Central Park Management Plan 2015 2020 - 2018 - Edition Submitted by Amey - Peterborough ...
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Central Park Management Plan 2015 – 2020 2018 – Edition Submitted by Amey
It is my great pleasure to present the new Management Plan for Central Park. The purpose of
this document is to illustrate how Amey has been working in partnership with Peterborough
City Council and key stakeholders, to ensure that we deliver the best possible service to our
park users. It identifies and celebrates Central Park’s heritage and on-going success, and
clearly demonstrates what we need to do to improve and how we will achieve this.
2015 was a year of change for parks in Peterborough, in which the parks moved forward under
an umbrella of diminishing resources. Despite this, four of the city’s parks retained their Green
Flag Award Status in 2016. Amey and Peterborough City Council are committed to building on
this success and a number of significant investments have been made to improve parks
infrastructure. However, we are not complacent; our parks are a great free community
resource for everyone and are never ‘finished’. They need continuous design, investment and
development to respond to emerging community needs and aspirations, and to maintain and
build upon their individual sense of place. This plan sets out what we propose to do in the
future (2015-2020), to ensure we build on our achievements in Central Park and other green
spaces across Peterborough.
Councillor Gavin Elsey - Cabinet Member for Digital, Waste and Street Scene (2016)
Central Park Management Plan – 2
Central Park – Management Plan (2016)1
Prepared by Frazer Chapman GradDiplCons (Architectural
Association) Neighbourhood and Events Coordinator, Amey
1
Revised with updates winter 2017\2018} Frazer Chapman
Central Park Management Plan – 3
Central Park Management Plan
2016 Edition2
Contents
Introduction Page: 6
Appendices
The Purpose of the Management Plan Page: 7 Appendix 1: History and Development Page: 31
Appendix 2: Restoration, Conservation and Improvement Works (2000-2005) Page: 43
Aims of the Management Plan Page: 8
Appendix 3: Amey Streetcare Staffing Structure Page: 46
How the Plan will be used Page: 8 Appendix 4: Central Park Operations Plan Page: 47
Financial constraints Page: 8 Appendix 5: Peterborough Land Company Design Proposal Page: 49
Appendix 6: Old Photographs of Central Park Page: 51
The Planning framework Page: 8 Appendix 7: Central Park OS Maps 1886-2015 Page: 54
Peterborough’s biodiversity strategy Page: 9 Appendix 8: Central Park – Managing the Tree Stock Page: 59
Appendix 9: The park in 1997 Page: 65
Statement of Significance Page: 9
Appendix 10: Securing the Greens Page: 67
A brief history Page: 9
Where we are now - Evaluation of Current
Issues Page: 10
Aims and Objectives Page: 24
Where we want to get to Page : 26
Action Plan – the work plan Page: 26
The Green Open Space Implementation Plan Page: 27
Summary Page: 28
Acknowledgements Page: 29
2
Revised with updates winter 2017\2018} Frazer Chapman
Central Park Management Plan – 4
Illustrations Figure 26: Playing bowls Page: 41
Figure 27: Marking the grass tennis courts Page: 41
Figure 28: The aviary Page: 43
Figure 1: Map of Park Ward Page: 6
Figure 29: Sensory garden detail Page: 45
Figure 2: Plan of Central Park 2015 Page: 7
Figure 3: Peterborough Land Company Design Proposal (1875) Page: 10
Figure 4: The park plan before budget cuts and the removal of
shrub and flower beds Page: 11
Figure 5: The park plan after budget cuts and the
removal of shrub and flower beds Page: 12
Figure 6: Streetcare staffing structure Page: 13
Figure 7: Sunken Garden before and after the removal
of flower beds Page: 14
Figure 8: The bandstand circa 1920 Page: 15
Figure 9: The willow tree Page: 15
Figure 10: Park signage Page: 16
Figure 11: Three images from 2015 Family Fun Day Page: 17
Figure 12: Facebook FoCP event promotion Page: 18
Figure 13: Central Park play area Page: 21
Figure 14: Paddling pool and play area Page: 22
Figure 14: View along avenue to bandstand Page: 32
Figure 15: Peterborough Land Company Design Proposal (1875) Page: 32
Figure 16: Broadway entrance Page: 34
Figure 17: Broadway entrance plus gate detail Page: 35
Figure 18: Buttercross Tearooms Page: 36
Figure 19: The Park Keeper Page: 37
Figure 20: Children’s Corner Page: 37
Figure 21; Princes Gate Page: 38
Figure 22: Bedding under conifers now removed Page: 38
Figure 23: Avenue view Page: 39
Figure 24: The bandstand Page: 40
Figure 25: The Sunken Garden Page: 40
Central Park Management Plan – 5
Introduction
Location
Central Park is Peterborough’s main park and is located approximately one kilometre north
from the city centre. The post code is PE1 4DX.
The following roads enclose Central Park:
• To the north Park Crescent
• To the south Princes Gate
• To the east Broadway
• To the west Park Road
Size
The park is circular with an area of 8.0937 hectares
Landowner – ownership
Figure 1: Map of Park Ward
Peterborough City Council (PCC) bought the park in 1908 and the Council has a 999 year
lease on the land. Peterborough Member of Parliament
Ward • Fiona Onasanya – Labour Party
Central Park is in Park Ward. See Figure 1 Opening times and access
Ward Councillors Central Park is open 24 hours a day.
• Councillor Richard Ferris – Park Ward – Labour Parking
• Councillor John Peach – Park Ward – Conservative
• Councillor Shaz Nawaz – Park Ward – Labour and Cooperative Party On street parking is available and is without any restrictions after 11am.
Central Park Management Plan – 6
The Purpose of the Management Plan
Purpose and context
This management plan has been produced to provide a long-term vision for the management,
development and maintenance of Central Park, Peterborough. This management plan sets out
the operational and development requirements to achieve that vision and provides a consistent
framework for the management of the park until 2020.
However to give the plan context, it has been written during a period of severe financial
restraint and cuts to council budgets. These cuts have been passed onto the contract between
Amey and Peterborough City Council and have had an impact on how the city’s formal parks,
including Central Park, can be managed and maintained. One of the consequences of budget
cuts on Central Park has been the removal of shrub and flower beds and this is illustrated in
the park’s plan.
Four key themes are presented in the plan:
• Heritage and conservation
• Culture and community; the visitor experience
• An action plan; a way forward
• Management and maintenance within available resources
The plan has been written for:
• Amey; whose Streetcare section currently manage and maintain the park
• Amey Partnership Team, Strategic Client Services, Peterborough City Council
• Community Capacity Team, Adult Services and Communities, Peterborough City Council
• Park Ward Councillors
• Broadway Residents Association
• The Friends of Central Park
• The Green Flag Award; to manage the park within the context of the Green Flag Award
Figure 2: Plan of Central Park 2015
Central Park Management Plan – 7
The Aims of the Management Plan Financial constraints - context
The management plan will seek to achieve the following: This management plan has been prepared and written in a difficult economic climate. Local
authorities throughout the UK have been under pressure to reduce budgets and not to be so
• To preserve and protect the historic fabric of the parkscape, its heritage and cultural
dependant upon income from Central Government. Parks and the maintenance of green space
significance
have often born the brunt of any reduction in local government funding and in the current
• To create aims and objectives which are agreed and supported by local residents, the
situation, parks are no exception. Parks are a soft target and the expense of managing and
Friends of Central Park, Ward Councillors, Peterborough City Council’s Strategic Client
maintaining a formal parkscape provides the opportunity for savings and the potential for
Services Team and the Community Capacity Team, plus Amey
reducing the threat to other services.
• To provide a framework in which all management, maintenance and development
actions are carried out. The management plan will provide continuity for looking after The management plan will reflect the current financial climate and describe how the challenges
the park through a rolling five year plan are, and will be met.
• The management plan will be regularly reviewed and monitored for the delivery of its
aims, objectives and action plan The Planning framework
• To enable interested groups to be involved in management and development of the
park through consultation and community involvement Central Park sits within the Park Conservation Area.
• To acknowledge the park’s heritage when developing and delivering improvement works https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/council/planning-and-development/conservation-trees-and-
• To protect the park from neglect, inappropriate intervention and decline hedges/conservation-areas/ Conservation areas are ‘….areas of special architectural or historic
interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’ (Planning,
How the plan will be used Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas Act 1990).
There was a detailed appraisal of the Park Conservation area undertaken in 2007. The link to
The management plan will be used by the park’s decision makers in Peterborough City Council
this document is:
and Amey. The plan will be used as a decision making tool for directing the way in which the
https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/upload/www.peterborough.gov.uk/council/planning-and-
park is managed, maintained, developed and protected. It is a map guiding the evolution of
development/conservation-area-appraisal-park.pdf?inline=true
the parkscape.
The Park Conservation Appraisal and Management Plan was adopted by the city council on 6th
The plan will provide guidance to managers and stakeholders about what the park is; its
March 2007 and will be a material consideration when making planning decisions and
heritage and its potential for evolution to meet the contemporary, cultural, financial, social and
considering other changes affecting the area, to ensure that its special character and
environmental demands of the City of Peterborough..
appearance are preserved.
Central Park Management Plan – 8
The Peterborough Core Strategy Development Plan Document (DPD) was adopted on 23 layout remains substantially intact. Heritage features such as the sunken garden and the rose
February 2011. It is a statutory Local Plan which sets out the overall approach to development garden remain part of the landscape today.
to 2026 and beyond.
The manner in which areas within the park are used exhibit continuity with historic intentions
The link to these documents is: for example, sports such as tennis, croquet and bowls in the north-east quarter, children’s play
in the north-west quarter and ornamental bedding displays, plus informal spaces in the
https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/council/planning-and-development/planning-policies/local-
southern quarters.
development-plan/
Central Park was the first park in the city to become a public park. Its design and ethos
suggest compliance with the altruism of Victorian park building and space making.
Peterborough’s biodiversity strategy Central Park is an important cultural venue hosting a variety of events throughout the year,
ranging from a religious celebration to mark the end of Eid to several Friends of Central Park
The Council’s Biodiversity Strategy was approved by full council on 13th October 2010 and (FoCP) events.
adopted as part of the Council’s major policy framework. The strategy meets the biodiversity
Peterborough city is a culturally diverse city and the manner in which the park is used reflects
duty brought in by the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006.
the many different and rich cultures that are Peterborough in 2016.
The link to this document is:
https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/council/planning-and-development/conservation-trees-and-
hedges/natural-networks-partnership/
A brief history; conception and
Statement of significance development
In a similar manner to Regents Park in London and Princes Park in Liverpool, Central Park in
Central Park sits within the Park Conservation Area and complements the surrounding built
Peterborough was designed to form part of a proposed housing development. The original
environment.
1875 design proposals presents many popular elements for 19th century parks. Examples of
The park has retained many of the important elements of its late 1870s layout such as the prevalent 19th century components include a bandstand, palm house, promenades, fountains
cruciform design of the four main avenues, the circuit walk, the site of the park entrances and flower gardens. (See figure 3)
and the central circular space; the central focus for the park (the site of the old wooden
bandstand). Many of the park’s mature trees form part of the original planting scheme
specifically around the perimeter of the grounds. The simple arrangement of the original
Central Park Management Plan – 9
The City Council has added attractions and facilities to the park over the past 100 plus years,
and today Central Park continues to be the city’s main park for visitors and residents alike.
Note: A comprehensive history of Central Park is in the appendices.
Where we are now
Evaluation of current issues – the journey from
Peterborough City Council to Amey
In 2011 Peterborough City Council entered in a contract with Enterprise PLC (UK) to change
from in-house delivery of the city’s frontline services to service delivery through Enterprise
PLC. The contract was visualised and written as a performance contract rather than a
Figure 3: Peterborough Land Company Design Proposal (1875) frequency contract. The contract elements included, refuse, transport, cleansing, catering,
arboricultural services and grounds maintenance. Enterprise PLC’s core market was
However, it quickly became apparent that this project would be too expensive to construct and
infrastructure and utilities, plus also providing a full range of frontline services delivered either
the plan was completely redrawn creating a simpler, less expensive design. The reduced
in partnership with local authorities or, through traditional term contracts. Enterprise had a
scheme was built in 1877.
strong record for modernising and transforming public services and Peterborough was to prove
The early parkscape was created as follows: no exception. Within 12 months the workforce had been reduced and there was an emphasis
on efficient professional service delivery.
In the north-east quarter, a pavilion was built which almost certainly served as the focus for
the sports facilities, as described in the 1877 article in the Peterborough Advertiser. In the In the spring of 2013 Ferrovial Services reached an agreement with the 3i investment group to
south-west quarter, a miniature lake, rockery and ornamental garden were constructed making acquire Enterprise PLC. Amey is part of the Ferrovial group and is one of the largest and most
use of the undulating landform and a ready supply of water in this area. However, in 1904 this diverse companies working in the public sector.
arrangement was changed into a sunken garden after work carried out by the City Council on
In early 2013 Amey entered into a 23 year partnership with Peterborough City Council to
the sewers cut the water supply to the lake. The sunken garden was approached via the
deliver a comprehensive range of frontline services.3
circuit walk. The path leading from the north was lined with an avenue of elm trees; it ended
in a circular seating area and was known as the ‘Lovers Walk’.
The Park remained virtually unchanged until the City Council took control from the land
3
The partnership between Amey and Peterborough City Council has come to an end and PCC are looking for a
company in 1908 for a yearly rent of £160. new partner (2017). Tenders and procurement are currently being preared by PCC
Central Park Management Plan – 10Evaluation of current issues – a reduction in the Amey
contract budget in 2015
PCC has seen its government funding cut by nearly 40% in the past five years; around 44
million pounds.
In 2015 a decision to reduce maintenance in parks and cemeteries by 25% was agreed by PCC
as part of its 2015/2016 budget; structured to save the council £100,000.
The consequences of this decision have been:
• The removal of Central Park’s three permanent on-site gardening and attendant staff
from October 2015 to the end of March 2016:
o They returned in April 2017 for the summer months and the decision to withdarw
staff for the winter months was recinded4 (The park is now manned throughout
the year)
• The removal of around 50% of the park’s flower, shrub and herbaceous beds
• Amey’s mobile maintenance teams which look after the city’s other green spaces will
take on the maintenance and cleansing of the park
• In Central Park and throughout the city there has been the shift from performance
based operations to frequency centred operations. For example, the contract describes
general grass cutting as follows:
o All …. amenity grass shall be maintained within the height range of 25mm to
75mm at all times. Now the grass is cut on 14 occasions per year.
• In Appendix 4 there is the maintenance and frequency plan for horticultural operations
for managing the park
Figure 4: The park plan before budget cuts and the removal of shrub and flower beds
4
Two of the city’s Green Flag Award parks, Central and Itter Parks now have winter staff (autumn 2017)
Central Park Management Plan – 11Evaluation of current issues – a reduction to the Amey
contract budget in 2015 – site impact
In 2015 Amey had to consider how it could manage the £100,000 reduction in the Amey\PCC
contract. The city’s formal parks and green spaces were and are, the most expensive to look
after because of staffing, also, the provision, planting and maintenance of spring and summer
bedding displays and the maintenance of fine turf.
Suggestions for a reduced service were made to the City Council by Amey and these formed
the structure for a PCC on-line public consultation in late January 2015. The returns indicated
that PCC’s residents were unhappy with the proposed cuts. The consensus among residents,
Friends and other community groups was that although no reduction in the delivery of the
city’s services was welcomed; in the current financial climate they were inevitable.
Some elements of the park were due to be taken out of the contract, for example, the use and
maintenance and management of grass tennis courts and the winter\spring bedding displays,
however, these components were reprieved.
Central Park – site impact summary 2015\2016:
• No reduction in winter bedding, bulbs, polyanthus and wallflowers, however there has
been a reduction in the number of flower beds. The amount of bulbs and bedding
plants purchased varies and depends on the complexity of the designs
• Leaves will be periodically removed from paths and fine turf but not leaves lying on
other grassed areas
• The removal of the park gardener\attendant team from October until the end of March
(2016) when they will return to look after paddling pool, fine turf and the park in
general5
• Summer bedding displays will continue to be planted and maintained
• Toilet facilities will be checked and cleaned on one occasion per day throughout the
year
• Frequency of litter picking and emptying bins was reduced6
Figure 5: The park plan after removal of shrub and flower beds 5
This decision has now been recinded and staff are working in the park throughout the year, picking litter, etc.
Central Park Management Plan – 12• The birds in the aviary will be checked and fed daily throughout the year In Central Park there are not any on-site gardener\attendant staff during the winter months
• See Appendix 4 for a full list of operations and frequencies and there are three staff working shift hours during the spring and summer period.7
The Amey policy is to accept and adapt to the reduction in funding but also to focus on
maintaining the remaining elements well.
Evaluation of current issues – the parkscape
Evaluation of current issues – the staffing structure of The landscape character of the park was and is defined by the layout of the paths, the formal
axial paths and the, now mature, thoughtfully planned tree planting. The broad formal axial
Streetcare paths divide the Park into four quarters and each of these four quarters developed differently
offering either active recreation or, areas for quieter informal activities. To-date, this design
ethos continues. The axial paths used to lead up to the old rustic bandstand in the centre of
the Park; the bandstand being replaced by a (now mature) willow tree in the late 60s.
Certain traditional elements of the parkscape have become less popular and little used over the
past few years; examples are the putting green and the grass tennis courts. Amey had
previously collected and kept the money from both the putting green and the tennis courts
however, as staff have been reduced the fees have become harder to collect because, staff are
usually working elsewhere. As a consequence the fees harvested from the grass courts and
putting green are, minimal and this has been compounded by little public interest in these
facilities.
As a consequence, a decision was taken to fill in the bunkers and remove the wooden
boundary fence removed. The area had been in slow decline and use for some years and it
had become untenable to manage, maintain or, repair this facility. Amey and PCC have invited
Figure 6: Streetcare staffing structure
a local Peterborough based showman and entrepreneur to consider the putting green site and
The staffing structure (above and Appendix 3) presents the structure of Streetcare for the to put forward ideas for him to lease and invest in this area with the aim of creating a new and
whole of the city of Peterborough. The staffing level increases and decreases as the seasons modern putting (ball and club) themed facility. There are many elements for consideration
define the work schedule, with around 20 agency staff supplementing the core staff in the
summer months.
6
The weekend park staff now litter pick at weekends and check toilets 7
This has changed as per previous footnotes
Central Park Management Plan – 13before this idea becomes a possibility, for example, the lease and rent plus, noise and visual
impact however, discussions have been underway for some months.8
The grass tennis courts were due for closure as part of the 2015 budget cuts however,
following an on-line PCC public consultation they received a last minute reprieve.
Nevertheless, the reprieve did not change the fact that the grass courts do not generate any
income of note and it remains hard to justify their upkeep.
Amey, along with PCC and in conjunction with local business and community groups are
exploring ways to use the grass tennis courts. Ideas under consideration so far are for a
community allotment or, food project or, leasing the site to a showman for a couple of
traditional fairground rides.
As previously stated in this management plan, half of Central Park’s flower and shrub beds
have been taken out as part of the 2015 round of PCC cuts to the Amey contract budget.
Feelings expressed by park users and the Friends group have been mixed. There was an initial
outcry about the loss of the flower and shrub beds in the park; however, after a few weeks the
change was soon forgotten. Some people said that the park now looks less cluttered without
the flower displays. Flower beds which have been hard to maintain for example, the row of
beds overshadowed by the row of Cedrus atlantica Glauca by the path adjacent to Princes
Gate, have been removed, but the two beds at Prince Gate entrance have been kept.
Also, the circular beds on the grass banks overlooking the sunken garden have been removed
and seeded. (See figure 7)
Figure 7: Sunken Garden before and after the removal of flower beds
8
This project is on hold for the foreseeable future due to external factors
Central Park Management Plan – 14Evaluation of current issues – the willow tree and the
bandstand
From the time the park was built in the late 19th century until the early 1960s the bandstand
was the physical (landscape) social and cultural centre of the park. The main avenues led and
lead to the centre of the Park and as soon as visitors entered the grounds, their eyes would be
drawn along the green corridors to the bandstand and the promise of cultural delights. The
loss of the bandstand in the early 1960s from decay and neglect marked a change in cultural
values. Television had become embedded into peoples’ homes and the cinema remained a
popular form of entertainment. Going to the park to watch concerts had dropped in popularity
and there wasn’t a need for a bandstand in the park.
The late 1960s and early 1970s marked the start of the decline of the public park. This period
lasted a quarter of a century until their renaissance in the mid-1990s fuelled by political will
and money from the (then) new Heritage Lottery Fund. Figure 8: The bandstand circa 1920
In Central Park, the willow tree, planted around 1967, rapidly grew and its footprint reflected
the physical presence of the old bandstand. The residents of Peterborough took the willow to
their hearts and resisted the idea of felling the tree to make way for a new bandstand during
the lottery funded improvement and restoration works of the early 2000s. Although several
storms have destroyed the tree’s graceful form, it has recovered and continues to mark the
centre of the park.9
Many people would like to see a bandstand back in the park and many people enjoy the willow
tree and would like it to remain as the central focus in the parkscape. It is unlikely that there
will be a project to recreate the old wooden bandstand because of vulnerability, sustainability
and maintenance costs. However, a modern structure with the footprint of the old bandstand
could be a consideration for the future.
Figure 9: The willow tree 2015
9
See Appendix 9; the park in 1997 before restoration
Central Park Management Plan – 15Evaluation of current issues – managing antisocial For several years Amey has worked closely with:
• The Safer Peterborough Prevention and Enforceent Service12
behaviour10
• The Police and PCSOs
In 2016 when the park was unmanned, the perception by those who knew that the park would • Police - Crime Prevention Officer
not have any on-site staff for the winter period was that anti-social behaviour would rise. • PCC- Community Recovery Manager
However, the gardener and attendant park team were not responsible for policing the park • PCC – Anti-Social Behaviour Coordinator
when they were on site. If park visitors saw something which concerned them, they were • The Friends of Central Park
advised to call the PCC switchboard or, if the incident was serious, to call the Police. This • PCC - Amey Partnership Manager, Strategic Client Services
information is communicated to visitors by a sign at each entrance. See Figure 10.
There have been meetings scheduled on two-to-four occasions per year with these
stakeholders to address the perception of ASB in the park and to evaluate the actual data
collected about incidents in the park. All incidents, for example the recovery of sharps
(needles) and Police call-out-visits to the park, are collected and circulated to enable an
accurate picture of what is happening in the park to be formed.
Although the park has a very small incidence of intravenous drug-use, one or two carelessly
discarded syringes can alter the perception of the park for park users. On police advise,
ultraviolet lighting has been installed the toilets to deter intravenous drug use. Also, Amey
has trained sharps collection operatives on-call who can quickly react to reports concerning
discarded needles and syringes.
Drinking in the park is lawful, nevertheless, when ASB is fuelled by alcohol, it becomes a
Police matter. There is a fine line drawn in the park between social and anti-social drinking.
Random assessments are made of the litter collected by grounds team to evaluate how much
Figure 10: Park signage (note grammatical error; missing apostrophe) alcohol is being consumed in the park.
Amey and PCC consider park fouling by dogs to be ASB. Amey use posters and anti-fouling
Central Park is not an antisocial behaviour (ASB) hotspot11 nevertheless; the park can attract stencils plus, the Friends of Central Park hold dog shows at their events to raise awareness of
ASB, vandalism and other matters of concern as measures are taken across the city to deter responsible dog ownership.
drinking, drug taking and bad behaviour, leading to miscreants using the park. The Police Stakeholders and partners acknowledge that encouraging people to use the park by creating a
know this and deploy patrols to create a regular and visible presence in the park. safe, well maintained, welcoming space, reduces the opportunity for ASB.
10
See Appendix 10 for description of bowling green security fencing work (2017) 12
https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/residents/saferpeterborough/pes/ &
11
Perception is circumstantial and the online media did paint the park in a poor light https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/residents/saferpeterborough/
Central Park Management Plan – 16Evaluation of current issues – The Friends of Central
Park
The Friends of Central Park group was formed in 1999 by local residents who became
concerned about the year-on-year decline in the parkscape and also to support the PCC
application bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for money to fund the park’s restoration.
The Friends of Central Park (FoCP) meet around eight times per year and the agenda usually
focuses on:
• What is happening in the park , for example:
o Maintenance
o ASB
o General problems
• Park improvements
• Events
• PCC Policy
• Amey issues
The Neighbourhood and Events Coordinator, PCSOs, Ward Councillors and representatives
from the Broadway Residents Association usually attend FoCP meetings. Minutes are taken
and circulated to the park’s stakeholders.
The FoCP are consulted about any policies or projects which may affect the park and their
opinions and input are valued. Liaison between PPC, Amey and the FoCP, is managed by the
Neighbourhood and Events Coordinator.
Figure 11 – Three images from 2015 Family
The FoCP recognise how important regular events throughout the year are for keeping the Fun Day
park safe, welcoming and a valuable asset for the city of Peterborough.13 Consequently the
FoCP are responsible for organising a variety of entertainments throughout the year. These
range from garden days, an indie music festival, a family fun day, through to Christmas carols
accompanied by Santa’s grotto.
13
The Christmas Eve Junior Park Run had 90+ contestants and was a big success (2017)
Central Park Management Plan – 17Evaluation of current issues – current use
Central Park was designed as a public park in the 1870s and as it has matured and developed
it has created and established many of the elements we associate with a public park, for
example, formal bedding schemes, children’s play areas and active sports areas.
The park is located within easy walking distance of the city centre’s shopping and business
areas. Students from Peterborough Regional College, local schools and many city residents
walk through the park to get to work, school, the shops or college.
The park is popular with the many diverse communities which form Peterborough’s
demographics, for example the Muslim community celebrated Eid ul-Fitr in late August (2011)
with prayers in the Park and this has now become a regular event called ‘Eid in the Park’.
People travel from all over the city to use the park’s facilities or, to attend the events held in
the park throughout the year.
The park is a popular venue for women from the Pakistani community and other ethnicities for
walking the circuit paths and using the outdoor gym tucked away behind the bowls pavilion for
discrete exercise.
The ButterCross tea rooms in the centre of the park, is a popular place to meet friends, have
a business meeting, or, just to sit and relax in pleasant surroundings throughout the year.
People travel from the length and breadth of East Anglia to use the croquet lawn and also, the
Figure 12: Facebook FoCP event promotion bowling greens have a strong club following. Both the lawn and hard surface tennis courts are
popular and bring people into the park for active recreation.
The park has open access for 24 hours a day and CCTV and lighting on the main avenues offer
illumination for safety and security to late night park users.
There is an estimated footfall of around 220,000 visitors per year.
Central Park Management Plan – 18In the 21st century this Peterborough park is all things to all people and the management and Evaluation of current issues – managing biodiversity in
maintenance of the park reflects this.
a formal parkscape
The visitor experience There are always some conflicts of interest when introducing elements which support
biodiversity into a formal landscape and Central Park is no exception. A wildflower meadow
Central Park provides a safe, welcoming, clean and well maintained environment for visitors,
sown in the southwest corner of the park in 2008 failed and was ‘mown-out’ in 2011 because
which offers something for adults and children from all of the city’s diverse communities
there were not the resources in-place to manage the meadow. The meadow quickly became
throughout the year. As previously mentioned, the park receives around 220,000 visitors per
an eyesore that detracted from the parkscape and a decision was made to remove it.
year and one observation could be that it is a victim of its own success (suffering significant
However, Amey has successfully established and now maintains a wildflower meadows across
wear and tear).
the city. An example is Manor Farm Park in Eye village; one of our other Green Flag Award
The park can become very crowded during weekends and the school holidays, especially sites. A small meadow in Central Park was simply impractical in a small public park where
during fine weather and this emphasises the need for managing and looking after the ‘light every square metre is important.
and shade’ of the park, the active and passive areas. Visitors need to be able to enjoy the
sometimes overcrowded play areas and also, to be able to sit and enjoy the vistas from a more There had been a year-on-year reduction in herbicide use in Central Park for a number of
tranquil zone. years. Now, Amey permits very selective use of herbicides for the management of weeds
around the park if necessary. (Amey remains committed to reducing herbicides across the city)
The on-site park team provide visitors with an important visible presence and being there on-
The current financial climate has forced herbicide use to be reassessed. Nevertheless, there
site, enables them to quickly resolve any problems, or answer questions visitors may have.
have been some significant changes to established practice which support biodiversity in the
Importantly, they offer a deterrent to irresponsible dog owners allowing their pets to foul the
park. The contract for managing the city’s trees specified the removal of all wood from any
park; one of the main complaints and visitors’ concerns.
tree works from site. In Central Park logs and sections of trunk from felling work are now
Looking after visitors and managing the day-to-day wear-and-tear on the park is critical to the stacked and left to support insects and fungus. For example, a felled Elm trunk in the park’s
park remaining a popular place to visit and enjoy. Health and Safety is paramount in making boundary adjacent to Park Road presents a fair display of Oyster mushrooms when conditions
the park a safe venue, whether this means robust management and maintenance of the park’s are right for the fungus to fruit.
trees, its facilities or, the visitors’ sense of personal safety; all contribute towards a positive
experience for people who come to the park. Amey has been exploring the planting of at least one bee friendly bed in the park to support
bees and other insects and PCC have recently committed to funding this initiative. A bed will
There is always room for improvement and it is acknowledged that customer service, Health
be in place for 2016.14
and Safety, cleanliness and well maintained grounds and facilities, are all important
components to creating a welcoming park.
14
The sensory garden’s raised beds were planted with lavender in 2016
Central Park Management Plan – 19The park’s trees have a variety of bird and bat boxes to encourage bird and mammal life. Evaluation of current issues – managing recycling and
There have been a couple of bat walks in the park using bat location detectors and the
equipment indicated a small bat population. sustainability
The city council’s Biodiversity Strategy was approved by full council on 13 October 2010 to be
In the past Central Park had been criticised for not having a clear process for managing its
adopted as part of the council’s major policy framework. The strategy was an update of the
green waste. The green waste generated by the park is placed in green waste skips in the
2004 document which was subject to external consultation throughout 2009 and 2010.
park’s yard which is taken to Organic Recycling Limited near Crowland for processing. This
The decision to update the current PCC biodiversity strategy was intended to take account of business produces compost, shrubs and soil conditioner on their Crowland site and Amey use
the biodiversity duty brought in by the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act as well these products, where practible, in their grounds operations.
as other changes that have taken place since the 2004 strategy was written. The biodiversity
Allot the the park’s litter is sorted at a material recovery site.
duty stipulates that:
"Every public authority must, in exercising its functions, have regard, so far as is consistent Evaluation of current issues – tree management and
with the proper exercise of those functions, to the purpose of conserving biodiversity" maintenance15
The updated strategy links to the Sustainable Community Strategy and Local Area
The City Council’s Trees and Woodlands Strategy was approved by full Council on 18 April
Agreement by the national indicator target for County Wildlife Sites (NI 197) and more broadly
2012 and forms part of the Council’s major policy framework. The strategy was an update of
to the Community Strategy and National Indicators by the Cleaner Greener agenda and
the 1998 document which was subject to external consultation throughout 2011. The decision
associated sections of these documents. See;
to update the current PCC Trees and Woodlands Strategy was intended to take account of the
https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/council/planning-and-development/conservation-trees-and- significant changes to tree management and legislation that have taken place over the last
hedges/natural-networks-partnership/ thirteen years. The updated draft strategy includes a number of key issues including a proposal
to move away from response based reactive works to a programme of inspections, followed by
The PCC contract with Amey states ‘The Partner shall take due regard to the Authorities tree works based upon those findings. A ‘right tree in the right place’ framework is also being
Biodiversity Strategy…..’ and on one occasion per year Amey reports to PCC about how developed which hoped to avoid the selection and planting of inappropriate tree species.
operations are complying with key performance indicators. This ensures that the Biodiversity
Strategy is an active document whose policies are supported and realised. Key objectives are to:
• maintain or enhance the tree population
• facilitate the removal of dangerous or potentially hazardous trees
15
https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/council/planning-and-development/conservation-trees-and-hedges/natural-
networks-partnership/
Central Park Management Plan – 20• promote biodiversity and conserve the tree/woodland eco-system
• conserve veteran trees with significant ecological, historical and amenity value
• establish a tree population with a balanced diversity of age and class
• optimise the use of timber and other products of tree management.
Central Park has around 560 trees which need looking after. The maintenance and
management of the park’s trees are the responsibility of Amey. In 2012, a new arboricultural
team was put together to survey the city’s trees and from the survey data, organise a robust
programme of remedial works. In 2012 after the creation of the arboricultural team, Central
Park’s trees were surveyed. In 2013 comprehensive remedial works were identified, including
some necessary felling of trees that had become a health and safety risk. In August 2015, the
park’s 2013 tree survey has been updated and extracts showing how surveys are done have
been included in Appendix 8. (The full survey will be available in hard copy on request)
Evaluation of current issues – looking after the park’s
buildings
The condition rolling cycle of conditionsurveys, maintenance, repair, decoration and
management of the park’s buildings are the responsibility of Amey. All repair work and
Figure 13: Central Park play area
decoration to buildings and park assets have to be sanctioned and funded by PCC before they
can be done.
Gym area
Evaluation of current issues – managing play and gym The popular and well used gym equipment has been in place for over eight years. Several
areas items have been damaged or, are broken due to constant wear and tear and these have been
removed from site. Amey presented some improvement options to PCC and they sanctioned
Central Park has one outdoor gym area, a paddling pool with adjacent sandpit and play
the purchase of six new pieces of gym equipment to replace the old equipment. 16
equipment plus a substantial play area. The play areas, gym and paddling pool are regularly
inspected and once a year they receive a thorough condition survey which generates a report
to cover the insurance policy with Zurich.
16
Installed in 2016
Central Park Management Plan – 21Paddling pool and pool play area
The pool play area was completely refurbished over the 2015\16 winter period. Some of the
equipment was relocated within the larger area. New equipment has beeen installed with a
nautical theme and these pieces have been fixed onto a bonded safety surface and the ground
has been levelled and seeded. The existing seating with shades have been moved to present
more protection from the sun.
The sandpit has always been an integral part of the paddling pool area. However, the
proximity of the pool to the sand pit has caused some significant problems with the pools
filtration system. The pool was completely rebuilt in 2013 and modern filtration plant was
installed to support the paddling pool. To mitigate the risk of sand destroying the new
filtration plant, measures have been taken to separate the two assets.
The access to the sandpit area has changed; access is now from the main grass park area and
not from the pool area. The old access in the sandpit from the pool has been closed-off and a
new entrance created from the main park to try and reduce sand getting into the paddling
pool.
Large play area
The main (large) had new equipment installed in early 2017 and the path through the play Figure 14: Paddling pool and play area
area has been improved to create better access and transition through the paly area.
Central Park Management Plan – 22Evaluation of current issues – SWOT analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
• The park’s designed landscape remains close to the original design • Areas have changed as tree and shrub planting have grown and matured. Also budget cuts
have forced a reduction in beds altering the structure of the original design
• The park is a popular place for people to visit and also for families and children17 • A heavy footfall impacts upon the parkscape by for example, causing lawn compaction and
wear and tear on play equpipment
• The park is known as Peterborough’s town park • The park is not a distinct brand; it lacks identity and sits away from the city centre
• The site is a good venue for events • Vivacity run a reduced Arts Festival now and the park is no longer used as a venue for this
event
• The park connects with the city centre • The park is a transit zone to get from A-B
• The park attracts a rich diversity of peoples and cultures • The park is unable to meet the needs of all of Peterborough’s communities
• Good relations with community college and the Friends of Central Park • The value of the park is taken for granted
• A management plan that has been rewritten to reflect the current financial climate • The management plan may not resolve conflict or solve stakeholder issues
• The park has now a legacy of being awarded the Green Flag Award • Complacency could lead to the loss of this important accolade
• The park has a strong heritage value • The history and heritage are not valued
Opportunities Threats
• The park presents an opportunity to increase use for events and activities • Inappropriate events and activities degrade the integrity of the park and the parkscape and can
cause conflict with local residents
• To engage with Peterborough’s diverse cultures and communities • Diversity of user groups may result in conflicting needs and demands
• Strengthen the Central Park brand • Inappropriate marketing and promotion undermines the value of the park as a city asset
• The park can be a template for improving other green spaces within the City • Everything rests on Central Park to be everything to everyone
• For community health benefits • Diminishing resources cause parkscape to deteriorate and the park looks less cared for
• Social interaction and social cohesion • Opportunities not acknowledged
17
The Junior Park Run initiative has been very successful with many children participating
Central Park Management Plan – 23Aims and objectives – where we want to get to
The vision
• To protect and conserve the integrity, heritage and ethos of Central Park, Peterborough
• To manage and maintain Central Park in a professional manner and which reflects and acknowledges the past, the park’s heritage, and the future; balancing and meeting changing needs
• To create a park for the City of Peterborough that reflects and meets the needs of Peterborough’s diverse communities and cultures.
Aims and objectives
Aim Objectives
Aim 1 Protect the fabric of this historic landscape and to protect its legacy and status as • Research, consider and reflect cultural, social and horticultural heritage before introducing
the City of Peterborough’s main park change
• Recognise that the historic fabric of the park provides an attractive landscape within which
recreational activities and leisure pursuits can take place
• Maintain and improve the visual and aesthetic qualities of the park for the benefit of both
historic (heritage) and amenity value by delivering improvement projects which are
sustainable and measureable
Aim 2 Preserve and maintain the park’s buildings and hard landscape • Regularly survey the park’s buildings to ensure that they are in good repair and safe
• Monitor the condition of the pathways to ensure that all paths and avenues are safe and
that their surfaces are in good condition
Aim 3 Conserve, sensitively manage and maintain, plus restore where appropriate, the • Carry out routine horticultural maintenance to professional standards
park’s soft landscaping • Identify areas where shrub planting is failing and replant with appropriate species and
varieties to reflect the original planting ethos of the park (when resources permit)
• Minimise the use of herbicides
• Improve the condition of the soil in the mature areas by using soil conditioner
• Preserve the shape and form of beds, shrub planting and grass areas and to redress
degradation by monitoring and action
• Improve and maintain grass lawns by for example, reducing compaction
Aim 4 Protect the boundary, avenue and parkland trees • Survey the tree stock to ensure that it is healthy and reflects the original planting ethos of
the park
• Manage and maintain the existing tree stock to ensure they are safe and healthy
• Develop a robust fell and replace strategy to preserve the Park’s boundary and avenue
planting structure for the future
• Keep original ethos for vistas both into and within the parkAim Objectives
Aim 5 Ensure that the park is managed to create safe, welcoming, well maintained public • Keep signage in good order
open space • Proactively manage dog-fouling in the park
• Keep the park clean and litter free
• Proactively respond to and manage anti-social behaviour
• Maintain close links with FoCP and encourage visitors
Aim 6 Make sure the park reflects the needs of Peterborough’s diverse communities and • Collect information and data about use, enjoyment, dissatisfaction and ideas for change
offers both formal and informal recreation to residents and visitors alike • Keep current facilities fit for purpose and in good order
• Market the park in a positive pro-active manner
• Consult about change and investment with park users
• Encourage diversity and diverse events
• Manage footfall and encourage use throughout the year
Aim 7 Manage the park to reflect the Council’s biodiversity strategy • Work with maintenance teams to own policy
• Create safe welcoming habitats for birds, insects and other appropriate flora and fauna
• Minimise the use of pesticides
• Work with PCC Wildlife Officer to get year-on-year improvement
Aim 8 Encourage and support the Friends of Central Park • To meet the FoCP and other stakeholders monthly
• A representative of Amey to attend all Friends meetings
• Consult with Friends about change and developments in the park
• Encourage ownership and responsibility for the park
• To support the Friends ideas where appropriate
• Explore and develop funding opportunities for the FoCP
Aim 9 Work with local residents and resident organisations (for example Broadway • Consult with Broadway Residents Association about change and developments in the Park
Residents Association) to manage change and park use • To encourage ownership and responsibility for the park
Aim 10 Sustain the park within available resources • Work with Communities and Targeted Services Team, to get improvement projects and
projects to improve the park’s infrastructure onto PCC project systems.
• To look for funding sources
Aim 11 Research and develop a short and long term action plan for mapping the park’s • Proactively use the action plan for managing and implementing change
future • Approval and ownership of the plan
• Work with Communities and Targeted Services Team
• Enable and manage change within available resources (political, economic, social and
technological)
• Resolve conflicts of interest between stakeholders
• Involve the Council (the landowner) Amey (the contractor) officers and elected members in
looking after the park
• Underpin continuity, sustainability and legacy
• Set clear objectives for the future via the management plan and the action plan
• Define areas of responsibility
• Safeguard the park’s ethos
Central Park Management Plan – 25Where we want to get to – the action plan
The new action plan has been simply written to reflect what is possible within the resources available. The plan’s action points are sustainable, manageable, achievable, realistic and timely. They
describe what is possible in the current financial climate.
Priority Action Links to Lead Section, Lead Budget Target Delivery Date Comments
Aims Officers and Stakeholders Estimat
e
1 Prepare a strategic 50 year arboricultural management plan This project needs
for the long term management and maintenance of the park’s 1&4 Amey & PCC £8,000 Unknown at present funding to support the
boundary and avenue planting research and
development of this work
1 Update initial tree survey (from 2012)
4 Amey – Tree Services Team £1,000 Spring 2016 Done
2 Refurbish park seating Amey - Frazer Chapman £12,000 Ongoing Park benches have been
5&2 repainted and repaired in
a rolling programme
1 Market the park via Amey Peterborough web site 1&6 Amey - Frazer Chapman and In-house Ongoing Structure and delivery
Communication Team18 under discussion
2 Recreate a Peace Garden in the park 3 & 11 Amey – Frazer Chapman In-house Unknown at present Idea is under discussion
1 Create at least one bee and insect friendly bed and structure 7 Amey – Frazer Chapman Streetcare & 3,000 Summer 2016 Sensory garden planted
PCC (for funding) with lavender for bees
(2016)
1 Improve play facilities 3&5 Amey Streetcare and PCC £25,000 Spring 2016 and 2017 Play and pool areas
improved (2016)
1 Improve outside gym equipment 3&5 Amey Streetcare and PCC £25,000 Spring 2016 Done
1 Manage and maintain paddling pool 3&5 Amey Streetcare and PCC In-house Ongoing Ongoing with
improvments
2 Develop plans with external business to create new facility in 5 & 11 Amey Streetcare and PCC plus £100,000 Unknown at present Idea has been under
putting green area (and other little used areas) external business discussion but nothing
tangible so far
2 Develop working relationship with Peterborough Regional 2, 5 & 6 Amey – Streetcare Manager and FoCP £10,000 In-development Discussions underway
College with college
Encourage the Friends of Central Park to become more active 8 Amey - Frazer Chapman, Kieron King In-house On-going Monthly meeting in place
in the park Chris Jackson and Streetcare with clear action points
defined
Explore funding opportunities for example, S106 and CIL 10 In-house On-going Some funding identified
1 money plus external funding Amey – Frazer Chapman, PCC and and PCC in S106 holding balances
FoCP
18
Amey does not not have a Peterborough Communication team at the moment but work can be done with PCC team
Central Park Management Plan – 26Summer bedding in the Sunken Garden 2017
Central Park Management Plan – 27Where we want to get to; how we are going to The Friends were interested in exploring putting disabled parking into the park near to the
Buttercross Café. There are disabled parking bays at the park’s entrances and PCC and
get there Amey felt that it was undesirable to sanction parking in the park. There is an unwritten
understanding that visitors with restricted mobility may park for a short while near the
Buttercross to enable them to enjoy some time in the café if the disability prevents them
The action plan has been regularly updated and refreshed since 2012. Over the past few
from using the disabled bays.
years there have been several significant action points in the preceding action plans which
have been successfully accomplished. Working with PCC, who can only support the park within the limited resources available, is
always going to make looking after Central Park difficult. Strong communication links with
Examples are:
the client plus robust negotiations for funding are fundamental to keeping the park a viable
• The park’s trees have been surveyed. Some felling has been necessary however; there candidate for the Green Flag Award.
has been a programme of replanting trees in the park. The regular criticism about
Peterborough City Council are committed to keeping the Green Flag Award in the city and
deadwood in the park’s trees has been addressed. This work is on-going and the initial
supporting this management plan is one way that the park can be understood, funded and
survey is regularly updated
managed.
• The park’s signage was refreshed and updated during the transition from Enterprise to
Amey Another tool for managing the park is regular monitoring and review sessions with the
stakeholders. This instrument for looking after the park is realised by:
Where the Friends have suggested items for the action plan these have been considered
though not always possible to introduce however, both Amey and PCC have explored the • Regular meetings with PCC Amey Partnership Manager and colleagues in Strategic Client
Friends’ ideas. Services team plus frequent discussions via phone and email
• Monthly (formal) joint meetings with FoCP, grounds team, PCC and Amey managers
Examples are:
• Engaging with Councillor Elsey Cabinet the Member for Digital, Waste and Street Scene
• Improving access to the bowling and croquet greens. This idea was explored by Amey and encourage him in championing Central Park and the city’s other green spaces.
and PCC, but improving the access via the Amey yard, the preferred access point, was
fundamentally flawed. Health and safety concerns prevented bowlers crossing to the
greens via a working business yard.You can also read
