Last updated: June 2024
This audit, consisting of two parts, maps all green spaces in the Doncaster borough and presents an analysis of the quality and quantity of these areas as subdivided into 88 communities in Doncaster. It aims to better understand the multi-functionality of these spaces as well as what are the leverage points to improve their quality. The first part of the audit contributes toward the evidence base required for the Local Development Framework (LDF) Sites and Policies Development Plan Document. It will also be a useful reference document complementing Core Strategy policy (CS17) providing green infrastructure. Part two of the green space audit investigated the quality and value of the sites. It allows the council to identify priority green spaces, ascertain their formal and informal intended use and allow the council to make strategic decisions on priorities and long term management. It also looks at community profile areas where provision exceeds the defined standards and investigates if green spaces in these areas are surplus to requirement. (Ref 1 & 5).
Melton Wood
Helen McCluskie, retrieved 08/24/2018
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Lakes/ponds
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- In-land wetlands, peatlands, swamps, and moors
- Community gardens and allotments
- Allotments
- Community gardens
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
- Railroad bank and track greens
- Riverbank/Lakeside greens
- Green parking lots
- Green playgrounds and school grounds
- Institutional green space
- Nature on buildings (external)
- Green roofs
- Green walls or facades
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
- Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
- Botanical gardens
- Green corridors and green belts
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Effective management
Focus
Maintenance and management of urban nature, Improved governance of green or blue areas, Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity
Project objectives
- Provide an evidence base on the quantity of green space provision in each of the areas.
- Investigate and provide evidence base for the quality and value of these areas to identify priority green spaces.
- Form the basis to identify possible correlations between health issues and access to green spaces
- Identify deficient areas based on agreed quantity standards
- Establish and agree on quantity standards and accessibility isochrones (buffers) for each relevant green space category
- Identify and update all green space, sport and recreational facilities
- Create a new open space policy layer for the Local Development Framework Proposals Map in GIS.
- Create a GIS map layer showing the accessibility buffers (all Ref 1).
Implementation activities
- Part 1 provides a comprehensive overview of the current quantity of provision of green spaces. This part is completed.
- Part 2 investigates the quality and the value of the green spaces.
- Provide a GIS map database of all green spaces in the borough, including an up-to-date a breakdown of site information by name, area (Ha), play facilities (MUGA, skate park, play area) if present, and additional site notes if required. They are organised based on a typology (e.g. green corridor, fish pond, woodland). (Reference: Green Space Audit part 1)
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Promote environmentally-sound development in and around protected areas
- Preserve and strengthen habitat connectivity
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Means for conservation governance
- Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use
- Raise public awareness
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Unknown
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Doncaster Council
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(The audit is claimed to contribute toward the evidence base required for the Local Development Framework, the spatial planning strategy that is nationally implemented in England and Wales.
(see Audit part 1)
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires all local authorities to have an up to date information based on which policy decisions are to be made. This audit can provide such a base (see Audit 1).)
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The audit is said to be a key contribution to the Core Strategy Policy (CS17) regarding green infrastructure "Providing Green Infrastructure".This statement specifically refers to the "Doncaster Council Core Strategy 2011-2018" documents (Ref 2)
Part 2 of the Green Space Audit is part of the action plan outlined in the Doncaster Green Infrastructure Strategy (Ref 3). )
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Promotion of naturalistic styles of landscape design for urban development
- Increase in protected green space areas
- Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased number of species present
- Restoration of derelict areas
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts, Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
Ref 1: Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council. (2013). Doncaster Local Development Framework: Green Space Audit (Part One A) Assessment of provision by community profile area: Evidence base.
Ref 2: Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council. (2012). Doncaster Council Core Strategy 2011-2018.
Ref 3: Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council. (2014). The Doncaster Green Infrastructure Strategy 2014-2018: Creating a Greener, healthier and more attractive borough.
Ref 4: Doncaster Council (2020) Green Space Documents. Retrieved from Source link on 19th October, 2020.
Ref 5: Doncaster Council (2020) Green Infrastructure Strategy. Retrieved from Source link on 19th October, 2020.
Ref 2: Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council. (2012). Doncaster Council Core Strategy 2011-2018.
Ref 3: Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council. (2014). The Doncaster Green Infrastructure Strategy 2014-2018: Creating a Greener, healthier and more attractive borough.
Ref 4: Doncaster Council (2020) Green Space Documents. Retrieved from Source link on 19th October, 2020.
Ref 5: Doncaster Council (2020) Green Infrastructure Strategy. Retrieved from Source link on 19th October, 2020.
Blue Bell Woods
Helen McCluskie, retrieved 08/24/2018
Thorne Moors
Helen McCluskie, retrieved 08/24/2018