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A
study of the potential to enhance the green and
open spaces of Stocksbridge SRB5
Report by Jim Flanagan and Sheffield Wildlife Trust
for SVP 7.6. Actions in the OUTER ZONE 7.6.1. The Nature Reserve Network There are three potential sites for management as nature reserves, two of which were ecologically surveyed for this feasibility study: 7.6.1.1. East Whitwell Open Space A site (in SCC ownership) that is mostly surrounded by housing and separated by a fence from school playing grounds in the northeast. This site contains some interesting areas of grassland with areas dominated by tall herb or bramble and some scrub. Here and there are small stands of bilberry. There is also a large, mainly beech copse containing bluebell.
Areas nearest to the two access points, both on the western side of the site (there is no through route for this site), are the least ecologically interesting. Much garden waste has been dumped here (presumably from neighbouring properties) and introduced plants and shrubs have established. The site is used mainly by people to walk dogs. Young people use the site as an area for informal play. The appearance of the site supports the evidence for past quarrying (and possibly mining). Subsidence and instability was possibly one reason why it was never built on. The resulting topography creates a lot of interest on the site and there is much that can be done to improve the site as an educational resource (the potential is high because of the school next door). A damaged culvert containing standing water is to be found on the eastern side of the site and this could provide a source of water for some pond creation with pond dipping platforms of wood construction. A return visit to this site in April saw development of a bmx track on the eastern part. 7.6.1.2. Wood Royd This is a severely degraded bluebell woodland. This is perhaps one site that requires a much effort to restore back to its former glory. The streams are much polluted and much rubbish (old tyres etc) has accumulated on their beds and at the point where water runs under culverts. One small length of culvert within the wood could be removed and stream banks restored but this provides an attractive feature within the woods as it connects up with some boundary walls running through the wood encrusted with a variety of mosses. Thinning of ash poles and some scrub control (removal of bramble), removal of artificial tree planting and some selective felling could also be carried out to increase the openess of the wood and enable bluebell to re-establish in many areas. Some foopath improvements and a new footbridge will encourage informal use either as a shortcut or to just enjoy the woodland environment. Much the largest job will be the removal of tons of rubbish that has cascade down from the top of the western slopes of the wood. This particular part is taking on the appearance of a tip site and will need sustained effort to remove all rubbish. The potential for involving local people (and even local business who could sponsor cost of skips etc) is quite high. 7.6.1.3. New Hall Wood Not a site that was surveyed in this feasibility study since there is a management plan in existence (produced in 1993) but needing an urgent update. The wood has some historic interest too with a medieval clack mill situated on its western boundary. Plants present such as bluebell, wood anemone and yellow archangel show the wood to be ancient. Recent years has seen damage to a part of the wood on the western side of Newhall Brook from land tipping operations. The southeastern part of the wood has an informal BMX track. Access is very good with a tarmac public footpath running through the wood (known as the 'ash track') good enough to allow disabled access with several other trails and desire lines established in more difficult terrain. Heritage Lottery money is now available for the management of this wood in which there is potential for local groups and individuals to get involved. The northern end is particularly in need of management and ideas could include thinning and glade creation as well as footpath improvements. 7.6.1.4. Pot House Wood Pot House Wood has been considerably modified over the last half century mainly through its past use as a municipal tip for Stocksbridge. Re-landscaping, tree planting, larch, field maple cherry etc. and culverting of the stream that ran through this part of the wood followed. The management plan for this site needs updating. Bluebells and wood anemone are still found in the less disturbed (holly-dominated) southeastern part. Housing and back gardens abuts the wood on this side (and on the northwestern side of site). A dense stand of introduced willow still needs removal from one part of the wood and some removal (of larch) or coppicing could help to create a more open woodland in the northern part. An area of acid grass and bilberry surrounded by young oak could provide a suitable location for installation of benches. This round glade area provides a good viewpoint for bat watching (tawny owls are also regularly seen in this wood from here). The wood provides an important local community recreational resource. It is used extensively by dog-walkers and children for informal play and provides a route for walkers through to the small hamlet of Whitwell and the moors beyond. This usage suggests that the wood be looked at as more of a community park facility than a nature reserve. Just east of the wood is a Stocksbridge Innfants School and the former site of the former glass and pipe works of Pot House. There are plans to restore this glassworks as a visitor attraction. 7.6.2. Community Parks The Outer Zone provides some opportunities for enhancement of existing sites and developing new ones. 7.6.2.1. Oxley Park This is a large site and comes close to the standard definition of a community park in what it currently offers for local people. This park provides the most scope for diversifying existing recreational facilities to increase the appeal of the park to a wider community. There are many features of wildlife interest that can be retained and enhanced within an overall scheme of improvement. A fully-used allotment occurs along the southeast of the site and there are possibilities to increase allotment use on adjacent land to the north and south. New community composting or shredding facilities could also be provided on these areas. Such facilities would make it very convenient to recycle grass cuttings and leaves from the park. People living nearby will need to be consulted on siting, screening and design and assured that the facility does not pose a nuisance. Grass cutting management of the recreation fields could be much less intense. Less mowing in late spring and summer (out of football season) could improve the 'meadow' appearance of the fields. The fields show signs of being unimproved with plants such as selfheal, lady's mantle and birds foot trefoil present. An area around a wet flush of rushes, running parallel with the ash track on the east side of park, is maintained as wet meadow with plants such as lady's smock occuring. Facilities for young people could be improved with a skateboard or roller blading track constructed on existing playground facilities. The playground could be relocated and completely redesigned to an area of green space to the west of the Sports Centre and south of the Inman Pavilion. Close to here there is an area of tall herb with many comfrey plants. This area could be left as the plants could provide a useful source of cuttings for garden composting. The area of heather on the slope below the top platform of recreation fields should receive management to enhance its quality and area along the slope towards Newhall Wood. Some scrub clearance and thinning will be required. Part of the area is used as a shortcut by footballers and perhaps there should be some formal stepped path installed to reduce erosion of the surrounding slope. 7.6.2.2. Spink Hall A smaller area than the two sites described above but with some potential to develop as a community park. A playground with a hard surface area already exists but the rest of the site is a mown amenity ground. There are two access points both from Kenworthy Road. There is much scope to develop new and more imaginative play facilities as well as developing areas for some new landscaping to provide a local community focal point. The project should incorporating low maintenance items providing some form of seating and an ornamental garden with perhaps a gravel path following an irregular route, some orchard or soft fruit planting and other shrubs and beds. A robust information board or plinth could be installed to promote the network of community parks and other open space facilities. This would direct people to the nearest appropriate areas for the activity they want to do (ie for young people to kick around a football) and could also be used to publicise environmental project work on other sites etc. 7.6.2.3. Bracken Moor This site is quite large in area mostly made up of amenity grass and has three marked out football pitches. Some small landscaping improvements have been around the edge of the fields by planting trees and shrubs but there is potential to include more. These could include areas of linear meadow and better planting schemes. There is also an area of land at the north end that could provide projects from meadows to experimental fruit or vegetable gardens. A garden area that could the focus of community arts projects such as willow sculptures could be set up. The pitch adjacent to the youth centre could be made available for the introduction of more types of recreation. Rollerbladding or skateboarding facilities would probably be a welcome addition to the range of pursuits. 7.6.3. Heritage Sites The site suggested here for heritage status was not visited as part of this study. Fox Glen has an existing management plan. Woodland Grant Scheme money has also been used to manage the wood. 7.6.3.1. Fox Glen SSVUDP have worked with Stocksbridge and Deepcar Environment Group extensively on this site. It has much natural history interest with some ancient woodland indicator plants present such as bluebell, yellow archangel and wood sorrel. It also has a bandstand that has been restored and put back into use a s a focus of celebrations and music events. Small bathing pools are also found in the southwestern end along a stream that runs through the wood. These are also planned for restoration. A boardwalk route was installed at the eastern end of the wood. At the time of writing some damaged sections were being repaired.
Menu for this Section is in the right hand column
Stocksbridge SRB5 Greenspace Audit undertaken by Jim Flanagan for Sheffield Wildlife Trust - see their Community Action Handbook - full of good ideas for your local site |
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