A Management Plan for Canford Park - The Westbury-on

Transcription

Parks and Estates A Management Plan for Canford Park 2012— 2017 1
A Management Plan for Canford Park
Contents Acknowledgements
3
3.5 Landscape Appraisal
23
Location Plan
4
3.6 Biodiversity
30
1 Introduction
5
3.7 Play
1.1 Reasons for Producing the
Management Plan
5
1.2 Purpose of the Plan
6 A Five Year Action Plan
49
31
7 Management Plan Monitoring and
Review
57
3.8 Park Features
32
7.1 Five Year Review
57
3.9 Trees in Canford Park
35
5
7.2 Annual Review
57
4 Neighbourhood and Community
38
7.3 Bi-Annual Review
57
1.3 Structure of the Plan
6
4.1 The Neighbourhood
38
7.4 Quarterly Review
57
1.4 Availability of the Plan
6
4.2 Visitor Facilities
38
1.5 The Life of the Plan
6
4.3 Neighbourhood Working
40
Appendices
58
1.6 Vision and Themes
6
4.4 Community Issues
40
Appendix 1 - Local Strategic Context
58
2 Policy Context
8
41
Appendix 2 - National Strategic Context
64
2.1 The Corporate Plan
9
4.5 Community Information and
Engagement
5 Current Management
43
Appendix 3 - Horticultural Improvement
Plan
67
2.2 Parks and Estates
9
2.3 Bristol Strategies and Policies
13
5.1 Parks and Estates Management
Structure
43
2.4 Regional and National Strategic
Context
14
5.2 The Team at Canford Park
43
2.5 Funding Context
14
5.3 Maintenance
43
2.6 Section 106 Contribution
14
5.4 Contracts and Contractors
44
2.7 The Green Flag Award
14
5.5 Resources, Expenditure and Income
45
3 Site Description
15
5.6 Performance Monitoring and
Standards
47
3.1 Location
15
5.7 Byelaws
47
3.2 Site Description
15
47
3.3 Ownership
16
5.8 Environmental Management and
Sustainability
3.4 A Brief History of Canford Park
16
5.9 Health and Safety
48
2
Acknowledgements This plan has been produced by Bristol City Council Parks and Estates Service
The main contributors to this management plan are:
Nigel Sands – Landscape Architect
Vicki Abel - Project Development Officer
Jamie Roberts – Area Park Manager
Chris Hammond - Area Park Manager
Jerry Cole – Assistant Area Park Manager
Adrian Pannett – Technical Assistant
Steve McCarthy – Canford Park Keeper
Further information about this management plan can be obtained from:
Bristol City Council
Parks and Estates
Environment and Leisure
Brunel House
St. George’s Road
Bristol, BS1 5UY
Tel: 0117 922 3719
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.bristol.gov.uk/parks
3
Aerial view of Canford Park
4
1 Introduction 1.1 Reasons for Producing the
Management Plan
The City Council is committed to raising the
quality of Bristol’s parks and open spaces to
meet Green Flag standards. A key criterion is
to have a 10 year management plan written for
and agreed by, all parties with an interest in the
future of individual parks. The preparation of
management plans will assist in directing
resources and investment to establish and
maintain the required standards and to
continuously improve them. Canford Park is no
exception.
1.2 Purpose of the plan
A management plan for any park is a document
which sets out an agreed framework to guide
the future development of a park; to prescribe
the management, repair and maintenance
operations that are required to achieve it and to
communicate this in an accessible form. By
this means it is hoped that a genuine sense of
community involvement and continuity can be
achieved.
The Management Plan will guide future
developments and maintenance of the park
over the next 10 years from 2011 - 2021 and
may also be used to secure funding for any
improvements.
The plan will ensure that a coordinated approach
is taken in developing the park and that
improvements are made according to priority.
Improvements to the park may necessitate
additional management and maintenance to
ensure this investment is protected and
sustained into the future. This document includes
a consideration of maintenance and how new
and extended facilities will be managed and/or
further improved.
This Management Plan has been produced to
provide a long-term vision for the management
and maintenance of Canford Park and sets out
the operational and developmental requirements
to achieve that vision. It considers a variety of
aspects including management, maintenance,
staff and resources. This management plan is
an over arching document that collates and
considers information, policies and strategies
from a number of documents to inform the longterm maintenance of Canford Park. This
document will form the foundation of future
Green Flag Award and funding applications.
This document is not a stand alone and it should
also be read in conjunction with other relevant
policies and supporting documentation. A review
of these can be found in Appendices 1 and 2.
5
Four key themes are presented in the plan:




Management, Maintenance and Resources
Safety and Security
Visitor Experience
Landscape, Heritage and Conservation
The themes provide the structure from which a
series of aims and actions are developed and
presented in a 5 year work plan 2011 - 2016.
This management plan will therefore seek to
achieve the following:

Formulate an agreed vision and supporting
principles for the future development and
management of the park

Balance the needs of landscape quality,
nature conservation and recreation with
those of managing and developing the site
within the local context

Support, direct and manage the process of
change at Canford Park

Include contributions from stakeholders and
the local community which reflect their
ideas and aspirations for the future of the
park

Act as a central reference document to
signpost key information for staff and users

Illustrate quality management of Canford
Park to external verifiers, award bodies,
grant agencies and funding bodies.
1.3 Structure of the plan
1.4 Availability of the Plan
The plan has been split into a number of key
sections as follows:
Further copies of this plan are available via
Bristol City Councils website www.bristol.gov.uk/
parks or from Parks and Estates, Environment
And Leisure, Brunel House, St George's Road,
Bristol, BS1 5UY.

2.0 Policy Context. This section provides a
brief summary of the relevant policies that
have been considered in developing the
plan. Further details of the policies are held
in appendices 1 and 2.

3.0 Site Description. This provides plans
and an overview of the main facilities within
the park, and highlights areas of
conservation and heritage value.

4.0 Neighbourhood and Community Use.
This provides details on community use and
involvement, and outlines the approach to
marketing through the provision of
information, events and promotion.

5.0 Current Management. This section
provides specific details on management
arrangements and maintenance, including
the approach to dealing with litter,
cleanliness and vandalism, a summary of
the approach to environmental sustainability
and management of health, safety and
security.

6.0 Action Plan. This details a five year
action plan for the park.

7.0 Monitoring and Review. This
summarises the approach to monitoring the
Management Plan and sets out a timetable
for informal and formal review of the plan.
1.5 The life of the plan
This plan was written in September 2011 and
adopted by the Council in January 2012. It will
be active for a period of 10 years from 2011–
2021. The Management Plan will have a
comprehensive review after 5 years leading to a
reprint in 2016 (see 7.0). The plan also contains
a 5-year action plan that will be reviewed and
updated annually with stakeholders and key
members of staff (see 6.0). The implementation
and monitoring of the plan will be the
responsibility of the Area Park Manager.
1.6 Vision and Themes
Vision
The Vision for Canford Park is that it will confirm
its position as the most important local park in
this area of north Bristol and continue to be a
park that enhances the quality of life for local
people, serving community and recreational
needs and enhancing the urban environment.
This will be achieved by working with staff, local
people and stakeholders to implement a high
quality management strategy which will ensure
the efficient use of resources and create a
sustainable community resource.
6
Themes
The eight objectives set out in the table below
have been developed under the 4 main themes
identified for the park. Within these themes the
objectives set out clear management targets.
Both the themes and objectives may develop
and alter as the local environment and strategic
contexts change. Reviewing and investigating
these issues will be an important element of the
5 year review (see 7.0).
Theme 1: Management, Maintenance and Resources
Theme 2: Safety and Security
Objective 1: To provide support to the Park Keeper where and
when necessary in order to ensure high quality maintenance
across all areas of the park.
Objective 3: To ensure the quality of play equipment and sports
surfaces is of a high standard.
Objective 2: To ensure all parties with a role in maintaining the
park (grounds maintenance and play), work effectively to
deliver a co-ordinated approach to maintenance.
Theme 3: Visitor Experience
Objective 4: To ensure a safe environment is created for all
members of the community to enjoy the facilities within the park.
Theme 4: Landscape, Heritage and Conservation
Objective 5: To increase enjoyment of the park as a community Objective 7: To manage the park so that recreational uses are
resource that is clean, accessible and safe.
balanced with the need to maintain and improve the inherent
landscape quality of the park
Objective 6: To encourage access and involvement in the park
through community liaison with the Friends of Canford Park
Objective 8: To develop management principles and practices that
and other key stakeholders.
support landscape and environmental objectives, sustainability and
promote biodiversity consistent with all other considerations.
7
2 Policy Context This section provides some insight into the strategic context within which the Management Plan has been produced and provides an example of how
actions and aims within the management plan are both guided by, and relate back to, wider strategies. The City Council is guided by a Corporate
Plan, The Bristol Partnership Community Strategy and other key strategic documents. National and local strategies provide guidance and help to
steer and formulate objectives. The following diagram sets out the relationship and hierarchy of plans and policies that have guided the production of
the Canford Park Management Plan:
Overarching
The Corporate Plan (2.1)
Related Bristol Strategies
and Policies (2.3)
Parks and Green Space
Strategy (2.2.1)
Regional and National
Policies
(2.4)
Parks and Estates
Service Delivery Plan (2.2)
and Area Green Space Plans
(2.2.2)
Canford
ParkPark
Greville
Smyth
Management
Management Plan
Plan
8
2.1 The Corporate Plan
2.2 Parks and Estates
The Corporate Plan sets out what, within
available resources, Bristol City Council plan to
achieve over the next three years towards the
delivery of the longer-term vision for the city.
There are four Our City themes which are
priorities that will guide all our activity. These
are:
Address: Brunel House, St. George’s Road,
Bristol, BS1 5UY
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0117 922 3719
Ambitious Together – Going for growth that
all can contribute to and benefit from.
Making a Difference – Achieving lasting
improvements in the key services we provide
that are not currently up to standard.

for efficient, responsive services –
across all the services that we
deliver, in particular for services
where we need to make the greatest
improvement

for children and young people

for older people and disabled people
Safer and Healthier – Ensuring that citizens
feel safe from crime and anti-social behaviour
and can enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
Better Neighbourhoods – Ensuring that
Bristol residents experience significant change
in the physical quality of their neighbourhoods
and have opportunities to shape improvements
at this level.
The Parks and Estates service manages,
improves and encourages greater use of the
city’s parks and green spaces. Parks and
Estates turn over more than £8m per annum,
and directly and indirectly provide employment
for over 250 people. The service is part of
Environment and Leisure within the
Neighbourhoods Department.
Parks and Estates provide:










Maintenance and improvement of parks and
green spaces within Bristol;
Provision of outdoor sports facilities including
football, tennis and bowls
Allotments
Upkeep of historic estates including Ashton
Court, Blaise Castle and Oldbury Court
Children's play areas including supervised
play at Hengrove Park and Blaise Castle
Landscaping services
Maintenance of school grounds
Maintenance of open space around local
authority housing
Growing of plants and flowers at Blaise
Nursery
Support to park groups
9
Additional information on the individual services
provided by Parks and Estates is available at
www.bristol.gov.uk/parks
2.2.1 Parks and Green Spaces Strategy
(2009)
The Parks and Green Space Strategy (P&GSS)
outlines a 20-year investment programme for
the future provision of green space and the
facilities and services that should be provided.
Its core vision is to create a city with good
quality, attractive, enjoyable and accessible
green spaces which meet the diverse needs of
all Bristol citizens and visitors. The strategy
sets out an ambitious plan for ensuring that
people have access to good quality parks and
green spaces of different types, close to where
they live.
The P&GSS can be viewed at:
www.bristol.gov.uk/agsp
The P&GSS has eight objectives:
1. Raise the quality of parks and green spaces.
2. Encourage greater use and enjoyment of
Bristol’s parks and green spaces by all sectors
of the community.
3. Contribute to the wider planning of the urban
fabric of the city by providing a range of good
quality parks and green spaces, which play a
significant role in meeting the needs of
balanced and sustainable communities and
enhancing the urban landscape, to help make
Bristol a green and sustainable city.
4. Protect needed green space from
development.
5. Rectify shortage in particular types of green
space across the city to ensure all residents
have access to formal, informal, natural, sports
and children & young people’s spaces.
6. Provide a clear basis for beneficial
investment in green spaces - identifying those
areas of Bristol where investment and
improvements in green space are most needed
- helping the council ‘spend better’.
7. Encourage active and healthy life-styles and
promote social inclusion.
8. Encourage community participation in the
improvement and management of green
spaces.
The following table shows how the Canford
Park Management Plan has been guided by,
and relates to the PGSS:
10
Ref Policy Detail
CY Children and Young People's Space
CY1 Provide a diverse range of children’s play spaces from fixed
equipment to natural play spaces, each with seating and grass
areas for play. Increase the number of play spaces, providing
larger, better quality spaces well distributed across the city,
working to a minimum size of 600m2. Develop natural play
spaces which are actively designed using both the natural
landscape and the introduction of natural play materials.
Promote children’s play space as smoke-free.
FG Formal Green Space
FG1 Ensure that there is a good quality traditional park within easy
reach of home offering a range of facilities.
FG2 Introduce park keepers into the main traditional parks across the
city.
FG4 Enhance entry points and boundaries to improve the welcome to
the space and reinforce the designed landscape within.
FG6 Invest in horticultural training as a significant aspect of
investment in raising horticultural standards.
NG Natural Green Space
NG2 Improve maintenance and management regimes ensuring
optimum conditions for wildlife alongside attractive, welcoming
and easily accessible places for people to enjoy.
NG5 Create new habitats for wildlife to remedy shortfalls in natural
green space.
AS Active Sports Space
AS4 Support clubs and individuals by providing the right facilities and
encourage participation in outdoor sport.
Canford Park Management Plan response
The recently refurbished play area has done much to enhance children’s play
in the park. This is evident by the increased footfall. There is a need to
increase the area of dog-free grass to allow parents and children more room
to sit around/picnic/avail themselves of the kiosk facilities.
Canford Park provides a diverse range of facilities maximising use of space to
offer a good quality park for the residents of Westbury-on-Trym.
Canford Park has a dedicated full time park keeper.
This plan proposes a number of improvements to fulfill this objective. Some
are easily and quickly achievable, others will take time to bring to fruition.
All staff have annual training assessments, which are reviewed on a six
monthly basis and horticultural training requirements are provided to staff as
identified by this process. An apprenticeship scheme operates across the city
to recruit new trainee gardeners to develop their skills by working on sites
citywide including Canford Park.
There are a number of opportunities to enhance biodiversity in the park; the
pond being first amongst. This is discussed in more detail in the section
entitled biodiversity.
Proposals in action plan.
The bowling green is maintained by the Park Keeper with assistance from
other parks colleagues at times. The Bowls Club pay an annual sum for this
service.
The football pitches are well used and again, the park keeper provides good
quality maintenance of the pitches, line marking, erection and removal of
goalposts. Clubs are charged individually for this service.
11
AS5 Enhance the wider park environment for informal sport.
The large flat expanse of grass in the central area of the park provides ample
space for informal sports. This area is also used to accommodate two full
size football pitches during the football season.
LM Land Management Policies
LM4 Provide good quality accessible toilets at main traditional parks Toilets are available within the Pavilion building. Suggestions for improvement
and sports grounds, meeting the British Toilet Association
are discussed under Visitor Facilities.
standard.
LM5 Improve access to green space for a wider range of people by
There exists the potential to extend the dog-free area in the park and further
creating dog free spaces across the city whilst ensuring that dog potential to enclose grass areas adjacent to the play area to enable families to
walkers retain a varied choice of green space to visit.
picnic on dog-free grass areas.
LM6 Develop the role of on-site parks staff and dog wardens to tackle Key members of parks staff have received training to enable them to educate,
problems of dogs’ mess and uncontrolled dogs through
encourage and as necessary issue fixed penalty notices for uncontrolled dogs
education, encouragement and enforcement.
and fouling.
LM8 Build into our green space planning measures to adapt to, and
Canford Park has a wealth of trees ranging in age and condition from over
mitigate, the effects of climate change; including trees for shade, mature to recently planted. These are discussed in more detail in the section
drought-resistant planting and water storage.
entitled Trees in Canford Park.
LM9 Adopt sustainability targets in the management of Bristol’s parks The Management Plan seeks to undertake a range of sustainability measures,
and green spaces.
which form part of the Parks and Estates EMAS commitment.
ST Quality Standard Policy
ST1 Raise the quality of all parks and green spaces to a minimum
Canford Park Quality Assessment was carried out in August 2010. The
quality level of good (3) within the next 20 years, with a particular current Overall scores for the park are: Provision - Very Good, Condition focus on the most deprived areas of the city which often have
Good and Maintenance - Very Good.
the lowest quality green space.
Delivery Policy
D1 Support participation and involvement in parks and green spaces Participation and community involvement has been at the core of Canford
through consultation, participation in active management of
Park’s development. This has been further developed through events,
spaces, volunteering, education and outreach activities.
workshops, and BCC staff attendance at neighbourhood meetings and
through consultation with school children.
D2 Increase use and enjoyment of spaces through a range of
There is now a measured mile on the perimeter path to encourage walking
activities including providing health and exercise related
and running and the park provides currently free access to eight tennis
opportunities, events, festivals and improved information
courts. Canford Park currently hosts no organised events although there
provision.
was a firework display planned for November 2011 organised by the Rotary
Club. This is something of a trial and may be repeated on an annual basis if
successful. Community events are just that; the initiative must come from
the community. It is anticipated that as the Friends Group continues to grow,
this element of park use may grow.
12
 Public Consultation Strategy, 2001 and
2.2.2 Area Green Space Plans
The Area Green Space Plan for Henleaze,
Westbury-on-Trym and Stoke Bishop was
adopted by the Council on 16th December
2010. An area green space plan is both a
spatial and investment plan for each
Neighbourhood Partnership Area in the city.
2.3 Bristol Strategies and Polices
This Management Plan complements the wider
strategic context of Bristol City Council and its
partners. It seeks to achieve the objectives of the
strategic framework by translating those that are
appropriate to the management of Canford Park.

Each plan sets the foundations for green space
provision for the next 20 years and will outline
where different types of facilities and space such as children's playgrounds, young people's
facilities, toilets and park keepers - are to be
located. Each plan will apply the standards and
policies set out in the Parks and Green Space
Strategy and ensure that the significant
investment anticipated for green spaces is
prioritised with the help of stakeholders and
communities.
The management of Canford Park has been
governed and guided by local policies, strategies
and Local Plan designations. These are briefly
listed below with more detailed information
provided in Appendix 1.

Canford Park is within the Henleaze, Westburyon-Trym and Stoke Bishop Neighbourhood
Partnership Area and the facilities within the
park will be measured against the standards
agreed in the Parks and Green Space Strategy,
to determine the quality and quantity of green
space provision in the wider Neighbourhood
Partnership area. The Area Green Space Plan
for Henleaze, Westbury-on-Trym and Stoke
Bishop can be viewed via the BCC website.
















Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy 2008-11
Bristol Development Framework
Bristol Biodiversity Action plan (2008)
Bristol Local Plan
Bristol City Council Corporate Plan 2006 –
2009
Bristol City Council Education Development
Plan 2005-2006
Bristol Climate Protection and Action Plan
2004/6
Bristol’s Art Strategy 1999 (review planned)
Bristol’s Community Strategy 2003 and
updated 2006
Eco Management Auditing System (EMAS)
Health Strategy 2006-2009
Local Plan 1997 and alterations 2003
Parks and Estates Service Delivery Plan 2009
-2012
Parks and Green Space Strategy 2008
Parks Wildlife Strategy
Playing for Real, 2004 and Making Play
Matter 2003
13


update 2004
Road Safety Strategy: in Local Transport
Plan 1999
Safer Bristol Partnership Plan 2008-11
Sustainable Energy Strategy Bristol City
Council
The Joint Local Transport Plan 2006/7 20010/11
Bristol City Council is producing a new suite of
planning documents to guide development
decisions in the city over a 20 year period. The
Bristol Development Framework the (BDF) will
set out how the city will grow to accommodate
30,000 new homes for an increasing
population. New employment and commercial
opportunities will be needed and new transport
links are expected to connect growing
residential and employment centres. Together
these documents make up the BDF, which will
replace the local plan.
The Council has undertaken and commissioned
a range of studies and assessments to provide
a robust evidence base for the preparation of
the Bristol Development Framework. The
Parks and Green Space Strategy will act
together with Area Green Space Plans to
provide the evidence base for publicly
accessible open spaces.
Area Green Space Plans are being drawn up at
the same time as the Council develops two key
documents within the BDF - the Core Strategy
and the Site Allocations and Development
Management Plan.
The Site Allocations and Management
Development Plan Document will establish sitespecific planning policies, allocate sites for
development, and set out the protection of
areas sensitive to change.
Improvements and initiatives instigated over the
last three years include:
The developer's contribution is calculated from
the following information:

Refurbished Play Area—The existing
children's play area in Canford Park was
refurbished in March 2009 with funding from
the Government's Play Pathfinders
Programme. This included the removal of a
large area of tarmac, which was replaced
with grass and removal of the outdated play
equipment, which was replaced with new play
equipment and a large sand pit area.


Installation of new Kiosk – The new kiosk
was installed in 2010 with a prudential loan
and has been formerly operated as an
externalised concession.
2.4 Regional and National Strategic
Context
A range of national and regional strategies
have guided the development of Canford Park
management plan both directly and through the
P&GSS. Listed below are the key strategies,
which are listed in more detail in Appendix 2.







Green Spaces, Better Places
Living Places: cleaner, safer, greener
Policy Planning Guidance 17
CABE guidance
Park Life, Urban Parks and Social Renewal
Developing Accessible Play Space
Parks and Green Spaces: Engaging the
Community
 A guide to producing parks and green space
management plans
 Regional Spatial Strategy
 Green Infrastructure
2.5 Funding Context
Recent improvements to Canford Park have
been paid for through a number of different
sources including the Play Pathfinders
Programme, Neighbourhood Partnership
funding and Section 106.
2.6 Section 106 Contribution
Another important source of funding for future
improvements will be Section 106 contributions.
The Supplementary Planning Document 4
(SPD4) requires a developer to make a financial
contribution (S106 contribution) to Bristol City
Council for Recreational Facilities - Parks and
Green Space. The developer's residential
contribution is used to offset the increased
demand that the additional residents of the
development will impose on the Parks and
Green Space provision in the area surrounding
the development.
Average number of persons per dwelling on
a ward basis. This information is taken from
the 2001 Census.
 The Parks and Green Space Strategy Bristol Standard for quantity provision of
32.91m2 per person.
 The per m2 cost of providing parks and
green space facilities.
As of 1st April 2011 the Neighbourhood
Partnerships have the ability to determine the
priorities for spend for Parks and Green Spaces
S106 capital - Locality Component. It is
envisaged that the outcome of the Area Green
Space Plans consultation will guide such
decisions.
2.7 The Green Flag Award
The Green Flag Award scheme
(www.greenflagaward.org.uk) is a measure of
the quality of the provision and management of
parks and green spaces. The Green Flag
Award is supported by Communities and Local
Government (CLG) and Keep Britain Tidy runs
the Green Flag Award scheme in partnership
with Green Space, and BTCV. Before March
2009 the awards were run by The Civic Trust. It
is an annual award scheme that recognises
well managed and high quality green spaces.
It is intended to apply for a Green Flag Award
for Canford Park in January 2012 to confirm our
belief and confidence in the quality of the site
and its management.
14
3 Site Overview This section provides maps and an overview of
the main facilities within the park and highlights
areas of conservation and heritage value.
3.1 Location
Grid Ref - Easting 356728, Northing 177350
Canford Park is an early Edwardian park
located in Westbury-on-Trym; a former village
approximately 6 miles north of the centre of
Bristol which became part of the city in 1904.
The park serves a wide range of user groups
with different interests and concerns, and
supports a broad activity base all year around.
The dominant feature of the park is a large open
area of close mown grass which accommodates
two full size football pitches. It also has
provision for other formal sports in the form of a
bowling green and eight tennis courts. Other
facilities include a newly refurbished (2009)
children's play area, a pond and sunken rose
garden for quiet enjoyment and a newly installed
3.2 Site Description
The park is bounded by Canford Lane to the
northeast, Abbey Road to the south and
Canford Cemetery to the northwest.
Canford Park is a very popular medium sized
park with a good range of facilities and a large
central green space. The park is broadly level
and has a network of easily accessible paths
providing good circulation around the park.
There are five access points into the park three from Canford Lane, one from Abbey road
via a short alleyway and one from the access
road to the maintenance depot which doubles
as a public footpath to Canford Cemetery and
the University Playing Fields beyond.
The Pond and Rose Garden at Canford Park
15
(2010) kiosk providing drinks, light snacks and
Ice cream. There is a grade 2 listed Victorian
drinking fountain which requires restoration.
The park has a bowls pavilion and changing
rooms for team sports and tennis players.
The Park has a large number of trees of
varying species and ages. On 21st February
2006, 44 trees were planted in Canford Park,
including Scots Pine, Wild Cherry, Silver Birch,
English Oak, chestnut leaved Oak, Large
Leafed Lime and a specimen Cedar of
Lebanon. Careful consideration was taken to
ensure that the species selected will work
towards replacing species that have been lost
in recent times as well as complimenting the
original Edwardian design of the park. Further
tree planting is proposed for the park and a tree
planting strategy is included in this plan.
No ecological survey has been carried out for
Canford Park, but the following species were
recorded in the adjacent Canford Cemetery in
2010:
Blackbird, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal
Tit, Crow, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch,
Great Tit, Greenfinch, Green Woodpecker,
House Martin, Jay, Long-Tailed Tit, Magpie,
Robin, Wood Pigeon and Wren.
Protected Species
No protected species were recorded in the
cemetery, but the buildings and several of the
trees have potential as bat roosts and the
cemetery offers high quality foraging habitat for
bats. It is therefore safe to assume that the
same considerations apply to the park.
Locally the park is very well used and is a much
appreciated green space. Canford Park is
managed by the Parks & Estates service within
the City Council's Neighbourhood Services
Department. The Council also works in
partnership with a number of external agencies
and voluntary organisations who play an active
role in the care of the park and its facilities.
3.3 Ownership
Bristol City Council owns Canford Park and is
responsible for its management and
maintenance.
Many of these will be breeding in the cemetery
and the park forms part of a habitat continuum
which will also include the University playing
fields, adjacent gardens and Henbury Golf
Course.
Insects associated with woody habitats were:
gatekeeper, ringlet and speckled wood
butterflies; Lyonetia clerkella, Cameraria
oehridella, Phyllonorycter messaniella,
Stigmella tityrella and Coleophora potentillae
moths; dark bush-cricket; and birch shield-bug.
16
3.4 A Brief History of Canford Park
In spite of Bristol's dense urban development
as England’s second port after London, the city
was slow in the creation of local public parks
compared to its northern city rivals, where park
development in the 19th Century was fuelled by
industrial wealth and urban expansion.
Between 1174, when Brandon Hill was granted
to the City Corporation, and the mid 1800s,
Bristol still only had 6no. public open spaces
available for the health and recreation of its
citizens. In the 1850s Bristol was the third most
unhealthy city in England. It took considerable
campaigning on the part of the city’s residents,
supported by the local press to get the town
council to take active steps to create public
parks.
The land for Canford Park, then known as
Canford Farm, was acquired by the Clifton
Urban Sanitary Authority from the Rev H A
Daniel in 1874 for £6,157. When Westbury
was taken into the City under the Bristol
Corporation Act 1904, the City Council were
required to lay out a piece of Canford Farm as
a recreation ground of not less than 10 acres.
Work began in January 1905, with a Local
Government Board sanctioned loan of £1,554,
and the park was opened 1909. "Westbury-onTrym Park", was recorded in 1910. The
adjacent Canford Cemetery was laid out on the
site of former allotments at about the same
time, certainly between 1903-16.
1916 OS Plan of Canford Park
17
The 1916 Ordnance Survey plan shows the park
before the pond and rose garden were created.
This parcel of land was at that time, still occupied
by farm buildings and an orchard. The Bowling
Green and Tennis Courts are already in
evidence although the latter are considerably
less extensive: probably comprising no more
than two courts. The main feature of the park at
this stage is a path, rhomboidal in plan, with a
bandstand ringed by trees at the south west
corner. The layout appears in modern terms,
fairly basic; but in the context of the early 20th
Century, provided what residents expected of
their park: a public space for a gentle stroll. At
this time of course, the prospect from the park
would have been very different and much of the
appeal of the park would have derived from
changing views of the surrounding countryside.
By 1936 the Queen Victoria Jubilee fountain,
built in 1897, had been relocated to Canford
Park from its former location on Westbury Hill
where it was erected for £406 in 1905. It was
moved to the park around 1920 and its former
site converted to a paved circular space in
which the present war memorial was erected to
commemorate the fallen in the Great War of
1914-18.
By this time, the houses on Canford Lane and
Abbey Road had been built. Within the park, the
tennis courts had grown in extent and were now
connected to the bandstand by way of a new
footpath. The 1936 plan also shows the present
footpath along the southern boundary but the
southern leg of the previous footpath layout has
been removed. This may be an indication that
already the central space was
laid out for team sports. An odd feature of the
park at this time is a strangely shaped, fenced
enclosure to the south of the bandstand; possibly
a putting green: certainly it is marked as such on
The Queen Victoria
Jubilee drinking fountain
The former bandstand at Canford Park in the 1920s looking
towards the (newly built) houses on Canford Lane
18
1936 OS
19
the 1953 plan. The cemetery to the west of the
park had also been laid out by this time.
1953 OS
With war looming, no further Ordnance Survey
mapping of the park was carried out. The next
edition is circa 1953; by which time the park is
shown occupying its present footprint. The
major change from the previous park layouts is
the addition of a new set of entrance gates
flanked by stone walls and railings and the
pond and sunken rose garden which are such a
characteristic feature of the present day park.
The gates and railings are something of a
mystery in so far as their style harks back to the
19th Century and yet clearly, they are 20th
Century additions.
The plan of 1953 now has a playground
marked in its current position. There is also a
dressing room and a putting green adjacent to
the tennis courts and a pavilion building for the
bowling green.
20
By 1972 the putting green is now shown as a
miniature railway (now at Ashton Court Estate)
and the public convenience building that was
recently demolished is shown in the southeast
corner of the park. The plan of 2008 shows the
current layout of the park with the main pavilion
building and the bowling pavilion built in the
same style in 2003.
1972 OS
21
2008 OS
22
Sketch idea for creating a new main entrance to the park
3.5 Landscape Appraisal
This landscape appraisal is written primarily
from the point of view of a clockwise walk
around the park perimeter path as say, a first
time visitor would experience it having arrived
from Westbury–on-Trym. This is an arbitrary
choice. Some of the issues raised are therefore
specific to this direction of travel, but the
majority of points hold true if the choice of
direction were reversed. The Rose Garden and
Pond area are considered separately as this
area is, in spatial terms, discrete from the main
park. By its nature, a landscape appraisal will
always focus on the negative aspects of the
visitor experience; its primary purpose is to
identify ways of improving that experience for
visitors now and in the future.
Canford Park is a hidden gem: awaiting cutting
and polishing. Beneath decades of neglect and
well meant but sometimes ill conceived
intervention, lies a park which could and should
be a neighbourhood park that sparkles. The
park is concealed at the moment behind an
aggregation of high evergreens and largely self
-sown trees.
The park lacks any real connection to the
centre of Westbury. However, the adjacent
sketch from the Henleaze, Westbury-on-Trym
and Stoke Bishop Area Green Space Plan
Ideas and Options Paper gives a feel of what
might be achieved in terms of connectivity with
the main village by opening out this overgrown
part of the park. Furthermore, these
improvements will enhance the casual
area of the park. Removal of the low grade
trees and evergreen shrubs at this point will
also create the opportunity for horticultural
improvement and a more satisfactory entrance
experience.
23
Once inside the park, the immediate impression
is of an extensive green space of pleasing
proportions with some notable mature trees:
many dating from when the park was first laid out
in 1905. Although the central space is given over
to two football pitches during the season, it is a
credit to the park keeper that to the casual
observer, the impression is of well kept grass.
Since the park was first laid out there have
been many changes to the park surrounds; the
key one being the building of the houses in
Abbey Road and Canford Lane during the inter
war period. Many of these houses now
predominate in most views from the central
space. Where this effect is less prevalent is
along the Canford Road boundary; by reason of
a number of well grown exotic conifers, mature
yews and a mixed bag of broadleaf trees. It is
suspected that many of the latter are self sown;
particularly the Ashes and Sycamores. Whilst
the trees provide screening of the houses, they
starve the shrub border beneath of both light
and nutrients: resulting in a predominance of
dry shade bearing species typical of this kind of
situation.
The forward view along this path is initially
interesting; there is clearly something
happening on the far side: visible beneath the
canopies of a group of trees. As the path
doglegs left however, the forward view towards
the Bowls Pavilion and Tennis Courts is
terminated by a brick wall and the ball stop
fencing around the courts. Tennis courts, whilst
providing a valuable community resource,
rarely if ever contribute to the landscape quality
of a park and these are no exception. In
Canford, they would benefit from screen
planting: perhaps in the form of a clipped hedge
which would also provide other benefits (see
below Figs. 17 & 17a).
The central space in Canford Park
The view towards the pavilion would also be
improved by establishing some planting in this
area; to soften the utilitarian nature of the
building. Planting would have the added benefit
of breaking up the visual predominance of a
relatively large area of tarmac and would by the
same token, improve the visitor arrival
experience from Abbey Road.
The perimeter path is in poor condition in several
places, but more importantly, it is too narrow to
allow more than two people to walk abreast and
does not allow a comfortable distance
betweenpassing strangers or groups. Further
24
conflict arises when cyclists use the paths as a
shortcut or outdoor velodrome (see Cycling
below).
Turning north towards the play area, this part of
the park is defined by the tennis courts to the
left of the path and a strange collection of trees
at various stages of maturity to the right. It is
conjectural, but it is likely that these trees were
planted to screen the tennis courts from the
rest of the park; in particular the view from the
Canford Lane and Abbey Road perimeter
paths. If this were the intention, it has
succeeded, but it is a strangely eclectic mix of
The Abbey Road boundary as existing
and with new proposed hedge
species and some specimens, particularly the
cherries, are over-mature. This area, along with
a number of other areas in the park, requires
consideration within a holistic tree planting/tree
removal strategy for the park.
The trees, whilst providing screening of the
courts at a distance, do not do so in closer
proximity. To achieve this would require a
clipped evergreen hedge along the line of the
ball stop fencing. The benefit of hedges is that
their height and width can be clearly
determined. A hedge at this point would also
dramatically enhance a sense of enclosure
whilst screening both the courts and the
maintenance yard from view. It would also
improve pedestrian microclimate and could act
as a windbreak/backdrop for more colourful
plants.
As discussed elsewhere, the site of the former
bandstand is an unsatisfying relic feature which
begs a focus. A tree in grass does not achieve
this. Further, as the tree grows, it will preclude
any form of underplanting as its roots grow out
to the limit of the grass circle. One possible
scenario could be to create a good quality
circular hardstanding around the specimen and
install a circular seat. However, this would
require uplifting and re-planting of this particular
tree whilst the work is carried out.
An easy option is to plant the existing raised
bed with an annual bedding scheme as has
almost certainly been the case in the past.
Whilst providing a splash of colour, such a
solution would lack any vertical emphasis. As
elsewhere, this space requires careful
consideration. It is a de facto node within the
park and demands recognition as such.
this point the path forks; the left fork leading to
the rose garden which is the subject of separate
consideration within this landscape appraisal.
Alongside the playground, the landscape
character is largely defined by a large Birch and
a substantial Maple with a number of young
birches: presumably planted to reduce the
visual impact of the play area from the wider
park without creating deep shade. The space
between the path and the playground fence
would however be more useful if it were
incorporated within the play area fence to allow
parents and children more space for picnics or
just sitting around. This happens anyway
outside the fence line: better if it happened on
dog free grass.
Looking along the path towards Canford Lane,
dense evergreen shrubbery predominates to the
left; in sharp contrast to the open nature of the
park to the right of the path. A line of newly
planted Oaks emphasises the linear nature of
the path at this point. Set against the trees and
shrubbery and well grown yews are a number of
benches, positioned to enable park visitors to
enjoy the prospect across the park to Abbey
Road. As elsewhere, these benches would
benefit from the installation of wider path
incorporated bays to allow wheelchair users to
sit alongside their companions. It is from this
viewpoint that the predominance of the houses
on Abbey Road is most marked.
On the approach to the Rose Garden where the
perimeter path turns east, the view is
terminated by a large maple and other mature
trees underplanted with evergreen shrubs. At
25
To the left, keyhole views of the rose garden
and pond are possible between the largely
evergreen shrubs. It is apparent that these
gaps are ‘wish ways’ or ‘desire lines’ created by
park users to and from the rose garden: despite
the presence of the steps half way along the
path. It is suspected that the well grown, but by
no means mature yews along this boundary are
the remnant survivors of a hedge planted along
what would once have been the northern
boundary of the park. The root systems of the
yews and large cypress amongst others, create
difficult growing conditions for the underplanting
which clearly struggles.
Potential planting at Abbey Road entrance
As discussed elsewhere, there is a strong case
for making the pond and rose garden dog free.
A line of railings would achieve this objective
and at the same time confine pedestrian
movement to the steps.
Approaching the Canford Lane boundary, the
shrubbery becomes ever more discontinuous to
the left, whilst the forward view is of more
evergreen shrubbery struggling to exist
beneath hungry yews and cypresses.
This character prevails along the whole of the
Canford Lane boundary: deep shade, dry,
impoverished soil with underplanted shrubs
typical of these marginal growth conditions.
This boundary, more than any other in the park,
needs horticultural improvement. But, to
achieve this, it will inevitably require tree
removal. Furthermore, the current boundary
fence would need to be replaced with
something better. At the present time, the
Tennis courts as existing and with proposed
evergreen hedge
26
dilapidated nature of the fence is, ironically,
less noticeable because of the evergreen
shrubs growing through it. With the shrubs
removed or reduced in height and width, the
chainlink will be revealed.
A key feature of this boundary is the drinking
fountain. This was installed in the park to make
way for the war memorial in the village. This
explains why it seems somewhat out of place:
lost in space in fact. As above, it would be
better placed on Canford Lane itself as part of
an holistic design for a new entrance and
where it would be a genuine asset in the
streetscape.
The Pond and Rose Garden
Taken as a whole, this area is one of the key
defining characteristics of Canford Park and
when it was originally installed was clearly well
designed and constructed from good quality
materials. The layout of the space is very
strongly Lutyens* influenced and is reminiscent
of Folly Farm in the home counties although the
choice of materials is different being local
stone: something which would have resonated
with Lutyens.
The Abbey Road boundary viewed from across the park
Partial view of railing surround to the Rose Garden and
Pond. This view would be further improved by removal of
the evergreen shrubs to restore visual connectivity with
the space beyond.
Early photographs reveal a very much more
ornate and formal planting scheme than
Lutyens and his horticultural muse, Gertrude
Jekyll, would perhaps have countenanced. The
photograph also shows a number of traditional
timber benches.
* Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens 1869-1944. Celebrated Arts & Crafts
architect whose use of the local vernacular encompassed the design of
the garden spaces around his creations. Lutyens designed the paths,
ponds, walls, pergolas etc.. Gertrude Jekyll, a longtime associate,
designed the planting in a style which has come to epitomise the
English Cottage Garden style.
27
The Rose Garden and Pond soon after
completion
There is a lack of seating in this area and it is felt
that this element of the original design could be
reinstated. Being of a discrete character to the
rest of the park, this area could act as a receptor
site for benches of a single style relocated from
elsewhere in the park: possibly the benches with
the rustic style cast iron ends commonly referred
to as ‘twig’ seats. The early photograph is also
notable in showing the Irish Yews, now such an
overbearing presence, at an early stage of
establishment. It is questionable whether the
original designer ever intended them to achieve
their present day size:
and the single large specimen on the south side.
These specimens detract strongly from the
quality of the space. As with the yews, it is
possible that these too were intended to be
controlled by clipping.
The most obvious deficiency in respect of this
space is that it is inaccessible to some elderly
and disabled persons. There are potentially two
options for providing a ramp to enable
wheelchair access: either from the eastern end
of the pond or from the northern side. It is felt
that the latter option is preferable as this will
have a lesser effect on the geometry of the
space which is a key part of its aesthetic appeal.
The grass is an unattractive proposition in any
case, being fully accessible to dogs. The
question of dogs is discussed in more detail
elsewhere, but the Rose Garden and Pond is a
particularly strong candidate for exclusion by
means of dog proof fencing. This is proposed not
just to guarantee safe use of the grass, but also
to prevent disturbance of the pond by dogs as
part of a raft of measures to reduce
eutrophication* and raise biodiversity.
*The process by which water becomes excessively rich in organic
nutrients causing a proliferation of plant growth particularly algae.
More likely, they were intended to be regularly
clipped to maintain a strict architectural form.
Unfortunately, they are now grown beyond any
form of control, almost certainly do not fulfill any
original design intent and should be felled.
Similar considerations apply to the large
cypresses flanking the steps on the north side
29
The overgrown yews and cypresses
From a landscape quality standpoint the pond
fails to achieve anything like its potential
because it has high-levels of green-algae in the
water. Achieving a balanced water column will
clear the water sufficiently to allow the pond to
reflect the sky and its surroundings; which is
surely the original design intent. This is not to
say that it needs to be an unrelieved sheet of
water; many similar reflecting ponds work better
for the presence of floating leaved plants such as
water lilies provided they do not take over more
than 40% of the surface. Some lilies have been
established, but their impact is lost against a
green background.
Part of the restoration of the pond will, as
discussed elsewhere (see Biodiversity) require
removal of the fish which are breeding in vast
numbers. To achieve this the pond will need to
be drained. This will provide an opportunity to
retrieve any coping stones which lie at the
bottom of the pond and enable an inspection of
the liner to see if any preventative maintenance
is required before it is refilled.
3.6 Biodiversity
There are a number of opportunities to increase
biodiversity in the park: not least the water
column of the pond which supports feral
goldfish in large numbers and as a result, little
else by way of aquatic species.
Removal of the fish and active aeration of the
water would aid control of the dense algal
bloom during the warmer months by enhancing
conditions for zooplankton which feed on algae.
At the present time, target species such as
daphnia and cyclops cannot survive the
multitude of fish. With the fish removed, the
pond could potentially provide breeding habitat
for amphibians.
Installing bat and bird boxes would encourage
both genera to breed/roost in the park.
With regards to wildflower interest and by
extension insects and other creatures that feed
on them, there exists the potential to create a
wildflower edge along the Abbey Road
boundary which is currently mown grass.
To succeed however, the topsoil would have to
be replaced with soil of a lower nutrient status
and be of the correct pH (acidity/alkalinity) to
favour the target plant community.
Furthermore, a maintenance regime which
allows the flowers to set seed needs to be
formulated: timing of the cut or cuts is critical
and varies from year to year depending on
seasonal weather.
That said, wildflower areas have two significant
drawbacks:
1) Firstly, the inevitable long grass can
attract increased dog fouling and
owners, wittingly or unwittingly may fail
to remove it simply because it is not
visible.
Beyond the immediate environs of the pond,
towards the gate, are two rose beds which are
something of an anachronism in landscape and
maintenance terms and could be removed
without any loss of quality to the space.
2) By the same token, any fouling raises
the nutrient status of the soil thereby
favouring more vigorous species:
notably dock. Over time, this will alter
the nature of the area to its detriment.
As elsewhere along the Canford Lane boundary,
the presence of large exotic conifers largely
precludes much or indeed any improvement to
the quality of the boundary planting until they are
felled as part of a tree removal strategy for the
park as a whole.
The Abbey Road edge
30
A better solution for Canford Park would be the
planting of naturalised bulbs. Bulbs can be
lifesavers for bees in the early Spring when few
other species are in flower. If the planting is
confined to native species, our own native
daffodil and snowdrops for example, then both
the biodiversity and horticultural diversity are
raised with minimal effort or expense and by
June the area returns to close mown grass.
3.7 Play
3.7.1 Natural Play Philosophy
The refurbishment of the Canford Park play area
has adopted a different approach to playground
design; using more natural elements such as
tree trunks and large rocks to create a
pleasant, more flexible space that encourages
opportunities to play in a variety of ways.
Playing in natural settings has been proven to
have a wide range of benefits for children,
including benefits for their physical, mental and
emotional health, which supports the five
outcomes of 'Every Child Matters'.
3.7.2 Play Zones and Features
The play area within the park was refurbished
as part of the government’s Play Pathfinders
Programme. Much of the old and tired
equipment has been replaced with new and
more challenging play equipment. It has clearly
Been a success as is evident from the
increased numbers of parents and children
visiting. The play area is very busy, particularly
at weekends and consideration should be given
to expansion of this area.The re-configuration
of the fence is part of the landscape appraisal
of this area as a whole would create more dogfree grass, which is a key response to the
capacity issues. In real terms, the fence could
encompass nearly all of its immediate grass
surrounds.
Wider Play Environment
The pitches are used by older children and
young adults, for informal kickabouts and other
sports.
Views of the newly refurbished Play Area
31
3.8 Park Features
All park features and items of furniture are
included on the Site Asset Plan. The Site Asset
plan is derived from the Parks and Estates
Asset Management Geographical Information
System (GIS) data layers. This data was
created in ArcView GIS from the CAD design
plans, site visits and OS maps. The map is
accurate to 0.5m, being created at about 1:500
scale. Meta data is available for each asset
management layer. The purpose of the data is
to provide the core information for our Confirm
Asset Management Database which will be
used for contract management, condition
survey, risk assessments and asset
management.
3.8.1 Paths
In the main, the condition of the paths in
Canford is adequate with the exception of the
Abbey Lane boundary path which is breaking
up in places. The key improvement required is
to increase the width to allow visitors to pass
whilst maintaining a comfortable distance or to
allow companions to walk abreast.
3.8.2 Seating
Almost without exception, the benches
alongside the perimeter paths in Canford
require a ‘path incorporated’ tarmac bench bay
to eliminate the wear pattern underneath.
Bays should incorporate sufficient space at one
or both ends for wheelchair users at key
locations throughout the park to give disabled
visitors a choice of location according to wind
direction, weather and time of day: i.e. sun,
shade and/or shelter. The benches themselves
are in the main, sound but have, in common with
so many parks and open spaces in Bristol been
installed at different times down the decades and
the diversity of styles reflects the availability or
otherwise of the various types.
As part of the bench bay installation, the
opportunity will be taken to rationalise
distribution, so that similar benches are grouped
together. Whilst there is reasonable provision in
terms of numbers of benches, some, following
the installation of the new play area for example,
are inappropriately placed in terms of prospect.
Others relate to previous park installations now
gone (bandstand, model railway etc.) and have
lost their original function.
The opportunity will be grasped to relocate
benches where they best serve visitor need and
where they relate to other changes proposed in
this management plan as part of infrastructure
improvement.
3.8.3 Lighting
The park does not currently have lighting. Bristol
City Council does not usually install lighting in
parks and it is generally accepted that it does not
improve safety within the park after dark and can
encourage anti-social behaviour at a time when
there is no supervision of the park. That said,
there exists an aspiration to extend the use of
the Tennis Courts during the winter months by
means of lighting.
32
3.8.4 Public Art
There are no current art installations within the
park. The suggestion is made elsewhere in this
document that the unrelieved brickwork of the
sports pavilion wall would be improved by
painted panels. However, to remain fresh and
relevant, it may be that this could become a
dynamic display medium for art. That is to say,
invite artists to produce work with a predetermined life on the understanding that it will
be overpainted.
There are a number of places where the
landscape of the park would be improved by
sculpture, but set against more pressing
priorities art will always come low down on the
list. Nonetheless, it should be not be
overlooked as a means of raising visitor
enjoyment of the park. The University West of
England (UWE) runs a highly regarded Arts
Faculty and it may be that one or more
sculpture installations could be made the
subject of a student project.
33
34
Cypresses and Holm Oaks for instance, being
distinctly non-native species are perhaps less
contentious candidates for removal than say,
yews which are native to the UK.
3.8.5 Litter Bins
The litter bins in Canford Park are in the main
of the open bell type which are gradually being
replaced throughout Bristol’s Parks and open
spaces by bins with a lid.
Most of the yews found around the park are
almost certainly the remnant survivors of
outgrown hedges or plants that were intended
to remain as clipped specimens. Many trees
are also over mature and contribute little to the
quality of the park being short lived ‘fashion’
trees from another era.
3.8.6 Dog Waste Bins
The dog waste bins in Canford are of a type
which has largely been superseded by a
number of better designs. Although functional,
the present type is fitted with a rubber lid
which, over time, becomes ill fitting. As well as
examining replacement of the current dog bins
with a more robust type, more careful
consideration needs to be given to location.
Currently they are located close to park
entrance/exit points which whilst convenient for
dog owners provides a somewhat malodorous
visitor entry/exit experience in warm weather.
Therefore, again in tandem with other changes,
location of dog bins needs looking at closely.
They still need to be located where they are
conspicuous and convenient for dog owners,
but in places where they will not intrude on the
senses of other visitors.
3.9 Trees in Canford Park
3.9.1 Tree Removal
It is not the function of a Management Plan at
this stage to provide a detailed plan of tree
removal until agreement is reached in principle
with stakeholders: merely to flag up the
potential improvements that selective tree
removal can bring to Canford Park. In real
terms, the public perception is that the park
This type of bin has greater capacity and the
letter box style helps to prevent windblown litter
and interference from animals and birds
lacks horticultural quality and diversity. There are
several reasons for this, but foremost is the
sheer number of trees which starve other plants
of light, nutrients and water. The large areas of
deep shade cast by evergreens and conifers in
particular which retain a dense canopy year
round, do not encourage for example,
snowdrops, daffodils, bluebells and other spring
flowers which have evolved to flower and die
back before native broadleaf trees close canopy.
35
Therefore, in tandem with proposals in this
management plan for the planting of trees,
there should be a strategy for tree felling over
the life of the plan. This may prove a difficult
message to get across, but there are
successful precedents: notably the Ashton
Court example. Experience shows that people
are more easily reconciled provided that it is
properly explained why particular trees are
being felled. The same consideration applies to
tree planting as there needs to be a clear and
obvious connection between the two, the
council’s actions will appear arbitrary at best.
3.9.2 Tree Planting
Recent planting in Canford Park will achieve a
useful landscape function at maturity. The oak
canopies will start to reduce the impact of the
houses in Canford Lane and the trees along the
Rose Garden path will strengthen rationale for
removal of the overgrown conifers which,
despite their disadvantages discussed
elsewhere, do provide a considerable amount
of shelter to the rose garden itself. However,
the oaks will, as this photo illustrates, create a
considerable amount of shade at maturity when
their canopies conjoin:
Newly planted oaks in Canford Park
As referred to elsewhere, this is one of the most
popular areas of the park for sitting and enjoying
sunshine.
The Abbey Road boundary would benefit from
replacement trees at similar centres. Here,
however, they would need to be planted between
the path and the boundary (south side) as they
would be too close to the pitch run out zone if they
were to be planted on the north side of the path.
At Canford Park, as with all parks, tree planting
should be undertaken with clear objectives as part
of a landscape design concept for the whole park
which has been rigorously consulted upon with
key stakeholders.
The overarching consideration should be: will the
proposed tree planting improve the look of the
park? The next consideration is will it enhance
visitor enjoyment? If the answer to either of these
is in any way equivocal then the correct course of
action may be not to plant. Trees are planted in
parks and open spaces for any number of positive
landscape objectives:






Restoration or recreation of an historic
landscape which is widely recognised as a
work of art
Containment of space
Screening of ugly features
Seasonal interest
Visual relief from the built environment
Improvement of pedestrian microclimate or
shelter from strong winds in general
36
Set against these and a host of other
considerations are the potential negative
results of tree planting:





The creation of deep shade and the
potential resultant decrease in biodiversity,
horticultural diversity or effective turfculture
Loss of views within the park and/or
prospects from the park which contribute to
the overall landscape value
Increased maintenance burden legislating
against care of other areas/features within
the park
Obstruction of improvements to other park
features or installation of new features
which stakeholders view as being of equal
or greater importance than trees
In summary therefore, future tree planting at
Canford Park should be supported by a clear
rationale underpinned by sound landscape
improvement objectives.
37
4 Neighbourhood and Community This section provides details on the community
and their use and involvement in the park and
outlines the approach to marketing through the
provision of information, events and promotion.
4.1 The Neighbourhood
Westbury-on-Trym is a suburb of Bristol which
in many ways retains the ambience of the
village it once was. Canford Park is the
community’s only neighbourhood park and as
discussed elsewhere, in a figurative sense
almost turns its back on the community it
serves. Despite this, it occupies a special place
in the affections of local residents.
range of facilities it offers means that the park
attracts people from a wider area than the
immediate neighbourhood of Westbury-on-Trym:
as is evident by the number of visitors arriving by
car. The recently improved play area has also
had a noticeable effect on increased visitor
numbers.
4.2.1 Refreshment Kiosk
The refreshments kiosk in Canford Park has
been recently installed at the southeast corner of
the play area. The kiosk was installed by the City
Council and its operational status is under
review. It is located close to the park toilets in
the sports pavilion and has been installed to
provide a dual aspect counter service: a walk in
entrance from the main park and a service
window on the playground side.
The facility popular with visitors, has
maintained a steady trade (weather permitting).
Quality of Life data - Statistics from Bristol's
annual Quality of Life survey shows how happy
local people are with local services and
amenities including their parks and green
spaces.
The percentage of local people visiting their
parks and green spaces.
4.2 Visitor Facilities
Canford Park is a very well used
neighbourhood park and as such it aims to
cater primarily for the needs of the people living
in the surrounding neighbourhood. However,
the nature of the park, the distinct lack of
anything comparable in the district and the
The refreshment kiosk
38
achieved and an options appraisal is required by
an appropriately skilled design professional. The
outcome will be a fully functional facilities
available to all users.
The building itself is functional. In view of its
proximity to the play area it would benefit from
painted community or school murals to break up
the red brickwork.
The surface water drainage system requires
investigation and possibly the capacity raised to
cope with the surcharge created by the new hard
surfacing to prevent surface water retention.
As part of the re-configuration of the play area
fence to include more dog free grass for passive
recreation, the fence could be re-aligned to
ensure that younger children are not able to
wander off around the north side of the pavilion:
thus remaining in continuous view of parents.
Plan showing realigned
play area fence with
extended paving as short
term solution to lack of
hardstanding
A gated screen fence between the corner of the
building to join the tennis court ball stop fencing
would serve two valuable purposes:
1)
© Crown Copyright and database rights 2012.Ordnance Survey 100023406
2)
The management plan takes an in depth look at
the management, maintenance and design of
the park and examines whether all three are
working in true synergy.
4.2.2 Toilets
The toilets in Canford Park are located within
the sports pavilion are accessible, reasonably
modern and of good standard.
The facilities would benefit greatly from a reconfiguration to provide easier access. There
are a number of ways in which this could be
39
Screen one of the dominant prospects from
the kiosk tables to the waste skips and
electricity sub-station.
Together with a realignment of the
playground perimeter fence, a fence at
this point would keep younger children
firmly within a confined field of parental
supervision: especially important when a
single parent has more than one child with
them.
4.2.3 Bowling Green
The bowling green is maintained by the park
keeper. The perimeter however, needs some
attention. The privet hedge which forms the
boundary to the west is a valuable asset and is
being brought back to close maintenance from
a previously overgrown condition. A path on the
southern edge would aid maintenance and
circulation. The amenity value of the space as a
whole could be raised significantly by some
replanting of the shrub border
4.2.4 Play Area
The play area was refurbished in March 2010
under the government's Play Pathfinder
Programme. The play area design was the
subject of widespread consultation with local
residents, parents and children. The final
design for the play area provides a more
natural landscape for play and includes a wider
range of play opportunities for a wider age
range of children. The refurbishment has
proved very successful and is a very popular
facility within the park.
4.3 Neighbourhood Working
4.3.1 Henleaze, Stoke Bishop and Westburyon-Trym Neighbourhood Partnership
The Henleaze, Stoke Bishop and Westbury-on
-Trym Neighbourhood Partnership was
launched in 2010. The steering group is made
up of councillors, service providers, local
community groups, representatives from the
neighbourhood policing team and residents
from each of the three distinct communities in
the area. The group meets formally every
quarter to develop actions for the identified
priorities and for local residents to raise issues.
Since April 2010 the Neighbourhood
Partnerships have had the opportunity to
influence service delivery and future service
development in the city's parks. Parks and
Estates staff regularly attend Neighbourhood
Partnership meetings, which will influence the
management and development of Canford
Park, by way of directing resources in line with
the priorities of the Partnership.
Suggestions and comments from the
Neighbourhood Partnership about Canford
Park will be fed into the management and
future development of the park as they emerge.
The Council also works in partnership with a
number of external agencies and voluntary
organisations such as the Friends of Canford
Park who play an active role in fundraising for
additional facilities and in the care of the park
and its amenities.
4.4 Community Issues
Bristol Parks collects reports and comments on
Vandalism, Crime and ASB to establish a
baseline, which is monitored and used to inform
actions in the five-year action plan. The
statistics although important show a limited
picture and feedback from residents, police and
park keepers will help identify community
issues which require monitoring.
40
4.4.1 Drugs
There are no statistics or specific evidence
showing illegal drug related problems that in
Canford Park. Occasional beer/cider bottles and
cans indicate that some evening drinking activity
occurs within the park particularly in the summer
months. The key problem in this respect for the
Park Keeper is the fact that this kind of activity
tends to take place around the new kiosk and
play area and it is broken bottles within the
playground that give rise to particular safety
concerns.
If evidence of specific drug paraphernalia
becomes identified during maintenance rounds
the schedule will be altered as necessary to deal
with any additional cleansing requirements.
4.4.2 Vandalism
Incidences of vandalism in Canford Park are
recorded from time to time. Park infrastructure
is most at risk particularly the play equipment
which is used by teenagers after dark and which
was not designed for some of the loadings that it
is subject to on these occasions. There have
been occasional incidents of graffiti: the walls
and shutters of the sports and bowls pavilions
being the primary targets.
4.4.3 Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB)
Compared to other parks in Bristol, Canford Park
does not suffer an inordinate amount of anti
social behaviour. The main problem in this
respect is twofold:
1) The main problem is young people
entering the park during the hours of darkness
and throwing stones around. Where these land
on grass they can cause damage to mowers
and if struck by the blades can ricochet in any
direction causing injury. The source of the
stones is the maintenance yard which is
surfaced in DOT Type 1.*
* An inexpensive material comprising broken stone and dust
commonly used as a basecourse for path and road
construction.
2) Young persons climbing up onto the roof
of the new kiosk in an attempt to break in
through the roof or simply as an act of alcohol
fuelled bravado. Thus far, these attempts have
been unsuccessful, but damage has been
caused on a number of occasions.
The presence of the park keeper during
daylight hours acts as a deterrent for anti social
behaviour, but as above most incidents occur
during the evening or at night time. Anti social
behaviour needs to be addressed both through
physical measures and better surveillance but
ultimately it will take a multi agency approach to
reduce anti social behaviour in the park. Bristol
Parks and Estates, the police, anti social
behaviour teams and experts from across
Bristol City Council now focus on the issues of
anti-social behaviour in parks and green
spaces. Communication between
organisations and teams has improved
significantly. This has enabled a more
coordinated approach to tackling anti-social
behaviour.
In terms of physical prevention, the service
yard would benefit from a gated screen fence
on the park side. It is worth considering making
the yard as a whole more secure by the same
device. That is to say, examine the feasibility of
fencing the whole area. An alternative solution
would be to surface the yard in tarmac, but this
is more costly and would not confer the same
aesthetic benefits. That is to say, a reasonable
quality fence alongside the Public Footpath
leading to the cemetery and beyond would
screen this utilitarian space thereby enhancing
the amenity.
With regard to surveillance, the first question
that the police ask when an incident of criminal
damage or vandalism is reported is whether
there is any CCTV. As discussed above at
3.7.2 (Lighting), it would be possible to install a
discreet camera in this area as part of any
lighting works for the tennis courts if this
initiative is followed through.
4.4.4 Dog Fouling and Litter
Policies within the Parks and Green Space
Strategy aim to retain adequate and legitimate
access for dog owners, but to deal decisively
with the problem of dog fouling within the parks.
It is proposed that provision of some dog free
areas along with an increased number of dog
waste bins in appropriate locations and ongoing
education and enforcement by park keepers
will help to reduce this problem.
It is recognised that most dog owners are fully
in control of their dogs but the degree to which
this problem (created by a significant minority)
41
affects visitors shouldn't be underestimated.
In some areas of Bristol, grounds maintenance
staff working for Parks and Estates have recently
been trained to issue fixed penalty notices for
offences such as littering and not cleaning up
after dogs. To date this training has been
provided to Area Team Leaders, Community
Park Keepers and Community Park Officers,
who have been given enforcement powers to
issue Fixed Penalty Notices. At present, these
powers are new and systems and approaches
are presently being developed for their future
use.
Littering is a serious problem within parks and
green spaces and can detract hugely from the
quality of a space. This problem can be worse
during summer months when larger numbers of
people use the park, particularly on sunny days
and at weekends. Reducing excess litter
requires a multi-facetted approach involving
education, sufficient provision of bins, sufficient
emptying of bins and raising awareness of
potential prosecution.
4.5 Community Information and
Engagement
4.5.1 Consultation
The local community has been involved in
detailed consultation around the design of the
new play area within the park.
Ongoing consultation takes place from time to
time as and when new projects arise. This is
mostly in conjunction with the Friends of Canford
Park who have a large number of local
contacts.
This management plan will be the subject of
consultation with the local community before it
is finalised.
4.5.2 Events
Canford Park currently hosts no organised
events although there is a firework display
planned for November 2011 organised by the
Rotary Club. This is something of a trial and
may be repeated on an annual basis if
successful. Community events are just that: the
initiative must come from the community. It is
anticipated that as the Friends Group continues
to develop, this element of park use may grow.
4.5.3 Interpretation
Canford Park currently has no interpretation on
site. The potential exists to interpret the park’s
history and wildlife within the context of
information panels or as stand alone panels.
There is no doubt that visitor enjoyment and
appreciation of parks is enhanced by this
means. However, as with public art, (see 3.8.4
above) set against more pressing priorities for
expenditure of scarce resources, interpretation
will always come low down on the list.
4.5.4 Publicity and Promotion
Press releases are produced from time to time
to promote events and other initiatives taking
place at Canford Park. Notices are also placed
in the Community Notice Board and/or
delivered by hand to consult with or to invite the
participation of, local residents in park
improvement initiatives such as community tree
planting events. Such events are also
publicised through the Friends of Canford Park
through Bristol City Council's website.
4.5.5 Web pages
Canford Park has its own pages within the
Parks and Estates section of the Bristol City
Council website – www.bristol.gov.uk/parks
The opening web page covers general site
information, including facilities and access. The
Canford Park Management Plan is
downloadable from the related documents
section of the web pages.
4.5.7 Signage
Park entrance signs are positioned at four of
the entrances. The style of the signs reflects
the Bristol City Council corporate template,
designed to give a consistent style and format
across all parks and green spaces in the city.
Canford Park lacks notice boards at this point
in time, but at least a couple would be useful
instruments for communicating change
throughout the works associated with the
Green Flag application as well as longer term
management plan changes.
4.5.8 Access
There are six entrance points into Canford
Park. Three lead from Canford Lane, one from
Abbey Road via a narrow alleyway and there
are two entry points from the Public Footpath
adjacent to the cemetery although one is
unofficial: through the service yard in point of
fact.
42
4.5.9 Disabled Access
Canford Park is fully accessible with the
exception of the Pond and Rose Garden. This
deficiency is discussed in more detail in the
landscape appraisal.
4.5.10 Travelling to the Park
As a neighbourhood park it is anticipated that
the majority of people will walk or cycle to
Canford Park. During the summer and at
weekends many people travel from further afar,
often travelling by car or public transport.
There is plenty of free on street parking in
adjoining streets. The nearest bus stop is
immediately outside the northernmost entrance
from Canford Lane.
4.5.11 Bristol Parks Forum
Bristol Parks Forum is a network of individual
community groups and organisations that are
working to improve parks and green spaces or
have an interest in them. It is supported by
Parks and Estates but acts independently. It
has around 80 members representing many
different neighbourhoods and green spaces
across Bristol. The Friends of Canford Park
are active members. Membership is free.
For Bristol Parks the Forum acts as an
important consultative body with regards to
strategic decision making, including allocation
of resources. The forum meets four times a
year including an annual conference and its
members publish a quarterly newsletter.
5 Current Management This section provides specific details on
management arrangements and maintenance,
including the approach to dealing with litter,
cleanliness and vandalism, a summary of the
approach to environmental sustainability and
management of health, safety and security.
Additionally, Quality Monitoring Officers (QMOs)
from the Environment & Leisure asset
management team monitor contracts and inhouse grounds services to ensure quality
standards are achieved.
5.2 The Team at Canford Park
5.1 Parks and Estates Management
Structure
Responsibility for the day-to-day management
of Canford Park rests within the Operations
Section of Parks and Estates North Area Team.
The Grounds Maintenance Manager (GMM) is
responsible for Parks Operations across the
city, including the delivery of grounds
maintenance and relevant council policies.
The GMM is assisted by the three Area Park
Managers (APMs). Their role is to assist the
GMM to deliver policy, manage all changes and
monitor day-to-day maintenance to ensure that
there is one standard for high quality ground
maintenance across the city. The APM
responsible for Canford Park is supported by
an Assistant Area Park Manager (AAPM) and
an Area Team Leader (ATL). The ATL in turn
manages the Park Keeper and the mobile
grounds team for the geographical area within
which Canford Park resides. Collectively the
APM's team acts as a point of contact for
service users.
In real terms, regular maintenance at Canford
Park is undertaken by the park keeper supported
by colleagues from Parks Operations North
team.
5.3 Maintenance
5.3.1 Grounds Maintenance
The site is managed in accordance with
requirements for each park feature, which are
recorded and monitored on the Asset
Management Plan (see section 3.7). The park
keeper is based on site all year round and
undertakes routine and response maintenance,
including sweeping hard surfaces, emptying
bins, clearing litter and cleaning the public toilets.
The park keeper works to ensure maintenance is
both responsive and flexible and can respond to
changes in site use, such as increased litter
during summer months. Bulk grass cutting is
undertaken by the mobile grounds team led by
the Area Team Leader with the support of the
Park Keeper. Maintenance of the bowling green,
line marking and erection/take down of goalposts
is undertaken by the Park Keeper.
43
5.3.2 Tree Maintenance
Tree maintenance is undertaken by the Parks
and Estates Arboricultural Team who maintain
data on all trees within the Confirm
Arboriculture database. The parkland trees are
generally allowed to grow to their full potential
with management focussed on safety, crown
lifting and formative pruning as required. The
trees are formally inspected by an
Arboricultural Officer on a 2-year cycle,
otherwise casual observations about their
condition are undertaken by site-based staff.
5.3.3 Play Equipment Inspection and Repair
Weekly play safety and maintenance inspection
of Canford Park by a Quality Monitoring Officer
(QMO) is undertaken in addition to the regular
grounds maintenance by the Park Keeper. The
QMO record any findings (defects) on the
PlaySafe Database system using a PDA on
which every playground feature is logged. As
part of each playground inspection the officer is
guided through a series of check boxes for
each piece of equipment. Any defects found
are logged on this system, which includes a risk
assessment of any defects. There are four
categories of findings on the PlaySafe system
which range from immediate to low risk, as set
out in the table overleaf. The quality monitoring
officer also undertakes basic maintenance
tasks and repairs as required. The Play
Support Officer liaises with quality monitoring
officers and oversees larger repairs to
equipment.
Risk Rating
Type of Defect
Action Taken
Immediate
Any finding that presents an immediate risk to users.
Inspector remains on site until that finding has been made safe by
removal or repair.
High
A finding that has been made safe but requires further
repair/replacement. Or non hazardous repairs that can be
programmed.
If replacement parts are not in stock they are ordered. Work to replace
or repair are programmed into inspectors round or carried out by our
hard landscape team (larger jobs). The target timescale is one month
from finding being recorded. If parts are in stock this time scale is often
much less often repairs/replacement takes place within a week.
Medium
Any defect of playground equipment that does not require
urgent repairs and is not hazardous but needs monitoring,
for example signs or wear on play safety surfaces.
These findings will be repaired if/when budgets allow or when they
deteriorate further.
Low
Minor damage to playground features for example damage These findings will be repaired if/when budgets allow as part of our
to paintwork.
annual programmed works.
An example PlaySafe report for Canford Park is
included in the Appendices.
The QMO carries tools and spare parts within
their vehicle so that they can undertake minor
repairs, for example replacement chain linkage
on a swing. The downloaded Play Safe reports
are passed to the Play Support Officer who
liaises regularly with QMOs to oversee larger
repairs to equipment. The Play Support Officer
also arranges annual independent specialist
play area inspections to ensure the long-term
safety of the site. Inspections include
equipment and ancillary items and that the site
continues to comply with the requirements of
EN1176 the European Playground Standard.
5.4 Contracts and Contractors
Canford Park is maintained by a park keeper
based permanently on site. Works which fall
outside the scope of routine day to day
maintenance such as tree planting, tree
removal, play equipment repairs and
improvements to pathways are carried out by
specialist contractors.
44
5.5 Resources, Expenditure and
Income
The tables below show revenue and capital
forecast for the next 5 years.
Planned maintenance is all horticultural and
grounds management work carried out by the
Park Keeper and Quality Monitoring Officers.
Scheduled works are works that are identified
and prioritised annually as shown in the Bill of
Quantities below.
Response works, e.g. vandalism is dealt with
by Parks and Estates though a separate
budget, whilst fly tipping is dealt with via Waste
on Land: a specific city wide initiative carried
out by the council’s approved contractor.
Client support
In addition to the APM, who has control of the
day-to-day site management, within Parks and
Estates there is technical and administrative
support, e.g. Arboriculture; Natural
Environment officers to carry out surveys,
Parks Projects to project manage capital
improvements and the Neighbourhood
Engagement Team to support consultations.
Wider support is available from departments
such as Highways for footpath or cycling links.
Services such as legal advice, engineering and
landscape design are also available from within
the council on a fee paying basis.
feature_type_name
Grass Boxed Amenity Lawn
Grass PRT - inc Edging
Grass Rough Turf
Gravel Track
Hard Surface (High)
Hard Surface (Medium)
Hedge - Amenity
Roses
Shrubs (Medium)
Park Building Other
Site Bristol Parks Designated
Bowling Green
Senior Football Pitch
Tennis Court Coloured (Tarmac)
Hedge - Amenity
Dog Faeces Bin
Litter Bin
Seat
Park Keeper M-F A (Canford Pk)
Winter Sports Sat PM 1300-1730
Winter Sports Sun PM 1300-1730
Cafe
Drinking Fountain
Sports Pavilion
Bowling Green
Senior Football Pitch
measurement_name
Area - square metre (m2)
Hedge cut face area (m2)
Number of
Number of
Number of
Number of
Number of
Number of
Number of
Number of
Number of
Number of
Number of
type_quantity
824.87
32379.09
131.96
510.9
1026.01
3894.37
218.49
507.15
2485.33
19.4
49583.78
1390.09
10552.34
4765.2
218.49
2
10
32
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
2
Tennis Court Coloured (Tarmac)
Pond - Formal
Site Bristol Parks Designated
Number of
Number of
Site
8
1
1
45
5.5.2 Income
Additional (new) expenditure and resources
These can be categorised as either financial or
as people and their skills.
Financial
Capital expenditure can be sought through:



Section 106 contributions
Grant aid from external bodies
Sponsorship
Recent Capital Spend
Item
Tennis Court Refurbishment
Café Kiosk
New Childrens Playground
5 Year Revenue Forecast
Funding
Revenue Spend
2011/12
Annual grounds maintenance costs (In-house Service) £87,033.05
Annual Playground maintenance and repairs (in-house) £3,295.25
Electricity (Bowling Green and Dressing Rooms)
£3,624.86
Water and Sewage (Bowling Green and Dressing
Rooms)
£5,953.00
Response Repairs to Infrastructure
£1,500.00
Response Repairs to Toilets
£350.00
Total
£101,756.16
46
Source
Capital Investment
Capital Investment
Play Pathfinder
Total
£
£15,500.00
£75,000.00
£86,944.00
£177,444.00
Predicted
2012/13
£90,514.37
£3,427.06
£4,168.59
Predicted
2013/14
£94,134.95
£3,564.14
£4,585.45
Predicted
2014/15
£97,900.34
£3,706.71
£5,043.99
Predicted
2015/16
£101,816.36
£3,854.98
£5,548.39
Predicted
2016/17
£105,889.01
£4,009.18
£6,103.23
£6,078.01
£1,545.00
£360.50
£106,093.53
£6,205.65
£1,591.35
£371.32
£110,452.85
£6,335.97
£1,639.09
£382.45
£115,008.56
£6,469.03
£1,688.26
£393.93
£119,770.94
£6,604.87
£1,738.91
£405.75
£124,750.95
5.6 Performance Monitoring and
Standards
A team of Quality and Monitoring Officers
(QMOs) managed by the Quality and Monitoring
Coordinator is responsible for the collection of
data to enable us to manage and maintain our
parks in a strategic way and ensure, as far as is
reasonably practicable, that they are safe for our
service users.
QMOs are responsible for a range of safety
inspections that include weekly playground
safety inspections, including MUGAs,
programmed hard surface inspections and site
based risk assessments. In addition to safety
inspections they are also responsible for carrying
out a programme of site quality assessments,
asset condition surveys (which will inform our
asset management plan), and monitoring the
quality of our grounds maintenance delivery
Within the team, three members are dedicated to
carrying out weekly safety and maintenance
inspections of Bristol's 156 children's
playgrounds, recording any findings (defects) on
the PlaySafe Database system.
The Inspection Regime of the Quality Monitoring
Team is detailed below.
The inspections indicated above are in addition
to any daily, weekly or monthly checks that may
be carried out by the Park Keeper at Canford
Park as part of their normal day to day work.
Type of Inspection
Playground Inspection
Hard Surface Inspections
Site Based Risk Assessments
Site Quality Assessments
Asset Condition Surveys
Grounds Maintenance Monitoring
Frequency
Weekly
Six Monthly
Annual
Annual
Annual
Quarterly
5.7 Byelaws
In common with most parks and open spaces in
Bristol, no byelaws exist for Canford Park.
Notwithstanding, there is a groundswell of
opinion within the community to prohibit the use
of park footpaths by adult cyclists. This policy
may be able to be enacted by the simple
expedient of signage. The difficulty is
enforcement: but prohibition signage on gates
and on the ground at points of entry is a start.
5.8 Environmental Management and
Sustainability
Bristol City Council is committed to improving
the local environment and helping to protect it
for the future. We recognise that our wide
range of activities and services have positive
and negative impacts upon the environment
and that we have a leading role to play in
creating a sustainable city. To achieve this goal
an environmental policy is in place and an
environmental management system was
implemented in 2006.
47
The Eco Management and Audit Scheme
(EMAS)
EMAS is an independently verified system that
ensures that significant environmental impacts
are monitored and managed, and overall
environmental performance is continually
improved. More information is available at the
city council website www.bristol.gov.uk/emas
A designated Eco Audit Representative in
Parks and Estates disseminates EMAS
information. Most aspects of St Andrew's Park
therefore come within the remit of EMAS and
are open to external audit. Each department
within the city council is required to keep their
own register of principal environmental
legislation; to be aware of the parts of the
corporate register that apply; and to know how
to keep up to date with new developments (e.g.
a quarterly updated database called CEDREC
is available on the intranet).
Headline targets of the Environmental Policy
and EMAS relevant to Canford Park are:
Provide leadership and support for
environmental management within the council
through elected representatives and senior
managers.
Identify and comply with environmental
legislation, policies and codes of practice
relevant to our activities and services. Ensure
that the introduction of any new policies and
operations will be assessed for their
environmental impacts and maintain an Index
of Environmental Legislation relevant to parks.
shredded the product is re-used on shrub
beds to retain moisture and suppress
weed growth.
Improve environmental performance by:
 Implementing and reviewing objectives and
actions in the management plan and action
plan, identifying and managing the specific
EMAS environmental aspects and ensuring
that regular and appropriate training is
undertaken to improve environmental
performance.
 Training for BCC Parks staff.
Implement the procurement strategy to
continually improve the environmental
performance of contractors and reduce the
environmental impact of the provision of goods
and services. Contractors’ environmental
policies and operations are checked and
monitored at all stages of service delivery.
EMAS Aspects/Actions
Evaluate and monitor air, noise, water and land
pollution, and influence others to reduce such
pollution


 Vehicles, machinery and equipment are
Minimise the disposal of waste through
reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery
 Green waste is collected from site and
returned to the depot for shredding. Once
Vehicles, machinery and equipment are
safely stored, well maintained and servicing
records are maintained by Parks and
Estates management and external
contractors as appropriate. Chemicals are
stored and used carefully and all operations
are risk assessed and comply with COSHH
regulations.
5.9 Health and Safety
Health and Safety issues are managed within
Bristol City Council’s Corporate Health and
Safety systems. The following methods and
procedures are used to control hazards and
risks:


Health and Safety induction for new staff;
Risk Assessment for events and activities;
48
COSHH assessments;
Legal agreements with third parties;
Issue of P.P.E. to all personnel;
Recording and reporting all accidents;
Visual inspections of the park by team
members
5.9.1 Risk Assessments
The Canford Park Risk Assessment is reviewed
annually and a copy is available to view at Parks
and Estates Offices at Colston 33.
The safety management process identifies:



Prevent pollution
Reduce the consumption of fossil fuels by
conserving energy and promoting the use of
renewable sources
maintained to high standards to ensure that
they are energy efficient. Many Parks and
Estates vehicles are duel-fuel and run on
LPG.
 Products and services will be sourced locally
where appropriate to reduce travel and
transport of goods.
Herbicides, chemicals, paints and other
materials are all COSHH regulated and
usage is kept to a minimum. Bristol City
Council has developed an approved
chemical list, which all staff who use
chemicals as part of their work or order
works involving chemicals are required to
adhere to.





activities or assets that may cause a hazard
who may be affected or exposed to the
hazard and the potential severity of harm
the level of risk based on a matrix system.
Measures to prevent accidents are listed and
where the risk rating is identified as medium
or high additional control measures are
presented
Canford Park has a good safety record with no
serious accidents or injuries recorded in the
park. There is also robust site inspection system
in place for identifying, reporting and remedying
damage, hazards and other issues.
Separate method statements and risk
assessments are carried out for all event
management and response operations that are
not routine maintenance. Event managers and
contractors’ operational risk assessments are
held by the appropriate city council client officers
and Parks and Estates management can request
copies of these as appropriate.
6 A Five Year Action Plan The 5 Year Action Plan for Canford Park is a
working document which will deliver the
objectives of the management plan through
approximately 50 identified actions.
Completed actions will be recorded and new
actions added in response to demands or
projects on a rolling basis. The action plan is
the most active part of the site management
process and is regularly discussed and
reviewed with a broad range of stakeholders
include the Friends of Canford Park, and Bristol
city council.
Lead Officer
AO = Arboricultural Officer
APM = Area Park Manager
HIO = Horticulture Improvement Officer
NE = Natural Environment Team
PK = Park Keeper
PI = Play Inspector
SD = Sports Development Team
YPO = Youth and Play Officer
YCW = Youth and Community Worker
FoCAP = Friends of Canford Park
AEO = Area Environment Officer
The action plan is challenging but realistic.
Where financial resources have not yet been
identifed the cost is underlined in the cost
column. Cost bands are set at £5k levels. The
funding codes in the work plan are as follows:
Funding
E = Existing (ie staff wages)
R = Revenue – Management and Maintenance
C = Contribution to Capital
G = Grant
S = Sponsorshilp
S106 = Section 106 Development Gain or
successor
EFA = External Funding Application
49
Source
of ￡
Objective 1: To increase enjoyment of the park as a sports venue, play environment, community resource, destination and event space
that is welcoming, healthy, safe, secure, clean, well-maintained and accessible.
6.1.1 Work with Football Club, Sport England, FoCP and other stake- APM/
#
#
#
25K
G/S106
holders to improve the sports playing surface in the park.
PK
6.1.2 Support FoCP and other stakeholders in their use of the park for AEO/
#
#
#
#
#
E
outdoor events.
PK
6.1.3 Ensure events in the park are marketed and promoted through AEO/
#
E
all known local websites and press channels.
PK
#
#
#
#
6.1.4 Work with Youth and Community Workers, local police and
AEO/
#
#
#
#
#
<5K
E
community support officers to maintain low levels of anti-social PK/
behaviour.
YCW
6.1.6 Report and record incidences of anti social behaviour as part of AEO/
#
#
#
#
#
<5K
E
performance monitoring regime.
PK
6.1.7 Improve routes and footpaths to enable access for all.
APM/
#
#
#
>15
R
AEO/
PO
6.1.8 Continue process of education and, where necessary, enforce- AEO/
#
#
#
#
#
E
ment to encourage responsible dog ownership and use of the
PK
park.
6.1.9 Improve entrance signage, horticulture and infrastructure to
APM/
#
#
#
>2k
E
make them as welcoming as possible and maintain them in a
AEO/
R
good state of repair.
HIO
S
6.1.12 Receive ongoing residents feedback through the FoCP the
AEO
#
<5K
E
Neighbourhood Partnership, and surveys every 3 years, to
monitor visitor satisfaction.
Visitor Experience
Lead
Year 1 Year 2
Officer 2012
2013
50
Year 3
2014
Year 4
2015
Year 5
2016
Cost
Band
Lead
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Cost
Source
Officer 2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Band
of ￡
6.2 Objective 2: Develop management principles and practices that support environmental, sustainability and promote biodiversity.
Provide interpretation and information on those features which prioritise these principles.
6.2.1 Develop a programme of volunteering and educational activities
PK/
#
#
#
#
#
>10k
E/R
led by the park keeper, horticultural manager and nature
HIO/
conservation officers.
AO/NE/
FOCP
6.2.2 Support FoCP in producing site interpretation materials including
AEO/
#
#
#
#
#
>5k
R/C
leaflets and in particular develop information sheets and work
PK
sheets for school children.
6.2.3 Implement Horticultural Improvement Plan to benefit wildlife and
HIO/
#
#
#
#
#
<7k
E/R/S
biodiversity
FOCP
6.2.4
Continue programme of succession planting of appropriate tree
AO
#
#
<10K
E/G/S
species for interest, wildlife and biodiversity.
6.3 Objective 3. To encourage access and involvement in the park through community consultation, education and interpretation projects,
marketing initiatives, events and through partnership with the Friends of Canford Park FoCP
6.3.1
Marketing and Promotion

Ensure park events are well promoted through all local
websites and press channels

Use Park Notice boards to promote events and inform park
users of how to get involved.
Regularly attend FoCP meetings
APM/
AEO/
PK
6.3.3
Support Schools’ use of park for outdoor teaching, sport and
holiday activity.
>5k
E/R
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
AEO/
PK
#
#
#
#
#
E
AEO/
PK
#
#
#
#
#
E
6.3.4
Regularly attend neighbourhood partnership meetings and forums. FOCP/ #
AEO
#
#
#
#
E
6.3.5
Collaborate with FoCP on seeking additional funding for
investment and events in the park to fulfil Improvement Plan
aspirations
#
#
#
#
6.3.2
AEO/
FOCP
51
#
>50K
G
Lead
Officer
6.3.6 Collaborate with FoCP and schools to institute a participatory
APM/
management and maintenance regime of wildflower beds.
AEO/
PK
6.3.7 Record and monitor species diversity in wildflower areas to inform NE
future cutting regimes.
6.3.8 Support implementation of low/no peat policy of city council in all APM
horticultural activities
6.3.9 Seek ways to increase on site recycling for site users.
APM/
PK
6.3.10 Review number and location of bird and bat boxes and install addi- NE
tional boxes.
Year 1 Year 2
2012
2013
#
#
Year 3
2014
#
Year 4
2015
#
Year 5
2016
#
#
#
#
#
#
E
#
#
#
#
#
E
#
#
#
#
#
E
52
Year 2
2013
#
Year 3
2014
Year 4
2015
<5K
Year 5
2016
Cost
Band
Source
of ￡
E
E
Source
of ￡
6.4 Objective 4: To ensure the quality of play equipment, park infrastructure, safety surfaces and features are of a high standard and while
continue to provide challenging environments for recreation and play, are also fit for purpose and safe in use.
6.4.1 Visual inspection of Play area daily, weekly inspection of equipment PK/PI #
#
#
#
#
>35k
E
by Play Inspectors. Repair, renew as required.
6.4.3 Maintain an ongoing overview of play provision and enhance where YPO
#
#
#
#
#
>20K G
funding becomes available.
Objective 5: To ensure a safe and accessible environment is created for all members of the community to enjoy
6.5.1 Maintain the open aspect of the park to increase visibility and
AEO/ #
#
#
#
#
<5k
C/R
passive surveillance.
HIO
6.5.2 Liaise with community police to monitor incidents within the park.
AEO/ #
#
#
#
#
E
PK
6.5.3 Develop systems for effectively monitoring levels of anti social
APM/ #
#
#
#
#
E
behaviour and review actions to react to trends.
AEO
6.5.4 Update information on the BCC website at least every three months. NEO
#
#
#
#
#
E
6.5.5 Ensure signage and information is current, appropriate, correctly
APM/ #
#
#
#
#
<5K
E
located and accessible.
AEO/
PK
6.5.6 Undertake footpath improvements as identified, and maintain in safe APM
#
#
#
#
#
<20K
and accessible condition
Safety and Security
Lead Year 1
Officer 2012
#
Cost
Band
Lead Year 1 Year 2
Officer 2012
2013
Management, Maintenance and Resources
Year 3
2014
Year 4
2015
Year 5
2016
Cost
£000
6.6 Objective 6: To provide a dedicated team responsible for delivering high levels of maintenance across all areas of the park.
6.6.1 Empower the park keeper to achieve a high standard of maintenance APM
#
#
#
#
#
within the park.
6.6.2 Develop a high-level, quality specification for maintenance.
APM/ #
#
<5K
HIO
6.6.3 Grassland:
Maintain amenity grassland suitable for sport and recreational use
PK
#
#
#
#
#
>5K
6.6.4
6.6.5
6.6.6
Shrubs:

Gap up shrub beds where necessary

Maintain beds in a weed and litter free condition
Internal and perimeter boundary Hedges

Maintain in a litter free condition

Cut annual growth no more than 3 times per year during the
growing season
E
R
E+R
PK
#
#
#
#
#
>5K
E+R
PK
PK
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
>5K
>5k
E+R
E+R
PK
#
#
#
#
#
>5K
E+R
PK
#
#
#
#
#
>5k
E+R
PK
APM
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
>5k
>5k
E+R
E+R
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
<10k
E+R
#
#
#
#
#
Bins
Empty park bins no less than three times a week or as and when
necessary to prevent them from over flowing

Maintain bins by cleaning as necessary and removing graffiti as
soon as it occurs

Oil hinges and lock on a monthly basis

Any damaged bins to be repaired or replaced with new heritage
bins
Internal and External Boundaries

Inspect and repair perimeter boundary walls where necessary

Gap up boundary hedges where necessary

Maintain appropriate height of boundary hedges through regular
annual trimming

Repaint boundary fencing and railings as necessary

6.6.7
Source
of ￡
53
APM/
NEO
PK
6.6.8
Park Furniture

Inspect park furniture on a regular basis, plan for repair and renewal as appropriate.
6.6.9 Play Area

Re-configure fence line to enclose more dog-free grass and to
remove some of the maintenance problems associated with the
current alignment

Consider uplifting and re-positioning railings alongside public
footpath to remove maintenance problem
6.6.10 Pond and Rose Garden:

Drain pond and remove fish to encourage amphibians to breed
and to enable colonisation by zooplankton to control algal growth

Replace missing flagstones to pond edge and retaining walls

Provide seating

Remove evergreen shrubs from southern boundary to visually
reunite this area with the rest of park

Remove overgrown yews
6.6.11 Canford Lane boundary:

Undertake phased removal of large conifers and self sown trees
such as Ash & Sycamore

Undertake selective removal of large evergreen shrubs in
tandem with tree removal to enable greater diversity of planting
with the emphasis on year round colour

Prune/shape shrubs which are to be retained to enable views
into the park
Lead Year 1 Year 2
Officer 2012
2013
PK/
#
#
APM
Year 3
2014
#
APM
APM
Year 5
2016
#
Cost
£000
Source
of ￡
E
#
>5k
R+E
#
>5k
R+E
>5k
R+E
R+E
R+E
R+E
APM
#
APM
APM
APM
#
#
>5k
>5k
>5k
NE
#
>5K
R+E
APM/
NE
APM/
NE
#
>5K
R+E
>5k
R+E
PK
#
#
#
>5K
R+E
#
#
#
#
<5k
>10k
E+R
EFA
6.6.12 Library corner

Undertake large scale removal of cherry laurel
APM

Re-configure entrance to re-unite the park with the streetscape of APM
Westbury-on-Trym and to provide a more satisfactory visitor
entrance experience
54
Year 4
2015
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
Lead Year 1 Year 2
Officer 2012
2013
Year 3
2014
Year 4
2015
Year 5
2016
Cost
£000
Source
of ￡
6.6.13 Bowling Green

Refresh/diversify surrounding shrubbery
APM/
#
#
#
>5k
E +R

Increase herbaceous interest
PK
#
#
#
>5k
6.6.14 Maintenance Yard

Screen from general view by means of well-designed close
APM
#
<5k
E+R /
board fence and gate
EFA
6.6.15 Sports Pavilion:

Undertake investigation of surface water drainage system to
#
<5k
E+R
APM
remove flooding (and silt deposition)problem

Investigate the feasibility of adapting park visitor and sports
#
<5k
E+R
person toilets.
6.6.16 Cemetery entrance:

Undertake selective removal of shrubs to left of gates to enhance APM
#
<5k
EFA
feelings of visitor security and to open up views to the rose
garden
Objective 7: To ensure all parties with a role in maintaining the park (grounds maintenance and play), work effectively to deliver a coordinated approach to maintenance.
6.7.1
6.7.2
Establish quarterly meetings between area manager and the park
keeper to review park management.
Continue ongoing liaison between play inspectors and park keeper.
6.7.3
APM/
PK
APM/
PK
APM
#
#
#
#
#
E
#
#
#
#
#
E
APM/
HIO/
APM/
AEO
#
#
#
#
#
<5k
E
#
#
#
#
#
<5k
E
Carry out an annual review of maintenance to inform the park
#
#
#
#
#
E
management plan.
Objective 8: To ensure that Canford Park provides training opportunities across a range of horticural and landscape maintenance skills for
Brisol City Council’ apprentices.
6.8.1
6.8.2
Provide Apprentices with practical skills training through supervised
horticultural improvement and maintenance work within the Park
Utilise Community Pay-Back and other employment skills trainees/
participants to benefit from horticultural training initiatives undertaken
in Canford Park
55
The Action Plan sets realistic targets for
improvements over the next 5 years consistent
with current and foreseeable capital and revenue
budgets.
The City Council recognises that in the current
financial climate many of these initiatives may
take a considerable amount of time to come to
fruition. However, experience shows that if there
is an agreed framework for park improvements, it
is far easier to target limited resources
effectively. Further, an agreed and adopted
framework for development empowers and
enables Friends’ groups to apply for sources of
funding which are not available to local
authorities.
The following list of enhancement initiatives,
reproduced from the Improvement Plan
highlights which are realistically achievable
from the City Council’s own resources within
the life of this plan and which will have to wait
until funding becomes available from whatever
source:
Generally

Undertake phased felling of large
conifers:particularly Cypresses to enable
greater horticultural diversity.

Thin out, reduce or remove evergreen
shrubs in certain areas to:
a) increase visibility of park from Canford Lane
b) visually re-unite different areas of the park
c) enhance visitor perception of personal safety
d) increase horticultural diversity in tandem with
felling of conifers and selective removal of other
trees
e) increase seasonal colour
f) increase biodiversity: particularly for insects.
56
7 Management Plan Monitoring and Review This Management Plan will be credible and
effective if it is a working document that is
regularly updated and can adapt to changing
pressures and opportunities. To achieve this
there must be a clear process of management
planning, monitoring and review. Consultation
with city council management teams and
stakeholders has suggested that the following
procedures are required. These procedures will
be supported by evidence and information
gathered from ongoing public consultation.
This plan will be monitored and reviewed on a
regular basis. Performance Indicators will help
to assess the level of improvement being made
during the plans life. This will include continued
assessment of the elements of the Parks Quality
Assessment score and an evaluation of the
standards required to gain and maintain Green
Flag status.
7.1 Five Year Review
Parks and Estates will complete a
comprehensive review of the management plan
including a complete revision of the 5-year
Action Plan (see 7.0) involving stakeholders,
residents, businesses and the Management Plan
Working Group. A summary of changes will be
published and the revised management plan will
be presented locally and online. This process will
be coordinated with the public consultation
programme and include specific consultation
targets to help resolve any unaddressed issues.
7.2 Annual Review
The Parks and Estates Service Delivery Plan
will be reviewed annually to ensure that the
management plan achieves corporate targets
and is fully updated. Service delivery and
financial planning for the park will be reviewed
within this wider context and brief end of year
service and finance report will be produced.
Parks and Estates management will complete
an informal review of the management plan and
action plan (section 6.0) involving the city
council and other stakeholders as necessary.
The Management Plan will be updated, edited
and again be available both locally and online.
7.3 Bi-Annual Review
Bi-annual meetings will be held between the
Area Park Manager, Park Keeper, Play
Inspector and other key officers, such as the
Arboricultural Officer as identified. Meetings will
focus on mainly maintenance and management
issues.
7.4 Quarterly Review
The Area Park Manager will meet quarterly with
the Park Keeper to review the park’s
management.
57
Appendix 1—Local Strategic Context LOCAL STRATEGIC CONTEXT
Overview
This Management Plan complements the wider strategic context of Bristol City Council and its partners. It seeks to achieve the objectives of the
strategic framework by translating those that are appropriate to Canford Park.
Anti-social behaviour Strategy 2008-11
Vision
To reduce anti-social behaviour in Bristol by working together in partnership with citizens to improve quality of life and to create safer, peaceful,
tolerant communities. The strategy sets out five themes to tackle anti-social behaviour:
●
●
●
●
●
Prevention
Intervention
Enforcement
Victim and witness support
Community empowerment and participation
Bristol Development Framework
Bristol City Council is producing a new suite of planning documents to guide development decisions in the city over a 20-year period. Together these
documents make up the Bristol Development Framework (BDF), which will gradually replace the Local Plan. Documents in the BDF are shorter than
the Local Plan and can be produced and reviewed independently as required. A programme for preparation of these documents can be found in the
Local Development Scheme (see below).
Bristol Biodiversity Action plan (2008)
The Bristol Biodiversity Action Plan provides the over-arching framework for habitat and species conservation in Bristol. Importantly, it also
recognises the benefits of wildlife to people and helps to identify ways to better promote, and engage people in, biodiversity conservation in the city.
The Bristol Biodiversity Action Plan aims to:
● Provide a strategic overview for biodiversity conservation in Bristol
● Highlight priority habitats and species that are of particular value in Bristol, both within the national and local context
● Highlight threats and issues affecting these priority habitats and species, together with objectives, targets and actions to address them
● Encourage a common approach to biodiversity conservation and sharing of best practice
58




Encourage education and community action and involvement as a key part of the biodiversity process
Promote biodiversity conservation as an essential element of sustainable development
Promote the importance of Bristol’s biodiversity at a local, regional and national level
Develop Bristol as a centre of excellence for urban biodiversity conservation
Bristol City Council Corporate Plan 2008-2011
● Bristol City Council faces many challenges and must balance competing priorities. We need to make difficult decisions about how we manage and
deploy our resources. Put simply there are three key challenges that we share with our partners:
● to ensure Bristol is a successful city
● to work to ensure that everyone can share in that success
● to make that success sustainable, protecting our environment for future generations.
Raising educational attainment
The council will give priority to improving attainment, particularly levels of literacy, amongst 7 and 11 year olds, levels of numeracy amongst 11 year
olds, and overall grades at GCSE.
Increasing participation in sport and other physical activity.
The council is an important provider of sports and other opportunities for exercise, and has a key role in making the wider environment suitable for
active life styles. We will give priority to making streets and parks safer and more attractive for walking and cycling, and to providing more attractive
sports facilities. Our actions to make this a reality will include improving quality of playing pitches and sports facilities, improving accessibility for
pedestrians and cyclists and delivering.
Improving recycling and waste management.
We will give priority to reducing the amount of waste generated, increasing the amount of waste recycled, and reducing the amount of waste going to
landfill sites.
Improving the cleanliness of the city
We will continue to make the city cleaner and respond to local concerns with more targeted cleanups.
Bristol City Council Education Development Plan 2005-2006
Overarching education plan for the city.
Multiple actions about raising standards and increasing inclusion e.g. Raising attainment in Early Years and Primary Education.
Bristol Climate Protection Action Plan
Bristol has a wide range of parks, historic gardens, woodlands, nature reserves and open spaces that are rich in wildlife. Two are of international
importance – the Severn Estuary and the Avon Gorge (which forms part of the area to this management plan) – although at present it is uncertain
59
what the impacts of climate change will have on these sites. The indirect ones could include the need to construct more flood defences, thereby
possibly damaging existing wildlife sites. Climate change could also lead to changes in water table levels, which could affect sensitive habitats and
species.
Bristol Community Strategy 2003 and update 2006
Vision for Bristol
● A city that realises its full potential and exerts influence appropriate to its status at the regional, national and European level;
● A modern, cosmopolitan, ambitious city at the heart of a prosperous and confident area that is the gateway to the South West;
● A diverse and accessible city made up of vibrant and balanced communities;
● Where everyone is valued and can thrive economically, culturally and socially;
● A safe city that promotes health, learning and sustainable development;
● A city where no one is disadvantaged.
Most relevant aims:
A thriving economy
To make Bristol one of the most attractive places in Europe to live, work and visit.
Learning and achievement
Health and well being in Bristol Investment is focused on promoting well-being and preventing ill-health.
A high quality environment
● Improve the quality of the built and natural environment;
● Reduce car use in the city, by enabling improved public transport service and the provision of attractive Park & Ride alternatives, (Bristol City
Council with Partners).
● Implement cycling and walking schemes to provide alternative modes of transport to the car (Bristol City Council with partners).
Bristol’s Local Plan
The Bristol Local Plan was formerly adopted in December 1997. It brings together planning policies for the city area in one documents and provides
the main framework for investment and development in Bristol. The key objectives of the plan are as follows:
● To reinforce and maintain the vitality and viability of Bristol for work, shopping, leisure, tourism and culture for local people, its workforce and
visitors.
● To promote economic development and regeneration across the city and to maximise investment in areas of the city with greatest opportunity,
in particular to develop the potential of the city centre, Avonmouth and South Bristol.
60
● To enable local people to gain access to jobs of a sufficient number, type and quality.
● To make the most of the economic, environmental and social opportunities created by the Second Severn Crossing, the Channel Tunnel, new
investment in the Port of Bristol and the European market.
● To adopt transportation policies which reduce congestion in the city. This will include priority for and promotion of public transport, park and
ride sites, pedestrians and cyclists. The principal traffic corridors will be identified; there will be promotion of ‘safer routes’ in the city and traffic
calming measures taken.
● To ensure that the management of the environment and the quality of the new development in the city is sustainable, conserves and reinforces
Bristol’s attractive and varied built up environment, creates a positive image and identity for the local area, enhances the quality of life for local
residents.
● To protect and enhance Bristol’s important green open spaces including its wildlife habitats and network of green corridors, recreational and
amenity spaces, and historic landscape and parks, balanced with the need for development.
● To protect and promote shopping centres which include a good range of facilities for people living and working in the city and direct new local
services to local centres.
● To promote opportunities for local and regional leisure, sport, art and tourism to meet the needs of Bristol residents and visitors to the city.
● To maintain and enhance housing areas, to facilitate a wide range of housing of varying tenure and to develop vacant and derelict sites in
housing areas, to increase the supply of housing to meeting local people’s needs and Structure Plan targets.
Environment & Leisure Services 2011-12 Strategy
Eco Management Auditing System (EMAS)
Health Strategy 2006-2009
Objective: to increase participation in sport and other physical activities
This strategy expresses work the council is doing with its partners to improve and protect the health of people in Bristol, and to narrow the health gap.
It is our contribution to the Health and Well-being theme of Bristol’s Community Strategy. Our key priorities are set out and it gives examples of how
council action provides an environment for good health and promotes healthy lifestyles through participating in or leading initiatives such as: physical
activity and sport.
The Joint Local Transport Plan 2006/7 - 20010/11 (The Cycling Strategy)
Headline target: more cycling

To more than double the level of cycling in and around Bristol by 2002 (based on 1998 figures) and double it again by 2012 measured in
terms of the number of trips made.

The City Council will develop and maintain a safe, convenient, efficient and attractive infrastructure, which encourages walking, cycling and
the use of public transport whilst reducing the need to travel.
61


The City Council will integrate cycling as an essential element of a multimodal transport strategy for Bristol, which will emphasise traffic
restraint, speed reduction and reducing the environmental impact of motor vehicles, whilst also reducing the need to travel. This will include
integration with public transport facilities (to enable cycle use as part of longer journeys); and seeking to ensure free cycle carriage on local
urban and country buses, and future light rail systems.
Design will be based on best technical advice wherever possible i.e. Cycle Friendly Infrastructure (for general principles), NCN guidelines
and DETR local transport notes.
The Joint Local Transport Plan 2006/7 - 20010/11" (The Walking Strategy)
Bristol’s Vision for Transport
Bristol City Council wants to create an increasingly clean, safe and thriving city, where people can live and work close to high quality shopping and
leisure facilities. A City where people can not only move about safely, but also have better choices as to the mode of transport that they use. A local
walking strategy will positively contribute to this vision.
Parks and Green Space Strategy 2008
See section 2.2.2
Playing for Real 2004 and Making Play Matter 2003
Objectives

To enable opportunities for the voice of all children and young people to be routinely heard and taken into account in all decisions made that
affect their play needs and wants.

To ensure that the Play Policy is referred to whenever decisions are made that could impact (negatively or positively) on children’s and
young people’s play opportunities.
Parks Wildlife Strategy
All Sites of Nature Conservation Interest to be in Favourable Condition by 2020.
Public Art Strategy

Sustain an annual programme of artworks by artists in the public realm and help establish Bristol as a modern European City of Culture.

Encourage the commission of temporary and permanent public artworks using new technologies, new materials and in new formats, to
challenge and build new audiences for contemporary art.
Public Consultation Strategy 2001 and update 2004
“The council is committed to open and inclusive local government, and to using a wide range of approaches to public consultation to ensure it listens
effectively and considers the views of its citizens as part of its decision-making with the aim of ensuring its policies and services reflect the aspirations
and needs of Bristol’s diverse communities.”
62
Safer Bristol Partnership Plan 2008-11
The Plan identifies six priority areas for focus, with the view to reducing crime, fear of crime, and substance misuse:
●
●
●
●
●
●
Reduce acquisitive crime
Reduce serious violent crime
Increase community confidence
Reduce the harm caused by drugs
Reduce offending
Improve partnership working
The Partnership Plan is accompanied by a more detailed annual Action Plan which clearly sets projects and actions for the coming year.
Sustainable Energy Strategy Bristol City Council
A longer, more reliable summer season is likely to lead to an increase in visitor numbers in Bristol which would increase spending levels. Such growth
would also create more jobs, provide new opportunities for small and medium sized businesses. Warmer annual average temperatures and
Increased CO2 levels are likely to enhance the growth rate of natural and agricultural species and may lead to a change in the species composition of
plants and animals. An increase in average temperatures could also lead to a longer growing season, which will mean that parks and other green
spaces will need to be cut over a longer period of the year. This will have financial implications for the Council’s Grounds Maintenance service.
National Strategic Context
63
Appendix 2—National Strategic Context CABE Space Guidance
The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) is the government's advisor on architecture, urban design and public space.
CABE Space is the public space arm of CABE and aims to bring excellence to the design and management of public spaces. CABE Space works
with national, regional and local bodies on the delivery of parks and public spaces in the public, private and voluntary sector to help them think about
the benefits of well planned, designed, managed and maintained parks and public space. Key publications from CABE Space are detailed below:

A guide to producing parks and green space management plans
This guidance manual set out a framework for developing and writing management plans for parks and green spaces. The guide provides best
practice on the content of management plans and how they could be developed.
Adapting public space to climate change: public space lessons
This briefing sets out the lessons learned in the UK and around the world from using public spaces to adapt to climate change. It sets out how
thoughtfully designed public spaces offer urban areas their best opportunities to adapt, offering water storage, cooling and carbon absorption.

Decent parks? Decent behaviour? The link between the quality of parks and user behaviour
Argues that good design, management and maintenance, not just heavy handed security measures, are the main ingredients for safer parks. Presents evidence from 36 green space improvement programmes from England, Scotland and Wales, and the views of 20 local authorities and 75
green space community representatives. Describes nine case studies in detail.

Making contracts work for wildlife: how to encourage biodiversity in urban parks
This guide advises on how to make the most of the potential for biodiversity in urban parks. The guide sets out the value of biodiversity in parks; identifies general principles that underpin the encouragement of biodiversity in parks; includes a number of case studies exemplifying good practice; and
considers the management options for a number of different parks' landscape elements.

Parks need parkforce
This briefing sets out the case for increasing the number of on-site staff to create safe, popular and beautiful parks.

Parkforce fact pack
The fact pack examines how six local authorities featured in the case studies have made their vision for Parkforce a reality.

Start with the park: creating sustainable urban green spaces in areas of housing growth and renewal
A good practice guide for everyone involved in the processes of sustainable growth and renewal in England. It is particularly relevant to the creation
and care of green spaces in housing growth areas and housing market renewal areas.

64
The value of public space: how high quality parks and public spaces create economic, social and environmental value
shows how cities in the UK and around the world have received far-reaching economic, health and social benefits from making the best of their public spaces.

Green Spaces Better Places
This is the final report of the Urban Green Spaces Taskforce published by the DTLR in 2002. The document provides a baseline assessment and
comprehensive review of the state of public open spaces within England. The report highlighted a number of issues in relation to the decline of urban
parks in England through a process of poor strategic planning, weak leadership, a lack of core and sustainable funding and the noticeable absence of
information and data in order to inform the decision making process.
In the context of park management plans, the report formed the precursor for the renaissance of urban green spaces. The report established the
need to invest in parks and open spaces and recognises the need that the open spaces have a much wider role to play in the local community in
terms of the health, community safety and the social renewal agendas.
The Government’s response to the Urban Green Spaces Taskforce was published in 2002 as part of the Living Places: Cleaner, Safer, Greener
document. This report set out to respond to the issues highlighted by the Green Spaces Better Places report and committed the Government to
providing a Strategic Framework for the improvement and betterment of green spaces over the next five years. This is manifested in a new
Government Champion for parks and open spaces Cabe Space and the release of substantial funds for park renewal pilot schemes through the
Liveability Fund
Developing Accessible Play Space
This good practice guide was published in 2003 by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to act as a reference for providing stimulating and
accessible play for all children. With the impending Disability Discrimination Act the guide recognises that each child is different and that access to the
social experience of play is key. The principal recommendation of the guide is ‘that developers should concentrate on making the environment fit for
the child’.
Parks and Green Spaces: Engaging the Community
Published by Green Space (formerly the Urban Parks Forum) in July 2002, this local authority guide outlines the reason for engaging local
communities and encouraging community participation in the management of parks and open spaces. The guide gives pragmatic advice on the
benefits of involving people in the decision-making process and shows examples of how this can be achieved. In conclusion the guide suggests that:
The Park Keeper
Compiled by English Nature, this short history contributes to the ongoing debate in relation to skills within the parks sector. This document charts the
history of the park keeper and the changing role of curators, superintendent, foreman and gardeners and recognises their past skills and contribution
to the legacy of public parks in England.
65
Park Life, Urban Parks and Social Renewal
Published by Comedia and Demos in 1995, this report provides the first real assessment of the state of urban parks and green space and is the
starting point of the current renaissance in urban parks. For the first time the wider social benefits of high quality open spaces were recognised and
the need to invest and put open spaces and people at the heart of modern urban regeneration was documented.
Policy Planning Guidance no17
Policy Planning Guidance no 17 and the accompanying guide; assessing needs and opportunities, sets out the Government’s objectives for
delivering high quality and sustainable open spaces that meet the aspirations and needs of local communities. The long-term aims of this document
are to deliver:
● Networks of accessible, high quality open spaces, which are both economically and environmentally sound and meet local need;
● An appropriate balance between new and existing open space provision;
● Clarity for developers in relation to the requirements and expectations of the local planning authorities.
Through PPG17, local planning authorities are now required to demonstrate that the local portfolio of public open spaces meets local demand based
upon quality, quantity, accessibility and primary purpose.
●
●
●
●
●
Community engagement is not about reaching an end point but is a dynamic process requiring high and sustained levels of involvement;
It is important to establish the reason for engaging the community;
Community based activities ought to compliment the aims of the organisation;
Developing site management plans in partnership with the community helps to ensure ownership;
Linking community groups together as part of a wider supportive umbrella can add more support to the local authority.
66
Appendix 3—Horticultural Improvement Plan 67
Canford Park Horticultural Improvements Plan
Library entrance
1. Clear overgrown area where the
lodge used to be creating a vista
into the park. Gap/under plant with
bee friendly flowering plants. This
area is the main entrance.
2. Remove vision obscuring plants
and re-grass areas.
Canford Entrance
9. Improve visibility reducing or
removing shrubs. Add
suitable ground cover planting
for colour. (Do something
interesting in the triangle just
outside the entrance – an
annual small meadow?)
Abbey Road
3. New hedge along the fence line
4. Low growing bulbs in grass to
increase visual and wildlife interest
in the improved grass.
5. See to the self sets and weeds just
outside the park entrance
Canford Lane border
10. Rejuvenate and gap/under
plant the main shrub bed.
11. Improve visibility.
Rose Garden
6. Remove shrubs to make the rose
garden more visible from the park
7. Leave as wildlife interest with only a
light clearance. Add woodland type
of bulb and perennial planting.
8. Remove failing rose beds
concentrating maintenance efforts to
the main rose garden.
68
A Management Plan for Troopers Hill Local Nature Reserve
Parks and Estates
Environment and Leisure
Brunel House
St George’s Road
Bristol, BS1 5UY
Tel: 0117 922 3719
E-mail: [email protected]
60

A Management Plan for Canford Park - The Westbury-on

Transcription

Similar documents

Baguio City - unescap.org

You can receive 12 weeks of free vouchers for Slimming World or

WoT Heritage Trail - The Westbury-on

November 2015

tug and butty £39000 - Channel Yacht Sales

Adventure Parks in Malaysia | Lost World of Tambun

xl center - Lycée Jean Monnet

Tennis Courts Canford Park Canford Lane Bristol

You can receive 12 weeks of free vouchers for Slimming World or

City of Chelsea Presentation

october 2013 - Canford School