Policy information sourced from the Hillingdon Local Plan: Part 1

EM4: Open Space and Informal Recreation

The Council will safeguard, enhance and extend the network of open spaces, informal recreational and environmental opportunities that operate as carbon sinks and that meet local community needs and facilitate active lifestyles by providing spaces within walking distance of homes. Provision should be made as close as possible to the community it will serve. There will be a presumption against any net loss of open space in the Borough.

The Council will identify new opportunities for open space through an Open Space Strategy. Major developments will be expected to make appropriate contributions to the delivery of new opportunities, or to the improvement and enhancements of existing facilities.

The Council will seek to protect existing tree and landscape features and enhance open spaces with new areas of vegetation cover (including the linking of existing fragmented areas) including front and back gardens for the benefit of wildlife and a healthier lifestyle, mitigating climate change.

The Council will work with DEFRA to identify and protect open spaces that provide quiet areas and will also consider whether other areas merit protection of relative tranquillity.

The Council will work with other local authorities and agencies to pursue the key aims of the Colne Valley Park.

Implementation of Policy EM4 - how we will achieve this:

The Council will implement Policy EM4 by:

  • Improving the quality of accessible open space and provision of new open space through developer contributions.
  • Protecting informal recreational spaces including allotments and promoting participation in food growing opportunities.
  • Protecting and improving habitats and ecosystems throughout the borough and to areas beyond, by maintaining existing trees and native vegetation (adaptable to climate change) and open spaces and creating new areas of tree and woodland cover (including the linking of existing fragmented areas) for the benefit of wildlife and in accordance with the local Biodiversity Action Plan.
  • Managing development to resist the loss of open spaces, trees and woodlands.
  • Implementing Policy T4.
  • Improving the Public Rights of Way network secured through the Public Rights of Way Improvement Plan and Local Implementation Plan proposals or through other funding opportunities.
  • Developing a policy for Areas of Environmental Opportunity in the Hillingdon Local Plan: Part 2- Development Management Policies LDD.
  • Joint working with other local authorities and agencies in the implementation of the Colne Valley Vision and Action Plan 2009-2012.
  • Environmental improvement schemes undertaken or funded by the Council.

Monitoring of Policy EM4 - how we will measure success:

  • Monitoring of the Policy EM4 will be through the Annual Monitoring Report with a specific link to:
    • LO18 Indicator: Amount of open spaces with Green Flag Awards. Target: Increase the number of parks gaining Green Flag Status.
  • Improve public satisfaction with the quality, accessibility and number of open spaces in the borough.
  • Review the quality of information in the Open Space Assessment submitted with planning applications.
  • Increase the area of land of new open space, including informal recreation space, in areas identified as deficient in the Open Space Strategy.
  • Number of applications refused on open space grounds.
  • Increase the length of the Public Rights of Way network.
  • BV178 - Hillingdon’s Public Rights of Way performance indicator.
  • Implementation of the Colne Valley Vision and Action Plan.
  • Amount of inappropriate development permitted in the Colne Valley Park.

For more information please see the Local Plan: Part 1