Testun llawn:
We are pleased to see Policy SP4 of the LDP states development will be required to follow Placemaking principles. This intention is followed through successfully in Policy PGD1 – Creating well designed and inclusive spaces. Yet we do not feel ‘providing high quality multi-functional green open spaces which can provide a choice and range of activities..’ goes far enough to promote the range of options available to promote well designed and inclusive spaces. We feel that the promotion of active and healthy lifestyles needs some reference at this juncture as to how this might be achieved. The need to create ‘safe, accessible, integrated, inclusive and active environments that make efficient use of land and promote opportunities for active travel, and promote sustainable transport choice’s' needs more robust wording to back it up. The reference in the explanatory text to walking cycling and safe play needs to be enhanced to discuss opportunities for incoming to communities to gather outdoors, to socialise, to grow, to eat and to plan their healthy lifestyles together. Maximising opportunities of walking, cycling and play to reduce the causes of ill health, and reducing health inequalities is something we as planners, have been trying to do for generations. We need to go further. More explanation of what a healthy environment looks like would be appreciated. We must design spaces with more dynamism, with a variety spaces and opportunities that communities can gain ownership of.
Where housing need is significant and indeed where viability of site delivery is a factor, smaller, more effective spaces, can be delivered at little cost and with the opportunity for community ‘ownership’ from the outset. Blank canvass, small areas for growing of food, commensurate to the size of development can achieve huge amounts in terms of promoting active and healthy lifestyles. Where there is a mix of uses, local businesses can become involved in the spaces through sponsorship, donations, gaining extra customers and receiving food to cook or sell. This type of place making can deliver true ‘green infrastructure’. They are indeed - high quality multi-functional green spaces which can provide a choice and range of activities, including play, that also deliver enhanced biodiversity and flood mitigation and are designed to be resilient to climate change and adaptable overtime.
