GREEN spaces in Enfield were celebrated last week at the launch of the council's new Parks and Open Spaces Strategy - but what does the report actually say? REBECCA LOWE takes a look.

ENFIELD Council's Parks and Open Spaces Strategy was released into the sky in a bevy of balloons last Thursday to announce its official launch.

The document sets out the council's priorities and targets for all public green spaces across the borough between now and 2020.

To deliver the strategy, the council has already earmarked £5.7m for 2009 to 2013. It also holds an annual revenue budget of £6.1m, but needs further resources to achieve its main objectives.

It is currently seeking to identify match-funding from outside grant-giving bodies to make up the deficit. It is also exploring the economic potential of its open spaces to help make them self-sustainable, and considering alternative "creative approaches" to achieve its aims - though it is vague on what these are.

Background:

Overall, green belt land covers around a third of Enfield's open space and public parks take up 35.3 per cent. More than 13 million visits are made to Enfield's parks annually.

The most recent public survey for the parks service gave a 73 per cent satisfaction score - high compared to other council services.

Problems:

Reports have shown deficiencies in the quantity and quality of public parks in the borough, an uneven distribution of children’s play provision and a need to improve facilities in some of the most deprived wards.

General aims:

One main priority for the council is improving tourism in Forty Hall, Trent Park and the miles of watercourses to promote and market Enfield as a new "Green Tourism" destination in London.

Another aim is to improve the cultural role of Enfield's parks. Twelve per cent of open spaces already perform a cultural role either through supporting cultural activities or holding events, and the council has identified another six per cent as having the potential to do so.

A further priority is enhancing the wildlife in parks, as 22 per cent of the borough has been identified as "lacking in access to nature" - despite having nearly 600 hectares of woodland and scrub, and the greatest length of watercourses of any London borough.

The council also wants to encourage more residents to get involved with their parks, and intends to prioritise community involvement for schemes in Meridian Water, Ponders End and Edmonton Green.

New Green Flag scoring system:

To help maintain the parks to a high standard, the council intends to create a localised Green Flag scoring system, from 0 (very poor) to ten (excellent).

Currently, large parks such as Forty Hall consistently score 8 or 9 in most categories in the national Green Flag assessment, but smaller parks tend to score around 6 or 7.

Enfield's criteria will be: a welcoming place; healthy, safe and secure; well maintained and clean; sustainability; conservation and heritage; community involvement; marketing; management.

Targets for park access:

The strategy states that all Enfield residents should have access to a metropolitan park (60 hectares) within 3.2km from home, to a district park (20 hectares) within 1.2km from home, and to a local park (two hectares) or small local park within 800m from home.

All residents should have access to areas of formal and informal play provision for children and teenagers within 400m, and to a football pitch in a "secure community" within 1200km.

All residents should have access to an allotment garden within 800m of home.

Specific areas targeted for improved parks and open spaces:

Central Leeside is expected to house up to 5,000 new homes within the Meridian Water area over the next 20 years, and new multi-functional open spaces adjacent to the River Lee are being considered by 2018. The current seven open spaces will also be improved, including enhancing access to Lee Valley Regional Park.

The 40 open spaces in north-east Enfield, including the Lee Valley Regional Park and River Lee, are to be developed to improve access to the west of the borough, and to enhance the "health and well-being" of residents.

Open space around the North Circular Road is to be targeted from 2010 to 2019 to improve access to the greenery around the New Southgate area. It is hoped this will encourage cyclists and pedestrians to avoid the road and use sustainable modes of transport.

The Ponders End Recreation Ground is to be transformed between 2010 and 2014, and a hub of new facilities is being planned to promote activities and recreation.

New cemeteries are to be built between 2011 and 2014 to cater for growing need, and measures to address the increasing demand for allotments are being prioritised until 2013.

Local byelaws will be adopted to empower the parks police to crack down on antisocial behaviour in parks and open spaces. There will also be an improved "park watcher" to report on anti-social behaviour.

An Enfield Walking Action Plan is to be implemented to improve the condition of existing footpaths and complete missing links between parks and open spaces.

The Enfield Cycle Route Network is to be completed to provide "safe and attractive" cycle routes between town centres, public transport routes, open spaces and employment sites.

Several "Healthy Parks" are to be adopted to support physical activity, food growing or organically sourced food. Parks will be awarded gold, silver and bronze status according to their level of "healthiness".

The installation of public art in parks and open spaces will be strongly encouraged as a way of supporting local talent.