It failed to recognise, however, that it’s not only rural folk who like to look at trees and grass. People who live in densely built areas need green spaces too. Unfortunately, though, the government’s policy makes the existing open spaces on urban estates into prime targets for development; and local people will often readily accept this when vandalism and fly-tipping have left the spaces apparently fit for little else.
Some community groups in built-up areas, however, are standing up for their right to preserve the spaces around their homes and transforming wastelands, tips, derelict buildings and vandalised playgrounds into green areas and play spaces.
Local authorities, housing associations and private companies can provide help in the form of services, and funds are available from a variety of sources (see “Greener doorsteps”, right, and case studies, page 34).
The Countryside Agency’s Millennium Green programme has reflected and aided these aspirations for the past six years. Funded by the Millennium Commission and the Countryside Agency, it has created 250 areas of permanent public open space in both urban and rural locations. Although that programme has now come to an end, its successor is already making an impact.
Doorstep Green grants, provided by the Countryside Agency and the New Opportunities Fund, are aimed specifically at helping pay for green space in areas of social and economic disadvantage. The grants provide up to 70% of the cost and are awarded to community groups in two stages: the first to pay for planning the green space and the second to make it reality.
To date the programme has awarded 105 grants to communities to develop plans, and six to create green spaces. Applicants have to go through rigorous scrutiny and form-filling in order to win a grant but that is scant deterrent, says Gareth Lawler, Doorstep Green’s adviser with the Countryside Agency in the north-west of England. “Communities are hearing about us through their local authority or their community liaison officer and the response has been overwhelming,” he says.
So far, Doorstep Green projects have had strong community backing – something that was found to be vital to the success of green space creation projects during the Millennium Green programme. “We’re generally finding that the community has been waiting for an opportunity to do this,” says Lawler. “They don’t lack enthusiasm. If anything it is a matter of tempering it.”
New life for an old breathing space
Iona Lyons used to be a community development worker with the Belle Isle Estate Management Board, the tenant-led body which manages an estate in Hunslet, south Leeds. She tapped into a variety of grants and services which are helping the group revamp a 100 m by 200 m wasteland in the middle of the estate (see Belle Isle, page 34) and says: “There’s money awash for projects like this.”
The space is surrounded by homes owned by the council, Leeds Federated Housing Association and North British Housing Association. The plot was designed to be one of the city’s breathing spaces but had become a popular fly-tipping spot and a joyriders’ hangout.
“The board had so many complaints about it,” says Lyons. “We’d known for a long time that people didn’t like it – it’s mentioned in meeting minutes back in 1997.”
The board carried out consultation and preparation work with the help of a number of partners, and therefore didn’t need to apply for a first-stage Doorstep Green grant. It worked with environmental organisation Groundwork Leeds, which carried out consultation work with the community, looking at potential uses like a skateboarding park – an idea which was eventually abandoned. Paid from the grant, council’s landscaping department drew up designs for the space.
The project team put a lot of effort into making sure the revamped space won’t end up full of litter and joyriders again: logs are being used to prevent cars getting in and to provide an informal play area for children. “We did have a play area before, but it got trashed,” says Lyons. “With this plan we’ve tried to keep it simple.” Teenagers were consulted about the design in recognition that this age group is seldom considered in the provision of play space even though they can be its greatest threat, through vandalism. The new space will therefore cater for older children with football and basketball areas.
Lyons hopes final funding will be in place to allow the project to begin early next year, when landscaping work will be carried out by a contractor.
Sadly, though, the city council has only made the green space available to the Belle Isle community on a 25-year lease. The community hopes to renew the lease at the end of that period, but the land has been earmarked for future residential development.
Community focal point
Another green space project is under way in the village of Kirkby Thore in Penrith, Cumbria. There, Sandersons Croft Residents Association won the largest ever Doorstep Green second-stage grant: £118,455. Roy Richardson, association secretary, sees this as “recognition of the achievements so far”.
The residents’ proposal will see an area comprising grassland, run-down garages
and three empty houses replaced with a landscaped green space. It will be a focal point for the community, with a sheltered meeting area, play areas for children and seating for the elderly.
The makeover goes hand-in-hand with regeneration activity on the surrounding estate, which consists of privately-owned homes and properties in the hands of Eden Housing Association. Eden has been refurbishing homes on the estate and will demolish the derelict houses and garages that are to be replaced by the green space.
The Doorstep Green grant does not cover play equipment, so the community has obtained backing from Barclays Bank to allow it to add these finishing touches; Eden also stepped in, helping to find landscape architect Gillian Capstick.
The residents’ association is setting up a separate company, limited by guarantee, to manage the project and voluntary groups Voluntary Action Cumbria and Eden Council Voluntary Services are helping to organise the revamp. Children from a local school are designing ceramic wall tiles and community volunteers are planting, cutting grass, weeding and litter-picking. “Some of the work will be voluntary – we’re looking for help for work like earthmoving – but some will be tendered,” says Richardson.
“This is just one element in a series of measures to lift the community,” he adds. And yes, green space is just one element of the regeneration of our towns and cities, but it’s essential, as all communities that have lost their little pieces of green and pleasant land would doubtless agree.
Greener Doorsteps
The Doorstep Green programme is accepting applications until December. It offers two forms of grant aid:Belle Isle Estate
WhereHunslet, south Leeds
Community group
Belle Isle Estate Management Board
The site
wasteland plagued by fly-tipping and joyriding and used as a site compound during estate improvement works
The future
five-a-side football pitch, basketball rings, log play area
Doorstep Green grant
£99,840
Other help
£22,170 from Single Regeneration Budget, £41,167 from the Community Involvement Team; Leeds Federated Housing Association has donated work hours. The community is applying for a Green Leeds grant to help raise its total project cost of £245,000.
Kirkby Thore Village
WherePenrith, Cumbria
Community group
Sandersons Croft Residents Association
The site
grassland, 12 run-down garages, three empty houses and grassland; there was play equipment but it had to be removed because it had become old and unsafe
The future
a central sheltered meeting area, playground, a log-step activity area for children, quiet seating areas for the elderly, wild flower planted area
Doorstep Green grant
£118,455
Other help
£20,500 from Eden Housing Association, £10,000 from Barclays Bank; the community is doing a lot of the labour itself.
Source
Housing Today
No comments yet