereby reducing noise and pollution
for residents.
• Wildlife value and environmental benefits
• The provision of natural landforms, havens
and habitats for flora and fauna and
wildlife corridors;
• Sites of geological and/or geomorphological
interest;
• Opportunities for environmental education;
and
• Accommodation of watercourses, water
features and emergency flood storage areas.
• Cultural and Community Value
• Accommodation of historic or
archaeological remains;
• Where a site has cultural or historic
significance for the community; and
• The provision of sites for fairs and other,
community events.
• Recreational and health benefits
• Providing opportunities for informal and
formal recreation within sites;
• Encouraging people to walk or cycle along
green corridors; and
• The provision of sites for allotments
encourages exercise and healthy eating.
• Strategic benefits
• Defining and separating urban areas;
• Providing linkages between town and country
e.g. green corridors; and
• Links to, and between, open spaces.
GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPMENT
AFFECTING GREENSPACES
10.8
Although it is important to conserve greenspaces that
make an important contribution to the community
and the environment, the Council will not seek to
operate a wholesale presumption against the
development of urban greenspace. New development
will be allowed where it satisfies any of the criteria
under the second part of the policy.
10.9
It may not always be appropriate for replacement
facilities to be of exactly the same scale or nature as
those that may be lost, but they should always be of
the same or greater value to the community and be
“fit for purpose”. For example, the replacement of a
number of playing pitches with an artificial turf pitch
may provide more games to be played per year or
season, but it may not allow a sunday league to play
their games at the same time, or allow players to
make challenges due to the abrasive surface.
10.10
Adjacent urban greenspaces can link together to
form urban greenspace systems, sometimes known
as green corridors, providing a greater overall benefit
than the spaces can provide individually. The spaces
may be separated by small gaps such as roads,
railways or small pieces of land, but are still visually
linked. As well as providing the benefits of individual
open spaces, they can provide attractive, safe, traffic
free access to other open spaces and even the
countryside, can perform strategic functions and act
as wildlife corridors. Many greenspaces also perform
a valuable function providing habitats and existing or
potential planted areas as part of the Mersey Forest
initiative described in policy DQ4.
10.11
Wherever possible these systems should be
expanded, with footpaths and cycle paths linking to
and through them. In some cases access may be
restricted for reasons of community safety and
security, however non-publicly accessible spaces can
still perform an important role in providing ecological
and visual links, and care should be taken to ensure
that such roles continue. The Council may identify
existing and/or potential new urban greenspace
systems in a Supplementary Planning Document.
An example of an open space system is the series of
open spaces along the Alt Valley, particularly along
Seth Powell Way.
POLICY LINKS
Policy T7
"New development and walking and cycling routes"
Policy OS3
“Quantitative Standards - Public Open Space for
General Amenity Use, allotments and Children’s
Play”
Policy OS4
“Protection of Playing Pitches and Other Formal
Sporting Facilities”
POLICY OS3:
QUANTITATIVE STANDARDS - PUBLIC OPEN
SPACE FOR GENERAL AMENITY USE,
ALLOTMENTS AND CHILDRENS PLAY
1. When considering planning applications, the
following standards for the provision of public
open spaces will be applied as a minimum (not
including land formally laid out as playing
pitches and other sporting facilities):
a) No Substantial Residential Area should
have less than 0.5 hectares per thousand
residents for general amenity use, 0.05
hectares for allotments and 0.2 hectares
for children's play; and
b) All households should have access to
amenity greenspace, allotments and
children’s play space within a catchment
distance that is appropriate for the users.
2. In any part of the Borough where provision
falls below the standards set in 1) above, the
loss by development of any greenspace
(irrespective of its current use) which would be
suitable in terms of its size, location and
character, to help to make good the deficiency
will not be permitted.
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KNOWSLEY REPLACEMENT UNITARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN: Adopted June 2006
KNOWSLEY REPLACEMENT UNITARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN: Adopted June 2006
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