Contact:
  • Parks & Green Spaces
  • Address:

    Royal Victoria Park Nursery
    Marlborough Lane
    Bath, BA2  1LZ

  • E-mail:
    councilconnect@bathnes.gov.uk
  • Telephone:
    (01225) 39 40 41
  • Fax:
    (01225) 48 00 72
  • Minicom:
    n/a
  • Page Updated:
    19/04/2008
  • Author:
    Andy Chard
A to Z Index

Green Space Strategy for Bath and North East Somerset 

Following a consultation carried out in November/December 2006 the Green Space Strategy was adopted as a corporate strategy by the Council Executive on 7th March 2007.

The Green Space Strategy was written in response to a number of local and national strategies and policies. The main external pressure came from:

  • The Audit Commission Best Value Review Inspection Report on Leisure Time in Bath & North East Somerset
  • Government guidance contained in Planning Policy Guidance Note 17

The Strategy reviews:

  • Local peoples' views on the current provision of green space in the area
  • The current quantity, distribution and quality of green space provision
  • Existing local and national policy affecting green spaces

The Strategy looks at all freely accessible green space, regardless of owner or manager, and divides it into 3 land types. These land types are formal green spaces (parks, gardens, recreation grounds and open spaces), natural green spaces (woodland, natural and semi natural areas) and allotments. A separate strategy is also being developed for built sports facilities.

The main outcome from the work has been the development of local standards for the quantity, distribution and quality of green space along with a comprehensive action plan to address all of the major issues that arose during the strategy development process.

The local standards will be used in two main ways in the future. Firstly to determine the levels of green space provision that should be made in all future planning applications. This provision could be on or off site, depending on the needs of the particular area. The Green Space Strategy provides further guidance on the operation of Policies in the Local Plan on the provision of recreational open space. Policy SR.3 in the Local Plan sets a standard for children's play space and for outdoor sports facilities but not for other recreational uses. The Green Space Strategy takes a different approach and sets a combined standard for formal recreational open space provision. It will therefore be a material consideration in relation to the standards for children's play space and for outdoor sports facilities and it provides more specific guidance on the standard of provision of other recreational uses.

Secondly, the local standards will be used to identify where there is a deficiency in existing quantity, distribution or quality of green space. This will help to determine where new provision is needed and will help support funding bids.

The final chapter of the Strategy sets out an action plan for the delivery of these new standards and other major issues that arose during the development of the Strategy. The actions come under 5 main headings:

  • Strategic Management - issues of a strategic nature with implications beyond this Council's own green spaces.
  • Service Management - issues relating specifically to the management of this Council's own green space network.
  • Site Management - issues relating to the management of individual sites.
  • Community Issues - issues with a particular focus on community interest.
  • Resources and Opportunities - issues around funding and other potential resources.

 To view the Executive Report please click on the link below.
http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/committee_papers/Executive/Exec070307/13E1581GreenSpaceStrategy.htm

To view the strategy documents please click on the pdf’s below.

Strategy Documents

Green Space Strategy Chapters 1 – 3 (PDF – 3,473kb)
Green Space Strategy Chapter 4 (PDF – 3,636kb)
Green Space Strategy Chapter 5 (PDF – 2,429kb)
Green Space Strategy Chapters 6-12 (PDF – 3,584kb)

Green Space Strategy Appendix A (PDF – 2,443kb)
Green Space Strategy Appendix B (PDF – 480kb)
Green Space Strategy Appendix C (PDF – 266kb)
Green Space Strategy Appendix D (PDF – 465kb)
Green Space Strategy Appendix E (PDF - 417kb)
Green Space Strategy Appendix F (PDF - 179kb)

Accessible Information: We are committed to providing accessible information for everyone as far as possible.  Please let us know how we can meet your access requirements by emailing Jonathan Richards jonathan_richards@bathnes.gov.uk  or telephoning 01225 396386.