SALISBURY AREA GREENSPACE PARTNERSHIP

SPREADING THE WORD

October 2015Nicola Lipscombe Chair

The Vision for the Partnership

Working together:

To create a more resilient and sustainable environment for people and wildlife in Salisbury and the surrounding area

To influence policy and provision, and the enhancement and management of the greenspace network for the longer term

To provide an overview and strong local voice for greenspace, and raise awareness of its value and the benefits of good quality green infrastructure

Where has the Partnership come from?

Urban woodlands

• The idea

• Launch in 2012 – keynote speaker Ian Phillips…….

• Importance of green space/green infrastructure

• Workshops provided mandate

• Steering Group

Community/VolunteersFriends of Harnham WatermeadowsDean & Chapter, Salisbury CathedralFriends of Harnham SlopeFriends of Churchill GardensSarum AcademySalisbury Wildlife GroupWalking for HealthWessex Community Action

Current partners

Local Authority Wiltshire Council – officers concerned with public open space, public rights of way, green infrastructure strategy, spatial planning, landscape, ecology, countryside, public healthSalisbury Vision

Parish CouncilsSalisbury City CouncilLaverstock & Ford Parish CouncilWilton Town Council

Local Specialist InterestGroupsSouth Wilts Biodiversity GroupSalisbury & District Natural History SocietyRiver Bourne Community FarmCPRE South Wiltshire Group Salisbury Civic SocietyCOGS (Cycling Opportunities Group Salisbury) Bemerton Activity TrailsSalisbury Beekeepers Wiltshire Bat GroupFive Rivers Association Bat GroupWiltshire Botanical GroupWilton Community Land Trust

EnvironmentalAgenciesNatural EnglandLink2Nature (Wiltshire & Swindon Local Nature Partnership)Forestry CommissionEnvironment AgencyRSPB Wiltshire Wildlife TrustEnglish Heritage

Current target area for the Partnership

Wilton

Salisbury City

Laverstockand Ford

• Pam Rouquette – Walking for Health

• Roger Dudin – South Wiltshire Biodiversity Group

• Les Lipscombe – Salisbury Wildlife Group

• Councillor Michael Pope – Salisbury City Council

• Councillor Colin Froude – Salisbury City Council

• David Bradley – Parks Manager, Salisbury City Council

• Mary Noyce – Technical Officer, Open Spaces, Wiltshire County

• Phil Sheldrake – Conservation Officer, RSPB

• Russell Spencer – Hampshire Avon Co-ordinator, Environment Agency

• Chris Cochrane – Broken Bridges

• Jacob Dew – Co-ordinator, Hampshire Avon Catchment Partnership

• David Law - Laverstock & Ford PC

• Nicola Lipscombe – Salisbury Civic Society, Current Chair

The steering group

What is greenspace/green infrastructure?

Urban Parks

Urban woodlands

Allo

tmen

ts

Playing fields

Village greens

Cycle ways & Footpaths

Street trees

Water meadows

River corridors

Street trees

Cemeteries/ Churchyards

Urban woodlands

Allo

tmen

ts

Street trees

Downland

Woodlands/Forest

Why is GI so important?

It is multifunctional and plays a vital part in delivering the ecosystem services we need to survive:

varied and biodiverse habitatsclean air and waterclimate change mitigationflood protectionmaintenance of soil fertilityfood fuel

Why is GI so important?

It enhances our quality of life:

provides inspiring places

places that are rich in wildlife

places to play and exercise

places to relax and enjoy

places to experience and learn about the natural world

Why is GI so important?

It helps create attractive and distinctive places in which to live:

adds value to property

attracts businesses to invest in an area

stimulates job opportunities

brings local communities together

Lack of knowledge about what and where green spaces are

Poor connectivity between existing green spaces

Lack of joined up thinking

Lack of resources, skills and vision for the overall planning and management of current greenspace assets

Management regimes that bring few benefits for wildlife eg. ubiquitous grass mowing

Problems of overuse and misuse especially on the urban fringe

Local issues

South Newton

Quidhampton

Britford

Netherhampton

Durnford

Clarendon Park

WiltonSalisbury

Woodford

Avon Valley Nature Reserve

Harnham Slope Woodland

Laverstock& Ford

Country Park at Hampton Park 2

River Bourne Community Farm

Local issue – Fragmented Ownerships

South Newton

Quidhampton

Britford

Netherhampton

Durnford

Clarendon Park

Wilton

Woodford

LonghedgeOld Sarum

Airfield

Hampton Park

FugglestoneRed

Erskine Barracks

Southampton Road Gateway?

Laverstock& Ford

Local issue – Development Pressures

The Maltings

Salisbury

Salisbury AreaBoard

Amesbury Area Board

South West Area Board

Southern Area Board

1 Local Authority, 4 Community Areas

Local issue – Complicated administrative groupings

South Newton

Quidhampton

Britford

Netherhampton

Durnford

Clarendon Park

WiltonSalisbury

Woodford

Laverstock& Ford

+ 10 Parishes

Local issue – Complicated administrative groupings

Opportunities & priorities for action

Fill the knowledge gaps by asset mapping & data gathering

Influence the local planning process - development control decision making as well as policy

Involve local people & businesses, & spread the message about the value of greenspace assets & green infrastructure

Create a one-stop shop for greenspace matters & volunteers

Improve habitat diversity and range; encourage reviews of existing management practices eg SAGP input into SCC review

Provide one voice for greenspace and share responsibility, skills and resources

Greenspace audit & asset mapping

Sample Map

Greenspace – what and where it is, the existing links, the gaps and thepotential for making improvements

Typology:

1. Readily accessible community greenspace

2. Restricted/controlled access greenspace

3. Natural/semi-natural greenspace

4. Productive greenspace5. Strategic greenspace6. Linear features

Detailed greenspace mapping typology

Improved

grassland

Broadleaved,

mixed & yew

woodland

Neutral

grassland

Small swamp

area

River Bourne Community Farm

Phase 1 & 2 Habitat Mapping

South Wiltshire Biodiversity Group are co-ordinating the habitat mapping of area & working with Salisbury & District Natural History Society & other local specialists to survey the Cathedral Close & other priority areas. Data will be shared with WSBRC

Public Open Space Surveys

• Trained SAGP volunteers have supported Wiltshire Council with their Public Open Space Survey. The data is being used to develop county wide standards & is also available for SAGP to use locally

• WC consultation on Part 1 Draft as part of Core Strategy Review ends on 26 May

Local residents training for their hedgerow surveys in Laverstock & Ford

Parish Surveys

Gathering additional baseline data

Evaluating the potential for improvement

Urban woodlands

Opportunities for groups & volunteers to get actively involved in more greenspace surveys to find out………

• How greenspace is currently used• How people value their local green spaces – what they like & don’t

like about them

• Historic & cultural value – of spaces & features eg. Market Place

• Landscape/townscape value – contribution of setting & local features

such as key trees, tree groups, views, landmarks etc to local distinctiveness eg. Lombardy Poplars

• Linear features – informal routeways, hedgerows & lines of trees often

associated with footpaths, cycle routes & other transport corridors

• Ecosystem service delivery – contribution to biodiversity, water retention,

air quality, carbon capture, climate change mitigation, jobs, food, fuel etc

The digital mapping set up

Wiltshire Council Server ESRI ArcGIS

OS Licence Data storage

FlexViewerESRI ArcGIS

Volunteer version Controlled access

for editing etc

SAGP ViewerAccess for

partners to view

SAGP Quantum GIS Database &

workspaceMAGIC

Natural England

Forestry Commission

English Heritage

Environment

Agency

SAGP

Wiltshire Council Wiltshire & Swindon

Biological Record Centre

Google DriveSAGP data

storage

Ordnance Survey

Data sources

WFS LinkEmail attachment

QGIS CloudAccess for partners

to view

20 September 2015

Resources for Partners

The greenspace asset mapping will provide a tool for managing & enhancing local greenspace, improving connectivity & developing a longer term strategy

It will be possible to see the bigger picture across wards & parishes, & allow for joined up thinking & action

It will support the neighbourhood planning process

It will be possible to better defend our green spaces against loss from development

Website: http://salisburyareagreenspacepartnership.co.uk

Resources for Partners

A regular greenspace forum with a co-ordinating role and to ensure local aspirations are represented to the local authority, business and developers

All green space managed to maximise the ecosystem services it provides, and in particular for wildlife, amenity value and landscape setting

Other community resources including a community greenspaceproject officer and dedicated fund to secure the future of local green infrastructure

Website: http://salisburyareagreenspacepartnership.co.uk

In the longer term SAGP would like to see: