INTRODUCTION
1. Urban open space[2]
is a key indicator of the prosperity and well-being of urban areas
and makes a fundamental contribution to the attractiveness of
towns and cities as places to live, work and play. Open spaces
affect everyone[3] and
can be enjoyed by everyone. They are particularly important in
densely populated urban areas where private gardens are small
or non-existent and the countryside is not easily accessible.[4]
We were told that:
"actually green space in urban areas has a deeper
importance, that it provides a green lung for the city and webs
of green space are very important for future economic and social
well-being"[5]
The Department for Transport, Local Government and
the Regions (DTLR) Minister for Urban Policy, Sally Keeble MP,
observed that:
"Parks, play areas and green spaces enrich
people's lives. They promote lifelong learning and healthy living,
combat disadvantage, encourage community enterprise and social
inclusion and help re-generate urban communities".[6]
2. The benefits of open space are, however, severely
compromised if the spaces become run down. Moreover, parks, play
areas and green space will only bring the advantages highlighted
by the Minister if they are of a high quality, well managed and
maintained, located in the right place, accessible, fit for purpose,
safe and attractive. Unfortunately, much open space is in a bad
state. Some amounts to unpleasant wasteland.[7]
English Heritage summarised the findings of the Public Park Assessment,
a survey of the state of our parks:
"the loss of features associated with historic
parks like fountains, cafes and toilets is widespread, and .....
this decline looks set to continue. Sport and recreation facilities
such as boating, paddling pools, tennis courts, golf and putting
are also disappearing. In all, 39 percent of parks and open spaces
are in decline."[8]
3. There are two principal reasons for the continuing
decline in the quality of spaces. The first is a lack of money
that can be traced back to the inclusion since 1974 of parks amongst
the responsibilities of local authority recreation and leisure
departments. Since then grounds maintenance budgets have declined
in relation to other leisure activities and leisure has lost out
to other areas, notably education and social services.
Helen Woolley, a Director of the Urban Parks Forum,
told the Committee:
"Over a period of twenty years there has
been an ongoing decline in the money spent on urban parks. As
you know from the report,[9]
we have estimated the cumulative shortfall of this to be in the
region of £1.3 billion over that period of time and despite
the Urban White Paper and the setting up of the task force, such
a decline still continues".[10]
The second reason is the lack of co-ordination between
planners and managers. One witness told us:
"planners should not work in isolation, because
I feel very often they do. Previous research has identified that
and from practical experience I am aware of this. Planners should
work with the managers of the open spaces".[11]
Planners tend to plan for small areas of green space
or sports facilities and make provision for the protection of
existing space and facilities. Unfortunately management and maintenance
have rarely been a consideration.
4. Following the Environment, Transport and Regional
Affairs Committee's Report on Town and Country Parks,[12]
in November 2000 the Government announced a number of measures
in its Urban White Paper (Our towns and cities: the future
- Delivering an urban renaissance).[13]
The Urban Parks Forum (UPFor) was given a substantial grant. An
Urban Green Spaces Task Force (UGSTF) was established and given
a remit to advise the Government on its proposals for improving
the quality of urban parks, play areas and green spaces.[14]
To address the problem of the poor state of open space and recreation
facilities the Urban White Paper (Our towns and cities: the
future - delivering an urban renaissance) promised new planning
guidance on open space, sport and recreation.[15]
It specifically referred to 'parks, play areas and public spaces',
recognising that they were "vital to enhancing the quality
of urban environments and the quality of our lives".[16]
Objectives for a revised Planning Policy Guidance Note (PPG) 17
were also set out as follows:
"We will...revise Planning Policy Guidance Note
17: Sport and Recreation to give local authorities a clearer framework
for assessing their needs for open spaces, making good deficiencies
and protecting what is valued, and ensuring that everyone has
adequate access to open space. It will also aim to ensure that
existing spaces are protected from development where appropriate
and that new open spaces are well designed".[17]
In Annex 1 we publish our assessment of how the revised
draft meets its Urban White Paper Objectives.[18]
We conclude below that it fails to meet these objectives.
5. The first PPG 17, entitled 'Sport and Recreation',
was issued in 1991. The main reasons for the revision of PPG 17
were stated by DTLR in its memorandum:
"The earlier PPG 17 was issued before
the key issue of sustainable development was recognised as the
central tenet of the planning system".[19]
The Department also highlighted the need to:
"focus on the contribution that planning policies,
especially those for open space and sport, could make towards
achieving the Government's broader objectives to promote an urban
renaissance".[20]
6. Given the interest which our predecessor Committee
had shown in green spaces in towns and cities through its reports
on Town and Country Parks, Cemeteries and Allotments,[21]
the Committee was concerned that the draft PPG received an overwhelming
volume of criticism. The large majority of the 419 respondents
to the Department's consultation expressed serious objections
to the draft. Four Government Agencies (English Heritage, Sport
England, English Nature and Countryside Agency), wrote a joint
letter to Lord Falconer the Minister for Planning, Housing, Urban
Policy, Regeneration and Neighbourhood Renewal, voicing their
disappointment that they had not been consulted on the redrafting
of the PPG and highlighting their concerns at what they saw as
a "missed opportunity" .[22]
We also found it surprising that the PPG was re-drafted before
the Urban Green Spaces Task Force had reported.
7. In view of this criticism and the importance of
the subject of sport, open space and recreation, the Committee
decided to undertake an inquiry. Because of the centrality of
open space in achieving an urban renaissance, we decided to focus
mainly on this aspect of PPG 17, although we are well aware that,
as Sport England told us, "Sport makes a major contribution
to society in policy areas such as health, education, quality
of life, tackling crime and social inclusion".[23]
In July 2001, we set out the terms of reference of our inquiry
as follows:
The contribution of the revised PPG to
strategic planning for sport, open space and recreation.
The contribution of the PPG to the provision
of high quality new open spaces and sports opportunities.
The extent to which the revised PPG is
successful in addressing the newly included subject of open space
and reconciling it with sport and recreation.
The extent to which the revised PPG's
treatment of open space will contribute to the urban renaissance,
the protection and improvement of open space and improved living
environments.
The contribution of the PPG to achieving
the Government's aspirations on urban parks and play provision
as set out in the Urban White Paper.[24]
The Committee would like to thank all those who submitted
evidence to the Committee. We also express our appreciation of
the work of Kit Campbell of Kit Campbell Associates and David
Lambert of the Garden History Society, our specialist advisers.
2 Urban open space is defined for the purpose of this
report as both green and hard surfaced space Back
3
The Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee's Report
on Town and Country Parks recognised the importance of parks to
the environment, health and relaxation, play, entertainment, community
spirit, education and the urban economy and stated in its conclusions
and recommendations: "We believe that parks are key features
in the renaissance of our urban areas" Twentieth Report,
1998-99, Town and Country Parks (HC 477-I) para 56 Back
4
This is especially important as Government policy (set down in
PPG3) is to move away from suburban development and to encourage
urban development Back
5
Q 31 Back
6
Sally Keeble MP, Minister for Urban Policy, DTLR, in her foreword
to the Interim report of The Urban Green Spaces Task Force Green
Spaces, Better Places November 2001 DTLR para 5 Back
7
"There is ample evidence (TCP Inquiry, Public Parks Assessment
2001) to show a sharp decline in the funding, quality and value
of urban parks and green spaces that undermines the protection
and enhancements sought by the planning system" PPG07(a). Back
8
PPG06 para 10 Back
9
Public Park Assessment Final Report, May 2001, Urban Parks
Forum and DTLR Back
10
Q 369 Back
11
Q 363 Back
12
Twentieth Report , 1998-99, Town and Country Parks (HC
477-I) Back
13
November 2000, Cm4911 Back
14
Green Spaces, Better Places, Interim Report of The Urban
Green Spaces Task Force. p.10, para 1. November 2001 Back
15
November 2000, Cm4911 Back
16
Urban White Paper, Chapter 4, para 1 Back
17
Urban White Paper, Chapter 4, para 1 Back
18
Our towns and cities: the future - Delivering an urban renaissance
November 2000, Cm4911 Back
19
PPG17, 2.2 Back
20
PPG17, 2.2 Back
21
Eighth Report, 1997-98, The Future for Allotments (HC560
- I), Twentieth Report, 1998-99, Town and Country Parks
(HC477-I), Fifth Report, 2000-01, Cemeteries (20HC91 -
I) Back
22
Letter to Lord Falconer from Countryside Agency, English Nature,
English Heritage and Sport England. This identified the PPG's
failure to address ongoing management problems, a lack of long
term and detailed guidance for local authorities, lack of standards
to work from, inconsistent definitions and terminology, lack of
clarity as to how the PPG complements other Government initiatives
(such as the Urban White Paper) and recommendations from previous
Select Committee Reports, little acknowledgement of the role of
agencies in supporting the PPG's implementation Back
23
PPG14 Back
24
Our towns and cities: the future - Delivering an urban renaissance,
November 2000, Cm 4911 Back
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