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Decision details

2019 S106 Priority-Setting (Play Areas and Open Spaces)

Decision Maker: Executive Councillor for Planning, Building Control, and Infrastructure

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

Following the recent call for proposals for the 2019 S106 funding round, to assess which proposals received for improving play areas and open spaces meet the S106 selection criteria and to identify which ones should be allocated funding (subject to appropriate conditions) from the relevant S106 contributions available.

Decision:

Public Speakers

Catherine Rowland and Linda Frost addressed the Committee in support of the Consort Way play area boundary fencing and made the following comments:

 

·       Spine Road traffic was fast moving.

·       An unfenced play area left children vulnerable to moving vehicles.

·       Signage in the area was inadequate and did not prevent dogs or cyclists from using the area.

·       Older children use the play area to play football.

·       30mph signs had recently been erected in the area and local people were current engaged in getting this reduced to 20mph.

·       Fencing was needed urgently to prevent an accident.

 

Executive Councillor Response:

 

Councillor Thornburrow thanked the speakers for their comments and undertook to ask the County Council for their comments. She would also ask officers to consider this item as a priority.

 

Matter for Decision

The Council uses S106 contributions paid by developers to mitigate the impact of developments on facilities and amenities in Cambridge. In line with the arrangements agreed by the Executive Councillor in March 2019, the Council had invited proposals for improving play areas and open spaces within the city as part of its 2019 S106 funding round. Thirty applications had been received and assessed against the S106 selection criteria. The report summarised those applications and assessments and made 17 recommendations for S106 funding.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Planning Policy and Open Spaces

 

Resolved:

       i.          to allocate S106 funding to the following projects, subject to business case approval (see Section 4 and Appendix A of the Officers report for project details).

 

 

 

S106 funding types

 

Project

Play provision

Informal open space

N01

Logan’s Meadow: provide more benches and bins

-

£7.5k

N02

Bramblefields local nature reserve: more planting

-

£7.5k

N05

Arbury Court play area improvements (landscaping & equipment)

£15k

£15k

N07

Jubilee Gardens: improved access, landscaping, planting and seating

-

£40k

N08

Chestnut Grove Play Area: benches and bins

-

£7.5k

E07

Robert May Close play area: new play equipment and the replacement of two park benches

£5k

£35k

S01

Cherry Hinton Hall play area improvements: including accessible play equipment, plus landscaping

£90k

£60k

S02

Holbrook Road play area improvements (additional equipment and extra bench)

£46k

£1k

S03

Nightingale Avenue Rec Ground: new all-weather footpath between car park and community garden

-

£15k

S05

Consort Way play area (Trumpington Meadows): boundary fencing

-

£30k

WC1

Jesus Green ditch: landscaping and biodiversity improvements

-

£53k

WC2

Jesus Green: new wildflower meadow

-

£18k

WC3

Jesus Green: ecological/ educational space

-

£7k

WC4

Jesus Green barbecue area (and associated signage) plus drinking water fountain

-

£12.5k

WC5

Midsummer Common Community Orchard: drinking water fountain

 

-

£2.5k

WC6

Sheep’s Green local nature reserve: biodiversity bank improvements at Mill Pond

-

£22k

X01

Biodiversity enhancements (e.g. ‘Bee banks’) at parks in in East Chesterton, Coleridge, Trumpington & Market

-

£5k

E01

Thorpe Way Rec Ground: new footpath

 

£15k

S04

Nightingale Avenue Rec community garden: accessible polytunnel

 

£1.5k

 

 

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Development Manager.

 

The Development Manager said the following in response to Members’ questions:

       i.          The needs of elderly residents would be considered when benches were installed in Logan’s Meadow and other sites and benches with arms would be used where possible.

     ii.          Wheelchair user’s needs would be taken into account when drinking water facilities were installed.

   iii.          The budget allocation for the water fountain included wider costs such as officer time and any consultation work needed.

   iv.          Confirmed that lighting costs had been removed from a number of projects as S106 funding could only be used for capital cost and not on-going maintenance or utilities charges. This could be reconsidered at a later date for other funding sources.

    v.          Requests for litter bins that had been unsuccessful could be directed to alternative funding streams such as the next round of Environmental Improvement Projects.

   vi.          Confirmed that the definition of Informal Open Spaces for S106 purposes related to soft landscaping. Public Realm funding might be available for hard surfaces areas.

 vii.          Confirmed that the S106 pot was diminishing and that officers were endeavouring to make the most positive contribution with the reduced funds.

 

Members were disappointed that the £50,000 Informal Open Spaces funding for Chesterton Recreation Ground was being withdrawn. Officer’s confirmed that the funding for this project was not time sensitive and suggested deleting this recommendation to allow further consultation work to be completed.

 

The Committee unanimously resolved to delete recommendation (i)

De-allocate £50,000 of informal open space S106 funding for previously prioritised project for a skate park at Chesterton Recreation Ground (see paragraph 3.9);

The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendation (ii):

to allocate S106 funding to the following projects, subject to business case approval (see Section 4 and Appendix A of the Officers report for project details).

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.

Publication date: 04/10/2019

Date of decision: 25/06/2019