Keswick Greenspace Strategy

towards a greenspace strategyfor Keswick

WMUDKeswick Area Partnership Ltd

August 2006

t o w a r d s a g r e e n s p a c e s t r a t e g yf o r K e s w i c k

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WMUD Willie Miller Urban Design20 Victoria Crescent Road

Glasgow G12 9DD

t 0141 339 5228 f 0141 357 [email protected]

Keswick Area Partnership Ltd50 Main Street Keswick CA12 5JS

contents

28082006-id-01//wim

t o w a r d s a g r e e n s p a c e s t r a t e g yf o r K e s w i c k

section 1 introduction 1

section 2 the value of strategy 3

section 3 Keswick's greenspaces 7

section 4 looking to the future 29

appendix definitions 33

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This Greenspace Strategy for Keswick sets out a vision and aims for all

greenspace within the town.

It is the first greenspace strategy for the town and has been

commissioned by the Keswick Area Partnership Ltd.

Definition and scope of strategy:

Greenspace is the collective term used to describe all parks, public

gardens, playing fields, children’s play areas, woodlands, nature

reserves, allotment gardens, linear and other open spaces.

The process and methodology

This greenspace strategy has considered all land greater than 0.5

hectares that is used formally or informally for recreation or is

managed for nature conservation or visual amenity.

Land owned or managed by Allerdale Borough Council, Keswick Town

Council, the National Trust or charitable trusts or other parties has

been considered as part of the strategy, except where public access is

not possible - for example in the case of agricultural land over which

there is no right of access or private gardens.

The strategy covers the whole of the town together with the major

linear greenspaces that extend into the surrounding landscape. The

emphasis of the report is on the physical greenspace assets rather

than partnership, maintenance and management.

i n t r o d u c t i o n

1

footpath between Keswick and Portinscale

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The study comprises three discrete sections:

Section 2: a brief explanation of the scope, purpose and benefits of

greenspace strategies.

Section 3: a description of Keswick and an audit of its greenspaces

in terms of composition, distribution, quality, the network of

greenspaces and their strengths and weaknesses

Section 4: developing a strategy, priorities for change, longer term

vision, conclusion

the study area and its components

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“Government believes profoundly that the state of the local environment

affects and reflects the well-being of the people living there. Whether it is

the town centre, local park or the street on which we live, it is important

that they add to the quality of life and that they are safe and attractive

places.”

Baroness Kay Andrews, OBE, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

This study is being carried out at a time when the national policy

context is highly favourable to creating, maintaining and enhancing

parks and urban open space in general.

The Department of Communities and Local Government (formerly

the Office of The Deputy Prime Minister) has led the way with its

requirement for local authorities to adopt a more strategic approach

to green space through the revision of PPG17. It has also funded the

creation of CABE Space to develop best practice and provide advice

and support to local authorities. In recent years it has also funded

the Green Flag Award and wants to see the majority of local authority

regions with a green space flying the flag by 2008. In the future

the latter may be more linked in to Local Area Agreements through

requiring local authorities to develop local performance targets.

The Heritage Lottery Fund has continued to support the restoration

and regeneration of historic spaces and has also launched the ‘Parks

for People’ programme which broadens the focus to community

involvement and places greater emphasis on long-term management.

The recent National Audit office report ‘Enhancing Urban Green Space”

t h e v a l u e o f s t r a t e g y

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Hope Park

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and the updated Public Parks Assessment4 have shown that the

initiatives are beginning to halt the decline. These reports also show

that in general, residents’ satisfaction with green space is increasing.

The benefits of greenspaces

High quality greenspace is fundamental to maintaining an attractive

environment and a viable place in which to live, work and play. The

extent of, and the interconnections between elements of the open

space network is vital to biodiversity within settlements. It also

enriches the urban experience, contributing towards a quality

environment that provides opportunities for children and adults

to enjoy outdoor leisure. It also helps to promote social inclusion,

contributes to the health and well being of residents and is an

important educational resource.

Greenspace can provide opportunities for local people to become

actively involved in the management and enhancement of their

local environment, thus helping to foster a sense of local ownership

and community pride. Greenspaces are an essential element of

liveable towns. They can contribute to urban renaissance by

helping to regenerate and improve the economic performance of

areas, enhancing and supporting ecology and biodiversity, enabling

healthier living and fostering local pride and community cohesion.

High quality greenspaces can also help to deliver targets set by local

and national policy across a wide range of social, economic and

environmental policy areas.

Greenspaces can provide the following benefits and opportunities:

access and recreation people and play• active and passive recreation opportunities that encourage healthy lifestyles • establishing a sense of identity and belonging

• creating safe and attractive places • encouraging healthy living, play and learning

• providing path and community networks • promoting social inclusion, by providing something for everyone

• providing interlinked green access corridors • fostering local pride and enriching the urban experience

• encouraging positive use • engaging young people

• opportunities for sport and recreation • providing exciting, attractive and safe places

• environmental educational opportunities • providing a wide variety of cultural, social and community facilities

• offering alternative routes for circulation

environment and wildlife urban environment• creating a sense of places and purpose • creating or enhancing a distinct local character

• protecting and enhancing ecology and habitats • promoting a positive image to attract inward investment, business and tourism

• providing a sustainable natural resources • protecting and enhancing biodiversity

• innovative maintenance and management • providing attractive settings for the urban fabric and the infrastructure of towns

• reducing pollution and nois • protecting historic landscapes and cultural heritage

• providingenvironmentalinfrastructuretoimprovewaterqualityandfloodcontrol • boosting the economic potential of tourism, leisure and cultural activities

Greenspace networks can include a variety of places including

traditional parks, sports grounds and woodlands as well as disused

railway lines, riverbanks and cemeteries. An effective strategy needs

to embrace all of these and set them in a wide policy agenda that is

relevant to the place in question.

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Building an effective greenspace strategy

The fundamental principles for the successful development of a

greenspace strategy are that:

• greenspaces must serve a clearly defined and necessary local

purpose either now or in the foreseeable future

• they must be fit for purpose and there must be a reasonable

certainty of adequate resources for their long-term maintenance

The development of the strategy should therefore involve the

following:

• promoting diversity of type and size of spaces improving the presentation and appearance of the spaces

• ensuring that they are accessible to those who wish to use them• provision of an adequate number of open spaces• developing a hierarchy of spaces and connecting them if possible

• ensuring that the spaces reflect local needs and character

Quality in design

Finally it is worth noting that at a specific site level, quality in design

should be a key requirement of any project to create maintain or

enhance green spaces. Design should take into account the following

factors:

• Sustainability – individual spaces should be sustainable in terms

of function, durability and maintenance. This will also contribute

to the sustainability of local areas

St John’s Church and Cemetery

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• Diversity and variety – a network of green spaces, and where

possible, each individual space, should provide a variety of

experiences and functions

• Identity and character – green spaces should celebrate

local distinctiveness, heritage, community, materials, and

architectural styles; and the visual contribution to the public

realm – each space should enhance the appearance of the local

environment and should please users and passers-by

• Accessibility, permeability, and navigation – green spaces can

provide excellent pedestrian and cycle routes, and can provide

links to other routes and visitors should be able to find their way

around, using defined routes, clear entrances and exits, and

landmarks

• Structure and hierarchy – spaces should have a clear, coherent

structure that recognises and reconciles different uses and

integrates the site with the surrounding area

• Activity and animation – spaces should promote a mixture of

activities – both organised and informal – with places to sit,

walk, play, participate in sport, and more.

• Quality of materials and “whole life” costing – quality, long-life

materials, e.g. local, sustainable and recycled materials, create

a sense of care and value, and will often be more cost-effective

in the long-term

• Biodiversity – opportunities should be taken to promote

biodiversity within and across networks

Crow Park looking over Derwentwater and the Isthmus

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Context

Keswick is situated within the Lake District National Park

approximately 18 miles west of Penrith just off the A66. The town has

a stunning setting which few towns can match. It lies on the northern

shore of Derwentwater at the foot of Skiddaw (931m) and is one of the

most scenic and beautiful parts of England.

The population of Keswick was 4,984 at the time of the 2001 Census,

an increase of 400 (8.8%) since 1991. This compares with 2.3%

growth in the population of Cumbria in the same period, while the

population of Allerdale was almost unchanged. Despite planning

constraints on house building the population of Keswick has continued

to grow faster than the regional and national average.

The age structure of the town is shown in the chart overleaf. Compared

with the national average, the key features are:

• the very high proportion of Keswick residents aged 65 or older

(24.7%; England 15.9%)

• the correspondingly low proportion of children and young adults

under 25 (23.3%/31.1%)

In 2003, the Keswick Tourist Information Centre (TIC) dealt with over

440,000 enquiries, making it the busiest TIC in Cumbria. On the

basis that actual visitor numbers exceed TIC enquiries by a factor of 3-

4, it is probable that Keswick has well over 1.5m visitors a year.

k e s w i c k ’ s g r e e n s p a c e

3

Townsfield

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The greenspace facilities of the town therefore have to provide for a

substantially influx of visitors as well as the core resident population.

The town and the landscape

As mentioned above, Keswick has a superb natural setting – a

constant backdrop that brings quality and character to views of

almost all parts of the town. Derwentwater is the principle attraction

and access to it is within easy reach of the town centre.

The town itself has a high quality core based around the Market

Square and Moot Hall and spreading south along Lake Road towards

Derwentwater and north along Station Street and Station Road to Fitz

Park. This core area dates in the main from the 18th century through

to the early-mid 20th century.

After this time, the town started to lose its cohesive form through

lower density development primarily to the east and the west of

the central core area. The often sporadic nature of 20th century

development, particularly in the east of the town has resulted in the

retention of large areas of open ground – usually in agricultural use

on prominent slopes - giving the edges of Keswick a very open and

green character, though architectural undistinguished.

Categories of greenspace

This Greenspace Strategy focuses on publicly accessible green

spaces in Keswick and linear routes which connect the town to the

surrounding landscape. The strategy covers the types of green space

shown on the table opposite:

Composition and distribution

Urban Parks

Keswick contains two excellent urban parks providing a wide range of

facilities – Fitz and Hope Parks

Fitz Park: This is a traditional, largely informal, late 19th century park,

running alongside the Greta north of the town centre. It is a very scenic

location with a framework of mature exotic trees in the foreground and

a dramatic mountain backdrop.

The park is divided in two by Station Road with more formal facilities

such as sports courts and ornamental gardens clustered towards the

14.0% 17.6% 18.9%

9.2%10.2% 12.2%

11.6%12.4%

14.4%13.5%

14.5%14.9%

27.0%

27.1%23.8%

24.7%18.3% 15.9%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Keswick Allerdale England

65+ years

44-64 years

34-44 years

25-34 years

15-24 years

0-14 years

Population Age StructureSource: Census of Population �00�

type of space definitionurban parks accessible, high quality opportunities

for informal recreation and community

events

amenity areas typically green spaces in and around residential areas

sports pitches areas providing opportunities for participation in competitive sports

cemeteries and churchyards burial grounds providing opportunities for quiet recreation and contemplation, and biodiversity

allotments plots of land subdivided to provide opportunity for people to grow produce

linear or green routes footpaths and cycle routes which link together urban areas, green spaces and the countryside with the potential to attract wildlife into built up areas

natural and semi-natural

spaces

publiclyaccessiblefields,scrub,opengrassland or woodland areas that promote biodiversity and allow nature to develop

east, in Upper Fitz Park, and a large open green space including the

picturesque Keswick Cricket Club ground to the west, in Lower Fitz

Park. The Art Gallery and Museum is situated on Station Road, and

its decorative Victorian character ensures that it acts as a landmark

feature and focal point for the park. There are three grass tennis

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courts managed by the Keswick Tennis Club and three courts for public

use. Similarly, Keswick Bowling Club manages its clubhouse and green

with another green for public use. Footpaths circle a putting green

and formal garden shrubberies. Across the river is a triangular piece

of land, Wivell Park, which also includes the town’s War Memorial and

its flowerbeds.

Lower Fitz, surrounded by mature trees, is the home of Keswick

Cricket Club, “the loveliest cricket ground in England”. The pavilion

is shared with the Athletic Club and with Keswick Junior Football Club

which plays on an adjacent pitch. The adult section is to move onto

redeveloped land in Hospital Field once full plans are agreed. There

is a very well developed youth coaching and team structure in these

clubs. In 2005 a total of 5,581 tickets were sold to players.

The park is popular and well-used, especially during the warmer

months. It is also an important social space: it has facilities for sports

and games, children and their parents congregate at the adventure

playground, and people walking dogs gather to chat.

In general, the park environment is of a high quality. The original

infrastructure of ornamental tree planting and cast iron fences

and bridges has lasted well and brings a sense of robustness and

permanence to the park environment. The ongoing commitment of local

groups and the Town Council to the maintenance and improvement of

the planting and facilities in the park are welcome.

the cricket ground in Fitz Park

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Substantial damage was done to the infrastructure of the park by the

catastrophic floods of January 2005. June 2006 saw the replacement

of the destroyed Wivell Bridge, a much valued access to the park,

funding coming from the Trust, the community and the Heritage

Lottery Fund.

The park is an important pedestrian route to the Keswick Hospital,

Keswick School and for walkers heading to Latrigg and Skiddaw.

Hope Park: This is a more formal counterpoint to Fitz Park, with

ornamental gardens and facilities for visitors such as pitch and putt

and crazy golf. It has a decorative character based on traditional

horticultural themes and is well maintained.

It is well situated between the built up area of the town and Crow

Park (see below) with a direct pedestrian access from the town centre

which continues on to the Derwentwater. Much of the park is low lying

and liable to back-flooding when lake levels are high. Most of this risk-

prone area is woodland.

Facilities include a seasonal nine-hole mini golf course, putting,

obstacle golf, a nature trail and a kiosk. Formal gardens and seating

areas occupy the eastern end of the park. In 2005 a total of 69,401

tickets were sold to players. Revenue from the games and the garden

centre covers maintenance, gardening staff and management, any

surplus being partly used to cross subsidise the operation of Fitz Park

and build development plan reserves.

formal gardens in Hope Park

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Footfall through Hope Park is enormous, with great pressure on the

infrastructure. There is little unused space for new developments. As

well as the main through route, there is an all weather path leading to

the caravan sites and the bus station/supermarket area to the west.

Although Hope Park is a very popular area for locals and visitors alike,

it is not fulfilling its potential, for example:

• the poor quality approaches from the town centre and shabby

‘milling space’ at the main entrance

• the unattractive fence along The Heads; this compromises one

of the town’s scenic views to the architectural set piece of the

terrace and the mountain backdrop beyond

• the slightly dated character of some features and parts of the

park

• the inconsistent and sometimes inappropriate character of the

pedestrian sequence from the subway, along the edge of the

park, to the theatre and lakeshore

Hope Park is in reasonable condition and functions adequately at

present. Some environmental improvements and a continuing focus on

high quality management and maintenance will help to ensure that it

is appreciated and well used. A key question must be however, how

traditional parks such as Hope Park will fare in the future, especially

as people’s leisure needs and expectations change. It will be

important to develop a future vision for the town’s parks that ensures

they continue to be well used, maintainable and sustainable.

formal gardens in Hope Park

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Amenity Areas

Townsfield: This is a small area of recreational grassland adjacent

and open to the River Greta east of the town centre. It is conveniently

placed in relation to three housing estates but is isolated from

these by a busy road. Townsfield was once popular as an old bottle

collector’s hunting ground and was reclaimed from an old tipping site

some years ago. The grass is maintained by Keswick Town Council but

income is minimal from occasional lettings such as the Ram Fair.

Windebrowe Avenue: This is a small amenity area extending to 0.5

hectares in a residential area to the east of the town centre. It is not

particularly well connected to other green spaces and suffers from

flooding problems. It is a valuable local amenity.

Lakeland Park: This is made up of two informal areas of open space

set in an area of relatively recent residential development in the south

east of the town. They provide valuable amenity space with the larger

area being a combination of formal and informal character.

Trinity Way: Located next to St Herbert’s School, this is an area of

equipped play space managed by the Town Council. It is well located

in relation to the surrounding residential area.

Lakeland Park amenity space

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Sports Pitches

Walker Park: This is the current home of Keswick Football Club. The

land is also used out of the football season as a temporary touring

caravan site. The area is low lying and prone to flooding. The club’s

aim is to move to the Hospital Field (part of Fitz Park) once plans for

the development are approved.

Rugby Ground: This is a large area of ground operated by Keswick

Rugby Club. Out of season it is used as a coach park. The club

employs a full-time development worker through income it raises

through commercial activities. This has helped the Club develop

a large and successful junior rugby section which attracts large

numbers of both participants from a large hinterland. The area is low

lying and prone to flooding.

Keswick School Playing Fields: These are extensive areas for

competitive sports and practice located adjacent to Keswick School

and to the south across the B5289 in a bend of the River Greta. They

are exclusively for the use of the school.

St Herbert’s School Playing Fields: This area is located between St

Herbert’s School and the Keswick Railway Footpath. It is not open to

the public for competitive games.

Rugby Ground

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Cemeteries and Churchyards

Crosthwaite Church and Cemetery: Crosthwaite Church lies at the

western extremity of the town close to Keswick School. It is dedicated

to St Kentigern who came to Keswick in 553 AD. There has been a

church on this site ever since, the present Church being built in 1181.

Alterations and enlargements took place in the 16th Century, and

there was a restoration in 1844, by Sir George Gilbert Scott. This is

a beautiful location. The western part of the cemetery (behind the

church) is heavily treed.

St John’s Church and Cemetery: St John’s Church was designed by

Anthony Salvin in soft pink sandstone from quarries in the Eden Valley.

The site for the Church was chosen by the founder, John Marshall, Lord

of the Manor of Castlerigg. The church itself is a local landmark and a

prominent feature of the Keswick skyline. The cemetery is in various

ages and phases but is generally quite open in aspect.

Allotments

Castlehead Close Allotments: This is the town’s only allotment area

and lies just 500 metres south east of the town centre of St John’s

Road. (no other information at present)

Crosthwaite Church and Cemetery

St John’s Church and Cemetery

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Linear or Green Routes:

Friar’s Crag to the Boat Landings: This is a narrow strip of land along

the Derwentwater shoreline with a cover of old mixed woodland,

backing onto open fields. It is an important access to the noted

viewpoint at the end, Friars Crag which provides a wonderful

panorama of the lake and Borrowdale valley. There is a memorial to

John Ruskin and the footpath leads on to a popular walk along the

western shore of the lake and back around the lake to Portinscale and

back to Keswick (see below).

The area suffers from considerable erosion and undermining of trees

by waves and there are concerns about the stability of some areas.

There is very heavy pedestrian use of this area, particularly by visitors

to whom it is an easily accessible attraction. Vehicle use is restricted

to the warden’s house and to Derwent Island pier. The area is owned

by the National Trust.

The main path has been upgraded to disabled standards and

environmental upgrading is proposed as part of the Derwentwater

Foreshore Project.

Boat Landings: This is an area of hard landscaping and commercial

access to the shoreline and boat landings and piers. A public

timetabled launch service operates from this point to six destinations

around Derwentwater. It is therefore a very busy area. In addition

Derwentwater from the footpath to Friar’s Crag

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to this there are rowing boats and small motor boats for hire

together with some public launching space. This is mainly for canoes

associated with the outdoor pursuit centres. It is subject to very

heavy pedestrian use and easy access for cars and coaches leads to

serious conflicts of use.

The general condition of this area is poor. Given that the views from

this area are certainly some of the most beautiful in the Keswick area

it is easy to ignore the degree of foreground tat and the poor state

walls and surfaces.

The area is the subject of a major Heritage Lottery Fund bid for

renovation of the hard and soft landscaping with initial decisions

expected to be made in late 2006.

Foreshore to Town Centre: This is an important link between the

Boat Landings area and the areas of hard landscape and public realm

within the historic centre of the town which effectively end at the

underpass on Lake Road. The area is a busy but rather uncomfortable

zone which is partly remote footpath and partly street. It skirts the

eastern edge of Hope Park but does not feel like an integral part of it.

It includes the entrance area to the park off Lake Road and this area

needs a great deal of attention in terms of design quality, character

improvement and place-making. As part of the Keswick Town Centre

Masterplan study, it is proposed that the underpass be removed in

favour of a revised road system and at-grade crossing.

the Boat Landings Area

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the Boat Landings to Town Centre Link

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Portinscale Link: This important and popular footpath link extends

westwards from Greta Bridge to Portinscale. It is part of the Circuit of

Derwentwater as well as a local link between Keswick and Portinscale

and a smaller round trip of Keswick involving a boat trip from Nichol

End to the Boat Landings.

The path has a bound gravel surface, is level and is in reasonable

condition.

Keswick Railway Footpath: This four mile long footpath was created

by the Lake District National Park Authority following acquisition of

part of the former Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway, which

had closed to traffic in 1972. The 18 miles of the route between

Penrith and Keswick included 78 bridges, of which 8 cross the River

Greta over the railway’s 3 mile length between Threlkeld and Keswick.

Though much of the track was obliterated by improvements to the

A66, the section between Keswick and Threlkeld through the Greta

Gorge remains largely untouched by road works, leaving a series of

impressive bridges to provide the framework for a scenic footpath.

It is well maintained and mostly level, apart from a short stretch

underneath the A66 viaduct where the line used to go through a

tunnel.

The section within the Keswick town area is approximately 2 km in

length.

Keswick to Portinscale link Keswick Railway Footpath

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Natural or Semi-Natural Areas

Crow Park: This area is owned by the National Trust and leased to

a local farmer for grazing, usually sheep. It is a dome shaped field

with open views south over Derwentwater and the Borrowdale valley.

There is open public access for walks and picnics. It is occasionally

used for a limited range of events such as Rotary Club fireworks

displays, film sets and outdoor religious services. Being a field, it

has uneven surfaces, offers no protection in bad weather and ticketed

access for events is problematic. This is a very popular recreational

area in good weather.

There is severe erosion of the shoreline and the footpath system

connecting the Boat Landings area through Crow Park to the Isthmus,

Town Cass the caravan sites and the Headlands, is muddy in wet

weather or unsightly in dry spells. The erosion is aggravated by

large variations in lake level due to the nearby lake outflow being in

disrepair. The path through the adjacent wood and swamp is prone to

flooding.

Town Cass: This area is owned by the National Trust. It is a former

municipal refuse tip which was soiled over and seeded in the 1970s.

The area is traversed by an access track to the Launch Company

boatyard and the youth centre at the Isthmus. Some years ago the

Keswick Swimming club, now defunct, had changing rooms and a

swimming pier on this shore. Vehicle access is restricted. It is a well

used circular walk for local people, especially dog walkers and is a

Crow Park

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Town Cass

clear landscape feature from higher ground.

There are strong environmental concerns about any future

development because of the presence of methane and the danger of

polluted groundwater seeping into Derwentwater. At the same time,

it may be unwise to ignore the potential problems and environmental

damage that might arise from the buried material leaking into the

lake.

Fitz Park – Hospital Field: This area appears to be pasture but is part

of Fitz Park. At the present time it is used for grazing and occasional

overflow car parking but there are proposals to use the area as a

football ground and facility for Keswick Football Club to replace their

current facility at Walker Park. Hospital Field

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0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

16.00

18.00

urban

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cemete

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Series1

Composition and distribution

The composition of greenspace in Keswick is explained on the table

below. This shows that the town contains over 57 hectares (142

acres) of greenspace in seven categories. Of these, natural and semi-

natural areas make up the largest category followed by sports pitches,

then urban parks. Linear or green routes and amenity areas make up

the next largest categories with cemeteries and allotments forming

the smallest areas.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Keswick is very well provided for in terms

of natural and semi-natural areas and urban parks. Combined with

access to the wider countryside outside the town, Keswick is clearly a

very favoured place. At the same time there are certain quality issues

in connection with the urban parks. Clearly they provide a certain

kind of environment for people of a certain age – an older age group

who may have very traditional views about what an urban park should

be.

The striking issue raised by these figures is the relative lack of

amenity areas both in terms of number and size. This suggests that

Keswick relies on its urban parks and the surrounding countryside for

the provision of greenspace rather than on a network of smaller urban

green areas.

It is a similar situation with children’s play areas. For the purposes

of this study, areas under 0.5 hectares were not included in the

assessment. That would rule out many play areas. At the same time,

we didn’t see many children’s play areas and the few that we did

see would not meet the accepted standard of one Local Area for Play

within 100m (or 1 minute walk) radius of every home.

*NB – if this is an issue we will need to do a more detailed survey

Keswick Greenspace Composition above: entrance to Hope Park below: footpath to Friar’s Crag

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Friars Crag 0.84 0.84

Boat Landings 0.67 0.67

Crow Park 7.80 7.80

Town Cass 3.60 3.60

Hope Park 4.20 4.20

Fitz Park Hospital Field 4.25 4.25

Fitz Park Lower 7.25 7.25

Fitz Park Upper 2.26 2.26

Town-Foreshore Link 0.66 0.66

Walker Park 0.84 0.84

Rugby Ground 3.38 3.38

Portinscale Link 0.61 0.61Keswick School Playing Fields 9.34 9.34Crosthwaite Church and Cemetery 1.41 1.14

Keswick Railway Footpath 4.05 4.05

Townsfield 1.34 1.34Windebrowe Avenue amenity area 0.28 0.28

Lakeland Park amenity area 1.39 1.39Allotment Gardens - Castlehead Close 1.26 1.26St John’s Church and Cemetery 1.989 1.09St Herbert’s School Playing Fields 0.60 0.60

Trinity Way amenity area 0.67 0.67

13.71 3.68 14.16 3.39 1.26 6.83 15.65 57.52

In terms of the distribution of all of these facilities we used the

following as a basis of assessment:

a) There should be an amenity area within 400 metres or 5

minutes travel time from every home. **

b) There should be a neighbourhood park equipped with play

equipment and facilities within 1,000 metres or 15 minutes

travel time from every home.**

[**NB – these are based on the National Playing Fields Association

standards for LEAPs and NEAPs in terms of distance but not in terms

of play facilities – we can work this up and make recommendations if

you want this. We’ve ignored LAPs as I’m sure Keswick would come

out really badly. The detailed requirements are in Appendix 1.

As far as the distribution of other greenspace is concerned, the

position of Fitz Park and its range of facilities would suggest that it is

acting effectively as a neighbourhood park for the town, accessible to

most of the populace within 15 minutes travel time.

The situation with amenity areas is also positive although there are

areas of east Keswick – the Chestnut Hill, Eleventrees and Penrith

Road areas - which fail to meet the 400 metre distance from a facility

although they would meet the five minute drive time requirement.

Also there are parts of Crosthwaite and St John’s Road which fall

outside of a 400 metre distance to an amenity space.

A u g u s t 2 0 0 6 | W M U D


Keswick Greenspace Location of Resources

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Keswick Greenspace Composition

Keswick Greenspace Accessibility of Resources

A u g u s t 2 0 0 6 | W M U D


Keswick Greenspace Network Connections

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Keswick Greenspace Network Analysis

A u g u s t 2 0 0 6 | W M U D


Connections and networks

Keswick contains a dense network of popular routes that connect

greenspaces together and link the town to the countryside. Within the

study area, these routes extend to at least 15.5 km in length made up

of approximately 6.2 km within the built up area and 9.3 km in the

surrounding countryside. Routes within the town itself include not

only footpath links through urban parks but also the links to and from

important places such as the Moot Hall (the Moot Hall is often used

in guide books as the starting point for many countryside walks in the

Keswick area). The network of routes is therefore made up of:

• areas of pedestrian priority public realm in the historic core of the town

• footpaths along ordinary roads (pavements)• remote footpaths along ordinary roads• footpaths in urban parks and other green links, routes and

corridors

• rural footpaths

A working network cannot exist exclusively on rural footpaths and

in any case, the connections between urban and rural are important

parts of the unique Keswick character.

In assessing the condition of the network we acknowledged that it

is extensive, that it connects important and interesting places and

that it is generally in acceptable condition. We concentrated on four

particular categories of major route:

a) major route sections that are missing or incomplete – where

it would seem logical to provide a route which currently

does not exist in order to improve the network

b) major route sections shared with heavily trafficked roads or

where traffic intrudes on the pedestrian experience – it may

not be possible to do much about all of these

c) major routes in poor condition – where surfaces or related

infrastructure requires remedial works

d) major routes which appear to be overloaded – areas that

are not capable of dealing with current levels of use without

a change in design or further investment

a) Sections missing or incomplete: we considered that there

were three areas where the construction of new footpath

links would benefit the overall network and improve the

easy of use and popularity of the system. These are at the

Pencil Factory (a proposed link between the Hospital Field

and Greta Bridge), at Greta Side (a proposed direct link

from Bell Close car park to Fitz Park through a gap between

two properties) and along the shore of Derwentwater from

Town Cass westwards to the River Derwent and Portinscale

(a proposal to enable public access along a continual

stretch of shore to Portinscale). This could also involve

the repair or reconstruction of the weir at the outflow from

Derwentwater which would help to stabilise water levels.

b) Heavily trafficked sections: there are seven sections of

link that fall into this category. Realistically it would

be very difficult in some cases and undesirable in others

to separate vehicles and pedestrians. However we are

suggesting that when opportunities arise to ameliorate

the pedestrian environment, the opportunity should not

be missed. The most important section is the town to

foreshore (Boat Landings Area) where traffic gets mixed up

with pedestrians on a regular basis. This is the subject of

separate report entitled ‘Derwentwater Foreshore Traffic

Management Plan’.

c) Poor condition: There is one large section of the network

footpath system in particularly poor repair and which

should be a priority for investment. The section runs from

Town Cass, westwards along the shore line of Crow Park

then south to Friars Crag. As highlighted earlier, there are

serious issues with erosion, footpath surfaces and general

infrastructure in this area.

d) Overloaded major routes: The walkway corridor between

the edge of the historic core of Keswick Town Centre (at

Lake Road) southwards to Friars Crag past the Theatre

by the Lake and the Boat Landings area is under heavy

pressure from pedestrians. This has resulted in a high

degree of wear and tear – far more than could have been

anticipated – in what is essentially the premier tourist

focal point in the town. The result is a degree of mismatch

between expectation and reality.

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Strengths and weaknesses

In summary, it is clear that Keswick is a very fortunate place in terms

of greenspace provision and distribution. For a town of its size, it has

facilities on a scale that few sub-5000 population towns have. In

terms of strength and weakness the following is a useful summary of

the principal findings of the audit.

strengths weaknesses

• quantity of greenspace • insufficientplayspaceprovision• easy access to countryside • few small amenity areas• large popular urban parks that cater for

residents and visitors

• limited access to amenity areas from a few areas

• extensive sports pitches though all run by

schools or private clubs

• gaps in the overall footpath network reduce

accessibility• large natural and semi-natural areas within and

close to the town

• condition of parts of the network is poor

• picturesque and interesting churchyards • urban parks will need more investment and more

contemporary facilities• extensive linear greenspace network • pressure from visitors on areas around

Derwentwater• Town Cass could be an environmental problem in

the future

A u g u s t 2 0 0 6 | W M U D


In setting out ideas for the future of greenspace in Keswick we are

aware that there is a need for a combination of the visionary and the

practical. In the special circumstances of Keswick – a beautiful and

favoured place - it is easy to think that a few practical improvements

or repairs here and there are all that are required. There is also an

engrained suspicion of change and a fear that anything new will

ruin the wonderful place that is Keswick. This can also be seen as

complacency – a sense that what was acceptable 20 years ago is still

fine today.

Far from being a threat to the environment of Keswick, a greenspace

strategy could bring about far-reaching and beneficial change. The

early 21st century is a very positive period for parks, open space and

green areas in general. We have outlined earlier in this report the

considerable support from government organisations and public

bodies offering advice and funding for improvements. Greenspace

is a cross-cutting issue, drawing on the policy areas of sustainable

development, healthy living, environmental education, local climate

variance, access, biodiversity, cultural resources, heritage and social

inclusion. There has rarely been a better time to start the process of

preparing, adopting and implementing a Greenspace Strategy.

The emphasis in this report has been on the value of greenspace and

the structure, form and distribution of greenspace in Keswick. At the

same time it is worth mentioning two other general areas of related

activity which should be addressed – developing the vision through

partnership working and managing the resource.

l o o k i n g t o t h e f u t u r e

4

Derwentwater foreshore at Crow Park

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Part One: Partnership working

Multi-agency working

In most urban or rural areas responsibility for the development of a

greenspace strategy bridges a number of departments and bodies.

This is partly a reflection of the cross-cutting nature of the subject

and partly a realisation that the best and most implementable ideas

grow out of multi-agency working. This is rarely easy of course – in

the case of Keswick there are perhaps more agencies liable to be

involved than in other areas. However the benefits lie in helping to

provide funding from a range of sources, helping to enable effective

community involvement and developing long term and productive

working relationships.

Involving the community

Successful design of new greenspace or alterations to existing areas

should combine creativity with an understanding of local context.

People who live and work in the area can best contribute much of

that understanding. The new or improved greenspace will play a part

in their lives – it is intended to serve their needs and reflect their

concerns and values. Involving local people will best be achieved

by early involvement in the preparation of the strategy rather than

asking for their approval of ready-made plans. Indeed a means

should be found of having permanent representation of local people

on the strategy group and a high degree of responsibility given to

local people for implementing the strategy.

footpath to Crosthwaite in Fitz Park

A u g u s t 2 0 0 6 | W M U D


Establishing the vision

Once the above measures have been set in hand, the partnership

and the local community should prepare a vision statement for the

strategy.

Part Two: Priorities for investment

The audit and analysis of Keswick’s Greenspaces set out in the

previous section highlighted a number of strengths and weaknesses.

Generally, the strengths of the area relate to the quality of the

surrounding landscape, the degree of access to the countryside and

the large and popular urban parks. The extensive footpath network is

also a considerable asset.

At the same time, it was considered that there were issues relating to

the following areas and it is suggested that future investment should

be targeted at these.

• Investing in Derwentwater shoreline and footpaths

• Providing for children’s play in a more comprehensive manner

• Developing small amenity areas throughout the town

• Developing and improving the footpath network

In the longer term we think it would be beneficial to consider:

• Investing in the Urban Parks

• Investigating the potential environmental issues at Town Cass

view from the footpath to Skiddaw and Lanrigg

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Clearly these potential investment areas are suggested as a result of

our own assessment of the Keswick environment and information from

a variety of reports. It does not represent a particular community

view although we are aware that some consultation has been carried

out in relation to some issues.

Part Three: Management

The management of greenspace is a particularly important issue.

There is more to management than repair and maintenance and

ideally, management should involve all of the following:

• Managing and maintenance of the greenspace resource

• Promoting the greenspace resource – through schools, internet

and literature

• Securing revenue funding – from events, lettings, forestry assets

or sales

• Organising an events programme – especially in relation to other

programmes of events in the town such as the Film Festival and

the Book Festival

Conclusion

Keswick is well provided for in terms of greenspace. It has a

magnificent landscape setting, fine parks and an extensive network of

footpath links connecting greenspaces to each other and connecting

town to countryside. However there are some deficiencies especially

in relation to certain areas being overwhelmed by visitors with

consequent damage to footpaths and infrastructure. There are also

issues in relation to children’s play provision throughout the town.

There is also surprisingly little evidence of community involvement

in greenspace issues. The development of a Greenspace Strategy

for Keswick could be an opportunity for more local people to become

involved in the process of change and implementing some of the

suggestions in this short report. The most important thing is to start

the process of improvement.

A u g u s t 2 0 0 6 | W M U D


LAPS - Local Areas for Play

Each site must be formally designated by the Council as a play area

catering mostly for children aged 3 - 6, close to where they live (1

minutes walk /100m).

Each site should be enclosed by a fence or barrier (e.g. hedges or

planting).

Each site should be of a minimum area of 100m2 and surrounded by

an appropriate buffer zone (total area requirement 400m2 including

Buffer Zones)

There does not have to be play equipment included, however, most

authorities advocate the inclusion of small indicative items of

equipment within LAPs – such provision would be considered on merit.

Each site should be overlooked by housing, pedestrian routes, or other

well-used public facilities.

Each site should have a sign excluding dogs.*

LEAPS - LOCAL EqUiPPED AREAS FOR PLAy

Each site should be a minimum distance of 400m / within 5 minutes

traveling time of housing units.


an appropriate buffer zone (total area requirement 3,600m2 including

Buffer Zones)

All equipment and facilities should have been assessed as safe for

continued use by a competent playground inspector.

All equipment should comply with BSEN1176 and surfacing with

BSEN1177.

All equipment with a fall height greater than 600mm must have

appropriate impact - absorbing surfacing.

Each site should have a minimum of five different activities. Multi-

play equipment may be counted as having up to three separate

activities (e.g. sliding, climbing, rocking, swinging, or social play).

Each site should have a small games area (may be grassed) within the

boundary of the playground.

Each site should be entirely fenced with self-closing gates. *

Each site should have signs excluding dogs. *



NEAPS - NEiGhbOURhOOD EqUiPPED AREAS FOR PLAy

Each site should be a minimum distance of 1000m / within 15 minutes

traveling time of housing units.


an appropriate buffer zone (total area requirement 8500m2 including

Buffer Zones).

All equipment and facilities must have been assessed as safe for

continued use by a competent playground inspector.

All equipment should comply with BSEN 1176 and surfacing with BSEN

1177.

All equipment with a fall height greater than 600mm must have

appropriate impact - absorbing surfacing.

Each site should have a minimum of eight different activities. Multi-

play equipment may be counted as having up to three separate

activities (e.g. sliding, climbing, rocking, swinging or social play).

Each site should have a hard surfaced kick about / skating / cycle

play area within the boundary of the playground.

Each site should be entirely fenced with self closing gates. *

Each site should have signs excluding dogs. *



In essence, the six acre standard requires the above criteria to be

met. Items marked with an asterisk are additional requirements of the

audit commission and not the NPFA.

a p p e n d i x : d e f i n i t i o n s

WMUD

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Keswick Greenspace Strategy

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