the rye and holywell mead - wycombe€¦ · the wycombe district is home to approximately 174,878...

The Rye and Holywell Mead Management Plan

The Rye and The Rye and

Holywell MeadHolywell Mead MANAGEMENT PLANMANAGEMENT PLAN

Nov 2016Nov 2016——2026 2026


The Rye Management Plan

Updated Nov 2016, next updated version due Nov 2017

Contents

Part A -The Management Plan

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Location of the Park

1.2 The Need for a Management Plan

1.3 The Aims of This Plan

1.4 Timescale

Part B - The Rye and Holywell Mead

2.0 History

2.1 Legal & Planning

2.1. a Legal Documentation

2.1. b Planning Policies

2.2 A Welcoming Place

2.2. a First Impressions

2.2. b Landscape Character Areas

2.2. c Access and Circulation

2.2. d Boundary Treatments

2.2. e Car Parking

2.2. f The River Wye

2.2. g Play

2.2. h Sports

2.2. i The Dyke

2.2. j Wycombe Rye Lido

2.2. k Pann Mill

2.2. l Pann Mill Gardens

2.3 Healthy, Safe and Secure

2.3. a Community Health and Safety

2.3. b No Drink Zone

2.3. c Dogs

2.3. d Rat Baiting Stations

2.3. e Duck and Swan Feeding

2.3. f Lighting

2.3. g Contractors

2.3. h Risk Management


2.4 Well Maintained and Clean

2.4. a Park Cleanliness

2.4. b Grounds Maintenance

2.4. c Seating Areas and Litter Bins

2.4. d Commemorative Benches

2.4. e Buildings and Other Infrastructure

2.4. f Tree Maintenance

2.4. g Play Area Maintenance

2.4. h Sweeping

2.4. i Dog Bins

2.4. j General Maintenance

2.5 Sustainability

2.5. a Pesticide use

2.5. b Materials and Resources

2.5. c Principles of Sustainability

2.5. d Flooding

2.6 Conservation and Heritage

2.6. a Conservation of the Landscape and Built Environment

2.6. b Revive the Wye

2.6. c Cultural and Social Benefits

2.6. d Wycombe Walk and Walk 4 life

2.6. e Sculpture/Public Art

2.7 Community involvement

2.7. a The Park Community

2.7. b Voluntary and Community Groups

2.7. c Partnerships and Community

2.7. d Equality Act 2010

2.7. e Inclusion

2.8 Marketing

2.8. a Marketing Strategy

2.8. b Signs

2.8. c Website

2.8. d Information and Interpretation

2.8. e Encouraging Park Use


2.9 Management

2.9. a Management Plan

2.9. b Public Service

2.9. c The Influence of Wycombe District Council Strategies

2.9. d Financial Management

2.9. e Decision Making

Part C – The Future for The Rye

3.0 Vision

3.1 Summary

3.2 SWOT Analysis

3.3 Objectives for The Rye and Holywell Mead

3.4 The Park will be welcoming and accessible to all

3.5 The facilities within the park will be enhanced and developed to meet community needs

3.6 The natural environment within the park will be enhanced and developed with partners

3.7 The local community will have a positive input into the man-agement of the park

3.8 The Rye Action Plan—Review November 2016

Appendices

Appendix 1—Leases and Concessions

Appendix 2—Map showing No drink zone

Appendix 3—Tree Survey Examples

Appendix 4—Monthly and Annual Play Area Inspection Examples

Appendix 5—Revive the Wye example of volunteer work

Appendix 6—Walk Wycombe Route Plan

Appendix 7— Wycombe District Park Structure and Quadron Staff Structure

Appendix 8—Wycombe D. C web site Press Release

Appendix 9 —Wycombe Rye Lido Promotional Poster


Part A – The Management Plan

1.0 Introduction

The Rye and Holywell Mead is the premier open space in the town of High Wycombe.

This revised Management Plan is based on the original 2008 plan and is intended to be read by anyone with a desire to understand how and why this beautiful, special green space in the heart of the town is managed.

It is intended to be an equally useful source of information and guide for green space managers and for the public. It sets out much of the historical context, describes the current position of the park in 2016 and lists some of the future developments that are proposed by officers, stakeholders and the public that are intended to enhance the already high quality of this urban open space and meet some of the changing expectations and needs of the public who visit the park.

An Action Plan that addresses many of the issues identified within the body of the management plan is set out at the end of the document.

This management plan which is reviewed and updated annually in order to achieve continuous improvement in the quality of the open space at the Rye and Holywell Mead (for the purposes of this Plan, the open space will be referred to as ‘The Rye’ going forward) has been developed with the thoughts, comments and proposals of stakeholders that include the Rye Dyke Angling Association, The Environment Agency, local interest groups including the High Wycombe Society and the views of many individuals.

All of the input from stakeholders has been reviewed and some of the proposals have been incorporated in the action plan, whilst others require further discussion and consideration going forward.

The Rye has been awarded the Green Flag since 2012.


1.1 Location of the Park

The historic Rye Park is located in the centre of High Wycombe town, sitting adjacent to the main London to Oxford Road (A40) and only a short walk eastwards from the High Street and shopping centre.

The main parkland is approximately 31 hectares (76 acres) in size, (making it the second largest public park in the district), with the River Wye flowing through the site, and it adjoins a further 28 hectares (70 acres) of woodland known as Keep Hill Wood, which provides tree-covered public access to the countryside to the south and east of the park.

The Wycombe District is home to approximately 174,878 residents, making it one of the largest districts in England by population.

The district covers an area of 125 sq. miles from just below Aylesbury, the county town of Buckinghamshire, in the north to Marlow, Bourne End and the valley of the River Thames in the south. Much of the district is within the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the influence of the beech woods and chalk hills can be seen throughout the town, which sits in a steep-sided valley and spreads over the adjacent hillsides. Studies show that slightly more people come into High Wycombe to work in the town centre shops and offices or at the commercial estates on the edge of town, than leave the town to work every day.

There is rising demand for high quality, useable, large and increasingly flexible open space, caused by the ever higher expectations of local people and the growing amount of new commercial and housing development in the Thames Valley; and particularly new housing estates on brown field sites in the urban area. This demand places increasing pressure on the Rye to continually provide a key community recreational facility throughout the year.

The central position of this large green space means, it is vital that the Rye is maintained to the highest possible standards, so that residents, businesses, developers, investors and visitors see High Wycombe as an attractive and desirable place to live, work and visit.

Over 22,000 vehicles (Bucks CC data 2006) pass by the Rye along the London Road each working day (over one million vehicles a year), which contributes heavily to pollution levels in the valley at the heart of the town, especially in the heat of summer. It is probable that many drivers and passengers look across at the park as they pass by, which makes it essential that such a high profile park looks at its best at all times. Few towns of this size can offer such beautiful scenery and such a large area of well-used open space so close to the residential, commercial and industrial centre of town without exhibiting any negative signs of the impact of proximity. For those visiting High Wycombe, the Rye provides a direct physical link to the open countryside, woodlands and a wide variety of wildlife.

As a destination the Rye plays a major community role as one of the premier open green spaces that serve the varied leisure needs of the entire Wycombe district, not just High Wycombe town residents.


Figure 1: The Rye and Holywell Mead – location of main features and facilities.

© Crown Copyright and database rights 2011 Ordnance Survey 100023306 Aerial Image © Getmapping plc. www.getmapping.com


1.2 The Need for a Management Plan

The Rye is a resource which needs to be managed with great commitment and also great sensitivity. This plan explains some of the history behind this special place and why it looks the way that it does.

The purpose of the plan is to provide a guiding document that enables the Green Space Team, contractors and all stakeholders to understand the significance of the park and the aims and significance of all work carried out within the park throughout the life of the plan. Anyone joining the Council’s Green Space team or any contractor should be able to pick the document up and immediately gain an understanding of the strategic aims of the team in relation to the Rye.

Another advantage of the production of this document is that it serves as a tool for consultation with stakeholders, Councillors and residents across the district. As well as seeking the views of those who visit the Rye on a regular basis, it is equally important to get feedback from non-users, those residents that do not use the park, and investigate why they do not currently use the facility and what (if anything) might encourage them to do so in the future.

1.3 The Aims of This Plan

It is important that any individuals and groups who have an interest in the management and future of the park have a clear understanding of the strategic vision and aims for the park and the drivers that dictate how the park should be maintained and developed as user needs and expectations change over time. This document sets out those aims, thereby ensuring understanding, continuity and a common approach to achieve the vision of this plan.

There is a desire to ensure that in the future, the local community will be more closely involved in major decisions over the management of the Rye, and it is essential that there is strong understanding by green space managers of the needs and aspirations of local residents. The publication of this plan enables that dialogue to continue and develop. One of the actions is to maintain a Friends Group.

The value of the Rye lies primarily in its historic open landscape, the quality of the environment it offers and its freedom from dominating urban development.

In order that proper importance is placed on the need for conservation of the character of the site as a whole, it is necessary to safeguard it as a valuable piece of open space for the benefit of this and future generations whilst meeting the ever changing needs and demands of the community that uses it.

All successful parks are living and changing entities and must fulfil the leisure needs of the community today, whilst also respecting nature, history and tradition.


1.4 Time Scale

2016 - 2026. A rolling 10 year plan updated each year.

Part B – The Rye and Holywell Mead

2.0 History

The history of the Rye as a place for use by the public of the town and surrounds of High Wycombe (known as Wicumun in c970) can be traced almost continuously right back into Saxon times, and also much earlier with a few gaps in the record.

Earthenware has been found dating from more than 3000 years ago along the riverbanks and the bones of a woolly rhinoceros and a mammoth have been discovered in the soil of the Rye.

The Roman Villa site, which is situated under the swimming pool complex, was occupied by the Romans for about 200 years, judging from the evidence discovered around the villa site so far. The Roman villa dates from circa AD150-170, the ruins of which were first uncovered in 1722.

The villa site was the subject of major excavations in 1862, 1932 and 1952 and various artefacts were found, including a Romano-British mosaic floor. Details of the mosaic and other finds from the excavation are held by Wycombe Museum, currently based in an 18

th Century house about a mile away from the Rye.

In 1929 a number of bodies thought to be of Celtic origin were discovered close to the Dyke.

Ivan Sparks, in his “History of Wycombe”, (Barracuda Books Ltd.1979), illustrates the great history of the site as “Atte Reye” (1372) and The Reye (1451) and also mentions Pann Mill, which name comes from the Panil family of around 1150 and which has been known as La Pande in the 13

th century, La Penmell (1344) and Penn Mill in 1606.

The current mill building was donated by Marks and Spencer staff c1984, the original building having been removed when the road was widened through that area. The garden on the London Road near the mill is where the Hayward’s Cottage stood until the 1960s. The Hayward was responsible for the control of the cattle that grazed the Rye. In the evening the cattle could be seen walking home along the road without supervision to properties along Easton Street and the High Street, where they were kept until the next morning.


Wendover Way was named after Viscount Wendover, the only son of the Marquis of Lincolnshire, who was killed in the First World War. The Dyke came into the ownership of the Old Borough of High Wycombe in 1923 when, along with Wendover Way, it was given to the Borough by The Marquis of Lincolnshire, Viscount Wendover Charles Robert Wynn-Carrington, former MP for High Wycombe and Lord Lieutenant for Buckinghamshire. The Marquis gave Wendover Way to the Borough in trust for the people of High Wycombe.

The Dyke forms part of the landscaping of the Wycombe Abbey grounds commonly attributed to Capability Brown, which was carried out around the time of the Abbey building’s transformation from Loakes House by the first Baron Carrington and the architect James Wyett. The Dyke was included in the gift to the Borough, and this beautiful stretch of water proved to be a delightful addition to the Rye, with its varied water life and opportunities for boating and fishing. The boating concession is located at the hut at the west end of the watercourse.

The water pumping station was opened in 1911 and pumps around 9 million gallons a day from 250ft underground, mainly up to the nearby hillside reservoir at Bowerdean.

A Children’s Health Centre was built near the western entrance of the Rye in 1936. The health centre became a nursery (Busy Bees) when the health service no longer required the building, which has kept the connection with use by children.

In the 1960’s, a plan to put the route of the Abbey Way road through the Rye met with great local opposition, relocating it to its current route outside the park instead. This campaign led to the formation of the High Wycombe Society.

In all, The Rye can claim almost 2000 years of occasional occupation or use in one way or another, which gives it a unique historical significance.

Figure 2: View across the Rye showing cows grazing, c1920

Figure 4: West end of the water course

Images © of Wycombe Museum

Figure 3: Painting of Pann Mill, 1890


2.1 Legal and Planning

2.1. a Legal Documentation

The Dyke and a wooded area to the south along the course of the old road, to be known as Wendover Way, were donated to Chepping Wycombe Borough Council, a precursor of the current District Council, by the Marquis of Lincolnshire in 1923 in memory of his son. The Rye and Holywell Mead are made up of several separate parcels of land, some of which have different covenants attached to them.

The Rye was acquired by the Chepping Wycombe Corporation between 1923 and 1925 and there is a Local Act, The Chepping Wycombe Corporation Act 1927 (CWCA) that deals with its acquisition and applies restrictions to what it can be used for. A copy of the CWCA is located in the local reference section in High Wycombe library. It had the effect of stopping grazing rights and established the Rye as an area for public recreation.

Holywell Mead is not covered by the CWCA. The land supported water cress beds and cottages amongst other things in the past and is not held in the same legal status as The Rye.

In 1946, the Chepping Wycombe Corporation, wishing to close part of Keep Hill to the public, and the defence regulations under which the U.S. Air Base was sited there being about to end, laid a further local Act before Parliament repeating in it the specific purposes for which the Rye could be used. The act permitted the Rye or parts thereof to be closed to the public for the purpose of shows etc., for 28 days in any one year, and not more than 14 consecutively. It is thus possible to have annual events on The Rye with admission charges to the fenced arena and many other large events yet keep the park open free of charge throughout the rest of the year.

Like many parks today, both the Rye and Holywell Mead are a patchwork of land parcels adopted at various times and each with different covenants on them. One such example is that while fairs are permitted on the main grassed open space where the sports pitches are, there is a covenant preventing a fair from operating on a separate land parcel, close to the Wycombe Abbey School boundary.


2.1. b Planning Policies

The Rye is situated within a designated Conservation Area and part of it is designated as a Local Landscape Area (LLA). The area is therefore subject to a range of planning policies which are aimed at conserving the specific character and qualities of the Rye.

An area of the park is also registered as part of the English Heritage Historic Landscape. The boundary includes the entire Dyke, an area around the boat house and, the east end, where the cascades area is, included within the Wycombe Abbey Registered Historic Garden.

The English Heritage guidance “Managing Local Authority Heritage Assets” (2003), emphasises the need for positive management by Local Authorities through the development of a long-term strategic plan, understanding the heritage role and value of the assets in their portfolio and encouraging the routine preventative care of these assets through proper provision of sufficient constant and consistent funding. It goes on to say “if considering alteration, disposal or change of use of an asset, the benefit to local users, the local identity and distinctiveness of a building or park and the current public needs must be taken fully into account before making decisions”.

The whole site is designated as Public Open Space. Within the Open Spaces Act 1906, the Local Government Finance Act 1988, the Town and Country Planning Act 2008, and other Acts of Parliament there are various attempts at defining what “open space” is essentially it means a park or green space, whether enclosed or not, the majority of which is not covered by buildings and that is laid out for recreation, leisure, as a public garden, walk or pleasure ground for the use by the public and managed by the Crown, a Local Authority or Trust as custodians for the use of the public.

The terms “Parks” and “Open Space” are interchangeable. A park can be a specific named site, as can a public open space, but in essence they are one and the same. Any major new development will be subject to consent from the local Planning authority and the appropriateness of any new development within the site would be determined through the statutory planning process.


Figure 5: English Heritage Wycombe Abbey Historic Landscape Map—Area marked in green shows the overlap into the Rye

© Crown Copyright and database rights 2011 Ordnance Survey 100023306


2.2 A Welcoming Place

2.2. a First Impressions

The Rye creates an impressive green gateway to the centre of the town from the eastern approach along the valley floor and is a significant feature in the landscape of the area to the south and east of the town centre. The vast area of flat, open grass, backed by a solid mass of trees rising up the hillside, is one of the defining views of High Wycombe town.

The entrance by Pann Mill is attractive and framed by the mill building and trees on one side and floral bedding strengthened by hedges on the other. The bridge over the river encourages a feeling of entering a different space, away from traffic and noise and the benches in the garden provide a place to sit in the sun and enjoy the view.

The tree cover at the western end of the open space has the effect of screening the more open park aspect from view when approaching on the direct route from the town centre, whether on foot or by bicycle. This does however produce an element of surprise on passing through the trees and into the open grassland, and the trees also serve as a distant indicator of the existence of a green space.

The Wycombe Abbey School fence and the nursery building combine to form the entranceway. Overhanging foliage from over the school’s fence has to be regularly trimmed back from the path to improve access.

The park has a variety of important features which give it a unique character. It borrows much of its character from the area of hanging, ancient semi-natural beech woodland at Keep Hill, Warren and Deangarden Woods to the south and east, which are outside the park boundary. This woodland should continue, to be well managed and protected as part of the overall strategy to conserve the character of the Rye and the landscape of the eastern edge of the town.

The area of woodland across the Hillside (Keep Hill Wood) is owned by Wycombe District Council and currently leased to Chiltern Rangers. Wycombe Abbey School owns Warren Wood and the Carrington Estate owns Deangarden Wood. All the woodland is under active management to varying degrees and is adequately protected within the adopted Local Plan.


2.2. b Landscape Character Areas

Figure 6: Aerial Photograph of Character Areas

© Crown Copyright and database rights 2011 Ordnance Survey 100023306 Aerial Image © Getmapping plc. www.getmapping.com


The park has been divided into six character areas which are described below.

Character Area 1 – Holywell Mead South

Holywell Mead is bound by the park access road from Bassetsbury Lane to the north, the Dyke and some residential development to the south and east, and tennis courts to the west.

The area accommodates two football pitches in the winter months and therefore is open with short mown grass and with tree planting confined to the periphery of the field. This consists of the informal woodland associated with the Dyke and the formal avenue of tree planting along the access road.

This is a wide, open space with few immediate visual obstructions although it is contained by development on all sides. Views of residential development to the south and housing estates on the valley side to the north give the user a strong sense of being in a suburban setting. Views into the park from Bassetsbury Lane are readily available as there is no eye level boundary planting along the road.

When not being used for sport this area is used mainly by dog walkers. It contains the main vehicular access road leading to the car park which is also shared with pedestrians, so has traffic-calming features. The Marsh Brook flows around the south and east boundaries and was previously mainly canalized, with a concrete edging giving it limited ecological value and reducing its visual interest. A project was carried a couple of years ago with partnership organisations and most of the concrete edging has now been removed and planted.

This area has good visibility and is well overlooked by residential development so feels secure although when not being used for sport it is quieter, less used. A footpath running from the woodland past the tennis courts to the drive was installed in 2010 forming the final link of the circular footpath for the park.


Character Area 2 – Holywell Mead North

Along the road to the car park is an avenue of Hornbeams. Outside the hedging is a flat, open area of grassland where junior football pitches are often marked out. This area forms part of the main flood relief and has bunding to the south side to hold back flood water, which can then flow back into the main river channel via the large grill to the eastern end of the character area.

Use of this area is limited as there are a number of natural underground springs which randomly appear here.

However in the summer this area is also used for smaller events, as conditions allow.

This area has been improved in recent years with the addition of a permeable footpath which created a full circulate route for the whole of the Rye and Holywell Mead.


Character Area 3 – The Dyke and Wendover Way

On the southern side of the park a large stretch of open water, 800m long by 25m wide, is known as the Dyke. Wendover Way is the tree lined route for both pedestrians and cyclist which runs alongside the Dyke to the south side of the park adjacent to Keep Hill Woods.

Alongside the north side of the Dyke is a formal path that forms the edge of the watercourse where there is no bank.

Railings and a dense hedge and tree screen run along the south boundary and divide Wendover Way from the adjacent school grounds. Further east along the path, where residential properties begin to form the boundary, this changes to a variety of fences and walls.

Approaching the Dyke from the west, a curving path leads away from the open park and towards the watercourse and woodland walk. Once within the woodland walk views of the park to the north are glimpsed between trees but attention is mainly drawn to the variety of the tree cover and associated wildlife, and the views of the riverbank and waterfowl. Towards the eastern end of the walk the woodland widens out and the boundaries along the south are less visible from the path. Views to the park are restricted by the yew trees on the opposite bank which screen the Holywell Mead pool complex. Views to the river become more open and the whole width of the Dyke can be seen.

Wendover Way is not only used for walking but also forms part of the east-west cycle route to High Wycombe and the path is widened and divided to accommodate a cycle path. Access into Keep Hill Woods and the public footpath network is gained from the path in the south east corner. The Dyke is used for boating, operated from a boathouse to the west and a number of fishing points are located along the south bank. At the eastern end of Wendover Way the changes of level become more pronounced and the Dyke forms a small waterfall which cascades into a shallow pool. This forms an attractive scene and families with small children tend to paddle in the shallow waters during the summer. In the winter this is a quiet corner of the park, and is used mainly by dog walkers.

At the western end of Wendover Way the former war office railings can be viewed in the boundary with the Abbey School. An interpretation board is also in place, this provides the history of the railings and detail on how the area became known as Wendover Way.

The area of woodland behind the Dyke beyond the Wendover Way is mostly Beech woodland with some Sycamore, Yew and Holly, with limited ground flora and a large population of grey squirrels that requires control from time to time.

A formal avenue of Limes line the path for some length at the western end but the tree planting soon turns into informal woodland towards the eastern end. Tracks lead from the main path, allowing people to walk within the trees. Near the boathouse there is a line of nine Italian Alders.


The trees along Wendover Way provide shade and shelter and a sense of separation from the main park. This character area feels quieter, although the path is very well used, as the noise and activity of the London Road is less noticeable. The experience of the landscape is more intimate and focused on the natural variety of the trees and the riverbank, and activity of small mammals and birds associated with these. Near the waterfall the area continues to feel separated from the adjacent playing fields by an informal line of trees. Attention is focussed on the sight and sound of the small waterfall and feels intimate and enclosed.


Character Area 4 – The Rye Playing Fields and Built Facilities

The largest character area is dominated by the large, open space of shortly mown grass, between the Dyke and the River Wye on which adult football pitches are sited during the winter months. The Wycombe Rye Lido complex, tennis/ 5 aside courts and car park are also in this character area.

The River Wye forms the northern boundary and the Dyke runs along the southern boundary. To the east are open fields and the main vehicular entrance to the park and to the west are the fenced grounds of Wycombe Abbey School. Football is the main use of this area in the winter and its open nature to the western part of the field is used to host major community events and attractions in the summer. There are footpaths around the edge of the field and one path which crosses north to south to the built facilities, marking the old boundary between the Rye and Holywell Mead. When the fields are not being used for sports they are used for informal walking and recreation. The town’s main children’s play area (for under 8’s) is located on the northern boundary adjacent to the London Road.

Tree planting is limited to the outskirts of the area, alongside the river, adjacent to buildings and as an avenue along some of the paths. Adjacent to the play area there are several willows and between Pann Mill and the play area there is a mix of small ornamental trees.

Another tree lined path runs from close to the play area across the centre of the park to the Wycombe Rye Lido complex and marks the boundary between The Rye on one side and Holywell Mead on the other. The remainder of the area is short, mown grass.

Views around the western half of the area are extensive as there are few visual obstructions. To the north, the activity and traffic of the London Road and residential development are visible. A tree belt screens the Thames Water facility and part of Pann Mill to the north-west and to the north-east trees associated with the river bank break up views of residential flats and the cricket ground. To the south there is a strong contrast in the view between the wide open space of the playing fields and the long bank of woodland climbing up the valley side. The lack of obstructions results in the sky being widely visible.

The unusually large expanses of grass and sky give a strong perception of freedom and space to the user. Visibility is good which gives a feeling of safety and security. Even on a day-to-day basis the area is well used with much activity around the car park. The area is exposed with little shelter or shade from the elements. The activity associated with the busy London Road is both audible and visible from much of the area.


Character Area 5 – The River Wye and Pann Mill

The River Wye runs along the north boundary of the park adjacent to the London Road, residential housing and the cricket ground. It is culverted through much of the town but emerges and runs the full length of the park.

The road and associated residential development have a heavy influence on the river as they are always audible and visible. From the riverside the rest of the park is clearly visible and views up and down the river are available as it is relatively straight. The river is shallow and supports some wildlife. Its ecological value is discussed in a separate section but its benefits for park users are mainly visual.

There is limited vegetation associated with the river. An avenue of trees along part of the river provides some separation between the playing fields and the river and also some shelter and shade. On the north side the bank is more natural and marginal, riverside vegetation has been able to establish in areas not overshadowed by trees.

The noise and activity from the London Road detracts from the experience of walking alongside the river, particularly on the western end where the two are very close. In the vicinity of the Pann Mill Gardens this is alleviated to some degree by the increased separation between the road and the river. Alongside the Millstream residential flats the separation from the road is even greater and the experience is a little quieter still.

At the pedestrian entrance beside Pann Mill, the formal, ornamental Gardens containing seasonal bedding and clipped beech hedging are visible to the east. To the west are the informal, woodland grounds of Pann Mill itself, and in front the open playing fields can be seen against the backdrop of the Wendover Way woodland. The access crosses the river Wye over a small bridge, providing views of the river below.


Character Area 6 – Children’s Nursery and Western Entrance

The pedestrian entrance from the Town Centre is located in this character area, shared with the vehicular entrance to the Busy Bees Nursery and the Wendover Way cycle path.

Abbey Way road forms the northern boundary and the playing fields are to the south and east. The river is to the east and the close board fence around the grounds and buildings associated with Wycombe Abbey School form the western boundary.

Views into and out of the park from Abbey Way are generally blocked by the various buildings along the northern side of the park and their associated vegetation. Once within the park the views of these buildings are screened, on the whole, by tree planting.

On approaching the park from the main entrance, the views are dominated by the curving access road and associated signage and the boundary fencing of the school, although the park is visible in the distance. Further along the access road, the drop off area and rear of the nursery building is visible, alongside the security gate, bollards and signage restricting vehicular access in to the park. Beyond this, the park becomes more visible and the open space of the playing fields is viewed through the copse of trees in the north western corner of the park.

This character area has a variety of land uses. The main one is the access road and buildings of the children’s nursery which dominate the main entrance. There is a Thames Water pumping station adjacent to this which is very well screened by trees on all sides.

The vegetation consists of the mown grass verges with ornamental shrubs at the main entrance and the mixed woodland copse on the western edge of the park. Around the Thames Water pumping station is an evergreen tree belt acting as a tree screen.

At the main entrance the noise and activity associated with Abbey Way is at a high level and the urge to walk away towards the green space of the park is strong. The vehicular access road, cycle way and walk way are all closely situated and not all well located, resulting in a conflict of uses and confusion for the user. The access caters essentially for the vehicles. Further into the park the woodland copse provides shade and shelter in contrast to the open playing fields beyond.

This area is the location for the Ropes on the Rye play area, which provides a more naturalistic play environment for over 8’s, it was installed in 2008, and mainly funded by a grant from BIG lottery. This has proved a very popular addition to the park.


2.2. c Access and Circulation

The park is currently open to allow 24 hour pedestrian access. This will remain so for both legal and practical reasons.

Vehicular access to the car park is restricted to 5.30am to 10.30pm except for maintenance vehicles and vehicles associated with events. A tarmac pad was added in 2005 at the western entrance to distribute the wear and tear large vehicles make when coming onto the grass for events. Barriers control access at vehicle entrances to the park, with a dropping barrier at the main car park entrance that restricts traffic at night but is open during the day.

Additional footpaths were added in 2009 and 2010 to complement the existing path network and provide a continuous footpath route around the perimeter of the park.

Pedestrians and cyclists coming from High Wycombe town centre into the park via Abbey Way dual carriageway are firstly directed into the Abbey Way underpass. Bucks County Council undertook improvements to the underpass in 2010 and this included a graffiti art project by Wycombe Youth Action which includes directional arrows to the Rye painted onto the subway. Wycombe District Council has also made improvements to the signage in and around this area. A new surfacing crossing over the A40 was installed in 2014 providing better access to The Rye from the town centre.

The vehicle route from Bassetsbury Lane at the eastern end of the park does little to suggest that a visitor is entering a special place. With the grass area known as Marsh Green sitting opposite Holywell Mead, the area is very attractive but there is little to define it as a major entrance to the premier open space for the town. Signage has been installed at the entrance but further work, should be explored to improve this area.

The entrance off Bassetsbury Lane is the only public vehicle entrance to the park, with the driveway to the car park then running past Bassetsbury Manor on the right and football pitches and the waterfall running down from the Dyke on the left, then the tennis courts, before it reaches the landscaped car park area.


2.2. d Boundary Treatments

From the Bassetsbury Lane entrance in the east and moving clockwise around the park, bollards line the Bassetsbury Lane and Keep Hill Road boundary and the grass meets the roadside without any fence or wall, which keeps a sense of openness to the park. The Marsh Green grassy space, once a millpond, is opposite the park entrance and is also protected by bollards.

The southern boundary is a mix of residential housing and woodlands. The wooded entrance to Keep Hill Woods is reached from Warren Wood Drive, where wooden railings and a low brick wall sits at the top of a high bank. When the residential properties are reached, the boundary becomes fenced and the two informal entrances along the footpath run between houses up to the road. Beyond the houses, the boundary remains wooded along the border with land belonging to Wycombe Abbey School.

Railings run along part of the boundary to the south west corner of the park, where they join old ironwork railings owned by the School that guard a path up towards Daws Hill House and an entranceway to the School that is still sometimes used. The gates are fairly new and the railings are high quality late eighteenth and mid nineteenth century wrought ironwork, with cast iron and bronze embellishments, that were originally installed on two sites in Pall Mall, but were moved to High Wycombe in1908-9 by Lord Carrington to form an entrance gateway to his residence, Daws Hill House. They were relocated to their present position in 1924. They are not owned by WDC and are outside the Rye boundary.

Solid wooden close board fencing divides The Rye public open space from the private school grounds along the Wendover Way drive down to the Abbey Way park entrance. There is a small dense copse of trees at the western end of the park that screens the Abbey School arts building from the view of park users. Bollards line the grass boundary to the park opposite the nursery to another barrier gate, two disabled parking bays and access path form the entrance to the footpath alongside Pann Mill. This area has potential for further improvements.

From Pann Mill the River Wye itself is bordered on the London Road side by concrete walls and rails until reaching the other informal entrance by Rye Garage and the flats. The Wye then changes course and is bordered by commercial and residential property on the other side of the river until Bassetsbury Manor is reached. A hedge and grass bank then lines the boundary of Bassetsbury Manor to the Rye, with the river flowing around the other side of the Manor opposite High Wycombe Cricket Club and residential properties, eventually reaching the drive at the Bassetsbury Lane entrance.


2.2. e Car Parking

The car park, including the grass overflow area and tennis courts, is managed by Fusion Lifestyle Ltd, who signed a 50 year lease with WDC for management of the Wycombe Rye Lido Complex in 2011. There are 109 bays, with 4 disabled and 1 coach bay. The parking spaces are partially broken up with small shrub beds which improve the aesthetics of this hard surfaced area.

The Nursery end contains two additional disabled parking bays at the north west of the park. These are managed by Wycombe District Council and were put in at the request of disabled parks users and allow them to better access the facilities at that end of the park.

2.2. f The River Wye

The Rye, for many years a water meadow, was used as pasture land for the grazing of cattle before it became intensively maintained as parkland, with the winter flooding of the Wye having a major impact on the conditions of the ground. Indeed, the river still floods across the park during periods of heavy rainfall. The Rye is almost completely surrounded by water courses, with the lake at Wycombe Abbey only a few metres from the River Wye at the western end and the Marsh Brook (Back Stream) almost meeting the Wye again at Funges Meadow at the eastern end of the site. Some people have even suggested that to be a possible source of the name of the park, with “Rye” having come from Eye or Eyot, an island in a river. All this water adds to the sense of coolness, calm and relaxation felt when entering the park.

The presence of continually flowing rivers or streams is a rarity, a special habitat of national significance, within the usually dry chalk valleys of the Chiltern Hills and it is this feature which distinguishes the Wycombe valley from most others in the area.

The most visually attractive area in the entire town section of the river valley is The Rye and the river corridor along the Marsh Brook (The Back Stream). Areas of poor visual amenity are limited to the sections of the Wye adjacent to the London Road. The height of the bank varies considerably due to the diversion and canalization of the river, but most of it falls between 1m and 2m.

The width of the Wye is generally less than 5m.

The Marsh Brook is for the most part narrower than the Wye but the depth of both streams is consistently less than half a metre except during heavy rains.

The river bed material varies a great deal. The bed of the Wye is a mixture of gravel, sand and silt/mud, generally in an average or poor condition. Virtually all of the Marsh Brook is pebble and gravel bed, in excellent condition. The flow varies between medium and slow.


Bank erosion and collapse of the Wye caused largely by the effect of summer drought and winter flood, and to some extent American Crayfish which burrow into the bank causing it to collapse/erode, required the use of timber to support the soil in several places. During 2013 Wycombe District Council worked with the Environment Agency, Revive the Wye group and The Wild Trout Trust to enhance the four sections of the River Wye that run through the park. The hard engineered banks were removed in favour of sloping banks which reduce erosion. The channel itself was reformed using a combination of coir rolls and bundles of brushwood.

There are few vegetated margins along the Wye as it runs through High Wycombe town, except on The Rye where there are bull rushes (Typha latifolia) along the bank adjacent to the London Road. This area did also contain large quantities of Himalayan Balsam. The Revive the Wye group has done a significant amount of work in recent years to control this plant. The photos below show before and after shots of the section of river that has been cleared of Himalayan Balsam over a three year period. There is a substantial amount of vegetation in the Marsh Brook throughout its length.

Almost all of The Rye and the Holywell Mead area are in the designated flood zone of the valley, although it is more often summer storms that give rise to sudden and brief flooding of the parkland for a few hours, rather than the rivers overflowing their banks to any great degree.


Figure 7: Map showing Flood zones on The Rye

© Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2011. All rights reserved.


2.2. g Play

The under 8’s play area facing onto the London Road can be accessed via footpaths from the car park and local roads. A play area has existed in this part of the Rye for many decades in one form or another, and the current site is large by local standards and well used. It caters mainly for younger children, either brought to the park by parents/guardians or by teachers from local schools. The play area had a refresh in 2008 with the addition of some new equipment. Further enhancements were made in 2011 with the addition of a new pirate ship.

In 2006 the BIG Lottery Fund invited all Local Authority areas to bid for play funding. Wycombe District’s bid was successful and the authority was awarded £327,109 for children’s play; £200,000 of which was allocated by the Play Partnership to a new naturalistic adventure play area at the Rye for children over 8 years old. The Thames Water site housing development close to the Rye generated another £50,000 in commuted sums for children’s play at the Rye. Both sums were combined to provide a special new play area, which includes facilities for disabled users, on the Rye. The site is aimed for the older children of the District. The play area was installed and opened in September 2008. It was named Ropes on the Rye after a competition inviting local children to come up with a name for the facility.

The location of this play area was specially selected to provide an open, yet intimate facility that sits within a small group of trees and has proved extremely popular. It was a major contributor in NetMums voting The Rye one of the top 10 free places to visit within south Bucks for 2011.

2.2. h Sports

There are changing rooms located by the car park, and a separate block of public toilets, serving the football pitches plus junior pitches that can be marked out on the grassland.

The land used for sports can be affected by movements of the soil after floods and droughts. In 2011/12 a large area was levelled and treated to provide further flat areas for four additional football pitches. The changing rooms can accommodate use of nine pitches.

The Rye is home to the weekly Saturday morning adult park run.


2.2. i The Dyke

Situated at the head of the Marsh Brook is the Dyke. This was created along with the lakes in the Wycombe Abbey grounds, as an ornamental feature in the 18

th

Century. The Dyke was made by the flooding of the old road to Windsor and was originally one larger feature with the lake in the school grounds. Now, since the separation of the two watercourses, the water flows under the fence and path through a pipe from the School’s lake.

The Dyke is spring fed, with water which originates from springs upstream of Wycombe Abbey School. It is a separate watercourse to the River Wye and is therefore less prone to river pollution. Excessive weed growth has been a problem in some years and needs to be cleared away when it occurs. This is monitored on an annual basis and works ordered as required.

The Dyke normally contains an excellent variety of coarse fish species and usually offers excellent opportunities for fishing, which is run by the local Rye Dyke Angling Association, and in 2012 re-stocking took place by the Environment Agency Fisheries Department with 8000 Roach, 2000 Tench and 1500 Rudds being added. In 2013 a further 6000 fish have been added. Also in 2012 reed islands were added to the Dyke to provide a habitat and shelter for the fish. Fishing platforms located along the southern bank had deteriorated over time and, in partnership with the Environment Agency, three new platforms with adjacent planting were installed in 2009.

The boat house building situated at the end of the Dyke offers boats for hire during the summer, and a small café offers limited refreshments throughout the year.

There is an annual fishing event held each August on the Dyke which is organised by the Environment Agency, the event is free of charge and members of the public can attend and receive professional tuition from a qualified angling coach.

Two interpretation boards were installed in 2011 at either end of the Dyke identifying the wildlife that can be found in the park.


2.2. j Wycombe Rye Lido

The pool at The Rye in High Wycombe was first opened in 1957 based on a 1930’s design. Over the years the number of users of the open air pool gradually declined and the site was closed in 2008, while a more sustainable leisure use was sought. A competitive tender was issued and Wycombe District Council signed a 50 year lease with Fusion Lifestyle Ltd for management of the pool complex and adjacent car park and tennis courts. Following initial remedial work, Fusion re-opened Wycombe Rye Lido to swimmers on 27th May 2011 in time for the summer season.

Fusion Lifestyle Ltd is a registered charity that specialises in managing sports and leisure facilities, including a number of historic open air swimming pools. It invested over £1 million in 2012 in refurbishing the pool and providing new facilities to make the complex self-financing and so secure its future. The redeveloped pool complex opened in summer 2012 including a gym and fitness studio, as well as a bistro serving food and drink that is open to all park users. The tennis courts have been resurfaced to create 3 all weather courts, that can be used for football and tennis, the court is flood lit. Fusion invested £50,000 and the work was completed in December 2012. These facilities offer further variety to the leisure facilities available at the Rye. (A lease plan is in appendix 1 and a promotional poster in appendix 10). For more information on Wycombe Rye Lido visit http://www.fusion-lifestyle.com/centres/Wycombe_Rye_Lido/

2.2. k Pann Mill

The old Mill Wheel and a shed containing machinery at the west end of the Rye were until recently all that remained of Pann Mill, which was situated on the site of a much older mill predating the Norman Invasion. Nothing is known about this early mill and the earliest records of Pann Mill are in the Domesday Book. It is recorded as a thriving but unnamed corn mill. In the reign of Henry II, the mill was given by the crown to Roger de Panil, a French Knight, for the services of one fifth of a knight – an allusion to the monetary aid rendered by de Panil in the Crusades. There was considerable land attached to the Mill in those days and it formed a very desirable property to add to his estates. The name Pan or Pann derives from this French Knight.

There is a recorded history of the area available from the Parish rate books (ref The Rye a ‘Priceless Possession’). Occupiers of the Mill from 1667 can be traced with few breaks from this source.

More can be learned at http://www.pannmill.org.uk

The High Wycombe Society, who organise displays of flour milling at the site, has successfully taken on the care of the current mill buildings and restored much of the machinery to a working condition, and maintain its garden.


2.2. l Pann Mill Gardens

Pann Mill Gardens is a landscaped grass area adjacent to the London Road, containing flowerbeds, hedges, trees, a war memorial and memorial benches, where visitors can sit and take in the view across the River Wye and the Rye. The Hayward’s Cottage was sited here before it was demolished to widen the road.

Across the London Road from the Mill Gardens can be seen the ruins of the Hospital of St. John the Baptist, later the Royal Grammar School site and now offices.


2.3 Healthy, Safe and Secure

2.3. a Community Health and Safety

Wycombe District Council has a comprehensive health and safety policy, distributed to all services in electronic form. Relevant parts of the policy are included in the maintenance contracts and are monitored by officers. Contractors have their own health and safety policies too.

Wycombe District Council aims to create a sense of security for visitors to the park. The park ideally should always feel secure for members of the community to use or traverse during daylight hours.

The 2015 customer survey revealed that 94% of visitors felt very/quite secure. In 2015, 2% felt neither secure nor insecure. No one asked in 2015 felt insecure while visiting the park. These scores reflect the way people perceive the park in terms of health and safety.

The police carry out foot patrols through the park and during the school summer holidays. This allows officers to meet park users to discuss any issues or questions they might have.

The Grounds Maintenance Contractor’s staff are on duty at weekends to ensure support is available for sports bookings and events, and to ensure that the changing rooms are properly cleaned and secure. They are sometimes on hand for emergencies, to assist in letting ambulances onto the park and other such matters but have to cover other large sites and therefore cannot guarantee attendance. However the site is visited daily by the contractors who carry out bin emptying, play area inspections and opening and cleaning of the public toilets. The contractor also reports any defects or issues to the Green Spaces Team.

The Green Spaces Team monitor the status of all park fixtures and facilities not covered by the Environmental Health Officers and instruct/supervise all repair works where required.

Technical support is provided by the Estate Services Section and the Tree Officers.

The lease at the Dyke boat house follows the relevant regulations and ensures that persons on hire boats follow the safety instructions issued by the Hire Company.


There is no direct cash handling by Wycombe District Council officers as all cash transfers are undertaken by (and at the risk of) the various concessions and contractors.

Opportunities for the improvement of public safety, without spoiling enjoyment of the many facilities, are examined as part of the general park management reviews including issues identified in risk assessments and feed back from park users and contractors.

Issues of community safety in the park relate primarily to acts of vandalism. Park buildings, lighting columns, trees, litter bins, benches and other items of parks furniture and play equipment are sometimes the target of vandalism.

All vehicle gates are kept locked to prevent unauthorised access. At night time the barrier on the access road to the car park is in place to further restrict movement of vehicles within the park. Cars can only exit after 10.30pm, and can not enter until morning.

The level of work and public activity during the day ensures there are high levels of natural surveillance in the park during daylight hours.

The green space contractor inspect the play area equipment on a daily basis and also undertake a monthly operational inspection, in accordance with the contract specification, to ensure that the site is safe to use. The contractor has procedures in place to deal with equipment that fails safety checks. Further checks are carried out by an external contractor on an annual basis, to comply with industry best practice. Records are kept of all inspections and faulty equipment is immediately secured and repaired or removed from public access.

The Green Space Officer sits on the local Safety Advisory Group (SAG) board to represent the interests of the Rye in any major event application, alongside representatives from other Council departments, the police and the other emergency services. The level of demand for these major events rises and falls from year to year, making it difficult to gauge the number of events that will be booked in a particular year. Events are currently booked through the Green Space Officer.

One issue for the site is that major events can cause noise disturbance for nearby residents. An increase in events would bring an increase in disturbance. A balance is therefore sought between the community need for events and the community need for peace and quiet. This is achieved through careful management of booking numbers and sensible closing times.

Some of the larger events can sometimes cause damage to the sports pitch areas during the ‘closed’ season when pitches should be recovering from winter wear and tear. Again, a balance between conflicting demands is necessary. The current events list can be seen displayed on the park notice boards.


Fortunately the Rye is large enough to accommodate most events and if an area of grass becomes worn it is usually possible to move the next event in the calendar to another part of the park where the ground conditions are better. Abbey Way is the usual route into the park for fairground vehicles. Events bookings are managed in the same way as sports bookings to ensure that any activities involving high visitor numbers which might impact on the park are controlled to ensure that there is not a clash with other activities. Weekends are particularly busy for sports in the winter and the car park can be filled to capacity. Additional parking is provided in the overflow car park and along the access road.

First aid is available at Wycombe General Hospital, about 5 minutes walk from the Abbey Way entrance to the Rye and Wycombe Rye Lido has staff trained in first aid on duty.

Antisocial behaviour in green spaces is minimised by a number of factors such as appropriate provision for young people (e.g. a teenage shelter), and well-cared for and maintained facilities. If graffiti, which can be a major problem, is not cleared, antisocial behaviour could escalate. Hence, a graffiti removal response time is in place that aims to remove graffiti as soon as possible. A 24 hour response policy is in place to remove any offensive graffiti.

Officers from Environmental Health monitor the food outlets and all other concessions in the park.

The Rye public toilets are situated by the car park and next to the Wycombe Rye Lido. The current building was built in 2001. These cater for male, female and disabled users. The toilets are looked after by the green space contractors. A mobile crew attends to the cleansing on a daily basis.

2.3. b No Drink Zone

A no drink zone has been established by the police covering large parts of the Town Centre including The Rye. This means that people found under the influence of alcohol behaving in an anti social manor can have their drink taken by the police and asked to leave the area. The area covered by the no drink zone is shown in appendix 2.

2.3. c Dogs

The Rye is popular with dog walkers. Levels of dog fouling are regularly monitored and the wardens always encourage responsible behaviour by owners. The waste bins are emptied by a dedicated contractor, managed by WDC Environmental Services. The children’s play areas are clearly signed as dog free areas.


2.3. d Rat Baiting Stations

In 2004 Wycombe District Council took out a contract with Rentokil to install 35 sub terrain rat baiting stations. These were installed in locations where the rat populations were at there highest and has successfully reduced the numbers. The contract with Rentokil is on going with monthly checks and re baiting as necessary, to continue to control the rat population.

2.3. e Duck and Swan Feeding

Over recent years, there have been a dramatic fluctuation in the number of swans from one small family unit that could be sustained by the natural environment to an artificially high population that depends on public feeding.

WDC received complaints from members of the public who were intimidated by the large numbers of swans and their aggressive behaviour when walking along the Dyke. Also the local angling club and the Environment Agency, have expressed concern that the quantity of birds and human foodstuff is affecting the water quality and fish population.

Several temporary signs were erected initially and these have since been replaced with permanent signs in appropriate locations.

The signs display the information shown below

Did you know?

Feeding the birds bread, though enjoyable for us,

is harmful and can shorten the life of the waterfowl.

is detrimental to the quality of the water in the Dyke and the wildlife that live there.

has also dramatically increased the problem of rats in the area.

The large bird population has reduced the amount of vegetation in the water and is effecting the fish population.

Please help Wycombe District Council maintain the Rye and the natural habitats and wildlife and don’t feed the birds.

Wycombe District Council and the Environment Agency will continue to monitor the situation; however controlling this situation is extremely difficult. In 2011, the council put in place maintenance plans to have the footpath at the front of the Dyke cleaned regularly to remove bird excrement.


2.3. f Lighting

The park itself is not lit apart from at the main car park and the Wycombe Rye Lido building, tennis courts and a small section of road adjacent to The Ropes on the Rye play area. These areas are lit because customers use the area in the evenings.

WDC do not light the parks because it discourages inappropriate night time use and is less disturbing to wildlife. Many feel that it is not right to illuminate major parks at night because they have links to the countryside and it wrongly urbanises a semi-natural environment.

2.3. g Contractors

All contractor machinery engaged in park maintenance must be correctly maintained and have safety guards in place. All contract personnel are trained in the safe operation of equipment before being permitted to use it. They are provided with and must wear personal protective equipment. Fuels are stored off site, in a secure place and bunded to avoid leakage. The swimming pool has its own chemicals requirements, which it also holds in a bunded area.

Park vehicles and machinery are kept running at a high standard, to reduce the risk of leaks and spills as well as for emissions limitation.

The Grounds Maintenance contractor Quadron has ISO 14001 accreditation for the contract.

2.3. h Risk Management

Technical advice, monitoring and control of all risk issues relating to the park are provided by the Council’s risk management team. Site specific risk assessments are carried out by members of the Green Space Team and reviewed every 3 years or as necessary. The risk assessment for the park was updated in July 2015, a copy is available on request.


2.4 Well Maintained and Clean

2.4.a Park Cleanliness

The standards of litter picking and bin emptying in the park have been dramatically increased in recent years to help improve appearance. Litter collection is one of the most expensive maintenance cost items in Wycombe’s parks and open spaces. It is known and understood by Wycombe District Council that poor cleansing produces hazards for the public, is visually off-putting, encourages misuse and leads to a general feeling of neglect, which is why every effort is made to continually raise standards.

The 2015 Customer Survey carried out by an independent research company on behalf of Wycombe District Council revealed that the Rye is very highly regarded by visitors, with 95% saying that the park quality is very or quite good, 26.3% of people surveyed put ‘cleanliness and well kept’ as their top reason for this level of quality.

A move to the standardisation of litter bin design across the Park has reduced costs and simplified the work programme. The bins are large enough to cope with most normal demands and are available in sufficient numbers for the park.

Under the performance based contract that commenced in January 2013 bins should not more than three quarters full at any time. When major events take place, of which there are many each year in this popular location, extra provision for litter collection is required from event organisers as part of the booking. The Green Space Officer is responsible for ensuring that suitable provision has been agreed with organisers during the planning stage of an event.

Quadron is responsible for a formal litter collection, the performance output for litter collection is for the park to have less than 5%/m2 of litter prior to a litter pick and 0% litter after the visit. Fusion is responsible for the litter bins in the main car park. The grounds maintenance contractor is responsible for the cleaning of the park changing rooms and public toilets. Fusion and the boat house operator are responsible for ensuring that their facilities are kept clean and presentable for visitors.


2.4. b Grounds Maintenance

The annual routine grounds maintenance budget for the Rye is currently £73,293.40. This covers the following maintenance items: litter collection, grass and sports pitches, bedding, hedges and the opening, maintenance and cleaning of the public toilets.

The main maintenance features in the park other than litter picking are:

Lawns and sports areas – The grass in the main park areas is maintained to the following heights during the growing season; maximum height of 40mm and minimum of 25mm, Ornamental grass in the play area and Pann Mill Gardens is maintained at a maximum height of 30mm and a minimum of 15mm. All pitch and changing room bookings for WDC sports facilities are managed by Quadron Services. Pitches are sometimes “rested” during prolonged periods of heavy rain, frost or snow.

Floral beds – Flower beds are weeded and dead-headed and edges are clipped to maintain a neat appearance. Peat free bedding has been used since 2013.

Hedges – All hedges are clipped to previous years cuts throughout the year.

Stream Clearance – Litter and debris is cleared from the rivers by the Green Space contractor regularly where safe access is available. Grills/weirs are kept clear to prevent flooding and inspected regularly.

All green waste recycling takes place at High Heavens, a County Council owned recycling site on the edge of High Wycombe town.

2.4. c Seating Areas and Litter Bins

There are many public benches around the park, including at Pann Mill Gardens, along the footpath running parallel with the Wye and along the sides of the Dyke. The benches in the park are now standardised, simple designs, to enable easy replacement if damaged. The park benches that are now purchased use timber (Iroko) from sustainable forest sources. Benches and bins are inspected regularly by the green space contractor for vandalism and damage; any problems are reported to the Green Spaces Team. Cleaning and painting is carried out annually.


2.4. d Commemorative Benches

Memorial benches are mainly sited around Pann Mill and along the River Wye. A list of all named memorial benches is kept by the Green Spaces Team. There is a policy of not replacing these benches if they are vandalised. Inspections are carried out by Quadron for vandalism and damage and they are cleaned and painted annually .

2.4. e Buildings and other infrastructure

Building maintenance for the changing rooms and toilet buildings within the park have been transferred to Quadron from 1st January 2013 they are responsible for maintaining the external and internal structure. These buildings have a number of preventative maintenance tasks attached to them including:

1. Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Equipment, servicing and maintenance of these systems.

2. Water Hygiene - this is water quality testing of the systems.

3. Water Services risk assessment and audit, to check that water quality testing is carried out correctly.

4. Wallgate Service for Rye toilets. This is an annual service and maintenance of the wallgate hand washing facilities within the public toilets.

5. Urinal Flush Control Service annual service and maintenance of this system.

6. Air handling systems they carry out filter cleaning and test the air quality.

7. Fire Alarms and /Emergency Lighting annual servicing and maintenance contract.

8. Gutter Cleaning – Quadron are responsible for carrying out this work or outsourcing it to suitable sub contractors.

Quadron are also responsible for carrying out an annual inspection and service of the fire extinguishers. All other buildings are the responsibility of the lessee.

The Council does not own all of the boundary fences; it requires agreement from landowners before some maintenance works can be undertaken. Hazards are dealt with through an appropriate response.


2.4. f Tree Maintenance

Trees in the park are inspected and maintained by WDC Tree Officers based in Planning and Sustainability. The Green Spaces Team has an annual budget of £21,000 to spend on tree maintenance in all the parks and open spaces across the District owned by WDC. In 2009/2011 an inspection of the trees on the Rye was carried out. Subsequent inspections take place as tree condition dictates or every 5 years. The next full inspection is being carried out in November 2016. An example of the tree survey is in appendix 3.

2.4. g Play Area Maintenance

Wycombe District Council’s maintenance contractor, Quadron, carries out daily safety checks and monthly operational inspections; also two WDC officers are trained to the Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII) standard to carry out independent operational inspections. An independent company carry out an annual inspection and risk assessment. Maintenance works are carried out by the maintenance contractor.

The areas are litter picked, swept and the bins are emptied as part of the daily inspections. Any damage or vandalism is reported to the Green Spaces Team and equipment disabled if necessary by the contractor.

Examples of monthly and annual inspection sheets are included in appendix 4.

2.4. h Sweeping

Sweeping of the footpaths and cycle path is carried out by contractors on behalf of the Waste and Cleansing Team. These areas are swept on a monthly basis and ad hoc as required. However in autumn during leaf fall the cycle path is swept on a weekly basis. On the footpath adjacent to the Dyke the contractor now also carries out regular clearance of bird faeces.

2.4. i Dog Bins

These are installed, maintained and emptied by a contractor working on behalf of WDC’s Environmental Services and the bins are emptied on a daily basis.

2.4. j General Maintenance

An annual budget of £47,100 exists to carry out repairs to items such as fences, replacement benches, bins and other items of street furniture which is split across all WDC owned parks and open spaces.


2.5 Sustainability

Environmental Management is firmly embedded in all the councils policies and procedures. The green space contractor Quadron have local ISO 14001 accreditation. Quadron also provide key performance indicators on carbon emissions, energy consumption, number of tonnes of green waste sent for recycling and chemical usage.

The park customer survey in 2015 revealed that 79% of visitors travel to the park by car/motorcycle, this is up 8.5% from 2012. 8% walked and 12% surveyed took public transport. These figures reflect the relatively wealthy local population with a high level of car ownership and the distance to the park from many residential areas. If this level of car use is to be reduced further, some attractive alternative access options will have to be introduced to encourage other methods of getting to the park, such as by bus or by bicycle.

There is a by-law in force across the park that prevents cycling within the park boundary for safety reasons, although a major local cycle route runs through the park on a permitted route, linking communities across the town, the Wendover Way.

The park is close to some of the more deprived wards in High Wycombe and does provide an opportunity for people from these areas to access high quality open space. It enhances one of the major access routes into town, the A40 London Road, and so has an economic benefit too.

2.5. a Pesticide use

In recent years the use of pesticides, insecticides and other chemicals has been greatly reduced but use is still sometimes necessary in areas of heavy sports use to ensure good quality football pitches and also occasionally on rose beds.

There is an issue with rodents around the area of the Dyke. A contract is in place to deal with this, with a specialist contractor Rentokil using bait stations for the brown rats and these are monitored on a monthly basis.

Non residual herbicides are still used for treatments of weeds and moss on hard surfaces. If a chemical weed spray is the only option, a glyphosate-based chemical is used, which breaks down on contact with the soil.

The reason chemical usage is acceptable here at all is due to the health and safety implications of failing to ensure safe surfaces.

Moss growth can make paths and hard standing areas very slippery and this could cause park users to injure themselves.

The Green Spaces Team has reduced the use of herbicides in rose beds by specifying the use of mulch and, regular hand weeding. The annual bedding in the park, although not bark mulched, is hand weeded regularly throughout the year and this eliminates the need to use chemicals to control weed growth.


2.5. b Materials and Resources

Peat has been replaced by recycled bark products for soil mulching, soil conditioning and in planting of trees and shrubs. Containers are returned to the supplier for re-use.

Park benches are sourced from a company that uses timber (Iroko) from sustainable forests. All grounds maintenance work is carried out under the supervision of skilled and experienced contract staff.

Water use in the park is minimal, mainly being used for the summer floral displays located at Pann Mill Gardens. The option of switching to perennial bedding at this location was considered, however it was decided to continue with annual floral displays given the high profile nature of the site, its function as an entrance point to the town, and the popularity of the floral displays. The park sits in a designated flood zone and floods regularly from sudden storms or when the river rises due to heavy rains, reducing the demand by trees and grass areas for artificial irrigation.

Changing rooms and toilets have the following energy saving measures; Wall gates are installed in the toilets which controls the amount of soap/water and hand dryer use. The lights are on timers and frost protection is also installed with the aim to prevent burst pipes. Electric usage for the last financial year was 14.077 KWh, gas was 4438KWh and water 914m3. The chemicals used to clean the toilets and changing rooms are Cleeno Thick Bleach, Eski Glaze glass cleaner, Cleeno Liquid detergent, Jet 5 Disinfectant – Certis, UB30 Cleaner/Descaler – Clove Chem Ltd, T099- Pine Gel floor cleaner – Tehnikraft Ltd, Eski Loo – Rexel UK, Eski Channel Blocks – Rexel UK, Chemical Data Sheets for these products are available on request.

2.5. c Principles of Sustainability

Parks can contribute in a significant way to the social, economic and environmental factors that influence quality of life in a community.

A park that is well maintained and attractive can bring major benefits to the economy of a town by attracting business to the area, strengthening housing demand and promoting tourism. The area around the Rye is a very popular place to live. The views, the proximity to a main road and the closeness to the town centre mean that it is well used by joggers, families, dog owners and local residents.

The environmental benefits of the recent Council management policy include –

many positive mental and physical benefits through greater promotion of outdoor exercise and recreation, such as the relief from stressful situations that a walk in the fresh air of a beautiful park can provide.


2.5. d Flooding

Flooding from the river has caused some difficulties for winter and spring park activities in the past and flash rain floods often inundate the park, especially in summer when the ground is dry and hard. Because of the low level of the land, which was a water meadow at one time, it can often take a long time for flood water to drain from the park.

The cycle of flooding and drought experienced in recent years has a visible effect on the park, in that the ground movements caused by dramatically changing conditions have caused areas of the park to drop below that of other areas, making the ground uneven.

Work took place in 2011 to level a large area of uneven ground to provide a suitable flat surface for additional football pitches.


2.6 Conservation and Heritage

2.6. a Conservation of the Landscape and Built Environment

The Rye and Holywell Mead are covered by a number of planning policy zones.

They are partially connected to a Registered Park and Garden of Historic Interest through the link to the commonly attributed Capability Brown designed grounds of Wycombe Abbey. The views eastwards, towards Bassetsbury Manor from the Abbey and along the Dyke watercourse are both links to the original historic garden.

They are also in a conservation area and both are public open space and therefore are treated as one site. This latter title gives the land a legal status as ‘public trust land’. The law surrounding this type of land is not generally well known but there are acts of Parliament and also case law that determines what can and cannot be done with or to public trust land.

New bird and bat boxes were installed in April 2013 as part of this work, the bird boxes are cleared of nesting material on a regular basis and through this process the uptake in the bird boxes is monitored.

The current 30 year Woodland Strategy continues to guide improvement and development work within Keep Hill Wood.

2.6. b Revive the Wye

Revive the Wye is a project which started in 2007 and aimed to protect and improve the natural environment of the River Wye. It is run by a steering group, made up of representatives of local environmental groups as well as the council, the Chalkland Streams Project and the Environment Agency. Their aim is to raise awareness of the river and to form a friends of the Wye group.

The most well known stretch of river is that which runs through the Rye.

This has already been the focus of volunteer efforts to clean up the river and to carefully remove weeds and rushes which have slowed the flow and allowed litter to accumulate. Further volunteer days are on going as part of a programme of events involving local businesses close to the Rye as well as groups such as the Pann Mill Conservation Group and local residents. An example of a volunteer exercise on the Revive the Wye project is in appendix 5.

The Environment Agency also carries out regular clearance of the river channels throughout the year.


2.6. c Cultural and Social Benefits

Cultural benefits include the commonly attributed Capability Brown designed Dyke and the landscape around it, and Pann Mill, all reflecting parts of the town’s varied history.

Social benefits include the many community events held in the park, informal leisure opportunities such as picnics, play areas, walking and jogging and formal sports facilities like the swimming pool, fishing and football. Through these and other activities, the park caters for all age groups, cultures and backgrounds.

2.6. d Walk Wycombe and & Park Run

The Rye is often used as part of two projects, Walk Wycombe and Walk 4 Life, with routes just over a mile set up in the park for people of the community to undertake. Walking is what health experts term a ‘lifestyle exercise’, since you can usually make time for it without too much of a change to your daily routine. A guide was produced to encourage people to walk and explore all the different sights and scenery that Wycombe has to offer along their journey to a better health.

Walk4Life is part of the Change4Life movement that has been set up nationally to encourage families and adults to eat well, move more and live longer, by making small lifestyle changes that add up to big health benefits. Walking is a great way to improve the general health of the whole family. It’s a feel-good exercise that’s also good for the environment.

It’s one of the easiest ways for children to do their recommended 60 minutes of physical activity every day, and adults need to be active for 30 minutes 5 times a week so walking can really help them fulfil this in a cheap, easy and fun way with the added bonus of picturesque views. www.walk4life.info. A map showing the walk routes is included in appendix 6.

A Park Run has been established in the park for the last four years, and operates every Saturday morning. Runners register and their run is timed and each week runners try to improve their personal best.

2.6. e Sculpture/Public Art

There is currently no sculpture or art work on the Rye. Externally graffiti artwork has been installed in the subway by Wycombe Youth Action, a charity, which works with young people in the District.


2.7 Community Involvement

2.7. a The Park Community

The Rye serves not only the residents of the town of High Wycombe and those who live in nearby communities such as Downley, Hazlemere, Tylers Green, Loudwater or Flackwell Heath but is also one of the major District parks, funded by and used by any and all of the residents of Wycombe District and by many thousands of visitors to the town too. In all there are estimated to be around 2 million visits to the Rye every year, plus numerous people passing by on the London Road that will look across at the park on their way to and from an office or other destination.

Wycombe District Council commissioned a Park’s Customer Survey from a market research company in 2009, 2012 and 2015. The report covered the Rye, Hughenden Park and Higginson Park, and WDC now has a rolling plan to continue this every 3 years. In the 2015 survey The Rye scored 95% in customer satisfaction.

In 2013 a Friend’s of the Rye group was formed, made up of contractors, concessionaires and other interest groups.

The High Wycombe Society has a dedicated group called Friends of the Rye.

Some groups that use the Rye on a regular basis are Park Run every Saturday morning with usually 300+ runners weekly. High Wycombe Sunday Combination League has 7 teams using the park on a weekly basis, and Wycombe Saints Junior Football Club has 4 junior teams using the park on Sundays. Bucks New University use the football pitches on Wednesday and usually 2/3 games also take place on Saturday afternoon.

The Revive the Wye group and Pann Mill Society numbers vary depending on the number of volunteers.


2.7. b Voluntary and Community Groups

High Wycombe Society volunteers operate Pann Mill and hold open days in the summer, giving milling demonstrations at the restored mill.

Other volunteer groups are regularly involved with tasks around the park and these include the Chiltern Rangers Green Thursday group who have carried out activities such as litter clearance and tree planting and the Revive the Wye group whose activities are river based and include litter clearance and pulling of invasive weeds.

2.7 .c Partnerships and Community

Participation relates to the link between the park and the community around it, and the Council will involve residents, visitors, contractor staff and interested groups such as the High Wycombe Society, the Town Committee, major partners like Fusion, the local Football Leagues, local businesses, Environment Agency, Revive the Wye, Chiltern Chalk Streams and the Rye Dyke Angling Association in specific projects as relevant.

The community uses the park both informally with families and friends and for quiet moments in a peaceful green space and also formally through sport and events.

2.7. d Equality Act 2010

The footpaths and other paved areas of the park are access friendly for wheelchairs, there is a full circular footpath link around the park. Wheelchair access to the public toilets, changing rooms and Swimming Pool is possible, by ramps where necessary. Disabled car parking bays are available at both ends of the park.

2.7. e Inclusion

The Green Space Team is responsible for the park and monitors the impact of policies and procedures to ensure in any aspect of the function of the park or buildings within it.

The Rye sits in the centre of a diverse community with residents from eastern Europe, and others of Asian and African Caribbean descent established over many decades, as well as the white majority population, and all communities use the open space in their own way and can meet and mix with many others of different cultures.

Around 5,000 of the total district population are of Asian background, one of the largest Asian settlements in the south-east of England.


2.8 Marketing

2.8. a Marketing Strategy

The council has carried out regular market research exercises since 1990. Wycombe District Council has carried out Park User surveys in 2015, 2012 and 2009 and intends to carry these out now on a 3 year programme.

Marketing strategy is about –

a) analysing the needs and wants of the public and identifying the gaps that could be filled,

b) advising and making decisions relating to council policy, and

c) Identifying the methods (advertising) required to achieve the aims of the Council in attracting and informing the public.

The Marketing role for Wycombe District Council is split in many ways –

1. The Communications team are the point of contact for press releases and enquiries, and they manage publicity for major Council associated news and events. They contact Green Space management for advice and comments on park issues. The Bucks Free Press had six press releases in 2016, WDC website had four releases and Wycombe District Times had one article.

2. The Green Space Officer manages external (those organised outside of the council) events/ filming bookings that take place on The Rye and other open spaces within the District.

3. Fusion and many event organisers will also have their own advertising methods.

Tourism Services is responsible for marketing brochures and leaflets relating to tourism for the Council throughout the district and represents the council in meetings within the Chilterns and Thames Valley tourism area and deals with any enquiries relating to activities of a tourism nature, such as major events, theatres, accommodation, etc.

The term ‘tourism’ covers day trips, short breaks, long holidays and visits for leisure or business. It is a major growth industry in Britain and demands for provisions are high.

Access to the park is made easy by its location in the town centre less than 1000 yards (900m) from the public transport hub which itself is located in the centre of the valley where major routes cross. This is one of the main advantages of the park, its convenient position at the heart of the town.


The main disadvantage in High Wycombe is the steep valley sides. The ribbon spread of the town along the east-west line of the valley and up the valley sides also means that some residents live more than two miles away from the park, which discourages walking for many.

2.8. b Signs

Direction signage from the town centre to the Rye has been increased with new finger posts installed in the town centre directing pedestrians to the Rye. In the subway additional directional signage has been added and the artwork carried out by Wycombe Youth Action also includes arrows painted onto the wall showing the direction of the Rye. Brown signs directing vehicles to the Rye exist from the A40 London Road and at the end of Bassetsbury Lane. Finger post signs to Keep Hill Wood have also been installed to encourage people to explore both sites.

2.8. c Website

The Wycombe District Council website has information on all large open spaces including the Rye. See http://www.wycombe.gov.uk under Leisure and Culture, then Parks and Recreation.

Fusion and the Pann Mill Society also have their own websites; http://www.fusion-lifestyle.com/ and www.pannmill.org.uk

2.8. d Information and Interpretation

New signage was installed at key entrance points in 2009; these displays include a location plan of the facilities, park history and notice board of information relating to the park. Wildlife interpretation signs have been installed at either end of the Dyke in 2011. Permanent signs asking people not to feed the wild birds have been installed at appropriate locations.

A new sign was installed at the end of Wendover Way during 2015 explaining the significance of the war office gates and railings and information on how Wendover Way was donated to the Council.

There is currently no specific park leaflet for The Rye. There are walks leaflets that start at The Rye and pass through Keep Hill Wood and the Chiltern Rangers produce a leaflet for Keep Hill Wood illustrating what can be found on the site. The Rye is also included in the High Wycombe mini guide.

Images of the park appear on the Council website. They are also used in marketing literature and by other services.


An example list of the events that took place on the Rye during 2016 is shown in the table below. The annual events list is also displayed on the park notice boards.

DATE Time EVENT

20th March 2016 2 –5pm Sports Relief Mile

25th March –3rd April 2016 See fair for opening times Parnham’s Amusements Fun fair

30th April -2nd May 2016 See fair for opening times Parnham’s Amusements Fun fair

Monday 2nd May 2016 11am –5pm St. Augustine’s Church May Fayre

Sunday 15th May 2016 11am –5pm Pann Mill open day

Tuesday 14th June 2016 4pm –9pm Handy Cross Runners 5K Run

Wed 15th June—Sun 19th June 2016 See Circus for opening times Circus Wonderland

Sun 26th June 2016 11am –4pm Cancer Research Race for Life

Sun 10th July 2016 11am -5pm Pann Mill open day

Tues 26th July—Sat 30th July 2016 12 noon –6.30pm Fun Fair Time Children’s Fun Fair

Sun 31st July 2016 11am –6pm Child Bereavement Family Fun Day

Sat 20th August—Monday 29th August 2016 12 noon—6.30pm Fun Fair Time Children’s Fun Fair

Sun 11th Sept ember 2016 11am –5pm Pann Mill open day


2.8. e Encouraging Park Use

The Rye is very popular, due to its situation close to the town centre with a wide variety of sports and leisure facilities on offer. If the local population follows the traditional pattern of visitor frequency found in other parks in the District, then well over 2 million visits are expected to be made each year, probably nearer 3 million. There is always an expectation that standards and facilities offered will improve year on year and there is some scope for improving the visitor experience of the Rye.

The adventure play area on the Rye has encouraged new users. The play area has been well publicised, including a Netmums Award. The April 2015 parks survey also revealed that 82% of users, were satisfied with the play areas.

2.9 Management

2.9. a Management Plan

Management Plans are meant to be flexible documents; all parks change constantly as they adjust to meet demand. This plan is intended to provide over-arching guidance for the next ten years and beyond and is now in a format to allow it to be reviewed and updated on an annual basis.

2.9. b Public Service

Standards of maintenance for the park are constantly reviewed to ensure that they always meet the expectations of the public. The current high public satisfaction rating indicates that standards are generally meeting requirements, although we will continue to strive for improvements. A balance has to be kept between the needs of sports users, the use of the park for informal activities and the needs of community event organisers.

Green Space Officers administer all issues regarding the management of engineering works within the Rye. Utility companies have access rights where there are electrical, gas, sewerage and water supplies.

The green space contractor’s staff are briefed regularly on planned work and are an essential part of the consultation process which encourages ‘ownership’ and in turn builds pride in the park.


2.9. c The Influence of Wycombe District Council Strategies

The Councils priorities 2016 -2019 are:

Regeneration and Infrastructure: our ‘place’ priority.

Cohesive Communities: our ‘people’ priority.

Value for money services: our ‘pounds’ priority.

Regeneration and Infrastructure: Our Place Priority

This priority focuses on investing in our District and enabling regeneration through the use of the Council’s assets. In this way we are also helping to ensure we have the appropriate infrastructure to support sustainable growth.

Our approach is to use our assets in such a way that not only delivers regeneration and growth in a sustainable way, but also generates annual revenue to support our services to the public thus contributing to our projected funding shortfall in future years. In this way the Council can make sure essential services continue to be provided and help to provide jobs, as well as retail, leisure and other facilities for local people to enjoy.

This priority is also about making sure that we have plans in place to facilitate the wider delivery of required growth in our district. Our residents have told us that the provision of affordable homes, jobs for local people and other infrastructure is important to them.

Our plans, such as the new Local Plan, will help us to work with developers to make sure that new developments are sustainable and of high quality. Development is not just about the built environment and we want, through this planning process to investigate


opportunities to facilitate the creation of new green infrastructure. This is not only good for people, but will help safeguard wildlife too.

These drive policy in such areas as community safety, cohesion and leisure, economic development and the environment, all of which in turn have a strong influence on park strategy.

2.9. d Financial Management

The park maintenance budget is part of the larger grounds maintenance contract for the whole of High Wycombe Town. There is no stand alone budget solely for the park. The Rye also occasionally benefits from Section 106/CIL contributions.

Revenue estimates for the year reflect income and expenditure and are reviewed annually. Revenue budgets address routine maintenance costs and do not cover larger scale capital schemes.

Larger schemes are sometimes funded by S106/CIL contributions from developers, as in the case of the Rye pitch level works carried out in 2011.

Lottery funding was used for the installation of the Ropes on the Rye play area in 2008.

2.9. e Decision Making

Wycombe District Council is the legal body that owns and manages the Rye and Holywell Mead and as such, is responsible for making all management decisions.

Day to day management of the park is delegated to the Head of Community Services and implemented by the Green Spaces Team. The team covers a range of activities including parks management, ecology, outdoor leisure and recreation, facility management, maintenance and events management. Operational management is undertaken by the Contract Manager and staff.

Officers from other services (Planning, Legal, Environmental Health, etc.) provide technical support and advice as required.

A copy of Wycombe District Council’s overall park management structure and Quadron’s staff structure is included in appendix 7.


Part C – The Future of The Rye

3.0 Vision

The vision for the Rye Management Plan is to “ensure the continuance of the best of the existing character and qualities of the parkland and woods whilst embracing beneficial enhancements and additional provision that meet the needs and aspirations of the whole community for now and in the future”.

The objectives set out the overall aims for the management of the park and should guide all decisions about maintenance and improvements of the park. Detailed actions planned help achieve the objectives contained in the action plan.

3.1 Summary

This section of the management plan sets out Wycombe District Council’s intentions and aspirations for the Rye and Holywell Mead over the next ten years. Input has come from a number of sources – from within the Council, from park users, local residents and other stakeholders.

The identified initiatives listed within the Action Plan will be implemented as resources become available, and discussions will continue on those issues that need further consideration at this time.

In the feedback received from the public, there have been improvements proposed to access routes, to movement around the site and to facilities on offer. There are proposals to improve the natural park environment to enhance biodiversity in the centre of the town and the quality of the environment for people who live near to, pass by, or use the park. Some actions are straightforward and will be carried out as indicated in the table. Other issues need greater discussion.

The proposals and the actions are reflected in the ‘Objectives for the Rye and Holywell Mead’ section 3.3, and each objective is broken down into greater detail.


3.2 SWOT Analysis

This has been completed for the Rye and Holywell Mead by the Green Space team.

Strengths

Historic park. Large open green space centrally located

Some good public transport links, cycle & pedestrian links

The character and environmental benefits of the Dyke and its waterfall, the River Wye and the Marsh Brook

Existing tree stocks

High standards of maintenance equal those in other good quality parks.

The community benefits of Pann Mill

Views into the park from London Rd, and the entrance from the London Rd by Pann Mill

High local profile.

Responsive, committed and pro-active management

Skilled and dedicated workforce

Signage and interpretation

Fusion Management of pool complex, with new sports facilities and café

Football pitches

Environmental assets/safe, clean and sustainable principals

Quality play facilities.

River enhancement works

Weaknesses

Marketing

Most gateways could be better presented

Not all entrances are welcoming and some access routes are not pedes-trian and cycle friendly

The distance from the toilets to some parts of the park

Not enough car parking at peak times

Flooding from the River Wye

Opportunities

Closer links with Community groups and better marketing and education to users

Large scale housing developments close to the park can generate s106 /CIL capital sums

Development potential of existing park assets (without losing green space) can bring a positive profile to the park and town.

Working with the friends group.

Threats

Pressure from inappropriate development/loss of green space

Future waning of political support for open space investment

Complacency-failure to recognise that the site is not as good as it could be and resistance to change for the better

Failure to ensure that the park remains an attractive leisure time option for the community as expectations and aspirations change

Poorer maintenance standards or a lack of investment in facilities could lead to fewer visitors and an increase in dissatisfaction and vandalism

Large scale housing developments close to the park increase demand on the facilities and the local environment.


3.3Objectives for The Rye and Holywell Mead

3.4 “The Park will be welcoming and accessible to all” supports criteria Health, safety & security, Maintenance of equipment, buildings and landscape and Litter, Cleanliness and vandalism

a. Footpaths

In the last few years a full circular footpath route has been installed on The Rye. In 2013 the section of footpath from Pann Mill to the play area has been realigned slightly higher to avoid the areas that were flooding preventing public access along this path after prolonged periods of wet weather. An additional footpath was also installed in 2013 from the play area adjacent to the London Road linking into the existing footpath by the VW garage and this was also to avoid areas of the park which suffer from flooding.

There are no plans for anymore additional footpaths in the park and the focus is now to maintain all existing footpaths and cycle ways in a serviceable condition and carry out repairs where necessary.

The cycle path at the rear of The Dyke was resurfaced in a phased approach during 2014 and 2015 and resurfacing has now been completed. Cycle route markings to the resurfaced area was completed by March 2016.

The vehicle road way next to the boathouse is a concrete surface and will need monitoring and may need further repairs and resurfacing in the future subject to funding.

The informal path from the bowls club following the course of the river the gravel surface was topped up in March 2016.

The two pedestrian bridges leading onto The Rye from the Keephill Road entrances should be considered for replacement to improve this area of the park and make these entrances more welcoming, target date 2020.

b. Gateways/ Access Roads

In conjunction with Bucks County Council and the Transport and Environment Team based in WDC Planning section, a new pedestrian crossing was installed over the A40 in 2014. This improved pedestrian access from The Rye to the town centre.

A review of the main entrances into the park will take place to link in with the new pedestrian crossing, to look at potential areas for improvement to make the park more inviting to the public, to ensure access for all and to attract more people more often, especially non-users.

The access Road leading to the car park has seen a continued problem with people parking along it rather than paying the fee to park in the car park. Therefore the intention is to double yellow line along the access road, this will then be enforced by WDC Parking services.


Also the two disabled bays at the Busy Bees end of the Rye have had problems with people misusing the bays, enforcement arrangements will be put in place on both of these areas from December 2016.

c. Seating/Litter Bins/Signage and Dog Bins

There is an annual review of seating and litter bin locations and an examination of the potential for additional seats and bins in appropriate locations.

In 2015/16 a review has been undertaken of the existing dog bin locations, to look at the options for relocating the dog bins closer to the footpath network making it easier for dog walkers to deposit the waste and the dog waste contractor to empty the bins without having to cross the grass with their vehicles. The relocation of the bins will take place in 2016/17 financial year.

Wycombe District Council will review opportunities for further interpretation of the park, its environment and history by installing interpretive signage at appropriate locations or putting short term displays on the park noticeboards.

3.5 “The facilities within the park will be enhanced and developed to meet community needs” supports criteria Health, safety & security and maintenance of equipment, buildings and landscape.

a. Buildings

Any renovations to existing buildings should enhance the character and use of the park. Loss of open space should be avoided wherever possible or at least reduced to a minimum impact where there is a clear public need for new or better facilities. The majority of the buildings in the park are now leased to various concessionaires and contractors.

A feasibility study for a new café and toilets is currently being carried out, consultation took place in October /Nov 2016 and results are being collated. S106 funding was approved for the feasibility study in 2016/17. In 2017/18 various options and proposals for the building will be looked at agreed and then funding sought.

b. Play facilities

The Rye toddler play area is due for a complete refurbishment in 2020/21 and The Ropes on The Rye in 2023/24.

Repairs and maintenance to the play equipment is carried out as necessary.

c. Art in the park

There is potential for a distinctive community artwork or sculpture linked to the open space in some way, perhaps as part of a new


entrance point at the western Abbey Way park entrance, where the Rye connects to the town centre, this is linked to the café and toilet review.

There is a need to improve the safety and quality of the Abbey Way route and an art project will be considered as part of discussions with Bucks County Council to improve this main pedestrian route from the town centre to the Rye.

3.6 “The natural environment within the park will be enhanced and developed with partners” supports criteria conservation & heritage, Environmental Sustainability, maintenance of buildings & landscape, Health, safety and security.

a. Rivers/Streams/Woodland/Grassland/Biodiversity

WDC will continue to work with the Environment Agency and other special interest groups such as the Rye Dyke Angling Association, the Chilterns Conservation Board and the Chilterns Chalk Streams project group on improving riverbank margins and the watercourses passing through the park, subject to agreement and funding. The bank on the woodland side of the Dyke has been identified as needing some reinforcement works, WDC will work with the Environment Agency on possible improvement works, and this will be a longer term project target date 2020.

An Extended Phase 1 Habitat biodiversity study was carried out in 2011 to give an initial overall view of the existing habitat, flora and fauna at the Rye and Holywell Mead; from this study it was identified that individual species surveys would be beneficial and in 2012 Bat surveys, breeding bird surveys, Water Vole, Great Crested Newt and Crayfish surveys were carried out, from these surveys it is WDC’s intention to improve biodiversity across the park. This will be carried out via site visits and through the development of strategic plans with partner organisations. Actions will be implemented as resources allow.

The intention is to carry out the species surveys again in 2017 to find out if the biodiversity across the park has been improved.

The Environment Agency are also working on a longer term goal of writing a management plan for the Dyke the target date for this is 2018 and actions from this plan will be worked on in partnership with the Green Space Team at Wycombe District Council.

WDC have planted water lilies in the Dyke to help with fish cover, they were planted in November 2016.There success will be monitored in 2017.

A swale area to create a dry river bed adjacent to the play area on the London Road side of the park, has been approved. This will be created where the river floods form time to time, the intention is that is will be a dry river bed for most of the year but will fill with water during times of flood. The project has been funded from CIL, the Environment Agency works permit has been applied for and if approved, work to create the swale area will be completed by March 2017.


b. Trees

A full tree quality assessment was carried out in 2009 and 2011 with a rolling programme of inspections as required. A full risk assessment survey is carried out every 5 years, the council’s Tree Officer is currently undertaking these inspections and work will be completed by December 2016. A strategy should be developed for future management of the trees in the park, including identifying any opportunities for planned replacement of aging stock and also for potential improvements to the tree environment. The strategy should be written and in place by December 2017.

3.7 “The local community will have a positive input into the management of the park” supports criteria Community Involvement

There have been many occasions over the years when members of the public or local groups have discussed an aspect of the management of the Rye and Holywell Mead with WDC officers, sometimes prompted by their concerns or observations and sometimes by their wish to pass on compliments. This on-going dialogue highlights how the park is well loved and well used by local people.

The Rye Friend’s Group made up of concessionaires, contractor and interest group representatives that are involved in the management of The Rye and Holywell Mead, has been established. Meeting of the Friends Group takes place twice a year in May and November. The main work this group focuses on is promoting the work and activities that take place on The Rye to the general public and on trying to get more volunteer involvement.

A park users’ survey was carried out in 2015 and the intention is to carry out these park users’ surveys every 3 years to determine the public’s satisfaction with the park and areas for improvement. The next park user’s survey is therefore due to be undertaken in April 2018.

The 2015 survey highlighted that 44% of people surveyed were happy with the park as it is, 13% would like more seating, 4% more toilets, 4% more parking facilities and 3% would like to see a better café provision.


3.8 The Rye Action Plan – Reviewed November 2016

Objective Action Target Date Responsible officer Identified funding/

comments

3.4

Identify and implement improvements to the exist-ing network of footpaths, roads and cycle ways upgrading any poor surfaces for the benefit of park users.

Vehicle roadway to boathouse identified as need-ing resurfacing.

Informal path back of bowls club running adjacent to river wye repairs required to prevent standing water and pot holes.—Completed

2018/19

2016/17

Contract Manager

Informal path back of the bowls club adjacent to the river wye, repaired and topped up with new gravel in March 2016.

3.4

Review the access points into the park to make them more welcoming and to remove conflicting uses.

2019/20 Contract Manager Any emerging plans would need to be funded from de-veloper contributions and /or existing revenue budgets.

3.4 Improve existing seating/litter bin and dog bin lo-cations and identify opportunities for additional seats and bins.

Review 2015/16

Relocate 2016/17

Contract Manager From memorial seat dona-tions and revenue budgets.

Dog bin relocation will be completed by March 2017.

3.4 Review opportunities for further interpretation of the park, its environment and history.

December 2017 Contract Manager

3.4

Consider replacing the two pedestrian bridges from the Keephill Road entrance to make these entrances into the park more welcoming.

2020 Contract Manager Developer Contributions/revenue budgets

3.4

Access Road to car park and disabled bays by busy bees, yellow lines and parking enforcement to be implemented

December 2016 Contract Manager Discussing with WDC parking services Nov 2016.


3.5 Feasibility study for a new café and toilets boathouse end of the park

2016/17 Contract Manager CIL funding approved feasibility study underway, consultation be-ing analysed.

3.5 Rye café and toilet, design options to be considered and funding sought for new building

2017/18 Head of Community Ser-vices / Contract Manag-ers

CIL Funding to be sought

3.5 Monitor existing play provision and opportu-nities for improvement and additional equip-ment.

Annual Review Green Space Officer Repairs carried out as identified.

3.5 Upgrade both play areas as part of the 15 year rolling replacement programme.

Rye toddler play area 2020/21

Ropes on the Rye 2023/24

Green Space Officer Capital programme.

3.5 Deliver art project for the Abbey Way ap-proach to the Rye.

March 2018 Community Services/ Planning Services with Bucks C.C

Developer contributions (possible places of distinction fund).

3.6 Clear bird boxes of nesting material on a regular basis.

December 2016 Contract Manager /Tree Officer

Revenue budgets

3.6 Continue tree assessment for the park and write a tree strategy and planting replace-ment programme.

December 2016 Tree Officers Revenue budgets—Tree Officers carrying out risk survey Novem-ber 2016.

3.6 Environment Agency to write a management plan for the Dyke water course.

December 2018 Environment Agency E.A Budgets

3.6 Swale project—dry river bed 2016/17 Contract Manager CIL funding agreed, EA permit submitted.

3.6 Plant water lilies in the dyke December 2016 Contract Manager Revenue budgets—water lilies planted Nov 2016.


3.6 Carry out species habitat surveys in 5 years time to monitor biodiversity improvements across the park.

September 2017 Contract Manager/Green Space Officer

Revenue budgets

3.6 Dyke woodland side install bank reinforce-ments.

2020 Contract Manager and Environment Agency

Developer contributions and Revenue Budgets.

3.7 Use feedback from National and local indica-tors, customer satisfaction data and other sources to guide progressive improvements in provision. Use the planning process as a tool for ascertaining public views on major projects where appropriate.

Annual review Contract Manager Public feedback taken into consideration as appropri-ate.

3.7 Parks user survey to be carried out. April 2018 Contract Manager Last survey was complete in April 2015; surveys are car-ried out every 3 years.

3.7 Friends of The Rye group meetings to con-tinue as per agreed meeting dates.

May 2017

November 2017

WDC Green Spaces and Quadron Services

Two meetings held in 2016.

3.7 Market the park via press releases and pro-motion of events.

Annual review Green Space and Com-munications Team.

Revenue budgets.


Appendices

1. Leases and Concessions

Lease Allocated To Ends

Holywell Mead Pool Complex, Tennis courts and car park.

Fusion Lifestyle April 2061

Copperbeach Day Nursery Busy Bees Nursery April 2032

Refreshments (Ice Cream Van) Iaciofano March 2019

Boathouse Stephen Fairchild Short lease

Access to Pumping Station Thames Water 15/09/2118

Fishing Rye Dyke Angling Association 15/06/2017

Land at rear of Mill House Gill 22/08/2064

Bassetsbury Lane -boreholes Thames Water 15/09/2118


Holywell Mead Lease Plan


2) Map showing No drink zone


3) Tree Survey Examples

Tree Surveys are carried out by the Councils Tree Officers


Tree Survey Examples

Risk Scoring

1, 2, 4, 8, 16. 32, 64, 128 & 256, scores 1 to 16 are within the acceptable range and are for trees that pose no significant risk (Low)

32 monitoring or works to be carried out within 12 months (Moderate)

64 works to be carried out within 2 months (High)

128 works to be carried out within 2 weeks (Very High)

256 work immanent. (Immediate) Re-inspection is subject to a zoning exercise which is still to be carried out however the majority of the trees will be on a 5 year inspection regime. The large older Planes and Limes will be more frequent with 2-3 years being normal.


4) Monthly and Annual Play Area Inspection Examples

Monthly Play Inspection Sheet


Annual Inspection Report –a full copy is available on request


Annual Inspection Report


5) Revive The Wye example of volunteer work

Revive the Wye

Himalayan Balsam Clearance

Revive the Wye is a community project run by the Wycombe Strategic Partnership which aims to improve the appearance and quality of the River Wye. The Wye is a chalk stream which runs through the Wycombe district. Chalk streams are a priority habitat and support a specific variety of wildlife which can’t thrive any where else.

A stretch of the river runs through the Rye and Kingsmead parks in High Wycombe. The banks along this stretch have been inundated with Himalayan balsam, an invasive plant species which prevents native species of plants from growing and degrades the river environment.

The Revive the Wye project has had a number of volunteer work parties to clear this plant and Veolia has in previous sessions, provided euro bins free of charge. This plant has to be disposed of to landfill because the seeds are not destroyed by composting.

The session on the 16th of July was lead by Roger Wilding of Wycombe Wildlife group who was helped by Earthworks conservation group. On this occasion, as well

as providing the bins, Veolia operative Stephen Turner assisted Earthworks volunteers by filling the bins and wheeling them back to the collection site. This sort of very practical help means that work can get on a lot faster and a large area was able to be cleared.


6) Walk Wycombe Route Plan


Appendix 7—Wycombe District Council Park Structure


7) Quadron Staff Structure


8) Wycombe District Times Press Release

Higginson Park and The Rye will continue to fly The Green Flag, taking their place alongside the best open spaces in the country.

It is the thirteenth consecutive year that Marlow’s Higginson Park will have The Green Flag on display and the fifth successive year for The Rye in High Wycombe.

The parks, managed by Wycombe District Council, provide excellent facilities and are the home of numerous community events – including the Wycombe Park Run, which celebrated its 200

th fun run around The Rye last month.

Thame resident Ben Johnson and his children Binky, 1, and Ralphy, 3, are regular visitors to Higginson Park and celebrated the award win with Wycombe District Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Cllr Julia Adey on Monday.

Cllr Adey said: “We are delighted that our two major parks have once again been recognised by Keep Britain Tidy and we are proud to fly The Green Flag. “The Rye and Higginson Park are two of the best open spaces in the country and combine beautiful natural features with fantastic facilities for everyone to enjoy.

“This award highlights that the people of the Wycombe district benefit from green spaces of the very highest quality and recognises the hard work of everyone at the council and our contractor, Quadron, to ensure the high standards are maintained.”

The Rye and Higginson Park are among a record-breaking 1,686 parks and green spaces to receive the prestigious Green Flag Award this year. The flag is the mark of a quality park or green space.

International Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd said: “We are delighted to be celebrating another record-breaking year for the Green Flag Award scheme, especially as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the awards.

“All the flags flying this year are a testament to the efforts of the thousands of men and women, both staff and volunteers, who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.”

26 July 2016


9) Wycombe Rye Lido Promotional Poster

the rye and holywell mead - wycombe€¦ · the wycombe district is home to approximately 174,878...

Documents