5. Open Space and Recreation
5.1 Introduction
5.1.1 Open spaces, regardless of ownership, are a key aspect of high quality urban environments and are fundamental to the character of the city. Attractive, accessible and well-designed open space can support and enhance the appearance of an area, creating more desirable places to live/work and underpinning economic success.
5.1.2 The Council expects that all residential developments should contribute to the provision of open space and recreation facilities.
5.2 Policy background
(1) 5.2.1 Cambridge Local Plan 2014 Submission Version: Policy 67 – Protection of Open Space, Policy 68: Open Space and Recreation Provision through New Development and Policy 73: Community Sports and Leisure Facilities are the key policies which give justification for obligations in connection with open space in Cambridge City. The following policies also make reference to the need for provision of Open Space:
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Policy 7 – The River Cam;
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Policy 8 – Setting of the city;
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Policy 9 – The City Centre;
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Policy 13 – Area of major change and opportunity areas – general principles;
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Policy 16 – Cambridge Biomedical Campus Major Area of Change, Policy 17 – Southern Fringe Areas of Major Change, Policy 20: Station Areas West and Clifton Road Area of Major Change, and Policy 25 – Old Press/Mill Lane Opportunity Area;
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Policy 55 – Responding to context;
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Policy 56 – Creating successful places
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Policy 69 – Protection of sites of local nature conservation importance;
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Policy 73 – Community, sports and leisure facilities.
5.2.2 Appendix I – Open Space and Recreation Standards of the Draft Cambridge Local Plan 2014 identifies standards for the provision of Open Space and guidance on the application of these standards. The guidance is designed to ensure a consistent approach to the provision of open space through new developments.
5.2.3 Technical Guidance: Relevant technical guidance that supports the Cambridge Local Plan 2014 Submission Version includes:
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Open Space and Recreation Strategy 2011 (an updated version will be adopted alongside the Local Plan). This sets out the vision for open space and recreation provision in Cambridge;
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Cambridgeshire Green Infrastructure Strategy 2011;
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Cambridgeshire Horizons (2008). The Cambridgeshire Quality Charter for Growth;
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Natural England (2009). Green Infrastructure Guidance;
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Sport England Facilities and planning guidance.
5.2.4 The Council will soon be carrying out a review of Open Space and Recreation Strategy 2011, in conjunction with a Playing Pitch Strategy. Once complete, these will supplement Appendix I of the Cambridge Local Plan 2014 Submission Version and help determine priorities and inform contributions.
5.3 Categories of Open Space Provision
5.3.1 The City Council’s standards for the provision of open space and recreation facilities are set out in Appendix I of the Cambridge Local Plan 2014 Submission Version and are based on five types of provision:
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Outdoor sports facilities – includes playing pitches, courts and greens;
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Indoor sports facilities – formal provision such as sports halls and swimming pools;
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Provision for Children and Teenagers – equipped children’s play areas and outdoor youth provision;
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Informal Open Space Provision – informal provision including recreation grounds, parks and natural green spaces;
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Allotments.
5.4 What can be funded by CIL?
5.4.1 Funding towards the following infrastructure can be provided by the City Council’s CIL:
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Indoor sports facilities (excluding where a new development leads to the loss of a sports facility and re-provision is required on-site or directly related to that site);
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Outdoor sports facilities (excluding where a new development leads to the loss of a sports facility and re-provision is required on-site or directly related to that site);
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Allotments.
5.5 What can be funded by planning obligations
(1) 5.5.1 Planning obligations will be used to secure, allow access to, and maintain newly created public open space. Informal open space and provision for children and teenagers will be secured through planning obligations.
(1) 5.5.2 In accordance with Policy 73 – Community, sports and leisure facilities, the loss of a facility that was last in use as a community, sports or leisure facility will only be permitted if it is demonstrated that:
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The facility/site can be replaced within the new development or relocated to at least its existing scale, range, quality and accessibility for its users. For leisure uses it should satisfy peak period need; or
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The facility is no longer needed.
In these exceptional circumstances re-provision of the facility on, or directly related to, the development site will be secured via planning obligation.
5.6 On-site provision of open space through planning obligations
(1) 5.6.1 The Council will seek, in accordance with Policy 68, to secure on-site provision of open space, where appropriate, in order to serve the needs of the new community and create an attractive living environment. The precise type of on-site provision required will depend on the size and location of the proposal and the existing open space provision in the area. Where possible additional open space should be designed into the scheme. It is the Council’s preference that Open Space provided through S.106 agreements be provided on-site.
(1) 5.6.2 Standards for provision – Requirements will be calculated using the open space standards set out in Appendix I of the Cambridge Local Plan 2014: Propose Submission (and Table 2 below). The Open Space and Recreation Strategy 2011 (and any subsequent updates) gives further guidance on specific requirements for the provision of open space, including in relation to catchments areas, existing areas of deficiency and the design of new open space provision.
Table 2: Open Space Standards
| Type of open space | Standard |
|---|---|
| Provision for children and teenagers | 0.3 hectares per 1,000 people |
| Informal open space | 2.2 hectares per 1,000 people |
When the standards should be applied
5.6.3 The standards are applicable to residential units created as a result of development, regardless of whether they result from new build or conversions. Certain types of housing will not always need to meet the full standard.
5.6.4 Provision will not be required in the following exceptions:
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Provision for children and teenagers will not be sought for those parts of developments consisting of one bedroom units.
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The standards do not apply to nursing homes within class C2.
5.6.5 The open space requirement for specialist housing will be considered on its own merits, taking into account the needs arising from that development.
5.6.6 For each type of open space and recreation provision the following should be taken into account:
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The size and character of the proposed development;
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Townscape considerations;
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Its location in relation to adjacent housing and existing open space; and
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Opportunities for creating open space and recreation provision nearby.
5.6.7 The standards are based on specific types of open space. However consideration should be given to including other types of open space and recreation provision and these could help to meet the standards. Where there are deficiencies in certain types of open space provision in the area surrounding a proposed development, the Council will seek variations in the component elements to be provided by the developer in order to overcome them.
How the standards should be applied on-site
(1) 5.6.8 The amount of land required to meet the standard will be calculated for each type of open space or sports provision. This is done by calculating the number of new residents arising from new development. The number of people will be taken from the information provided in the design and access statement for the planning application. The design and access statement will provide the indicative number of bedspaces/residents in order to meet the requirements of Policy 50: Residential Space Standards of the Cambridge Local Plan 2014: Proposed Submission. For student housing and houses in multiple occupation, the number of people to be accommodated will be used.
5.6.9 It is acknowledged that the smaller the site the less opportunities there are likely to be to practically provide the full range of open space requirements as set out in Appendix I of the Cambridge Local Plan 2014: Proposed Submission (and Table 2 above).
(1) 5.6.10 It is also acknowledged that once CIL has been adopted, the ability to pool financial contributions from planning obligations will be restricted to five obligations per project or type of infrastructure. The restriction on pooling will restrict the Council’s ability to fund open space through financial contributions. This emphasises the need for development proposals to meet their open space requirements on site.
(1) 5.6.11 In light of this, the Council is keen to explore, in the first instance, the opportunity to deliver some form of on-site open space no matter what size of scheme is proposed.
5.6.12 Informal Open Space - The expectation is that some form of open space will be delivered on-site on all developments. On smaller developments examples of this could be hard landscaping, a sandpit, a barbeque area, a bench and a tree or basic shrubbery, etc. items which collectively are easy to maintain. Opportunities should also be sought on all developments to provide small areas of natural and semi-natural greenspace (e.g. soft surfaces for jogging, sitting out or dog walking).
5.6.13 While it is acknowledged that it will not be possible to deliver amenity greenspace (informal playspace used for kickabout and casual playspace) on some smaller developments, it should be considered on all developments of 25 dwellings and over. Provision may also be required on developments of less than 25 dwellings subject to design and context considerations.
5.6.14 On larger developments, for example 100 dwellings or more, larger types of informal open space, such as urban parks and gardens and larger areas of natural green space, should be considered.
(1) 5.6.15 Provision for Children and Teenagers – While it is acknowledged that it will not be possible to deliver Local Areas for Play (LAPs - small age appropriate equipped play areas) on some smaller developments, LAPs should be considered on-site on all developments of 10 dwellings and over. Provision may be required on developments of less than 10 dwellings subject to design and context considerations.
(2) 5.6.16 Locally Equipped Areas for Play (LEAP)(kickabout areas, adventure playgrounds), should be considered on-site on all developments of 50 dwellings and over. Provision may be required on developments of less than 50 dwellings subject to design and context considerations.
5.6.17 Neighbourhood Equipped Areas for Play (NEAP)(Multi-use games area, skate park, bike park) and Youth Space should be provided on-site as part of larger developments of 100 units or more. Provision may be required on developments of less than 50 dwellings subject to design and context considerations.
(1) 5.6.18 Maintenance of on-site provision – In respect of open space provided on-site as part of a development, arrangements will need to be made for its maintenance and management, including the costs of replacing worn out or damaged equipment.
(1) 5.6.19 The Council will not normally consider adopting an area of informal open space that is less than 300m2 in size or adopting provision for children and teenagers that is less than 100m2 in size. Where open space provided as part of a development does not meet the threshold required by the City Council for adoption, the developer should provide a strategy for the future management and maintenance of that open space.
5.6.20 Where the thresholds for adoption are met maintenance fees will normally involve the payment of a commuted sum to the Council based on the cost of maintenance and management for a period of 12 years, although there may be instances where the circumstances of a particular site require a contribution calculated on a longer period where there is sufficient justification. Maintenance fees for informal open space and provision for children and teenagers are set out below.
(2) 5.6.21 Maintenance of informal open space – Maintenance costs will be calculated based on the following standards. It should be noted that maintenance fees for large scale complex applications may need to be negotiated on a case by case basis.
Table 3 – Maintenance of informal open space
| Function/Description of works | 12 Year Maintenance Fee | 12 year replacement cost5 |
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| Furniture - Big Belly solar compactor bin/unit |
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| Furniture - Bollards/Drop bollards/unit |
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| Furniture - Bow Top Steel Fence/linear metre |
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| Furniture - Cycle Racks/unit |
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| Furniture - Direction Sign/unit |
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| Furniture - Dog bins/unit |
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| Furniture – Country Gate - self-closing mechanism/unit |
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| Furniture - Historic city bench/unit |
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| Furniture - Wooden bench (play areas)/unit |
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| Furniture - Steel bench/unit |
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| Furniture - Wooden bin/unit |
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| Furniture - Metal Bin/unit |
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| Furniture - Litter bins |
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| Furniture - Steel flowers bench (play areas)/unit |
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| Furniture - Information Signs/unit |
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| Furniture - Metal 70x70mm steel horizontal rail/linear m |
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| Furniture – Noticeboard/unit |
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| Furniture - Street Lighting/unit |
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| Furniture - Steel seat /unit |
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| Furniture - Wooden Knee Rail Fencing/m |
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| Furniture - Wybone Royal Parks & Ipswich (Wheely) bin |
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| Grass - Amenity (boxed) up to 20mm/100m2 |
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| Grass - Amenity (unboxed) up to 50mm/100m2 |
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| Grass - Bulb Planted/100m2 |
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| Grass - Meadow collect/100m2 |
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| Grass - Ornamental/100m2 |
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| Grass - Rough Cut 75mm to 200mm Non collect/100m2 |
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| Hard Surface - Block Paving – Concrete/m2 |
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| Hard Surface - Elastomeric Tech aggregate |
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| Hard Surface - Feature Paving – Clay/Granite/m2 |
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| Hard Surface - herbicide spraying/1500lm |
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| Hard surface – hoggin including installations/m2 |
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| Hard Surface - Macadam Path/m2 |
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| Hard Surface - Resin bound aggregate (KBI) |
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| Hard Surface - Self-binding gravel/m2 |
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| Hedge - Formal formative prune |
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| Hedge - Informal Box shaped |
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| Hedge - Rural |
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| Litter and Dog bin emptying |
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| Litter picking |
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| Monitoring – Bat boxes |
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| Monitoring – Bird boxes |
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| Shrubs - Amenity excluding herbaceous/100m2 |
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| Shrubs - Amenity including herbaceous/100m2 |
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| Shrubs - Ornamental predominately – Herbaceous/10m2 |
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| Shrubs - Rose Bed maintenance/100m2 |
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| Trees - from 90cm to Extra Heavy Std - Watering required /unit |
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| Trees - from 90cm upto Extra Heavy Std - No Watering/unit |
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| Trees upto 90cm - Plantation/Buffer/ Screen - Watering & Mulch/100m2 |
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| Trees upto 90cm - Watering required and mulching/unit |
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5.6.22 Maintenance of provision for children and teenagers – Commuted sums for the maintenance and replacement costs for the provision for children and teenagers are to be calculated as follows based on recently agreed planning obligations:
Table 4 – Maintenance of play space for children and teenagers
| Facility | Standard for provision |
12 year Maintenance Fee |
12 year replacement cost |
|---|---|---|---|
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Local Areas of Play (LAPs), Locally Equipped Areas of Play (LEAP’s), Neighbourhood Equipped Areas of Play (NEAP’s) and Youth Space |
0.3ha/000 people |
£109/person (£362/m2) (This figure is based on a LAP of 100m2 in area with at least 4 pieces of equipment for younger children costing £36,200 to maintain for 12 years) |
LAP - £15,000 LEAP - £30,000 - £60,000 NEAP - £60,000 - £90,000 |
5.6.23 Maintenance contributions will be index linked to the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS) and take account of any increases in the index during the time period that elapses from the adoption of the SPD and the date the maintenance fee is due to be paid.
5.7 Provision of open space via financial contributions in lieu of on-site provision
(1) 5.7.1 In accordance with Policy 68 of the Cambridge Local Plan 2014: Proposed Submission it is only in exceptional cases that financial contributions would be deemed acceptable in lieu of on-site provision. This can only apply in the following circumstances:
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If the proposed development would be of insufficient size in itself to make the appropriate provision feasible within the site (in accordance with the open space standards); or
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In exceptional circumstances , if taking into account the accessibility/capacity of existing open space sites/facilities and the circumstances of the surrounding area the open space needs of the proposed residential development can be met more appropriately by providing either new or enhanced provision off-site.
5.7.2 Where a financial contribution is deemed to be acceptable the open space standards outlined in Table 2 are applicable. This financial contribution will be negotiated on a case by case basis, and will be subject to the limitations of pooling funds from different schemes to one particular infrastructure improvement or provision.
(1) 5.7.3 When financial contributions are sought for the provision or improvement of open space they will be calculated using the number of persons likely to inhabit the development and the cost basis for provisions will include costs of maintenance for a 12 year period.
5 Replacement costs are based on the realistic lifecycle of equipment. Where this lifecycle is longer than 12 years a pro rata rate is applied.
