frome open spaces survey · 2014. 10. 15. · frome open space survey page 2 version 1 june 2014 1...
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Frome Open Spaces Survey Identification and Protection of Public Open Space in Frome, Somerset
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CONTENTS
!"#$%#$&'1! INTRODUCTION......................................................................................2!2! PROTECTIVE MECHANISMS.................................................................3!3! FROME OPEN SPACES SURVEY..........................................................8!4! ACTIONS TO SAFEGUARD TOP PRIORITY SITES............................15!5! CONCLUSIONS.....................................................................................25!6! APPENDICES ........................................................................................26!
Appendix 1: Sites Identified in the Frogs Survey ............................................27!Appendix 2: Other Sites Identified ..................................................................28!Appendix 3: Map of All Identified Sites ..........................................................29!Appendix 4: Prioritisation Results ..................................................................30!
Frome Open Space Survey Page 2 Version 1 June 2014
1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Frome Save Open Spaces (SOS) is an independent group established to
protect open spaces in Frome. Across the town there is a network of open
green spaces which are used and loved by local people. These spaces are of
enormous value: they help form the character and identity of Frome; they
provide important open spaces for people to relax, exercise and spend time
outside; and they provide vital habitat and corridors for wildlife. Whilst some
sites are locally important others also add significantly to the character of the
town and ought to be preserved as Frome grows.
1.2 Because these spaces are so important, SOS want to ensure that they are
given as much protection as possible to be used and loved as community
spaces in perpetuity. This project was therefore established to understand how
the protection processes work, what evidence is needed to apply for protection
and how applications can be made. These mechanisms include Assets of
Community Value, Village Green application, Rights of Way and Access Land.
1.3 There are many sites of all sizes in and around Frome and it is not necessary
or feasible for a small group to protect all of them. A way of focussing effort on
the really important sites is therefore needed, and a prioritisation process has
been developed to provide a more objective assessment of the importance of
the identified open spaces.
1.4 The aims of this first part of the project are to:
• Understand the mechanisms and procedures for protecting open spaces
• Work with relevant partners to identify and map all appropriate open spaces in Frome
• Prioritise and identify how each site can be protected and plan for making these applications
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2 PROTECTIVE MECHANISMS Common Land
2.1 Common land should be open and accessible to the public, and the law
restricts the kind of works that can be carried out on commons. Registers of
common land are held by the Commons Registration Authorities, generally the
county council or unitary authority for the area. Commons in the Frome area
are registered by Somerset County Council.
2.2 There are no registered commons in the parish of Frome according to the
compiled spreadsheet produced by DEFRA1.
2.3 The Commons Act 2006 established a mechanism by which the registers could
be amended and new commons added. A pilot scheme was introduced in a
few areas to assess implementation of the process of registering new
commons but this section of the Act has not been implemented across
England. A statement from DEFRA in January 20142 announced that it will be
brought into force in North Yorkshire and Cumbria but not elsewhere until
“resources allow”. However, the section allowing correction and removal of
common land from the registers is being enacted across England, from October
2014.
2.4 Registration as common land is therefore unlikely to be a mechanism for
protecting open space in Frome for the foreseeable future.
Town and Village Greens 2.5 Town and Village Greens (there is no legal distinction) are a special type of
common land which can be designated under the Commons Act. Such
designation has been frequently used by local groups to prevent proposed
1 Database of Common Land in England, downloaded from https://www.gov.uk/common-land-management-protection-and-registering-to-use on 10 January 2014
2 Commons Act 2006 Implementation Update No 28, downloaded from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/270537/cla-imp-update-201401.pdf on 10 January 2014
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development and legislation and guidance for registering village greens has
been rapidly changing over the past few months following the Growth and
Infrastructure Act 2013 which modified the Commons Act 2006. These
changes are summarized in recent3 guidance.
2.6 Applications are made to Somerset County Council and need to be
accompanied by evidence that the area has been in use for at least 20 years by
the public for recreational purposes without “permission, force or secrecy”.
Registration of town and village greens can now only be accepted where there
is no current planning application and a period of only one year is allowed after
public access is prevented in which to make an application.
2.7 This therefore presents a possible way to protect open space but only in a
proactive way. As soon as a planning application is made for development on
the land then it cannot be used. Suitable areas identified in the project should
therefore be considered for urgent action, particularly if a future planning
application is possible.
2.8 There are currently considerable delays in obtaining Town and Village Green
status. Somerset County Council is not resourcing the processing of
applications and there is currently a three year backlog before they are even
considered. This is unlikely to improve in the near future, but applying for
Town and Village Green status might be of benefit in some cases. Submitting
a large number of applications is not likely to be successful, and a measured
approach, identifying areas in particular need, is more likely to ultimately bear
fruit. Reference to the Mendip Open Space Study4, which specifically
recognized a deficit in large open space in the south-west of the town, might
also be helpful.
Local Green Space Designation
3 DEFRA Guidance “Town and village greens: how to register” last updated 14th March 2014 and available at https://www.gov.uk/town-and-village-greens-how-to-register
4 Mendip District Council Open Space Study, Jun 2012.
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2.9 There is an alternative means of protecting land through the planning system.
The new Local Green Space designation empowers local communities to
protect green spaces of local importance without the need to meet strict
statutory criteria. Sites may be designated for a variety of reasons, including
their setting, nature conservation benefits, or their quietness.
2.10 Guidance in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) suggest the Local
Green Space designation will not be appropriate for most green areas or open
space. The designation should only be used:
• where the green space is in reasonably close proximity to the community it serves;
• where the green area is demonstrably special to a local community and holds a particular local significance, for example because of its beauty, historic significance, recreational value (including as a playing field), tranquillity or richness of its wildlife; and
• where the green area concerned is local in character and is not an extensive tract of land.
2.11 Local communities are able to identify green spaces through their local and
neighbourhood plans, which will then receive protection equivalent to Green
Belt, ruling out new development other than in very special circumstances.
Consideration within the local planning process will ensure that the new
designation will complement and not undermine investment in homes, jobs and
other essential services.
2.12 This mechanism may therefore be of use in protecting small special areas in
urban settings. The current Frome Neighbourhood Plan predates this
legislative change and does not recognise this designation.
Assets of Community Value 2.13 The ability to identify important community assets is provided in the Localism
Act and is designed to help communities retain assets it feels are important. It
was intended to be principally for buildings and services such as shops and
pubs, which can have a large social impact on a small community when lost.
Land can also be designated, and it is through similar legislation on Scotland
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(the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003) that large parts of the Western Isles
have been purchased by the local community.
2.14 Under the Localism legislation, voluntary and community organisations and
parish councils can nominate an asset to be included in a ‘list of assets of
community value’. If the owner of a listed asset then wants to sell the asset a
moratorium period of six months will be triggered during which the asset cannot
be sold. This is intended to allow community groups time to develop a proposal
and raise the required capital to bid for the property when it comes onto the
open market at the end of that period.
2.15 A building or piece of land will be deemed to have community value only if:
• · The use of the land or building currently, or in the recent past, furthers the social well- being or cultural, recreational or sporting interests of the local community.
• · This use (as described above) of the building will continue to further the social well- being or interests of the local community.
• · The use of the building or land must not be deemed ‘ancillary’, i.e. of secondary purpose. This means that the use of the land or building to further social well-being or interests of the community must be its principle use.
2.16 Applications are made to the local authority ie Mendip District Council (MDC),
who maintain a list of agreed assets. MDC considers applications and decides
whether a suitable case exists for an application to be added to the list. An
application is more likely to succeed if supported (or made) by the parish
council and not made at the time of a sale.
Rights of Way 2.17 Rights of way are minor public highways that exist for the benefit of the
community at large, in much the same way as the public road network does.
They are the most widely recognised opportunity for the public to enjoy the
English countryside.
2.18 Public rights of way are identified on the “definitive map” which is maintained by
Somerset County Council as the Highway Authority. New public rights of way
can be created by a landowner, but more commonly they are brought about by
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demonstration of unimpeded public access for a period in excess of 20 years.
These paths will then be entered onto the definitive map and thereafter remain
a public right of way in perpetuity.
2.19 This process of new path creation will terminate in 2026, the deadline set under
the Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act. There is therefore a limited
period for establishment of new rights of way by this process, and where
evidence exists that a path has been in use for at least 20 years without
restriction then designation should be sought in the near future. After 2026
new rights of way can still be created, but this has to be with the agreement of
the landowner, except where a local authority exercises compulsory powers to
do so.
2.20 Those in the urban area are likely to have been in use for a clearly defined
period and could be added to the definitive map through an application to the
Highways Authority. Those across open areas would require evidence of use
for 20 years before this course can be taken. Where access to identified high
value open space is via such a path then collection of evidence has been
identified in the action plan.
Permissive Access 2.21 Permissive access to land and permissive rights of way can be created by a
landowner, usually as part of a larger agreement under the Environmental
Stewardship scheme or similar where grants are provided for environmental
management of land and public access is part of the agreement.
2.22 Such permissive rights are not permanent and could be changed or withdrawn
by the landowner at the end of the agreement. For some areas permissive
rights may provide a relatively long-term solution, though this cannot be relied
upon. Access provided through a permissive agreement would not count as
public access for a later application for a village green.
Ownership 2.23 The ultimate way of protecting a site would be to purchase it. This would bring
a number of responsibilities as a landowner and should not be taken lightly.
Ownership through a trust would avoid personal responsibility and could protect
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land in perpetuity, depending on the establishing principles of the trust
agreement. A trust would need trustees who would take responsibility for the
functioning of the trust and organize necessary maintenance and so on.
2.24 The main problem with ownership is raising the funds to purchase the land
within a short time-frame. Registering land as an asset of community value can
provide 6 months to raise funding, but it still requires a large effort and public
commitment to find the substantial sums of money involved.
2.25 A considerable amount of land is already in public ownership, by being owned
by local authorities, mainly Mendip District Council and Frome Town Council.
Whilst these areas may currently be considered safe from development a
change in political or economic circumstances could lead to some of them
being sold into private ownership. A trust set up specifically to manage public
open space in Frome could potentially be gifted local authority land to protect it
from future changes in public policy.
3 FROME OPEN SPACES SURVEY 3.1 Open land of importance to the people of Frome has been identified in two
ways.
3.2 A survey of open land by FROGS was collated and mapped. FROGS
volunteer surveys visited most open land in the built up area of Frome and
recorded for each site:
• Name and location
• Size (Large, Medium, Small or Linear)
• Current Uses and Accessibility
• Description
• Wildlife Interest
• Ownership
• Management
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• Problems
• Potential
• and any other information.
3.3 Forty two sites were identified, and these are summarized in Appendix 1. Many
of these sites are small areas left over in the development of residential areas,
and FROGS focused on these as potential play areas. Areas such as these
are unlikely to be lost to pubic access, but several other identified sites are
potentially important and at risk.
3.4 Further sites were identified at a meeting of volunteer groups and the Frome
Town Council in October 2013. These sites were collated by Frome Town
Council, together with additional sites identified by the Council itself, and are
shown in Appendix 2. These sites tend to be larger areas on the outskirts of
the town, and thus complement the smaller, more urban areas surveyed by
FROGS. There is no use or other detailed information available for the sites.
Prioritising Sites 3.5 Combining these two datasets has produced a list of 53 sites ranging from
small residential play areas to large fields on the outskirts of Frome. These are
shown in Appendix 3. It is not feasible or desirable to seek to protect all of
these sites so they need to be prioritized. This was done using a mechanical
process of assessing each identified site against agreed important criteria. An
initial prioritization has been done and is presented here. This may require
refinement to incorporate different criteria as information becomes available, or
to weight criteria differently to give particular emphasis to criteria that are
considered more important.
3.6 It will also be important to consider each site from a more subjective point of
view bearing in mind the use, attractiveness and risk of development of the
sites and considering any other information that is not captured in the
assessment (such as a covenant that prohibits development, for instance). The
initial prioritization is useful, however, in challenging agreed beliefs regarding
well-known sites and perhaps bringing other sites to the attention. These two
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methods, the objective and subjective, can then be combined to generate an
agreed priority list of sites that is based on sound justification.
Prioritisation 3.7 The aims of the project are to preserve open spaces that:
• Provide leisure, recreation and enjoyment opportunities for Frome residents
• Ensure everyone living in Frome has ready access to open spaces
• Seek to protect areas perceived to be at risk
• Focus on areas of existing or potential good environmental quality
Criteria 3.8 Measures are required for each of these attributes, and they can be weighted
so that their relative importance can be made explicit. A set of measures has
been derived through consultation, as set out below, and some notes are
provided about how they might be quantified in any future refinement.
3.9 Proximity to people: Areas that are near to dense urban areas should score
highly. This measure was accorded a double weighting to reflect its
importance. Areas that are isolated sites with few nearby alternatives are also
important so this was also chosen as a criterion. Proximity to key leisure routes
was considered important, and sites lying along the River Frome walkway and
on a “green chain” route currently proposed across the north of Frome were
also scored.
3.10 Useage: It is assumed that currently used areas are accessible with no
keep out signs, locked gates etc. Evidence of useage (public consultation
responses, surveys, FROG’s survey of usage) was used where available, and
accorded a double weighting to focus protection efforts were there is a real
need. Surveys of usage at high priority sites will be needed where this is not
currently available.
3.11 At Risk: Sites which are for sale are a high priority. Those in private
ownership are probably at higher risk, though in the longer term public sites are
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vulnerable to changes in policy and budget. Where ownership is not known it
has been classed as private. Sites which are apparently developable (eg not in
the flood plain, no rocky slopes, good access to roads or services also score
highly. Small areas in recent housing areas which are obviously part of the
Public Open Space requirement are considered not developable. Where part
of a site is not developable it is still scored if the remainder appears to be so
3.12 Quality: Sites recognised as having a high wildlife value, eg
recognized Nature reserve, meadow/high diversity area, or with a Somerset
Wildlife Trust recommendation, should be scored highly, though it is also
accepted that neglected areas can also be valuable if they are left alone. Sites
adjacent to open water, rivers, and streams tend to be highly diverse because
of the variety of habitat and are accorded a double weighting. Quality can also
be measured in term of play value (eg trees and bushes, play equipment,
natural or provided). FROGS also recognize the value of isolated areas for
young people to get away from direct adult supervision.
Weighting 3.13 Some measures are considered more important than others and the scores are
weighted. At this stage a double weighting has been given to the following
criteria:
• Proximity to dense urban areas
• Evidence of usage
• Proximity to watercourses.
3.14 Non- weighted criteria were simply scored as 1 for “yes” and 0 for “no”, and
weighted scores 2 for “yes”. The results were summed to provide an overall
score.
Results 3.15 Appendix 4 shows the results of the prioritisation assessment, using the
information available. This initial assessment suggests the sites shown in
Table 3.1 to be top priority and all have a score over 8.
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ID Name NGR %-#')! Description
FG09 The Dippy ST776472
DD!
Paths are hard surfaced with some steps Wide variety of established trees Very over-grown with nettles and brambles Open water channel runs through Main activity – walking through and dog walking Swing-rope on tree Evidence of drinking parties Short grass where grazed
FG33 Off forest Road
ST787490
DB!
A row of grassy mounts running parallel to a small brook. Alders and willows along the stream. Seat and bin at the Forest Road end.
SS06 Rodden Lake Stream Meadows
ST790482 F!
Large area used for informal recreation. Survey data available. Meadow information available
SS02 Low Water ST770489
G!
Large area adjacent to River Frome identified in FTC meeting as being well used for dog walking etc. Potential river corridor extension
SS05 Feltham Hill ST785467
G!
Large area on west bank of River Frome, upstream of urban area. Comprises floodplain and steep hillside, currently grazed by ponies. Thought to be unimproved pasture. Flood plain area identified in river corridor strtaegy as potential future country park area for Frome
FG23 Newington Close
ST775474
G!
A small fenced play area with two additional grassy patches at either end. Climbing frame and two rockers, seat and rubbish bin. For under 6 years and no ball games.
Table 3.1 Top Scoring Sites
!
3.16 The sites in Table 3.2 below all score “7” as the current system cannot easily
distinguish between them:
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ID Name NGR %-#')! Description
FG08 Welshmill to Weylands
ST776487
E!
A path along the west bank of the River Frome, that links the Weylands area to Welshmill and thus to the town centre. A mum and toddler had used the path to get access to the river
FG22 Rossiters Hill/Lower Keyford
ST775473 E!
Grass, paths, trees, hedges
FG29 Masons Way
ST766464
E!
A triangular space, with walls / fences. Rubber matting and the frame for a swing, but no swing. A bin and seat. Shrubs and a very small bit of grass. Sign – Under 14’s only, no dogs
FG35 Hawksworth Play Area
ST794490
E!
Play area with 4 swings (2 for babies) and a bin. Walled / fenced with trees along northern side. There is a seat outside but overlooking the play area. For under 14’s only
FTC01 Showfield ST784487 E!
FTC03 Rodden Meadow
ST784482 E!
Table 3.2 Sites Scoring “7”
3.17 A subjective assessment of the sites in the above two tables is required to
remove sites which are at no threat or considered inappropriate for other
reasons. This should result in a more manageable list. It is suggested that the
following sites could be removed as they are small areas within residential
developments and unlikely to be developed:
FG23 Newington Close
FG29 Masons Way
FG31 Acorn Close
FG35 Hawksworth Play Area
3.18 This then leaves the sites in Table 3.3 as a suggested list of top priority sites.
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ID Name NGR %-#')! Description
FG09 The Dippy ST776472
DD!
Paths are hard surfaced with some steps Wide variety of established trees Very over-grown with nettles and brambles Open water channel runs through Main activity – walking through and dog walking Swing-rope on tree Evidence of drinking parties Short grass where grazed
FG33 Off forest Road
ST787490
DB!
A row of grassy mounts running parallel to a small brook. Alders and willows along the stream. Seat and bin at the Forest Road end.
SS06 Rodden Lake Stream Meadows
ST790482
F!
Large area used for informal recreation. Survey data available. Meadow information available
SS02 Low Water ST770489
G!
Large area adjacent to River Frome identified in FTC meeting as being well used for dog walking etc. Potential river corridor extension
SS05 Feltham Hill ST785467
G!
Large area on west bank of River Frome, upstream of urban area. Comprises floodplain and steep hillside, currently grazed by ponies. Thought to be unimproved pasture. Flood plain area identified in river corridor strtaegy as potential future country park area for Frome
FG08 Welshmill to Weylands
ST776487
E!
A path along the west bank of the River Frome, that links the Weylands area to Welshmill and thus to the town centre. A mum and toddler had used the path to get access to the river
FG22 Rossiters Hill/Lower Keyford
ST775473 E!
Grass, paths, trees, hedges
FTC01 Showfield ST784487 E!
FTC03 Rodden Meadow
ST784482 E!
Table 3.3 Finalised Top Priority Sties
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4 ACTIONS TO SAFEGUARD TOP PRIORITY SITES 4.1 The top priority sites exhibit a wide range of features and a variety of protection
issues. Not all are in immediate danger of being lost to the community which
allows for a focus on those that may be.
4.2 A brief description of each of the priority sites and an indication of the options
for safeguarding these sites are outlined in the following pages.
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The Dippy
4.3 This large site forms an attractive area either side of a small watercourse. It is
currently owned by Mendip District Council but may be transferred to Frome
Town Council in the future. An active resident’s group is working on a
management plan and seeking to engage more closely with local inhabitants.
4.4 The site would not appear to be currently at risk. Some assistance might be
offered to the local group but otherwise it would appear that little immediate
action is required. Long term, transfer to an open space trust might be
beneficial.
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Off Forest Road
4.5 This is a linear park with a small stream to one side, owned and maintained by
Mendip DC. It is within a suburban area with few open areas and on the
proposed green chain footpath across Frome. It is therefore of considerable
value as an open space but would be difficult to develop and is unlikely to be at
risk. It could be designated in the Neighbourhood Plan as a Local Green
Space if protection is thought necessary.
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Rodden Lake Stream Meadows
photo - Western Daily Press
4.6 This large site was previously in community use but has recently been fenced
following purchase by a new owner. There is a public footpath across part of
the site, also now fenced, and parts of it have been identified as valuable
meadow habitat. A large amount of usage data exists but public access has
been prevented since the latter part of 2013.
4.7 As neither purchase nor landowner agreement is likely a village green
application would seem to be the only way to preserve community use of this
area. The size of the area, and its proximity to the Showfield, which currently
has an outstanding village green application, would make an application for the
whole site difficult to justify. However an application for a smaller area,
perhaps incorporating the fields adjacent to the Rodden Lake Meadow Stream
with have the highest habitat value, might be feasible. The closure of the site
to the public last year means there is a limited time in which to make an
application, so this should be considered urgently.
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Low Water (Whatcombe Fields)
4.8 This is a large area to the north of the town, also known as Whatcombe Fields,
some of which is within the recognised flood plain. This site is currently
proposed for auction.
4.9 The southern areas, adjacent to current housing, could potentially be auctioned
separately and purchased if funding can be acquired. This would offer the best
option for protection if achievable. The site could best be considered alongside
the nearby Waylands area as their proximity means both would be difficult to
support through a village green application.
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Feltham Hill
4.10 This site occupies the top of a hill, a steep hillside and the flood plain of the
River Frome. The lower area has been identified in the River Frome Strategy
as a potential site for a country park in view of the planned expansion of the
town to the south-west. Much of the site would be relatively difficult to develop,
but an Adderwell-style development might be possible in parts and the hill top
adjacent to existing housing is quite developable. The landowner has erected
signs to state that pubic access is permitted, though this could be withdrawn.
4.11 A longer-term solution may be for purchase of the lower-lying parts of the site
by the town council for the proposed country park. Meanwhile a watching brief
is recommended to ensure threats to the current public access, including
potential sale, are monitored.
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Welshmill to Waylands
4.12 Parts of this site are close to the River Frome but the general level is no lower
than the nearby disused works site which is currently under development, and
the site is not in the recognized flood plain. The River Frome walkway passes
through the site, adjacent to the river in a deep channel. The area is adjacent
to housing and is used for leisure activities. The ownership of the site is not
known, but it is clearly regularly maintained. Ownership and ought to be
determined to establish if the site is likely to be at risk. If so, purchase or a
village green application could be considered, the latter supported by evidence
gathering. Either this site or the Low Water (Whatcombe) site should be
considered for a village green application to provide open space in the part of
the town, but it would be difficult to justify both areas.
4.13 An alternative might be to pursue a Green Open Space designation within the
Neighbourhood Plan. Though the site is quite large for this designation it could
be claimed to have an element of tranquillity due to its proximity to the
watercourse.
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Rossiter’s Hill/Lower Keyford
4.14 This is a small site adjoining an old development, and is grassed with two
mature trees. It is enclosed, so forming a safe play environment in an urban
area but has not play equipment. Of local significance, but the risk of
development is probably slight. No action is probably required, beyond a
watching brief, but designation in the Neighbourhood Plan as a Green Open
Space would provide protection.
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Showfield
4.15 This site is in the ownership of the Frome Agricultural Society and currently
tenanted by Mendip District Council. An application for Village Green status
has already been made by FROGS but seems unlikely to be progressed by
Somerset County Council in the near future. This would seem to defer any
potential loss of the site to the community, but a longer term contingency plan
should the application fail may be advisable.
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Rodden Meadow
4.16 This site is in the ownership of Frome Town Council and is being managed to
provide leisure and habitat uses. It is at low risk of development, owing to its
position adjacent to the River Frome. A future Town Council might be less
benign and seek to sell or develop the area but the options for development
would appear to be few. In the longer term passing the area into ownership of
a trust might be feasible.
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5 CONCLUSIONS 5.1 This report has identified a large number of open spaces actively used by the
community in Frome. These sites vary greatly in size, character and condition,
and are in both private and public ownership.
5.2 Mechanisms for preserving these sites for continued use by the community and
protecting them from development have been identified. Mostly these are
planning mechanisms such as village green status and designation as Green
Open Space within the Neighbourhood Plan but other alternatives such as
permissive agreements and outright ownership also exist.
5.3 Not all sites are at risk of development and with so many sites available in
Frome effort needs to be focussed on those sites considered the most likely to
be lost to community use.
5.4 The identified open spaces identified have been prioritised in terms of their
usage, proximity to need and degree of development risk to enable a
prioritisation of the sites and provide a focus for protection efforts.
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6 APPENDICES