Good news for Central Park

The council says that Central Park is to be earmarked as "strategic green spaces" -

Plans for housing and a garden centre near Central Park has been dropped.

( This will stop Brent encroaching onto the park)

Full report on parks

A new cycling circuit, a cricket pitch, and millions of pounds of investment are planned for Plymouth's parks and green spaces in proposals revealed by the council.

Plans for housing and a garden centre near Central Park have also been scrapped - along with the planned Gypsy and travellers site in St Budeaux.

Staddiscombe playing fields will also be explanded and new country parks are planned in Saltram, Sherford, Derriford, the Plym Valley and Woolwell.

Councillors say they want to protect the city's open spaces and "strike an appropriate balance" between the need for building houses and while making sure there is enough green space.

Thousands of hectares of green space will be protected from development through the council's 'Joint Local Plan' after a consultation with communities.

Some of the key plans are:

Dropping planned housing on the edge of Central Park and a commercial garden nursery at the Council depot in favour of a £12 million investment in improvements in the park which could see a new cricket pitch.
At Boringdon, a 49-acre site that a developer wanted to build on is being put forward for strategic green space to include plans for a cycling circuit
The popular Staddiscombe playing fields are to be expanded.
Land at Mowhay Road, St Budeaux, which was earmarked as a possible gypsy and traveller site, is to be set aside as a community green space, alongside an area for housing and other uses.

 A number of separate sites put forward for housing developments in Tamerton Foliot are no longer planned.

Councillor Patrick Nicholson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Housing, Transport, and Planning said: "I'm really excited by what we've achieved here. There have been a lot of intense discussions about the need to look after our environment and we've listened to those who use our parks and our open spaces.

"I believe this plan brings forward the strongest set of green spaces policies we have ever had – ensuring generations to come can benefit from these green spaces.

"Green space is as important to a city's growth and how its citizens feel as providing new homes and jobs. Places such as Central Park are hugely important in the daily lives of so many people. Not only are we dropping some development proposals, we are making active plans to improve the offer we have.

"This includes the Council bringing forward over £14 million investment in our green spaces in the next five years."

Six areas in Plymouth will be 'strategically' protected

The council says that six sites, covering 1,900 hectares of land, are to be earmarked as "strategic green spaces" - meaning that they will be protected for recreational and wildlife benefits.

One is Central Park - the other five are:

Saltram Countryside Park.
Sherford Community Park – a new park to be delivered as part of the new community. Features to include a community farm, significant tree planting and an extensive network of recreational routes.
Derriford Community Park – a new park with significant wildlife and heritage assets will be opened up to the public more and become a significant recreational resource in the north of the city.
Plym Valley – extensive landscape, wildlife and recreational area with new recreational routes delivered and its important heritage and wildlife protected.
Woolwell Community Park – a new park to be delivered as part of the new community to create a landscape buffer to the wider countryside.

The plan also outlines protection for over 700 hectares on the fringes of the city to protect sensitive landscape on the edge of Plymouth. A further 150 smaller sites will be protected as Local Green Spaces – many of these have been nominated by local communities and will enjoy the same protection as green belt.

Taken from Brent Hearld

Thanks for that Tg, and that could be excellent news. But I haven't seen any reference to the possible building desires by Holdsworth St at the Post office sorting end of the park.
Green spaces is a recent new source of funding for councils and others, and just maybe there's a bit of good news amongst all the crap.
I was volunteering at the weekend, helping plant a community 200m edible hedge in the park. Far more worthwhile than picking up Jim's litter for him.

fantastic news

I thought this was the only housing planned for the park

I hoping to make the next meeting of FOCP.

Do you know how the crocuses that were planted by the friends are fairing?

No, but I bet they're flowering. Mine are

TG.

AAP included row of houses down Peverell Park rd from reds sloped entrance where Co op stands.

Had a mooch about the area whilst youngest was in Goals last night. Needs a plan for old cricket pitch and PCC depot  pretty soon.

The old cricket pitch lease is still with Paul Stapleton, Gill and Dennerley?

Tgwu wrote:

The old cricket pitch lease is still with Paul Stapleton, Gill and Dennerley?

not dennerley anymore as he is brown bread.

Angry wrote:

Tgwu wrote:

The old cricket pitch lease is still with Paul Stapleton, Gill and Dennerley?

not dennerley anymore as he is brown bread.

It was with them during HHP wors.

Closer look at the "plymouth green speces" map on PCC bag'o link
shows the old cricket pitch, Goals, the PCC Depot, Home Park and HHP and the vets pizza slice as unprotected by this move.

Good news relayed from the horse's mouth today. The wisted wrap around housing down at the bottom  sorting office end of the park by Holdsworth St and Wake St is NOT going to happen in the near future... at least 10 years. So that's that for the time being.