Last updated: October 2021
A government funding scheme was announced to benefit urban areas with few green spaces. (2) After extensive consultation with local residents, trees were chosen to minimise shade and leaf litter. White Rose Residents Association won a competition against ten other bids from around West Yorkshire to secure a £10,000 grant for the trees. The Government fund provided to the Cardinals White Rose Residents Association was used to buy and plant 15 mature trees, which were picked for their year-round colour. (1)
The Cardinal Pocket Park (1)
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Parks and urban forests
- Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
- Community gardens and allotments
- Community gardens
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social interaction
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
Focus
Creation of new green areas
Project objectives
To increase the availability of green space in order to draw more people outside, giving resident more space to relax, get together with neighbours, grow food and provide a safe space for children to play. (2) After extensive consultation with local residents trees with an upright habit was chosen to minimise shade and leaf litter. (1)
Implementation activities
The Cardinal Pocket Park was earmarked for a neglected former allotment site on the Cardinals Estate in Beeston. It included the installation of raised beds for the community to plant up with flowers and vegetables. (2) Meanwhile the White Rose Residents Association used £10,000 of the funding to buy and plant 15 mature trees, which were picked for their year round colour. (1)
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Citizens or community group
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
- Co-management/Joint management
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The Cardinals White Rose Residents Association won a competition against ten other bids from around West Yorkshire to secure a £10,000 grant for a row of Himalayan Birches trees to be planted in Cardinal Square, with rest used for other features. (1, 2, 3) It was one of five Leeds community groups to have been awarded a share of a £1.5 million Government fund to transform neglected urban spaces into ‘pocket parks.’ (2) The funding was called TD Green Streets. (1)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(The funding for the project was announced by Communities secretary Greg Clark to benefit urban areas with few green spaces, delivering on the government’s manifesto commitment to deliver pocket parks across the UK. (5) The Communities Secretary Greg Clark said the availability of green space draws more people outside, giving resident more space to relax, get together with neighbours, grow food and provide a safe space for children to play. (2) This programme was cited in the Conservative government's 2015 policy manifesto as a plan to protect and build "small areas of inviting public space where people can enjoy relief from the hustle and bustle of city streets". (7))
... a local policy or strategy?
No
Financing
Total cost
€10,000 - €50,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public national 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
- Increased green space area
- Restoration of derelict areas
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved social cohesion
- Improved access to urban green space
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
Yes
References
(1) Morton, Jeremy. (2016). New trees take root in the Cardinals. Source link [Accessed 7 October 2020]
(2) Yorkshire Evening Post. (2016). New ‘pocket parks’ to boost recreation in Leeds. [Website unavailable in 2020]
(3) SouthLeedsLife. (2016). Event: Cardinal Residents Association (Beeston). [Website unavailable in 2020]
(4) BBC. (2016). 'Pocket parks' plan for unloved spaces in Leeds'. [Website unavailable in 2020]
(5) Department for Communities and Local Government. (2016). Green light given to over 80 pocket parks. Source link [Accessed 7 October 2020]
(6) Collings, Noel. (2016). Report to: Transport Committee: Date: 1 July 2016: Subject: Green Infrastructure Refresh. [Document attached]
(7) Conservative Party. (2015). THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY MANIFESTO 2015. [Document attached]
(2) Yorkshire Evening Post. (2016). New ‘pocket parks’ to boost recreation in Leeds. [Website unavailable in 2020]
(3) SouthLeedsLife. (2016). Event: Cardinal Residents Association (Beeston). [Website unavailable in 2020]
(4) BBC. (2016). 'Pocket parks' plan for unloved spaces in Leeds'. [Website unavailable in 2020]
(5) Department for Communities and Local Government. (2016). Green light given to over 80 pocket parks. Source link [Accessed 7 October 2020]
(6) Collings, Noel. (2016). Report to: Transport Committee: Date: 1 July 2016: Subject: Green Infrastructure Refresh. [Document attached]
(7) Conservative Party. (2015). THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY MANIFESTO 2015. [Document attached]