Deposit Draft Local Development Plan - Rhondda Cynon Taf

the Council will seek, where appropriate to implement enhancement andmanagement schemes to improve the character, quality and appearanceof these recognised heritage features.5.46. In addition to these formally recognised buildings and areas, there areindividual buildings, groups of buildings and features, which whilst notsubject to formal recognition, make an important contribution to thecharacter and appearance of local communities. This policy will be usedto ensure that these important features are protected and enhanced.5.47. Public open space includes all land that is available for use by the publicfor informal and formal recreational and leisure use. Public open spaceprovision in Rhondda Cynon Taf includes a range of urban and countryparks, common land, community sport and recreation grounds andfacilities and children’s play areas. It is recognised that all these spacesplay a key role in Rhondda Cynon Taf, given its largely urban population,providing important facilities, which offer the opportunity to improve thehealth and well being of residents. Public open space in Rhondda CynonTaf lies both within and outside of the defined residential settlementboundaries and as such has the potential to come under significantpressure for development. This policy will protect important public openspace from unacceptable development and retain it for use by thecommunities they serve.5.48. The County Borough has approximately 2,000 individual paths with a totallength of 743km, of which, 646km are footpaths, 82km are bridleways and15km are by-ways open to all traffic. There are also 50 km of off-road cycletracks. The built form of the County Borough means that most people havegood access to the rights of way and bridleways network and subsequentopen countryside. This ready access helps promote health and well beingin the community, by providing an opportunity for all sectors of thepopulation to access the countryside for recreational purposes. In orderto ensure that the good standard of access to the countryside ismaintained, the Council will seek improvements to existing public rightsof way and cycle tracks where appropriate. These improvements willinclude the provision of additional routes, improvements for users withdisabilities, restoration and maintenance.5.49. The provision of allotment gardens within or adjacent to urban areas ispart of the traditional make up of Rhondda Cynon Taf. The Councilcurrently owns and manages 60 allotment sites, with many more sites inprivate ownership. Allotment space provides many members of thecommunity with an opportunity to take beneficial exercise, in the openair and produce a supply of healthy food. This is particularly important indeprived communities. The location of these sites, within or adjacent toresidential settlement boundaries, means that landis inevitably under pressure for alternative uses.The Council will resist the redevelopment ofthese sites for alternative uses unless therequirements of the policy are met. Where itis proposed to develop land used asstatutory allotments for purposes otherthan as allotments, the consent of theNational Assembly for Wales isrequired under Section 8 of theAllotments Act 1925.Preserving Our Heritage, Building Our Future 53