2.6.1
The Council has a variety of partners taking on different roles ranging from environmental sustainability to the development of activities and initiatives in parks including educational work. Partnership working is well established and further development work, especially with voluntary groups is envisaged. The principal partnerships currently in place include:-
(i) Public Sector Agencies - which provide advice and are a source of funding. They include English Nature, the Department for Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the Countryside Agency and the Environment Agency.
(ii) Other Local Authorities – Co-operative working with neighbouring Authorities is well developed. An example is the development and implementation of the South East Dorset Countryside Strategy.
(iii) Other Directorates within this Council - The Leisure and Tourism Directorate works closely with the Education Directorate, which operates the Hengistbury Head Centre, on management issues on the headland and in the delivery of education programmes. Current collaboration includes work on Hengistbury Head Field Studies and Visitor Centre which will unite the environmental education work together with interpretation and catering into a single building to service the Headland. Building works are due to commence on site in 2004 with the building to be completed in 2005. The Directorate also networks with Environmental Health and Consumer Services and Development Services on environmental initiatives and best practice and the development of Greenways.
(iv) Voluntary and Charitable Groups - The Directorate works with a host of national, regional and local voluntary bodies in environmental management, e.g. Bournemouth in Bloom, British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, Dorset Wildlife Trust, The Herpetological Trust, Christchurch Harbour Ornithological Group and local ‘Friends of’ groups, eg: Redhill Park, Turbary Common, Kinson Common, Boscombe Chine Gardens, Queens Park and Hengistbury Head. All are vital to our conservation work, site presence and environmental monitoring and education. Increased use of volunteers through existing and new groups is envisaged for the future.
2.7 Better Linking of the Town’s Parks, Gardens, Countryside & Open Space
2.7.1
The 1996 Leisure Strategy highlighted the importance of trying to encourage people to use the countryside on their doorstep and to access sites by means other than the car.
The Cultural Strategy identifies the importance of an integrated network for cycling and walking providing more convenient and safe access to local facilities, including leisure centres, shopping areas, community centres, schools and parks and countryside. The idea of providing Green links for cyclists and pedestrians is recognised within the Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch Local Transport Plan objectives. The Household Survey of 1999 also indicated a strong desire by residents for more cycle ways.
2.7.2
At present there are 4 major links around parks, gardens, countryside and open space, and include:-
(i) Stour Valley Way – this links Kinson, the Stour Valley, Sheepwash, Iford Bridge and Hengistbury Head. The route is however still not complete, but is supported in the Bournemouth District Wide Local Plan (adopted February 2002) by Policy No 7.14 which states that " in pursuing the creation of a continuous Stour Valley Walk from Bearwood to Hengistbury Head, any future proposed development that would compromise this link would be refused ".
The Cultural Strategy suggests a link for cyclists and horses to cross the River Stour in the Throop area. This will require a bridge crossing at a considerable cost. The logistics and sources of funding are being explored by Greenlink.
(ii) The Coast and Clifftops – Bournemouth Seafront and clifftops now provide the main arterial link to link many coastal parks, gardens, and countryside.
(iii) Upper, Lower and Central Gardens, Meyrick Park, Pugs Hole and Talbot Heath – this linkage is to be further enhanced through the Greenways demonstration project’s pilot network from Canford Heath to central Bournemouth via Bourne Valley.
(iv) Strouden, Littledown, Queens Park, Kings Park and Woodland Walk - this provides a link from north central Bournemouth down to the Seafront. However there are points on the route where major roads have to be crossed.
2.7.3
Other links planned include a land train link from Hengistbury Head to Southbourne and a second footpath and cycle link between Kinson Common, Millhams and Pelhams.
2.7.4 New Greenways
The Cultural Strategy highlights the potential use of the line of Castle Lane and Kinson Relief Roads as Greenways. Whilst this land is not the responsibility of the Leisure and Tourism Directorate, the use of these relief roads as greenways would provide major arterial greenlinks within the Borough.
2.7.5 Increased Awareness
There are now a significant number of established green links in the town. The major challenge is to find ways to achieve greater usage through a variety of initiatives, including: -
- effective signage
- development of events
- working with a variety of resident groups and other community groups to encourage greater use
- use of promotional literature targeting different groups with incentives (e.g. discounts on leisure activities).
2.7.6 Support Facilities
Secure bike storage and bike parks will be required at key locations such as leisure centres, Hengistbury Head and major parks and gardens, to stimulate use of the greenlinks and cycle use.
POLICY STATEMENT J - PARKS, GARDENS, COUNTRYSIDE AND OPEN SPACE |
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“ Bournemouth has a valuable open space resource which does and can provide a variety of beneficial recreational activities and experiences for residents and visitors. It is recognised that there is a need to improve upon, and where underused, develop these resources, and to educate the public in their use in order to achieve a sustainable environment for the benefit of people and wildlife to ensure that parks, gardens, countryside and open space play a vital role in promoting the health and well-being of residents and visitors in offering a stimulating environment for people to take part in a variety of passive and active activities both in a formal and informal setting.” |
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OBJECTIVES |
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J.1 |
To strive towards providing a balanced distribution of open space and to ensure the Council works with the community to maximise the use of all parks, gardens and open space and minimise inappropriate, unacceptable use. |
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J.2 |
To ensure that the quality of provision is to a high standard consistent with achieving the positioning of the town as a World Class resort. |
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J.3 |
To ensure effective measures are put in place to protect the environment and its biodiversity through implementing local Agenda 21 Action Plans, developing the right mix of formal and natural habitats and undertaking a consistent, coherent educational policy that reaches out to all sections of the community. |
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J.4 |
To ensure effective measures are put in place to protect, maintain and sustain the quality of Bournemouth’s parks and countryside. |
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J.5 |
To establish an environmental monitoring programme that measures levels of biodiversity for wildlife within Bournemouth. |
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J.6 |
To undertake effective environmental management measures to reduce energy, reduce water leakage, recycle waste products, maintain the diversity of trees, woodlands and open space and reduce the use of pesticides and peat. |
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J.7 |
To develop new partnerships at a regional, national and local level, and in particular encourage the development of voluntary groups and countryside volunteering. |
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J.8 |
To maintain, develop and promote a range of cycle and footpath greenways in open spaces as part of the town’s network of routes, with appropriate cycle parking arrangements and to work with adjoining Authorities to give improved access to the countryside e.g. achievement of a bridleway/cycleway access crossing of the River Stour at Throop. |
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J.9 |
To endeavour to achieve: |
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i) A continuous walk along the River Stour in Bournemouth |
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ii) A new country park for Bournemouth at Kinson |
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iii) An Interpretation Centre at Hengistbury Head |
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J.10 |
To promote the use of parks for a range of formal and informal activities and events primarily through effective community outreach work. |
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J.11 |
To improve access arrangements to parks, gardens, countryside and open space by people with disabilities and consult with users and potential users to identify priorities. |
