1. Strategaeth Mannau Agored Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil Open Space Strategy

2. Why an Open Space Strategy?
We need to be able to ensure we have enough green space for recreational benefits and that we are managing and maintaining its level of use for the health and well-being of all.
To inform and help interpret the Council’s local development plan (LDP) policies relating to the provision of open space in new developments and the protection of existing open space.

3. Which guidance have we used?
‘Open space strategies – Best practice guidance’ prepared by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE)

4. What does an Open Space Strategy Do?
Establishes a framework for how the Council intends to go about managing and maintaining the provision of open space
Uses local definitions of open space to help understand supply, demand and need for open space
Analyses provision and makes recommendations for a programme of action to improve the situation

5. We looked at legislation and policies that would help identify and shape the key functions, characteristics and management of open spaces within the local area
Planning (Wales) Act 2015 Revises previous planning legislation making it appropriate to Wales needs The Well Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 Improving the social, economic, environmental and cultural well being of Wales Environment (Wales) Act 2016 Public Authorities must seek to maintain and enhance biodiversity so far as consistent with the proper exercise of their functions and in so doing promote the resilience of ecosystems

6. We looked at some of the key characteristics of the area:
Some of the worst statistics on poverty in Wales and the UK
Significant historic development as an iron and coal settlement with it associated residual infrastructure and a large under utilised land bank
Cultural identity owes much to the era of early exploitation and latter developments of concentrated urban expansion
A unique geology
Dramatic landscape consisting of a matrix of man made and natural habitats, some high quality others very poor urban / fringe etc.

7. We looked at how our open spaces are currently managed:
Current maintenance is often reactive rather than proactive
Operations performed are often unnecessary while more deserving actions are often overlooked
A dwindling financial resource
Lack of prioritisation in the management of open spaces or management plans
More spaces to manage than is practical or resources allow

8. What is kind of Open Space?
Eight types of locally important open spaces were identified: allotments and community growing space amenity greenspace children and young people’s play space civic space green leisure corridors multifunctional green space natural/semi natural greenspace outdoor sports areas and pitches public parks and gardens

9. We looked at how each type of open space is distributed across all the wards by carrying out an on site audit

16. Results from site surveys

17. Distribution of Public Parks and Gardens

18. Distribution of Allotment Gardens

19. Distribution of Civic Space

20. Distribution of natural /semi natural greenspace

21. Distribution of outdoor sports area /pitches

22. Distribution of green leisure corridors and trails

23. Distribution of amenity greenspace

24. Distribution of children and young persons play space

25. Spaces with high nature conservation value

26. Spaces receiving vandalism/anti-social behaviour

27. We asked people about how they used open space This is how we when about it………..

28. The Open Space Strategy was also branded as
‘Your Space’
and a promotional display was commissioned to generate interest and enable greater engagement.

29. We worked with Voluntary Action Merthyr Tydfil (VAMT) (an umbrella organisation for community organisations and charities representing the voluntary sector within Merthyr Tydfil) Public consultation involved advertisement and promotion, attendance at public events, and group and school consultations

30. Overview of public consultation exercises
11 Public events attended
5 Presentations made
6 Schools visited
4 Group consultations
12 Public buildings
Councils website questionnaire
Councillor surgeries

31. We asked people at many different venues………

32. We used questionnaires………

33. Specific groups that were considered hard to reach but necessary to hear their views were targeted for the purpose of the public consultation exercise. All schools were offered the opportunity to participate. The process used a number of preference and likes stickers to generate popular generic results.

34. We asked schools………

35. This is what we found out……………

36. How frequently do you use open space?

37. Which spaces would you like to see more of?

38. What would you like to see more of in open spaces?

39. What do you not like about open spaces?

40. We wanted to establish if there was a correlation between statistics on health, age, employment, car ownership and the availability of different types open spaces and the qualities they possess

44. In order to measure the quantity, accessibility and quality of open spaces we used nationally recognised standards and where necessary set local standards

45. Our Open Space Standards consist of:
Quantity standards: the area of open space per thousand population
Quality standards: a description of the required design and management standards, including inclusive design standards
Accessibility standards: a distance threshold that can be expected to travel to a particular type of open space

46. All our standards for open space in Merthyr Tydfil can be found in:

47. Who has access?

48. To which type of space?

49. What about the quality of our open spaces?
We used criteria adopted from the Green Flag Award scheme to set the standards for open space quality
We applied the standards to our open spaces to see how they measured up.

50. This is what we found…………..
Only 50% of the Allotments reached the quality standard
Fixed play equipment has its own national quality standard many of these spaces did not pass
None of the Amenity Green Spaces passed the quality test
Only 50% of Civic Spaces reached the quality standard
Only the Taff Trail just about reached the quality standard for Green Leisure Corridors
No Multifunctional Green Space passed the quality test
Only 50% of Natural Green Space reached the quality standard
Only 30% of Sports Pitches reached the quality standard
Only the two major public parks and gardens passed the quality standard leaving the smaller parks behind

51. What were the most common reasons for failure?
The majority of open spaces are un-welcoming, un-inviting or poorly signposted.
Virtually all spaces lacked any evidence of where there had been engagement with the community over the direction in which they were being managed
A lack of a management plan for each open space
A large number of open space types are unhealthy or un-safe to use
Cleanliness and a lack of maintenance was evident in the majority of open spaces

52. What measures or actions are recommended ?
Look at each ward. What are the demographic issues?
Look at shortfall provision in each ward. What is needed?
Address the Quality problems. What can be done?
Look at where there is a relationship between these.
Consider which of the best placed spaces could (if managed differently) help to address these issues.

53. An example of: Quantity provision and deficit Gurnos

54. Selected priority sites within the Gurnos
Ward action plans

55. What is happening next? Action Plans
The Open Space Strategy has been placed in the highest strategic documents under the Environment as a measure of well-being
Look in more detail at how each space is managed.
Identify how changes to management can address need
Obtain and allocate resources to strategically to target issues that are tied to legislation
Forge links with local communities through consultation, offering volunteering opportunities and local guardianship
Consider which spaces are best placed (if managed differently) help to address these issues
Develop Draft Management Frameworks for the Priority Open Spaces

56. Diolch Thank you yourspace@merthyr.gov.uk