FORTY HALL PARK - Enfield

FORTY HALL PARK MANAGEMENT PLAN 2007-2022

Version 1.10

CONTENTS

Section

1. Introduction

2. Understanding Forty Hall

3. Park Management

4. Management Plan

5. Audit of Facilities

6. Strength, Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats

7. Vision & Objectives

8. A Welcoming Place

9. Health, Safety & Security

10. Maintenance of equipment, buildings and landscape

11. Litter, cleanliness and vandalism

12. Environmental Sustainability

13. Conservation of Heritage, Biodiversity and Nature

14. Community Involvement

15. Marketing

16. Management

17. Action Plan

Year One Actions

Medium Term Actions

New Actions

Long Term Actions

Audit Blueprint

Audit Results

Appendix A. Species List

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Forty Hall Park Management Plan Page 1 of 76 Version 1.7

1 INTRODUCTION

Preamble

The purpose of establishing the Management Plan is to provide a guide to the principles of conservation, repair, enhancement, adaptation, and use of Forty Hall Park that safeguards the significance of the site and ensures a sustainable future for it.

The Management Plan is designed to:-

Retain and protect the historic fabric and character of Forty Hall Park and its role as a wildlife

habitat and public amenity;

Conserve and enhance its value for wildlife and its role within the wider green network;

Provide a sound basis for the ongoing repair and maintenance;

Establish guidelines for the use of the Park;

Acknowledge the importance of the Landscape as a source for archaeological, historical,

wildlife and education;

Ensure continuation of the harmony between the needs of conservation and use of the park

by the public.

The main subject of this Plan is the remains of a seventeenth century and later estate landscape

associated with the surviving house called Forty Hall. The site contains not only the house (a Grade I

Listed Building) but also a number of other important features including the buried remains of the

medieval manor house, later the Royal Palace of Elsyng (a Scheduled Ancient Monument); and a

Grade II Registered Park and Garden. The Landscape forms a large part of the Designated Forty Hill

Conservation Area.

From the evidence of the history and ecology, the condition of the buildings and the landscape, it is

clear that the Forty Hall Park is of considerable significance:-

It is a rare example within Greater London of a relatively unaltered seventeenth and

eighteenth century country estate landscape;

It contains a well-preserved and important early seventeenth century country mansion with

contemporary service buildings;

It contains the extensive remains the former medieval manor house and Royal Palace of

Elsyng first mentioned in 1381 and demolished in circa 1650;

The important habitats found here including woodlands, grasslands and water bodies that

support a number of rare and important species of flora and fauna;

Its role in providing a public open space for informal recreation.

This Management Plan examines the various management issues that arise from the present use of the Park and establishes a series of action plans that seek to ensure that the significance of the Landscape can continue to be preserved and enhanced as a heritage, biodiversity and public asset.


History of the area

By 1572 there were several settlements established in this part of Enfield. Forty Hill was then known as Forty Green. There were cottages in Bulls Cross Lane (now Bulls Cross). There were two small settlements in Whitewebbs Lane - Romey Street (at the Bulls Cross End) and Whitewebbs proper (near the King and Tinker). In Clay Hill lay the settlement of Bridge Street (near where the Rose and Crown now stands).

The focal point of Forty Hill in the 16th century was the great house of Elsyng that lay between the site

of Forty Hall and the Turkey Brook. The house belonged to Sir Thomas Lovell, Chancellor of the Exchequer to Henry VII. It became a royal palace in 1539 and it was here in 1547 that Edward VI was told of the death of his father (Henry VIII) and of his own accession to the throne. Although Queen Elizabeth I stayed at Elsyng on several occasions, the property was not particularly well maintained and later in her reign during the early 17

th century was in a fairly parlous state. It was still standing in

1656, but appears to have been demolished shortly after this date when it was acquired by the then owner of Forty Hall, Nicholas Rainton. Small scale excavations in the late 1960`s revealed the quality of survival of the palace remains, and have been followed by further small scale work largely related to the replanting of trees.

The New River, an artificial cut bringing fresh water from Chadwell Spring (near Ware) to London, was completed by 1613. The course through the Forty Hill area was drastically altered in 1859 with abandonment of a huge loop through the Whitewebbs Estate and its replacement by a new section running from Turkey Street to Tenniswood Road including a new aqueduct over Turkey Brook. Substantial remains of the abandoned loop can be seen in the Whitewebbs and Gough Park Estates including an early 19

th century cast iron aqueduct in Flash Lane.

Forty Hall was built from 1629 for Sir Nicholas Rainton, a prominent member of the corporation of the City of London. Other great houses in the area include Whitewebbs (built in 1791 for Dr Abraham Wilkinson), Capel House (built in 1793 for a former governor of Bombay) and Myddelton House (built in 1818 for Henry Carrington Bowles).

By the mid-19th century the basic layout and the disposition of the settlements had changed relatively

little since 1572. Being remote from public transport, the area was unattractive to commuters and grew relatively little. Jesus Church was built in 1835, paid for by the Meyer family of Forty Hall. A National School was built in 1851 close to Maidens Bridge. Communications in the Forty Hill area have never been particularly good. The nearest railway stations are at Turkey Street (opened 1891, closed 1909, re-opened 1960) and at Gordon Hill and Crews Hill (both opened 1910). Road access was considerably improved after 1924 with the opening of the Cambridge Arterial Road (A10). This road has become even more important in recent years with the opening of the M25 motorway. These two roads intersect at a major junction to the north of Bullsmoor Lane.

In 1868 the Bridgen Hall Estate was sold for building - a large tract of land between Carterhatch Lane and Goat Lane. The streets were laid out - St George’s Road, Garnault Road, Russell Road, Layard Road and Bridgenhall Road. Development, mainly in the form of workmen’s cottages, was extremely slow and protracted. There were vacant plots on this estate well into the nineteen-thirties. In addition, gravel digging took place on parts of the estate, resulting in subsidence problems in the mid-20

th

century.

By 1914 the Forty Hill/Bulls Cross area was still predominantly rural, and apart from some rather half-hearted attempts to build on the Bridgen Hall Estate, was still largely undeveloped. There was still open country separating Forty Hill from Enfield Town. The local authority, showing remarkable foresight, took steps to acquire land for use as public open space. The North Enfield Recreation Ground (Tucker’s Field) was purchased in 1907, followed by Hilly Fields in 1911. This policy was continued after World War I, notably in 1931 with the purchase of the Whitewebbs Estate from Sir Duncan Orr-Lewis.

After World War I, the provision of bus services to the north of Enfield Town resulted in ribbon development along Baker Street linking up with Forty Hill. The construction of the Cambridge Arterial Road stimulated development in the Hoe Lane and Carterhatch Lane areas. Development of the area north of Lancaster Road, begun in the late eighteen-seventies, was completed, resulting in the built-up area extending as far as the south side of Clay Hill.

The late nineteen-thirties saw the development of a huge tract of orchards stretching from Southbury Road to Carterhatch Lane, as the Willow Estate. By 1939 the Forty Hill area was solidly linked to the rest of the London conurbation. North of Forty Hill, however, the area remained essentially rural and subsequently the Green Belt policy restricted any further major developments in this area after World War II.


After the War the area saw the development of two large council estates - to the north of Hoe Lane and between Turkey Street and Bullsmoor Lane. The resulting increase in population required the building of two new primary schools - Worcester (1954) and Capel Manor (1958). Further public open space was secured when the local authority purchased the Forty Hall Estate in 1951. In 1971 the construction of a short section of road linking Myddelton Avenue to Baker Street enabled most through traffic to be diverted away from Forty Hill and Maidens Bridge. As a result of these changes bus services that had previously terminated at Forty Hill were diverted along Carterhatch Lane.

The Forty Hall Estate

The subject of this Management Plan is Forty Hall Park, Enfield, Middlesex, which comprises the remains of a seventeenth century and later estate landscape associated with the surviving house, called Forty Hall and built for Nicholas Rainton in 1629-32. The Landscape contains not only the house but also a number of other historical features including:-

The buried remains of the Royal Palace of

Elsyng, a medieval manor house extant by

the 12th century; rebuilt in circa 1492;

adapted as a royal residence in circa 1540;

and demolished in circa 1650;

The remains of a number of man-made

parkland and garden features and trees,

including lakes, ponds, raised walks and a

lime avenue;

A group of important buildings constructed

either to serve the original seventeenth

century house or added in the nineteenth

century as a Home Farm for an expanded

agricultural estate.

Parts of the park are known to be of ecological interest and there is public access to the house and service buildings, café, banqueting suite with adjoining gardens, park and woodland for informal recreation. There is a large public car park immediately inside the entrance to the Park, which is on the east side with access from Forty Hill.

The Forty Hall Estate was purchased by the then Enfield Urban District Council (now the London Borough of Enfield) in 1951. It is now part managed for public benefit and in part, about 160acres, leased to Capel Manor Horticultural and Environmental Centre and known as Forty Hall Farm.

Throughout this document, except for the historical references, the term “Park” will be used for all areas with public access.

The gardens and landscape with public access are well maintained and there are a series of sign-posted walks through the adjoining woodland. The Park has achieved Green Flag status for many years, with the flag pole sited at the entrance.

Forty Hall Estate (Scheduled area in red)


Location

The Forty Hall Estate comprises 110ha of public open space, farmland and woodland. This Management Plan focuses on public open space which covers 31.62ha of the estate. The Park lies about one mile north of the centre of the town of Enfield in the former county of Middlesex, now Greater London. Its southern boundary marks the very edge of the suburban development of North London, which spreads around the east side of the Park. To the north and west is countryside of London's Green Belt, which is cut through by the M25 motorway about ½ mile north.

The immediate boundaries of the Park are marked on the east side by Forty Hill road; on the south side by a section of the old course of the New River, Clay Hill and allotment gardens; on the west side by a fenced bridleway which forms the boundary with Whitewebbs Park and Golf Course; on the north side by Whitewebbs Lane, several Sports Grounds and Myddelton House & Gardens.


Forty Hall Park boundary of publicly accessible space


2 UNDERSTANDING FORTY HALL

Most histories of Forty Hall begin with the great hunting forest of Enfield Chase and the place within it is an important medieval manor house, originating by the twelfth century and first mentioned in documents circa 1380, it was converted to the Royal Palace of Elsyng in circa 1540. There is, however, evidence for occupation in the vicinity of the Park from Prehistoric and Roman times.

Topography

The historic, i.e. seventeenth and eighteenth century, estate of Forty Hall occupies the majority of an east-west ridge of high ground, rising from about 30 to 50 metres above sea level, flanked on the north side by Turkey Brook, a tributary of the River Lea and a valley on the south side which now carries part of the old course of the New River.

Contour plan of the Lime Avenue and Elsyng Palace site

Geology

The main complex of buildings at Forty Hall occupy an outcrop of river terrace gravels, which here form the west bank of the River Lea and rise to a little over 50 metres O.D. to the west of the buildings. The natural subsoil encountered during excavations in this area has been a mixture of orange sand and gravels that overlay the London Clay at this point.

There are alluvial deposits associated with Turkey Brook, whilst London Clay is encountered at the north end of the Park.


Ecology

The site is of significant ecological value, containing large areas of broadleaved woodland, species-rich acid and neutral grasslands with veteran trees (remnants of ancient wood pasture), Turkey Brook, the fishing lakes and small wildlife ponds, and supporting populations of nationally and internationally important species of animals and plants.

A number of the species and habitats present on the site are priority species and habitats within the UK and London Biodiversity Action Plan, The GLA has proposed to upgrade the site from a Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation to a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation by the GLA (these are the best examples of wildlife habitat in London).

Forty Hall is located in the green belt and there are good links between Forty Hall and adjacent sites such as Whitewebbs Wood and the New River.

Archaeology

Forty Hall Park is the site of the remains of the old Tudor palace of Elsyng and this plan will assist in the management and preservation of the ancient remains at Forty Hall within the landscape. There are no visible remains of the medieval house of the manor of Elsyng in the landscape, nor of the later buildings that replaced it. However, the site has considerable archaeological potential and is very sensitive to disturbance, thus it requires appropriate management.

Resistivity results of the Palace area

The manor was obtained by Thomas Lovell at the end of the fifteenth century who enlarged and aggrandised the buildings, as befitted a residence of Henry VII’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Constable of the Tower of London and Steward of the Royal Household. The manor and house came into the possession of Henry VIII in 1539, and further enlargements were made to the buildings, so that they can now be referred to as a palace. The buildings were set in a deer park and there would have been substantial ornamental and domestic gardens, as well as courtyards surrounded by ranges of rooms and buildings. The estate was obtained by Philip Herbert, 4

th Earl of Pembroke in

1641 and it seems likely that he would have commissioned further aggrandisements of the house and garden, perhaps using the famous garden architect, de Caux, who designed the earl’s gardens at Wilton. Philip Herbert died in 1655, probably at Elsyng and the house was demolished in c.1660.


There are no standing remains of the Tudor royal palace or of Philip Herbert’s house and the formal and domestic gardens have left no clear surface traces, apart from the rare feature of water gardens to the north-west of the site of the palace buildings.

A large lake with two islands still exists and may date from Philip Herbert’s time, or earlier.

The results of archaeological excavations and a watching brief in 1963-67 by the Enfield Archaeological Society were published by the Society in 1984. The archaeological fieldwork uncovered the remains of a north-south and an east-west range from the outer court of the Tudor palace, as well as earlier remains of the underlying medieval manor house.

Attempts have been made to locate the ancient remains using the available evidence including the crucial results from the 1998 geophysical survey.

At present young trees and undergrowth overlie much of the footprint of the medieval, Tudor and early seventeenth century buildings at Elsyng.

Clearance and archaeological fieldwork is required in order to ascertain more about their location and state of preservation. This is particularly important due to invasive root growth from the trees and self-seeded saplings that cover the site. Thereafter, the preparation and implementation of an action plan will help ensure the conservation of the buried ancient remains on this site.

Nonsuch Palace

The importance of the site is demonstrated by it being scheduled as an Ancient Monument in 1967, now defined under the terms of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.


Forty Hall Park plan showing location of the site of Elsyng Palace


3 PARK MANAGEMENT

The management of the Park is considered under five separate headings:-

i Archaeological

Ii Landscape

Iii Biodiversity

Iv Public use

V Buildings

i Archaeological

The key issue here is to determine the extent of archaeological elements in the landscape especially the medieval manor house and Royal Palace of Elsyng and the earthworks associated with them. Their protection from damage is vital and the ongoing management of the SAM will be outlined in the Elsyng Palace Management Agreement held between the London Borough of Enfield and Historic England which will come into place in 2017.

ii Landscape

Forty Hall’s significance in terms of the landscape character is due to the retention of its 18th Century

character. A number of landscape features across the estate survive relatively intact, including:

Parkland and Lime Avenue

Fishing lakes

Ferme ornée

Pond groves

Turkey Brook and Weir

Pleasure grounds

Viewing mound and ornamental pond in front of the Hall

Walled Garden

Courtyards

Main entrance gates

The Pleasure Grounds, mound, ornamental pond, and 16th Century weir on Turkey Brook were all

restored to their 18th Century design as part of the 2012-2016 Heritage Lottery-funded works.

iii Biodiversity

Enfield Council wrote and adopted a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) in 2011 which explains what we

will do to protect wildlife and how we will use it to improve our health, well-being and economic

prosperity. Parks across the Borough are managed in line with this BAP.

In 2012, the Council entered into a Higher Level Stewardship scheme which includes the parkland at

Forty Hall. Under this scheme, the Council receive a grant to aid environmental management of the

Park.

iv Public Use

The Park is heavily used by people of all ages and backgrounds. With its mixture of habitats from the formal to the very informal and with the historic buildings and heritage landscape, there is much to attract visitors from a wide catchment area. Facilities onsite include a café, fully accessible carpark, easy access footpaths, exhibitions within the Hall, and regular events covering a variety of interests,


including music, art, history and environmental conservation. Staff regularly work with local schools and interest groups to educate local people about the Hall, the estate and its significance.

v Buildings

Statutory and non-statutory designations at Forty Hall include:

Forty Hall (grade I)

Screen Wall, Gateway and North Pavilions to west of Forty Hall (Grade I)

Stable Ranges to west of Forty Hall (Grade II)

Barns to Forty Hall Farm, walls to Forty Hall Farm (Grade II)

Forty Hall Entrance Gateway (Grade II)

Maiden’s Brook Bridge (Grade II)

Site of Elsyng Palace (Scheduled ancient monument, SAM GL59)

The landscape is grade II on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Historical interest.

Home Farm is one of the Landscape’s significant building assets

This Management Plan focuses on the management of the Park rather than the Hall. However, it should be noted that the treatment given to the Landscape must be sympathetic to the house itself and that the two elements are complementary to one another. The conservation of the house, other buildings and of the grounds themselves is considered in detail in the Conservation Management Plan (2007, rev.2008).

The house itself is predominantly 17th Century, although 18

th Century changes give the house much

of its current character. Linked to it is a banqueting suite for hire and a cafe.

Forty Hall Farm is used by Capel Manor College as a working farm for students.


4 MANAGEMENT PLAN

The management plan will set out the service levels and be the operational basis with which they will be carried forward by the Council for the foreseeable future.

The purpose of the Management Plan is to:-

1. Identify, discuss and resolve issues relating to site infrastructure, site users and available

resources.

2. Develop and cost the way in which Forty Hall is managed and maintained, to ensure an

enjoyable experience for present and future users.

3. Identify and address who is responsible for certain aspects of management.

4. Provide a benchmark against which delivery and performance of the identified service levels

can be measured.

It is a ‘working document’ that brings together all the information relating to Forty Hall, for use by all those involved in its management. It will be updated, revised, periodically reviewed in the 2012 and 2017.

Policy and Context

Parks are managed areas of the green environment that provide opportunities for a range of formal and informal leisure, passive and active sport together with recreation and play.

The significance of parks, open space and countryside provision is clear:-

1. In 1988 the Audit Commission estimated that local authorities in England and Wales

maintained approximately 120,000 hectares of parks and open spaces- an area

approximately the size of Berkshire.

2. In 2000, the Heritage Lottery Fund estimated that there were approximately 30,000 urban

green spaces in the UK, of which 5,000 are urban parks.

3. In 1992 the Audit Commission suggested that there were 34,533 parks and open spaces in

the UK.

4. Local Government Finance Statistics indicate that over a 12-month period in the 1990’s,

£538 million was spent on parks and green spaces.

5. Recent national MORI research indicates that 60% of people believe that the provision of

open spaces is key to an ideal community.

6. The recently announced Public Service Agreement on Sustainable Communities (PSA8)

identifies the importance of “cleaner, greener, public spaces.”

7. It is widely recognised that the provision of high quality ‘public realm’ facilities such as parks

can assist in making an area an attractive place in which to live and work, and can result in

a number of benefits in terms of economic development and regeneration.

8. National Indicator 197 is a measure of the local authority’s performance in relation to

Biodiversity and measures the proportion of ‘Local [wildlife] Sites’ under positive

conservation management.

9. The UK BAP sets out the species and habitats of principal importance for conservation in

the UK. Forty Hall contains a number of these species and habitats


The benefits of safe and accessible parks and open spaces can be summarised as follows:-

Social

a positive environment in which businesses will wish to locate and develop

safe outdoor areas that are available to all members of the local and wider population.

opportunities for community events, voluntary activities and charitable fund raising.

easily accessible recreation as an alternative to other more chargeable leisure pursuits.

opportunities to improve health and take part in a range of outdoor sports and activities.

an educational resource or outdoor classroom.

Economic

Adding value to surrounding property, both commercial and residential, thus increases local

tax revenues for public services.

Contributing to attracting visitors, including using as a venue for events.

Encouraging tourism into the area.

Helping to create an attractive local image.

Helping to reduce social exclusion and its associated costs to society.

Environmental

Providing habitat for wildlife and contributing to the wider conservation of biodiversity, by

providing linkages and stepping stones within the wider green network.

Helping to stabilise urban temperatures and humidity.

Absorbing pollutants from the air and ground water.

Providing opportunities for the recycling of organic materials.

Providing opportunities to reduce transport use through the provision of local facilities and

by providing walking and cycling routes through urban areas.


5 AUDIT OF FACILITIES

Landscape Audit

A landscape audit was undertaken in 2006 by an independent parks consultancy to analyse the provision at the time and identify areas for improvement where this provision fell short of expectations.

The results of this audit were reviewed and fed into the restoration of the Park under HLF in 2012.

These improvements included:

Cleaning up the entrance to the Park, widening the vehicle access and improving

pedestrian safety at this entrance to the Park.

Opening up historic vistas to improve sightlines through the park so that visitors could

appreciate the landscape as it was intended.

Improving the accessibility of the park to bring access up the Disability Discrimination Act

(DDA) compliant. Works included the removal of steps, relaying paths and ramps around

the path network and between the Hall and carparks. Maidens Bridge footbridge was also

restored, opening up the Public Rights of Way once more.

Increasing the amount of parking available to the public by removing flowerbeds and

improving surfacing.

Installing lighting between the Hall and carpark.

Replacing park furniture such as benches and bins with one design in-keeping with the

heritage feel of the estate.

Improving signage to discourage the feeding of waterfowl with bread.

Replanting the Pleasure Grounds with planting schemes appropriate to the 18th Century

origin. Opening up sightlines through the trees and removing invasive plants and scrub.

The refurbishment of the toilets.

Clearing and restoration of the ornamental pond in front of the Hall.

Restoration of the Mound.


6 STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES & THREATS (SWOT ANALYSIS)

The following SWOT analysis of Forty Hall Park identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to park management. It takes the form of a situational analysis of internal strengths and weaknesses and of more external (governmental, societal, legislative, etc.) opportunities and threats.

7 VISION & OBJECTIVES

Strengths Weaknesses

Green Flag Status since 2005

Enfield in Bloom Gold standard for Walled

Garden, 4 years running

External Health and Safety Audit 4 out of 5

stars (British Safety Council) 2009

Management Plan

Conservation Management Plan

HLF grant of £2.2million, paid over 6 years

between 2012 and 2018

External public toilets

Friends group involvement

Knowledgeable staff

Heritage and history

Multi-cultural usage

Well-used by the public

High public perception

Capital and revenue investment

Café

Events delivered in partnership by the Culture

& Leisure and Parks team

Improved maintenance

Regular Arboricultural surveys

As a result of numerous reports and

investigations that have been conducted as a

result of the HLF project, the Management Plan

requires a comprehensive review to bring

together this improved knowledge of the estate.

This will be undertaken and adopted in 2017.

Ecological monitoring is undertaken on an ad

hoc basis. Regular monitoring is required to

inform management practices. This will be

reviewed as part of the 2017 revision of the

Management Plan.

Opportunities Threats

External funding - England Woodland Grant

Scheme. In 2017 the woodlands will be

surveyed as part of the Woodland Trust’s

Ancient Woodland Restoration Project with the

recommendations from this survey feeding into

an EWGS application if appropriate.

Park, buildings & features

Raised public awareness continues to build

with an improved website, online social media

presence and publicity materials distributed

throughout the Borough.

Change in Government policy


The Vision

Forty Hall & Park is a unique cultural landscape in the North of the Borough. Our aim is to explore the historical significance and celebrate the contemporary value of this special place where a world city meets the country.

In order to attain this vision, the Hall, Park and the wider Estate must become an integrated and fully co-ordinated site offering leisure, cultural facilities and services to the public. Through strong management we will ensure continuity and sustainability for this site of significant historic importance.

The Council is working in partnership with the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic England, Natural England, and key partners to ensure that the unique qualities of the Hall, Park and wider Estate are preserved and that public access is developed now and for future generations.

The overall Vision for Forty Hall and all open space is: By 2020 Enfield will be successful in: • Making open spaces in Enfield places for everyone • Delivering high quality open spaces in partnership • Creating sustainable open spaces for the future • Protecting and managing the exceptional quality and diversity of Enfield's open spaces The key objectives are to:

Provide a park which is welcoming to visitors.

Ensure that the Park is healthy, secure, and safe to use.

Create a green space which is clean and well-maintained

Ensure that the Park and its buildings are managed sustainably.

Ensure that the Park and its buildings are well conserved, and to interpret its history and heritage through good signage, publicity and literature.

Increase links with the local community and the Friends group through the planning and management of the Park.

Restore and maintain the woodland, grassland and wetland habitats.

Monitor, review and manage effectively the infrastructure. The Council places high value on the importance of its parks and open spaces and they are central to many of the Council’s overall Aims and Objectives.

The Council’s Aims and Objectives

There are a number of Council strategies and plans that are directly relevant to the achievement of Green Flag status. These documents, also available on the council website, are in many cases very detailed and as such for the purposes of this green flag document have been summarised by selecting the appropriate sections and paragraphs and presenting them here.

Enfield Council Strategy

The Council Strategy sets out:

The Vision

To make Enfield a better place to live and work, delivering fairness for all, growth and sustainability and strong communities.

Underpinning this commitment there are a number of priorities, the delivery of which will contribute to improving the quality of life for all residents in the borough.

Aims and Priorities

Aim 1. Fairness for all

Priorities Serve the whole borough fairly and tackle inequality


Provide high quality, affordable and accessible services for all Enable young people to achieve their potential

Aim 2. Growth and sustainability

Priorities A clean, green and sustainable environment Bring growth, jobs and opportunity to the borough

Aim 3. Strong communities

Priorities Encourage active citizenship Listen to the needs of local people and be open and accountable Provide strong leadership to champion the needs of Enfield Work in partnership with others to ensure Enfield is a safe and healthy place to live

Of the 3 key aims, Parks & Open Spaces fall mainly within Aim 2, Growth and Sustainability – A clean, green and sustainable environment. To deliver this strategic aim and priority a key action is to implement the Parks & Open Spaces Strategy which states that quality will be assessed using the Green Flag standards, unless otherwise stated. A clean and safe living environment is consistently rated by our residents as one of their top priorities and the many parks and open spaces are one of our biggest attractions. By ensuring we all live sustainably we will be able to safeguard what is special about the borough, protecting it for future generations.

The Council’s Strategy also details the new corporate values that will define the approach to achieving these priorities and ensure that as an organisation Enfield Council can meet the challenges ahead.

Values

One Team – Working together across teams, departments and partners to deliver the best possible services for Enfield’s residents.

Customer First – Treating the community, colleagues and partners with fairness and respect, listening and responding to their needs and designing our services around the people we serve.

Achieving Excellence – Consistently striving to deliver standards of excellence through ambition, creativity, innovation, pride in our achievements and a 'can-do' attitude to new challenges.

Empowering People – Enabling our staff and the local community to make informed choices and giving our staff the skills, knowledge and confidence to improve services, take personal responsibility, accept risk and reward success.

Enfield’s Future (A Sustainable Community Strategy for Enfield 2009 - 2019) This document is the “top level” strategy in the hierarchy of local plans and sets the strategic direction for all key public services in the borough. It was developed by the Enfield Strategic Partnership [ESP], a multi-agency partnership bringing together key agencies from Enfield’s public, private and voluntary sectors. This ten-year strategy was launched in November 2007 and revised in 2009, following extensive consultation with partners and members of the public. The ambition is that Enfield has ‘a healthy, prosperous, cohesive community living in a borough that is safe, clean and green’. The aim of the Partnership is to ensure that everyone involved in promoting the social, economic and environmental well-being of Enfield is able to work together in a coordinated way to improve the quality of life in the borough and deliver the vision. To turn to vision into reality the ESP have established eight Thematic Action Groups [TAG’s] with each focussing on a specific theme and vision. The Environment and Leisure & Culture Themes focus on the community priority of “A cleaner, greener and more vibrant borough”.


Parks and Open Spaces Strategy 2010 - 2020

The Parks & Open Spaces Strategy sets out a shared vision for the network of open spaces across the Borough and aims to ensure they deliver their potential for cross-cutting place shaping benefits. The strategy was commissioned in August 2008, with full consultation being undertaken between December 2009 and March 2010. The strategy was formally adopted in April 2010. It has been developed through an extensive assessment of the quantity, quality and accessibility of all open spaces in the Borough, a sports assessment and residents survey.

The Strategy will: -

1. Sit below the Place Shaping Agenda as a delivery tool for parks and open spaces;

2. Make open spaces in Enfield places for everyone;

3. Deliver high quality open spaces in partnership;

4. Create sustainable open spaces for the future;

5. Protect and manage the exceptional quality and diversity of Enfield’s open spaces;

6. Provide a 10-year Delivery Plan and 3-year Rolling Action Plan to ensure the objectives of the Strategy, including addressing the needs of the place shaping areas, are delivered;

7. Investigate current funding options and arrangements (including s106 and the Community Infrastructure Levy)

8. Prioritise capital and maintenance expenditure consistent with the Strategic vision.

Below the vision sits 17 objectives which have been designed to address the priorities and ambition of the Council and its partners.

Future projects will be aligned in respect of the objectives and areas of deficiency. The delivery plan will be subjected to scrutiny periodically to determine whether the objectives are being achieved. Objectives will also be aligned to the departments Service Centre Plan.

Forty Hall Park’s future

A thorough examination of the SWOT analysis, consultation with the local residents and users of the site has guided the future of Forty Hall Park and how the park is to respond to local needs.

The following section uses the Green Flag criteria as a template for the summary of the actions to be taken throughout the park.

8 A WELCOMING PLACE

As part of the Heritage Lottery Funded restoration of Forty Hall, the entrances to the Park have been much improved with new surfacing, the widening of the main vehicle gates, and reduction of vehicle movements within the site to improve pedestrian safety

Signage and interpretation for the Park is part of the HLF project and this will be revised in partnership with stakeholders in 2017, with the new interpretation due to be installed in summer. This will greatly improve the ‘Welcome’ visitors receive upon entering the site, helping to ensure they have an informed and interesting visit.


9 Health, Safety and Security The Parks Service is committed to ensuring the Health and Safety of its parks staff and users of the facilities. The Health and Safety Plans for the Council, Group and Service extending to individual parks and buildings demonstrate the following objectives to:

Eliminate or reduce to a minimum, accidents, incidents and work related ill health.

Achieve and maintain a safe and healthy working environment for all and ensure that others who are not our staff are not harmed by our work activities.

Strive to bring about improvements to our provisions for Health and Safety, enabling them to evolve and develop, thus meeting the needs of future activities and changes in legislation.

Ensure appropriate monitoring systems are in place to comply with the requirement of the Corporate Policy for Health and Safety.

There is a Health and Safety Policy issued to all Managers within the Group and it is for them to ensure that all parks staff know where a copy is located and have easy access to it. Managers will monitor and enforce the standards embodied within the policy and emphasise to staff that they also bear an individual responsibility to ensure that procedures are appropriately implemented. Visitors The Council has a duty of care to all visitors and users of the park. The managers and staff pay particular attention to this aspect of Health and Safety regulations. Notices are displayed at appropriate places indicating where help and information is available. Where staff become aware of the existence of a particular item or situation which may be hazardous to users and which cannot be dealt with immediately, those who are likely to be in the vicinity of the risk are advised and informed of any necessary precautions. Additionally, suitable warning notices and, where appropriate, physical barriers and/or alternative routes and means of access and egress will be advised. Parks staff All staff are aware of their responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 Sections with regards to:

Take reasonable care for the Health and Safety of themselves and others who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work.

Co-operate with the Council insofar as is necessary to enable that duty or requirement to be performed or complied with to assist clear understanding of staff duties while at work.

Incidents involving near misses, accident, injury or damage are recorded on site and copies of the records are forwarded to managers and the Council’s central Safety Unit. When such incidents occur, the Park Manager will assess the situation and work with the Parks overall Health and Safety Manager to ascertain whether any modifications to existing practice are required, and ensure that any action required is expedited. Day to Day Management Parks Operations Management are responsible for Health and Safety on site and retain records through a Health and Safety Log. Staff on the ground report directly to their line manager when issues arise and these are assessed and remedied. The Council’s Corporate Health and Safety Team inspect records on a regular basis. All aspects of site Health and Safety are covered including Fire equipment and procedures, maintenance and condition of buildings, maintenance of boilers and being responsible for keeping up to date incident logs. Parks Management work closely with Operations staff to make sure that Health and Safety is an absolute priority. Daily inspections of the play area are undertaken and an inspection sheet completed each week which is passed on to management. Any defects are dealt with as required by a matter of priority.


Contractors A proportion of the services provided are carried out through, or supported by Contractors. The Council fully accepts its obligations under the law, both as an operator of an undertaking, an employer and as an occupier of premises, to try to eliminate hazards and, failing that, to take all reasonable steps to minimise the risks that may arise from its own and its Contractors’ work activities that may affect our employees, those who enter the park (for whatever purpose), our residents and members of the public. It is the firm policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise risks that may arise from its own undertakings that may affect its Contractors, their employees and others. The Council makes it clear to all Contractors who carry out services in the Borough that they are expected to comply fully with the spirit and intent of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Method Statement and Risk Assessment All contractors who carry out work in our parks and open spaces are required to supply a method statement and risk assessment, with reference to the works that they will be carrying out on our property, and in what manner the work will be done. No work is allowed to start until we are fully satisfied with the statement provided to us from the Contractor. Risk assessments are carried out for Forty Hall Park and the associated works carried out within the site. 5 Star Health & Safety Audit In December 2009 the Parks department was inspected by an independent auditor as Enfield Council went through a complete 5 star audit process. The auditor was very impressed with the Parks department and Parks were seen as a major reason why Enfield Council achieved 4 stars. (The Corporate Health & Safety department were expecting 2 or 3 stars, so 4 stars was a major achievement.) The Council were again externally audited during 2011 and became the first local authority to gain 5 stars. In addition the Council went for the “Sword of Honour” the highest achievable Health and Safety Award with only a handful of blue chip companies and were successful during 2011 making Enfield the first and only Local Authority to achieve this status. Smoking Ban Enfield has had a policy now for some time where smoking in mess room areas and park vehicles has been forbidden. Infrastructure Regular surveys of all infrastructure including footpaths, buildings, car parks, railings, fences, etc. are undertaken by parks staff to identify condition and to ensure that:

Immediate health and safety risks are identified.

Longer-term potential health and safety risks are identified.

Features are fit for purpose (is the path in the right position? constructed of suitable materials? etc.).

Visual and amenity considerations are accounted for i.e. is the design appropriate, should a more attractive wearing course be applied to surfaces.

Personal security and safety Feeling safe Seven day working through contractual overtime now means that parks are attended at weekends to carry out routine inspections and litter picking. We have a senior graded operations staff responsible for work allocation. Parks maintenance is monitored by the area team leaders and operations manager for quality and cleanliness, with checks undertaken on a weekly basis. The public respond positively to smart staff that project a positive impression of high standards of care and professionalism. Members of the horticultural maintenance staff are issued with uniforms including protective boots and uniform is worn at all times whilst the park is being maintained.


Police presence In 2016 the Safer Neighbourhoods Parks Unit (SNPU) were disbanded. Staff, volunteers and the public now report low level crime to the Police by calling 101. Emergency incidents are reported via 999. Forty Hall has CCTV by the entrance to the Park and in front of the Hall. This helps to reassure visitors as to the safety of the Park and provides footage should an incidents arise that require further investigation. Footage is retrieved by contacting the Council’s Community Safety team. Staff liaise closely with the Chase Ward Safer Neighbourhoods Team, reporting any anti-social behavioural issues directly to the local Police. At such times, local police step up their patrols of the area and deal with issues on a case-by-case basis. Problems with Dogs The exercising of dogs in the park is very popular, however, there are two problems associated with this activity. Firstly, some visitors can be frightened or intimidated by loose dogs running free and secondly, dog’s excreta is unpleasant, unhygienic and a national concern. To encourage responsible dog ownership Enfield Council applied for dog control orders that were effective from the 1st of November 2007.

Enfield Council's Dog Control Orders (effective from the 1st of November 2007).

Removal of dog faeces - Dog faeces must be picked up and removed by the owner. Dog faeces

can be placed in any bin within the park for removal off site.

The keeping of dogs on leads by direction - Dogs must be placed on a lead if asked to do so

by an authorised officer.

Offences against any of the Orders are punishable by way of an £80 fixed penalty notice.

Authorised officers are Police officers and PCSOs.

Further Dog Control: In response to numerous public complaints and concerns Enfield Council are now considering a further Dog Control Order that will limit the number of dogs walked at any one time to 4. This is being considered to tackle the increasing number of professional dog walkers.

Full details of the Orders are available on the Council's website, www.enfield.gov.uk.

Alcohol Controlled Area Forty Hall Park now falls within Alcohol Controlled Areas. This means that a Police Constable or a PCSO can request that the person refrains from consuming alcohol in the park. If the person does not comply with the request to stop drinking the maximum fine is £500. This has proved effective with the result that fewer young people are drinking in the Park and causing nuisance and disturbance. Parks Byelaws Enfield Council introduced new Byelaws for all parks within the London Borough of Enfield in 2012 as the existing Byelaws were very dated both in terms of wording and punishment. The introduction of the new Byelaws has further helped Enfield Council tackle anti-social behaviour within the parks. The maximum penalty for offences against the Byelaws will be £500. The new Byelaws cover a multitude of potential problems within the parks, but certain byelaws will ultimately make our parks safer places. For example, the Council have received complaints regarding older children intimidating younger children in playgrounds. This type of situation can now be dealt with under the new Byelaws, by way of the fact that it will be an offence for children over the age of 14 to enter or remain in a children’s playground unless they are in charge of a child under the age of 14.

http://www.enfield.gov.uk/


10 MAINTENANCE OF EQUIPMENT, BUILDINGS & LANDSCAPE

Maintenance machinery

Maintenance of machinery is undertaken by the Council’s Fleet Services department in line with best practice. Machinery and equipment are subject to checks and risk assessments prior to being issued to staff. Only staff who are appropriately trained are permitted to use machinery.

Infrastructure

An annual survey of all infrastructures is conducted by the parks technical officer to identify condition and to ensure that:

Immediate health and safety risks are identified

Longer-term potential health and safety risks are identified Features are fit for purpose (is the

path in the right position, constructed of suitable materials, etc.)

Visual and amenity considerations are accounted for (is the design appropriate, should a

more attractive wearing course be applied to surfaces, etc.)

Fencing and Paths

The parks fence lines surrounding the park are the responsibility of the Parks Service. The parks technical officer maintains the fencing and footpaths through regular inspections to ensure that our fence line and footpaths are in good order.

Day to day maintenance and cleaning of footpaths are all part of the duties of the grounds maintenance staff.

A further 6 Monthly inspection is carried out to ensure that our fence line and footpaths are in good order.

Improving management of grounds maintenance standards

The maintenance of the site is set through a well-constructed maintenance schedule complete with quantities, occurrences and total hours. A 13 x 4 week scheduled work programme is followed in line with specification and current weather conditions.

The schedule is also categorized into priority types indicating the importance attached to task and the precedence they take.

Building maintenance

Buildings are assessed through a condition survey every 3 years by the Council’s Property Group and identified works are added to the repair and maintenance programme. The results are then prioritised and funding allocated.

Day-to-day reports of vandalism or wear and tear are reported through Corporate Maintenance and dealt with through predetermined response times and prioritised e.g. safety – immediate. Park management periodically review progress of works with the Council’s Property Group.


11 LITTER, CLEANLINESS & VANDALISM

The park contributes to the Council’s overall open space portfolio and as such is subjected

to assessment under the former National Indicator of Cleanliness NI195. Regular litter

picking, bin emptying and refuse collection assures that appropriate cleanliness standards

are maintained. The NI 195 grading system is designed to reflect the way that a member of

the public would perceive the local environment, and as such it is an important indicator for

the Parks Service.

The Council’s record on cleanliness places it as one of the top performers in London. The

maintenance regime for the park of daily bin emptying, daily litter patrols and regular path

sweeping ensure that continued high standards are maintained.

Enfield Council invests a great deal in the cleaning up of litter in terms of both time and cost;

therefore, prevention is a key strategy

The cleanliness of parks has been further assisted by the fact that the parks and waste services of Enfield Council have been merged to share Heads of Service and an Assistant Director. In practice this has seen street cleansing operatives emptying bins at the entrances to the park. Toilets

Toilets are cleaned daily before the parks open and they are further inspected during the

course of the day by parks staff with any deficiencies corrected.

Dog Bins

The Council promotes a "you & your dog" leaflet that encourages all dog owners to clean up

after their dog. The Council previously operated a specific dog bin-emptying contract that

provided for bin emptying on a once or twice a week cycle depending on volume of usage.

This is now undertaken by in-house staff and has proved more responsive to demand.

Graffiti

The Parks take their responsibility for providing a clean and tidy borough very seriously, the removal of graffiti is seen as a key element of that objective where Parks Operational staff report all graffiti for removal and investigation. Graffiti is removed as soon as practicable with racist or offensive graffiti being removed within 24 hours. To achieve this ambitious target the council have created a dedicated team managed by the Envirocrime Crime Unit (ECU) trained in graffiti removal and record keeping of the ‘Tags’ to identify persistent offenders. The Parks Operational staff report all graffiti for removal and investigation.


12 ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Enfield 2020 is the Council’s ambitious Sustainability Programme and Action Plan. The focus of Enfield 2020 is about saving money on energy bills, creating local jobs, improving our environment, reducing waste and improving public health. The programme has a ‘2020 Vision’ to: 1. Significantly improve the sustainability of the Borough of Enfield and Enfield Council by 2020 2. Deliver significant economic, environmental and social benefits for all of Enfield’s stakeholders'

Although this is a relatively new programme for the Council there are a range of projects

and management techniques that the parks team have already adopted that will help to

achieve sustainable parks and open spaces.

Planting of main entrance and side entrances

The Park has developed a planting plan to deal with a number of problems, including the

need to replace specimen trees as they become old or die; to avoid the spread of

inappropriate species; and to restore the original landscape. This has been drafted based

on the recommendations contained in the Arboricultural Report and in the Conservation

Management Plan.

The beds within the Pleasure Grounds were revised as part of the HLF project. This

included a planting scheme that moved away from municipal annual bedding plants in

favour of lower-maintenance and more sustainable perennial planting. This should help to

reduce labour costs for maintenance, reduce dependency on watering, and improve the

Park’s resilience in the face of global warming.

The Lime Avenue has been recently reinstated by replanting in two stages where possible and subject to archaeological investigation. Initially the outer line of trees was replanted, followed by the replanting of the inner lines. This will include removal of the self-seeded oak by the Turkey Brook.

There is considerable encroachment of self-seeded trees and scrub around the Park. This

has resulted in detraction in the visual appearance, loss of historic character and integrity,

and has the potential to damage archaeological remains, particularly those on the site of

the Elsyng Palace. A programme of systematic removal and cutting is underway through

the Conservation volunteers.

A policy of only removing dead limbs from trees on health and safety grounds has been

instituted and if significant numbers of branches are removed, trees will be felled and the

timber moved to a suitable place if required as a wildlife habitat.


Dead trees are kept as an insect habitat

To reduce the inappropriate feeding of waterfowl, signage has been installed beside the ornamental

lake in front of the Hall. Bird food is sold in the farm shop.

Issues with overhanging vegetation around the pond groves have led to the build-up of silt along the

inlet channel and around the lakes. This is further exacerbated by dense undergrowth of

rhododendron which impedes the natural regeneration of the woodland, blocks sightlines and

reduces light. This area requires attention as part of the Management Plan revision in 2017.

Sightlines from the Hall, across the ornamental lake and down the Lime Avenue have been restored

as part of the HLF project. New railings installed in 2017 along the north side of the access road will

reduce the health and safety risk of pedestrians and animals moving onto the access road and into

the path of oncoming vehicles.

An ambitious programme of ecological measures is planned for the less formal areas of the Park and in particular around the farm and the parkland.

These include:-

Retaining and enhancing bat corridors.

Extending the hedgerow fencing programme on the farmland.

Establishing wildlife corridors adjacent to hedgerows.

Restoring unimproved grassland in low-intensity areas (e.g. the “Great Field”).

Avoiding the use of inorganic chemicals wherever possible.

Managing meadow and crater ponds by removing overhanging vegetation, maintaining

access corridors between ponds and similar measures to conserve the great crested newt

populations.


Management of the Park under Natural England’s Higher Level Stewardship Scheme aids management of the meadow and woodland edges.

Pesticide/Herbicides/Insecticides

The Council has a policy of limiting the use of pesticides as far as possible. In terms of grounds maintenance, particular procedures have been written into maintenance regimes to achieve these. For weed, pest and disease control, the parks will always pursue cultural control practices in the first instance. Chemical treatment will only be permitted, when a particular problem is exceptional, or deemed nonviable or impractical by any other methods. Parks will seek to reduce the amount of chemical applied in ground maintenance situations year on year.

Reducing Water Usage

Parks have reviewed all areas of water usage and are looking to increase the amount of artesian water by installing new wells. In design terms Parks are using bedding varieties that will tolerate less watering whilst retaining a good flowering ability.

In a similar way Parks are experimenting with drought resistant shrub and herbaceous species in bedding displays and shrub and herbaceous beds.

Mulching for weed control has become widely used and this has the added benefit of reducing the watering requirement. Currently some 75% of all shrub beds are mulched with all newly installed or replanted beds are mulched. This generally aids establishment whilst reducing water usage.

Green Waste

The use of day-to-day green waste such as tree clippings and leaf mulch has increased dramatically over the last two years, to the extent that the purchasing of mulch is now not required as this is now generated completely within Enfield’s Parks.

The Parks Service has embarked upon a wider green waste project for the purpose of composting and recycling green waste with Forty Hall Park being one of the pilot sites commencing in 2000/01.

Our green waste management policy is now in effect and as the composting facilities comes fully on-line the proportion of mulched beds will increase up to an estimated potential 85% of all beds.

Peat Usage

No peat is used in Forty Hall. It is a requirement of procurement procedures and our suppliers have confirmed that all bought-in bedding stock is grown with non-peat compost.

Sourcing Materials and Plants

Apart from the problems of sourcing plants that have been grown in peat free mediums, we also undertake careful purchasing procedures to encourage local supply and local sourcing of materials. In particular we discourage the purchasing of imported tree and shrub stock e.g. we use local growers from Lea Valley area where possible. This, we believe, will safeguard the environment and minimise fossil fuel use in transporting goods to and from site.

Reducing our Ecological Footprint

Parks currently use 5% bio-diesel as an additive in all fuels that has been recommended

for industry. In addition parks also add “Additone” (EC-1500 Ashless) that reduces pollutant

emissions and increases fuel efficiency. With an improvement in fuel economy there is an

additional environmental gain to be seen in a reduction in greenhouse gases, especially

carbon dioxide (CO2). Emissions of hydrocarbons, particulate and nitrogen oxides (NOx)

are all reduced.


13 CONSERVATION OF HERITAGE, BIODIVERSITY & NATURE

Parks have adopted the recommendations contained within the Conservation Management Plan. These are drawn out in detail in relation to the landscape in this Plan. However, the Park needs to be seen as an integrated entity which includes the elements of buildings and landscape under the umbrella of the estate and the total leisure experience it provides (or has the potential to provide) visitors. To this end, Parks staff nurtures a co-operative partnership between Council departments and the site’s stakeholders.

Conservation Management Plan

The Conservation Management Plan highlights the importance of the landscape in terms of its heritage and its completeness. This makes the landscape of national importance. In addition, the site once contained the Elsyng Palace, which was the childhood home of Edward VIII and Elizabeth I.

In relation to the estate, there are a number of key issues that are highlighted by the Conservation Management Plan which in turn translate into a number of policies.

The key issues which have since been addressed are:-

The need for a planting plan to protect the archaeology of Elsyng Palace and ensure the

survival of the lime avenue and parkland trees. A new management agreement for the

Scheduled Ancient Monument will be adopted in 2017 which will consider and manage any

threats to archaeology.

The need to halt and reverse the encroachment of secondary wood and scrub. Under the

Higher Level Stewardship scheme, management of the parkland and woodland edges is now

beginning to bring scrub under control.

The desirability of restoring the grounds substantially to their late 18th Century form. The

Pleasure Grounds were restored from 2012-2016 under the HLF project.

The desirability of maximising the potential of the Park as a wildlife habitat. The conservation

management of the estate is long-term consideration and the Council’s approach to

management will be reviewed as part of the Management Plan revision in 2017.

Archaeology

The land north of the carpark and northern access road around the ornamental lake is the Scheduled Ancient Monument, (LO59). This area is managed as per the Elsyng Palace Management Agreement with Historic England. Any works that fall outside of this agreement are undertaken in discussion with Historic England and Scheduled Monument Consent is sought. Weight restrictions apply to vehicles moving across the monument and no excavation in this area is permitted without prior agreement with Historic England.

An annual archaeological dig in (usually undertaken in July) is carried out by Enfield Archaeological Society (pictured above), supported by Historic England. This dig provides important information as to the significance of the buildings that stood here and helps to paint a picture of the lives of those


who once lived on the estate. Parks and Hall staff work in partnership to support this event, bringing school groups and local interest groups in to learn about the history of the site. Habitats Forty Hall supports a number of habitats including,

semi-natural woodland,

parkland,

veteran trees,

acid or neutral semi-improved grassland or amenity grassland,

Seasonal ponds,

Fishing lakes,

Turkey Brook. Of the 61 hectares of the Park that make up the Site of Importance for Nature Conservation, approximately 23 hectares are woodland, 1.3 hectares ponds and lake, 6.5 hectares acid grassland, and the remainder parkland. Figure 1 show the broad habitat types present within the park and Table 1 shows the area of different habitat types recorded during the 2008 Greater London Authority habitat survey. A description of the different habitats, existing and proposed management, and management strategies is given in the sections below.


Table 1 Habitats Types and Area within Forty Hall Site of Importance for Nature Conservation from 2008 GLA Habitat Survey of Enfield

Habitat Type Area (Hectares)

Acid grassland 6.5

Native broadleaved woodland 19.6

Native hedge 0.2

Neutral grassland (herb-rich) 3.9 Neutral grassland (semi improved) 12.8

Non-native broadleaved woodland 3.3

Planted shrubbery 0.1 Running water (rivers and streams) 0.3

Scattered trees 6.3

Scrub 3.3

Standing water (includes canals) 1.3 Tall herbs 1.4 Wet marginal vegetation 0.02

Species

The Forty Hall Estate hosts a wide variety of plant and animal species with records of 24 birds, 206 plants, 17 butterflies and 2 mammal species held by Greenspace Information for Greater London, with notable species including Kingfisher, Great Crested Newt and the White Letter Hairstreak butterfly. In addition a number of other species are known to exist on the site including at least 9 species of bats (including a possible record of the very uncommon Barbastelle bat).

A list of species recorded within Forty Hall can be found in Appendix A.

Ecological surveys and record keeping

Habitat surveys of the park are periodically undertaken through GLA open spaces surveys. Surveys are also undertaken by a number of amateur naturalist and wildlife groups including friends of the parks, Butterfly Conservation and the Bat Conservation Trust, and regular wildlife walks are programmed. Records from council and public surveys of the park are periodically passed onto the records centre.

The Enfield Biodiversity Action Plan and national biodiversity schemes

Enfield Council adopted a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) for the borough in 2011. Positive conservation management of the Borough’s Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs) are a vital component of this.

Forty Hall is one of the Borough’s most important wildlife sites and revision of the management plans in 2017 will be a high priority for the parks continual development. This will work to consolidate a coordinated approach to the management of the parks woodlands, grasslands, veteran trees, lakes, streams and hedgerows, building on the existing management of these habitats.

Woodland

The woodlands are found in two main blocks to the north and through the centre of the park. Current management is largely confined to the removal of dangerous trees and hanging branches, balancing health and safety considerations with the need to retain dead wood habitat for biodiversity conservation. In 2017, the woodlands will be surveyed as part of the Woodland Trust’s Ancient Woodland Restoration Project. As part of this their condition will be considered and proposals put together for their management. This work will inform any application to the Forestry Commission’s English Woodland Grant Scheme to secure funding to aid future woodland management. Management proposals are likely to include the opening up of the woodland canopy through thinning operations (to enable an enhanced woodland structure to develop), management of the woodland


edge and woodland rides for biodiversity (through rotational cutting of scalloped edges), the removal of invasive species and the restoration of previously coppiced areas.

Grassland

Forty Hall supports a number of important grassland habitats located to the south-east and south-west of the park. Semi improved neutral grassland, both species rich and species poor, and acid grassland, which is both a UK and London Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Habitat are found within the park.

The grassland supports a number of important plant species including harebell (Campanula rotundifolia), pignut (Conopodium majus), early hair-grass (Aira praecox), burnet-saxifrage (Pimpinella saxifraga), cuckoo-flower (Cardamine pratensis) and bird's-foot (Ornithopus perpusillus), all of which are scarce in Enfield which in turn host a number of butterfly and moth species including the chimney sweep moth (Odezia atrata) whose larval stage depends on pignut.

The parkland grass is currently managed under the Higher Level Stewardship scheme, with an annual hay cut taken in late summer in order to increase the diversity of plants and invertebrates. Depending on ground conditions, an early cut on some sections would encourage subsequent flowering of plants and provide habitat for species that favour short grassland.

Grassland outside of the meadows managed under the HLS scheme such as between the lime avenue and at the top of the meadow nearest the ornamental lake are amenity cut by gang mowing.

Veteran trees

There are a number of veteran trees within the park with many of the large oaks dating back to the 17

th Century. These trees are of considerable cultural and ecological value, providing bird nesting

and bat roosting sites, as well as habitat for a number of invertebrate species. The form of these trees is the result of past pollarding and they are managed appropriately for trees of this type, including re-pollarding and reduction of weight from the top branches to try and prolong the life of the trees. The revision of the management plan in 2017 will include strategy and prescriptions for the management of these trees, including managing younger trees so that they develop into veteran trees of the future.

In addition to the parkland trees, there are some ornamental trees of significance at Forty Hall including the Magnolia grandiflora which grows on the south-facing wall of the House, and the magnificent Cedar of Lebanon which stands to the east of the House. These are managed for aesthetic and landscape purposes.

Ponds and lakes

There are five ponds and lakes in the park, ranging in size from x to x.

A medium class size population of great crested newts (GCN) is supported by aquatic and terrestrial habitat within the Forty Hall Estate. The GCN’s are found in the two ponds to the west of the site and are monitored annually on an ad hoc basis.

The revision of the Management Plan in 2017 will include proposals to improve the wetlands on the site for their associated species, in particular for the GCNs, to ensure populations continue to thrive here.


14 MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

As part of the Council's policy in respect to Best Value and Local Agenda 21 it is committed to increase community participation in the management of major facilities such as Forty Hall Park. This is crucial to the development and enhancement of the Park.

Forty Hall is currently supported by the following groups.

The Client & Strategy Team

Under the Heritage Lottery Fund a position for a full time member of staff was created at Forty Hall. The Learning and Conservation Officer (LCO) oversees the management of the park, organising events that centre on learning about and conservation of the Park, and promoting, coordinating and supporting the involvement of volunteers within the Park.

The Learning and Conservation Officer is supported within the Council by a Public Realm Development Officer and the Assistant Head of Service for the Client and Strategy team.

Friends of Forty Hall Park

A new Friends of Parks Agreement will be adopted in 2017 which outlines the commitments by the Council and the Friends of Parks.

The Friends of Forty Hall are chaired and run by the Friends committee who meet regularly to discuss issues in the park and have been in operation since 2004. The group hold public meetings every quarter where they discuss any items that have arisen and discuss any plans for the months ahead. The Friends of Forty Hall have a strong organisation that has been in existence for several years. The Agreement clearly identifies the status and aims of the group. It also seeks to ensure issues such as health and safety, open access and management issues are correctly addressed.

The agreement covers:

Statement of intent

Representation

Group attendance by other stakeholders

Aims and objectives

Acting in a democratic manner with no discrimination

Involvement in decision-making

Encouragement to assist in conservation tasks

Encouragement to promote events and activities

Encouragement of Voluntary Friends and Conservation Groups provide opportunities for improvements for parks and open spaces without any increase in expenditure. Groups such as the 'Friends of Forty Hall' have the chance to apply for funding not available to Enfield Council and can enhance the Council's parks and open spaces for the wider community, whilst giving those involved a sense of ownership.

Members of the Friends Group have attended training sessions run jointly by Parks and Enfield Voluntary Action to assist the development of their group and enhance their fundraising knowledge and opportunities. Funding applications are supported directly by the Learning and Conservation Officer based at Forty Hall.

The Friends organise a range of activities include regular meetings to discuss how the Park can be enhanced, gardening work parties in the Walled Garden and Pleasure Grounds, organising ecological surveys to be carried out, carrying out simple tasks that help keep the Park clean and tidy, walks and talks and keeping the group informed of any changes affecting the park. The group also organise events to raise funds for the park such as an annual ‘Music on the Lawn’.


Other voluntary groups

Practical work within the park is further supported by three groups; the Enfield Conservation Volunteers (ECV), Groundforce and the Forty Hall Conservation Work Party. ECV and the Conservation Work Party undertake practical conservation tasks across the site in line with the management plan. Groundforce further support these sorts of tasks, but also help by undertaking maintenance tasks, for example, restoring benches, boardwalks and bridges. Work undertaken by these groups is overseen by the LCO.

Enfield Anglers Council

The group manages the fishing activity in the park and undertake maintenance work on the lake and its banks. All works are consulted upon with Historic England.

Enfield Archaeological Society

The Park Service has a close working relationship with the Enfield Archaeological Society who are the key local stakeholders involved in the Scheduled Ancient Monument. Their work in the 1960s prompted the establishment of the Scheduling of the site of Elsyng Palace.

Volunteer work, including resistivity surveys, excavations and information gathering, are essential to enhancing our understanding of the historic and heritage value of the site.

Historic England

The status of the park and the fact that we have within the boundary a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade 1 listed building make Historic England a statutory consultee and a principal stakeholder.

Guidance on Scheduled Monument Consent for excavation on the site has been invaluable, particularly in relation to the preparations for the successful digs of Archaeological Week in July of each year.

Natural England

Enfield Council entered into a 10-year Higher Level Stewardship agreement with Natural England in 2012. Under this agreement, maintenance of the Parkland meadow and woodland edges is subsidised by Natural England. This financial support makes them an important stakeholder to consult with regards to events or issues that might impact the management of these areas.

Heritage Lottery Fund

The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded the London Borough of Enfield a £1.7million grant in 2011 to restore the Park’s key features, re-establish views, reveal the 17th and 18th century designed landscape, improve both physical access and visitor opportunities to enjoy and understand the landscape. The HLF are a key stakeholder in the site and are regularly consulted as part of any capital works that might change or alter the aesthetics of the site.


15 MARKETING

Since the Heritage Lottery Funding was awarded for the House and Parkland improvements there has been a significant improvement to the marketing of Forty Hall and the surrounding landscape. In addition to a presence on the Council’s main website a dedicated site has been created for the house and the surrounding parklands - www.fortyhallestate.co.uk

The use of social media is also gaining momentum with the Hall and Estate has its own Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds. Staff who work at the Hall, including the LCO, also have their own personal work pages which have been gaining a good following.

Downloadable leaflets are available from the Forty Hall website and other council buildings. When the house reopened on the 30th June 2012 following the restoration project, there was significant media coverage about the house and parklands. The restoration has been a major factor in promoting the park and wide variety of cultural and leisure activities available.

Use of Local Media Newsworthy stories about the Park are shared with the local media such as local newspapers and magazines to help build the profile of the Park. Volunteer activity, awards, events and new developments have all been covered by local press.

Events in the Park are also often timed to coincide with National events such as National Tree Week, Love Parks Week or Volunteers Week. This enables marketing efforts to gain further reach through ‘piggy-backing’ on the National publicity undertaken by the organisers of these events.

On-Site Information A significant part of the HLF project will be the rationalisation of on-site information. This project will be completed in 2017 with the style of interpretation focused on the use of visual imagery rather than the overuse of text. This will help to ensure the information provided can be understood by visitors from a range of backgrounds and abilities.

Temporary signage is often used across the site to inform visitors of any particular changes they might see. During the construction phase of the HLF project temporary notice boards were erected at the site of any improvements. These should detail the objective for the works, how they will be carried out, and a timescale for implementation.

Council Website Forty Hall Park also features on the Council’s website. The information on the website is reviewed regularly to ensure users are provided with informative and accurate content. The Council website is used to:

Inform the public about key policies (including any updating or amending of the ManagementPlan)

Provide information about key events and activities

Provide information about the facilities contained within the Park

Inform residents about changes which may occur in future (e.g. landscape improvements).

Celebrate the wonderful range of parks and open spaces that exist within the borough

Events Forty Hall has a thriving events programme which covers a great range of genres to attract new visitors. In 2017, planned events include classical, jazz and pop concerts, illustration and craft workshops, conservation volunteering opportunities, history and wildlife guided walks, a Love Forty Hall Park day celebrating the significance of the Park, and educational summer workshops for children.

Events organised by external providers are required to provide evidence of experience and planning by completing an events questionnaire and returning to the parks business unit. Certain criteria must be satisfied before the event can be authorised including adequate organisation for the event, anticipation of numbers and eventualities, health and safety factors including risk assessment where appropriate. The organisers may be required to provide a bond and/or evidence of sufficient public liability insurance depending on the nature and scale of the event.


There are also a number of regular exercise classes at the Hall including walking groups, a Tai Chi class and Nordic Walking group.


16 MANAGEMENT

The objectives of the park management and staff is to develop the site in such a way as to improve the site and enhance the visitor experience whilst conserving that which is valued in terms of character, heritage and ecology. This will be done through gathering as much information as possible about the site and its users and developing a plan that is robust and meaningful to all.

A structure has been put in place and resources have been provided to support actions necessary to effectively and efficiently deliver the plan.

The organisational structure can be seen on the following page.

Management Arrangements

The Client & Strategy team oversee and instruct the management of the Park, with Parks operations responsible for delivering site management on the ground. Forty Hall Park is attended throughout the year, including weekends when the joint Street Scene and Parks team ensure that the park is maintained as a welcoming place for visitors. The quality of services is ensured through support of the management team and effective monitoring for both quality and cleanliness. Graffiti and flyposting when found is removed promptly, efficiently and effectively with assistance of a specialist team. Staff Training Enfield Council is committed to investing in the development of the skills and experience of park including Level 2 Amenity Horticulture qualifications. High quality training is provided in partnership with Capel Manor College primarily in the aspects of horticulture including health and safety and customer care. Younger People are being targeted to join the service and existing staff skills are being examined to ensure that these meet the needs of the service. A structure training plan is being developed by the section manager to ensure that this meets the needs of the service both today and in future years. Apprenticeships The apprenticeship courses are over 20 months tailored to help with key skills – including literacy and numeracy if applicable. From May 2017, this is likely to be extended to applicants aged 25yrs or over. Horticultural apprentices attend Capel Manor College one day a week during term time. Candidates can progress at their own pace and a mix of formal classroom and practical skills assessments are undertaken. Success in this course leads to the nationally recognised award of apprenticeship in amenity horticulture consisting of City & Guilds Level 2 Amenity Horticulture, Key Skills Level 1, and Emergency First Aid. Subject to funding, this apprenticeship programme will continue. Quality Systems A number of quality systems are utilised by Enfield Parks service to measure and monitor quality.

All incidents are reported through a log book and passed on to management as and when they occur.

Regular parks inspections are undertaken using green flag criteria.

Mori parks customer satisfaction survey

M3 complaints system

Internal customer satisfaction monitoring

Former NI 195 monitoring for litter and detritus, graffiti and flyposting.


Head of Strategic

Client & Commercial

Services)

Assistant HoS

(Commercial)

Assistant HoS

(Client & Strategy)

Bereavement

Services Manager

Senior - Business Development Officer

(Parks & Open

Spaces)

Team Leader -

Commercial Waste

Business

Development Officer (Waste & Recycling)

X2

Public Realm

Development Officer

Loretta Hoy

Strategic Waste &

Recycling Manager

Interim

Bereavement

Officers x2

Business

Development Officer (Parks and Open

Spaces) x 2

Business

Development Officer

(Golf Course)

Golf Course Shop

Assistant

Waste & Recycling

Officer

Senior Contracts &

Assets Officer

Vacant

Contracts, Assets & Projects Officer x 2

Capital Projects

Technical Officer

Apprentice –Waste &

Recycling Vacant

Waste Policy Officer

Interim

Apprentice –Parks

Business Vacant

Senior Bereavement

Services - Officer

Learning & Conservation Officer

(HLF Forty Hall) Externally funded

Verity Roberts

Bereavement Officers x2


17 ACTION PLANS

The fifteen year Action Plan shown is divided into a number of key areas relevant to the management and development of the Park, namely:

Actions

Target date for completion

Lead staff

Outcomes against Green Flag criteria

Resources

Progress to date

Review date.

Objectives have been divided between “quick hits” to be achieved in short term, to medium and longer term targets.

Green Flag criteria have been numbered in the tables, and are as follows:-

1. A welcoming place

2. Healthy, safe and secure

3. Clean and well maintained

4. Sustainability

5. Conservation and heritage

6. Community involvement

7. Marketing

8. Management.

Monitoring and Review

The Action plan identifies the allocation of tasks and the annual review dates.

In addition to the Annual Review undertaken by Senior Management, periodic reviews are conducted by the site management team to determine progress and resolution actions.

Service standards and performance levels will be the subject of review and modification made as appropriate to maintain user satisfaction levels.

Additional items to the management plan and action plan will be the subject of consultation locally.

A complete revision of this Management Plan will be undertaken in 2017.


SHORT TERM ACTIONS - YEARS 1-3

No. Actions Section Target Date Lead Staff Outcomes against

Green Flag

Criteria

Resources Progress To

Date

Review Date

1. Discontinue memorial tree planting in current location

13 Jan 2007 Doug

Shipwright 4,5 Staff time Completed N/A

2. Consolidate new staff rotas to improve cover

17

Jan 2007

Doug Shipwright

2,8 Staff time

Revenue budget Completed N/A

3. Introduce smart and welcoming uniforms for maintenance staff

17 Jan 2007 Doug

Shipwright 1,8 Revenue budget Completed Jan 2011

4.

Re-confirm policy of leaving dead trees wherever possible, and felling where necessary

13 Jan 2007 Alex Campbell 4 Staff time Completed N/A

5. New Friends Agreement 15 Jan 2007 Leila Biscoe 6 Staff time/ Friends

Completed N/A

6.

Commence programme of removing secondary trees and scrub to open up views of house from pleasure grounds

13 Feb 2007

Feb 2010

John Taylor Christina Lee

4,5 Parks revenue

budget

Will now take place over a number of

years

Feb

2011

7.

Consider adoption of policies contained in Conservation Management Plan for Forty Hall, ancillary buildings and Home Farm

14 Feb 2007 Tony Corrigan 5,8 Staff time Completed On-going

8.

Commence ecology programme for Park by restoring bat runs, wildlife corridors, etc.

14 Mar 2007

Christina Lee

4,5

Friends

Enfield Conservation

Volunteers

On-going On-going



Green Flag

Criteria


Date

Review Date

9. Purchase new machinery and equipment for grounds maintenance

17 Mar 2007 Doug

Shipwright 3,8

2007 Approved provision

Completed February 2010

10. Pleasure ground grass cut as ornamental lawn

6 Mar 2007 John Taylor

Liz Pink 3,8

Parks revenue budget

Complete N/A

11.

Carry out complete refurbishment of toilets/introduce new disabled facilities

6 Mar 2007 Dave

Breckenridge 2,3

Capital programme

Complete N/A

12.

Reduce/Remove holly hedge adjacent to Lodge by main entrance and plant ground cover

6 Mar 2007 John Taylor 1,8 Parks revenue

budget Complete N/A

13. Continue survey of Parks infrastructure

11 Mar 2007 George Bond 2,3,8 Staff time Complete Annually

14. Continue surgery sessions in Park

10 Mar 2007 James Downing 1,2,8 SNPU time On-going On-going

15. Commence policy of restricting feeding of wildlife on lake

13 Apr 2007 John Taylor 4,5 Friends of Forty Hall / Staff time

On-going On-going

16. Continue Marketing Strategy

16 Apr 2007 Hakema Anderson

7 Staff time On-going On-going

17. Commence replacement of information signs by introducing new design

6 Apr 2008 Tony Corrigan

Friends 1,5

Heritage Lottery Funding

On Target Summer 2013

18.

Repair or remove derelict tool shed near Walled Garden

11 Mar 2007 Tony Corrigan

John Taylor 3





Green Flag

Criteria


Date

Review Date

19.

Review use of maintenance machinery with view to introducing “green” equipment

13 Jul 2007

Corporate Procurement

Doug Shipwright

4,8 Staff time On-going On-going

20. Introduce one new activity to Park

16 Sept 2007 Outreach Friends

6,8 Staff time Completed On-going

21. Replace timbers to sleeper bridge near fishing lakes

6 Sept 2007 Outreach

Volunteers John Taylor

2,3 Friends Completed On-going

22. Mile and a Quarter Alley bridleway bridge rebuilding

6 Oct 2007 Tony Corrigan

Ray De La Salle

2,3 Capital bid Completed N/A

23. Commence replacement of litter bins with new Forty Hall Park style


Friends 1,5



24. Commence replacement of seating with new Forty Hall Park style


Friends 1,5



25. Review planting plan for Park

13 Nov 2007 Karen Gurrey

Doug S 4,5,8



26. Complete replanting of Lime Walk

13 Dec 2007 Doug

Shipwright 4,5

Staff

Friends Complete Complete

27.

Commence discussion with English Heritage on the need for a management agreement for the maintenance of SAM

3 Dec 2007 Tony Corrigan 5,8

Staff Time English Heritage

Enfield Archaeological

Society

On-Target On-going


MEDIUM TERM ACTIONS - YEARS 3-6

No. Objectives Section

Ref.

Target

Date

Lead

Staff

Outcomes

against

Green Flag

Criteria

Resources Progress

To Date

Review

Date

1. Repeat survey of infrastructure (annual occurrence)

11 Mar 2009

George Bond

2,3,8 Parks revenue Repairs and Maintenance

On Target March 2012

2.

Continue ecology programme for farm and estate by restoring bat runs, wildlife corridors, etc.

14 Apr

2011 Christina

Lee 4,5

Enfield Conservation

Volunteers

GIGL

On Target Apr

2012

3.

Continue action regarding removal of hawthorn hedge and restoration of railings to open view from Forty Hall

6 Apr

2010 John Taylor

Friends 4,5

Parks revenue budget

HLF

Being commenced in 3

stages

Apr

2013

4. Remove undergrowth and plant island bed

6 May 2010

John Taylor 3,4,5 Heritage Lottery

Funding On Target Summer 2013

5. Remove undergrowth and plant lake edge

6 May 2010



6. Plant woodlands with shrubs and bulbs/herbaceous understorey

13 May 2010

John Taylor 3,4,5 Parks revenue budget / HLS

TBC 2012/13

7. Continue programme of scrub removal from around the Park

13 Sept 2009

John Taylor 4,5 Parks revenue budget / HLS

TBC 2012/13

8. Grasscrete additional car parking spaces

9 Sept 2009

Tony Corrigan

1,8 Heritage Lottery


9. Consider relocation of recycling facilities within main car park

9 Oct

2009

John Taylor Recycle Team

1,8 ESSP/RB Complete N/A

10. Repair Maiden’s Bridge footbridge

9 Nov 2008

Tony Corrigan

2,3 Capital bid Completed N/A



Ref.

Target

Date

Lead

Staff

Outcomes

against

Green Flag

Criteria

Resources Progress

To Date

Review

Date

11. Restoration of ponds 13 Dec 2009

John Taylor 3,4,5 HLF TBC 2011

12.

Introduce new site for memorial planting and move existing trees wherever possible

13 Mar 2009



13. Negotiate with Highways to obtain signage to stop vehicles turning in entrance

6 Mar 2009

Tony Corrigan



14. Restore Great Field with floral meadow

13 Mar 2009

John Taylor 4,5 Parks Revenue Budget / HLS

TBC 2012/13

15. Introduce one new activity to Park

16 Jun

2009 Hakema Anderson



16. Consider creation of new footpath from Maiden’s Bridge to Forty Hall car park

6 Oct

2009 John Taylor 1,2

Capital bid

SUSTRANS On Target Spring 2012

17. Landscape existing car park, including construction of cycling bay

6 Oct

2009 Tony

Corrigan 1,2



18. Restore viewing mound by lake and erect interpretative sign

13 Nov 2009

John Taylor 4,5 Heritage Lottery


19. Consider feasibility of restoring Old Course Of New River

13 Dec 2009

Tony Corrigan

8 Staff Time

Capital Budget TBC On-going

20.

Investigate increasing access to areas North of Turkey Brook by introducing Circuitous footpaths

13 Dec 2009

Doug Shipwright John Taylor

4,5

Staff Time

Capel Manor

Capital Budget HLF

Funding through Tottenham

Hotspur Development

Complete


NEW OBJECTIVES


Ref.

Target

Date

Lead

Staff

Outcomes

against

Green Flag

Criteria

Resources Progress

To Date

Review

Date

21 Undertake protected species surveys to inform Heritage Lottery Fund bid

14 August 2010

Giles Sutton 3,4,5


On Target On-going

22

Investigate funding opportunities through natural England and the Forestry Commission for woodland, grassland and veteran tree management

3,4 April 2010

Giles Sutton 3,4,5 HLS On Target 2012/13

23

Produce and start to implement an ecological management plans for the park

14 Sept 2010

Giles Sutton 3,4,5 Capital Complete On-going

24

Undertake / commission a survey of the ponds and lakes to establish ecological and chemical quality and produce a feasibility study for improving their ecological status

14 Sept 2010

Giles Sutton 3,4,5 Capital Complete On-going

25 Treeworks Mound 3,4 March 2010

Alex Campbell

3,4,5 Heritage Lottery


26 Treeworks Forty Hill 3,4 March 2010

Alex Campbell

3,4,5 Capital Complete On-going

27 Treeworks Lime 3,4 March 2010

Alex Campbell

3,4,5 Capital Complete On-going


LONG TERM ACTIONS – YEARS 6-10


Ref.

Target

Date

Lead

Staff

Outcomes against

Green Flag Criteria

Resources Progress

To Date

Review

Date

1. Introduce “green”

grounds maintenance machinery

11 Feb 2012 Doug

Shipwright 4,8

Capital Programme

On-going 2013

2. Commence grazing

programme on estate 13 Apr 2010

Tony Corrigan

4,5 Capel Manor Higher Level Stewardship

On-going 2012/13

3.

Restore ferme ornée raised footpaths by removing scrub and

cutting back surrounding hedges

13 Oct 2010 Tony

Corrigan 4,5

Capel Manor Heritage Lottery

Funding

Included in HLF

Application 2012/13

4. Introduce further new

activity to Park 16 Jun 2011

Hakema Anderson


Funding On Target

Summer 2013

5. Restore Pond Groves 13 Oct 2011 Tony

Corrigan 4,5 Capital bid

Environment Agency 2013/14

6. Restore Footpath

Network 13 Dec 2011

Tony Corrigan


Funding On Target Summer

2013


PART A

Below is the Audit Blueprint: for Forty Hall Park carried out externally during 2007. Although not an exact science parks have re-evaluated the scores highlighted in Part B that show what we consider as a reasonable reflection on where parks are at this moment in time for 2012.

Attributes Descriptions Scores

Main Entrance Easy to find, welcome sign, appropriate size, clear, clean, tidy, inviting, well-maintained

4

Appropriate size, clear, clean, tidy, well- maintained and inviting

3

Obvious, open, inviting and clean 2

Apparent as an entrance and clean 1

Boundaries (including

hedges, gates, etc.)

All clearly defined and well-maintained 3

All clearly defined – maintenance patchy 2

All clearly defined – maintenance needed 1

Roads, paths, cycleways

and accesses

Suitable materials, level for safe use, edges well defined, surfaces clean and debris and weed free, well-drained and not prone to flooding. Accessible by public transport as well as by bicycle (including clearly defined and well-positioned cycling provision within the park)

4

Suitable materials, level for safe use. Adequate provision for both pedestrians and cyclists

3

Suitable materials but with some faults 2

Roads/paths in correct place, but in need of obvious repair

1

Parking Parking provided integral to, or adjacent to the park, adequate spaces, site clean, tidy, in good condition and well signed

5

Parking provided integral to, or adjacent to the park, adequate spaces but maintenance could be better

4

Parking provided integral to, or adjacent to the park, limited spaces, maintenance good or reasonable

3

Parking provided integral to, or adjacent to the park, limited space, maintenance poor

2

Parking provision very limited 1

Lighting Good lighting scheme installed and well maintained 4

Reasonable lighting scheme installed 3



Poor lighting scheme in open space 2

Reasonable level of residual light from off-site lighting 1

Information Information available for locals and visitors (could be on boards or leaflet form) in some detail

2

Limited information about the park made available 1

Cleanliness No evidence of litter, dog fouling or graffiti 5

Very limited evidence of litter, dog fouling or graffiti 4

Litter, dog fouling no worse than Grade B 3

Litter, dog fouling no worse than Grade C 2

Litter, dog fouling no worse than Grade D 1

Planted areas (trees,

shrubs, floral areas, etc.)

Numerous planting, with appropriate mix of plants, installed and maintained to a very high standard. Designed to a high level of excellence

5

Numerous plants, with an appropriate mix, installed and maintained to a reasonable standard. Aesthetically pleasing design

4

Numerous plants, with an appropriate mix, but patchy maintenance

3

Limited range of plants, maintenance acceptable 2

Limited planting with limited maintenance 1

Grass areas Full grass cover throughout, dense sward, good colour and cleanly cut

5

Full grass cover throughout, dense sward, good colour and cleanly cut, a few weeds, grass cut frequently to keep length short

4

Full grass cover throughout main area but some “thin” patches evident; some bald areas discreet; grass cut frequently but length excessive between cuts, cut quality good (no tearing)

3

General grass cover average and patchy with some bald patches, cut infrequently or at poor frequency, clippings obvious or cut quality poor

2

General grass cover poor, wear has led to patchy and poor cover with little or no obvious attempts to correct the problem, clippings obvious and cut quality poor

1

Facilities: bins Numerous and in good condition, good design and positioning

5

Numerous and in good/average condition, reasonable 4



design and location

Adequate number and in good/average condition 3

Insufficient number but in good condition 2

Insufficient number in poor condition 1

Seats Numerous for the size of site and in good condition 5

Numerous for the size of site and in average condition 4

Adequate number and in good/average condition 3

Insufficient number but in good condition 2

Insufficient number in poor condition 1

Toilets Provided within the park, easy to access, signed and well maintained

5

Provided within or adjacent to the park, difficult to find, maintenance/condition is average

4

Provided within the park or adjacent to it and visible, but not well cared for and generally uninviting

3

Provided within the park or adjacent to it, but in very poor condition and generally avoided by park users

2

Temporary toilet provision for events only 1

Health and Safety Excellent standards of health and safety. Buildings in good condition. No uneven or poorly-maintained surfaces. Equipment and furniture in excellent condition

4

A limited number of trip hazards. Buildings in adequate condition. Equipment or furniture may present minor hazard

3

Significant number of minor hazards to health and safety from surfaces, buildings, equipment, furniture, perimeter fences or railings, etc.

2

Some major hazards to the health of parks users from equipment, buildings, furniture, etc., or from uneven surfaces

1

Nature conservation

value

Wide range of habitats and species of significant nature conservation value. Well-managed to enhance nature conservation value

4

Some habitats which are of significant nature conservation value, including floral meadow, woodland, etc. Evidence of management to enhance nature conservation value

3

A significant area, either naturally occurring or planted, of significant nature conservation value

2



Some natural habitat or species evident 1

Access for the disabled Toilets for the disabled; disabled parking; easily accessible entrances; high accessibility in any parks buildings, surfaces safe and level and accessible by wheelchairs, pushchairs and prams, disabled seating installed

4

Any buildings and entrances easily accessible; surfaces safe and level and accessible by wheelchair, pushchairs and prams

3

Entrances accessible; surfaces accessible by wheelchairs, pushchairs and prams

2

Most parts of the park accessible by wheelchairs, pushchairs and prams

1

Educational value Leaflet or other promotional material available, publicity campaigns carried out at frequent intervals, interpretative signs on site, walks and talks carried out

4

Promotional material available, interpretative boards on site, walks and talks occasionally undertaken

3

Interpretative material available, interpretative boards on site

2

Some on-site educational information 1


PART B

Forty Hall Park

Audit Results

Cri

teri

on

Main

en

trance

Bou

ndari

es

Accesses

Park

ing

Lig

hting

Info

rmation

Cle

anlin

ess

Pla

nting

Gra

ss a

reas

Bin

s

Seats

Toile

ts

Health/s

afe

ty

Nat. C

onserv

ation

Dis

ab

led a

ccess

Educatio

n

Max. score

for criterion

4

3

4

5

3

2

5

5

5

5

5

5

4

4

4

4

Actual score

2007

3

2

2

3

2

1

4

3

4

3

3

3

3

2

3

2

Actual score

2008

3

2

2

3

2

1

4

3

4

3

3

5

3

2

3

2

Actual score

2010

3

2

2

3

2

1

4

4

4

3

3

5

4

2

3

2

Actual score

2011

3

2

2

3

2

1

4

4

4

3

3

5

4

2

3

2

The only score that we have changed with reasonable assurance is that in relation to the Health and Safety following our External 5 out of 5 Star evaluation and planting following our Gold Medal Award in the London in Bloom Awards.

Further improvements by 1 point are possible for Paths, Parking and Education dependent on an individual’s point of view.


Appendix A. Species Records for Forty Hall Park

Common Name Latin name Species group Legal/ Biodiversity Action Plan Status

Black-billed Magpie Pica pica bird

Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla bird

Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus bird

Carrion Crow Corvus corone agg. bird

Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs bird

Common Blackbird Turdus merula bird

Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita bird

Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis bird Birds Dir Anx 1; W&CA Act Sch 1 Part 1

Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus bird

Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus bird

Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus bird

Eurasian Jackdaw Corvus monedula bird

Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius bird

Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris bird

European Robin Erithacus rubecula bird Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major bird

Great Tit Parus major bird

Green Woodpecker Picus viridis bird

Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea bird

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos bird

Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus bird

Song Thrush Turdus philomelos bird BAP Priority London

Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes bird

Wood Nuthatch Sitta europaea bird

Monkey-puzzle Araucaria araucana conifer

Picea Picea conifer

Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris conifer

Yew Taxus baccata conifer

Bracken Pteridium aquilinum fern

Broad Buckler-fern Dryopteris dilatata fern

Hart's-tongue Phyllitis scolopendrium fern

Intermediate Polypody Polypodium interjectum fern

Male-fern Dryopteris filix-mas fern

Polypodium vulgare Polypodium vulgare fern

Acer Acer flowering plant

Agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria flowering plant

Alder Alnus glutinosa flowering plant

Annual Meadow-grass Poa annua flowering plant

Apple Malus pumila flowering plant

Ash Fraxinus excelsior flowering plant

Autumn Hawkbit Leontodon autumnalis flowering plant

Barren Brome Anisantha sterilis flowering plant

Beaked Hawk's-beard Crepis vesicaria flowering plant

Beech Fagus sylvatica flowering plant

Bittersweet Solanum dulcamara flowering plant

Black Horehound Ballota nigra flowering plant

Black Medick Medicago lupulina flowering plant

Blackthorn Prunus spinosa flowering plant



Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta flowering plant

Bramble Rubus fruticosus agg. flowering plant

Broad-leaved Dock Rumex obtusifolius flowering plant Broad-leaved Everlasting-pea Lathyrus latifolius flowering plant

Bugle Ajuga reptans flowering plant

Bulbous Buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus flowering plant

Bulrush Typha latifolia flowering plant

Burnet Rose Rosa spinosissima flowering plant

Bush Vetch Vicia sepium flowering plant

Butcher's-broom Ruscus aculeatus flowering plant

Carex Carex flowering plant

Cat's-ear Hypochaeris radicata flowering plant

Caucasian Wingnut Pterocarya fraxinifolia flowering plant

Cleavers Galium aparine flowering plant

Clustered Dock Rumex conglomeratus flowering plant

Cock's-foot Dactylis glomerata flowering plant

Common Bent Agrostis capillaris flowering plant Common Bird's-foot-trefoil Lotus corniculatus flowering plant

Common Chickweed Stellaria media flowering plant

Common Comfrey Symphytum officinale flowering plant

Common Couch Elytrigia repens flowering plant

Common Duckweed Lemna minor flowering plant

Common Knapweed Centaurea nigra flowering plant

Common Mouse-ear Cerastium fontanum flowering plant

Common Nettle Urtica dioica flowering plant

Common Ragwort Senecio jacobaea flowering plant

Common Reed Phragmites australis flowering plant

Common Sorrel Rumex acetosa flowering plant

Common Vetch Vicia sativa flowering plant

Cow Parsley Anthriscus sylvestris flowering plant

Crab Apple Malus sylvestris flowering plant

Crack-willow Salix fragilis flowering plant

Creeping Bent Agrostis stolonifera flowering plant

Creeping Buttercup Ranunculus repens flowering plant

Creeping Cinquefoil Potentilla reptans flowering plant

Creeping Thistle Cirsium arvense flowering plant

Curled Dock Rumex crispus flowering plant

Cut-leaved Crane's-bill Geranium dissectum flowering plant

Daisy Bellis perennis flowering plant

Dipsacus fullonum Dipsacus fullonum flowering plant

Dog-rose Rosa canina flowering plant

Dog's Mercury Mercurialis perennis flowering plant

Downy Birch Betula pubescens flowering plant

Elder Sambucus nigra flowering plant

Enchanter's-nightshade Circaea lutetiana flowering plant

English Elm Ulmus procera flowering plant

False Oat-grass Arrhenatherum elatius flowering plant

Field Bindweed Convolvulus arvensis flowering plant

Field Maple Acer campestre flowering plant

Field-rose Rosa arvensis flowering plant



Fool's-water-cress Apium nodiflorum flowering plant

Foxglove Digitalis purpurea flowering plant

French Hales Sorbus latifolia agg. flowering plant

Fringed Water-lily Nymphoides peltata flowering plant

Garlic Mustard Alliaria petiolata flowering plant

Germander Speedwell Veronica chamaedrys flowering plant

Giant Hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum flowering plant

Goat Willow Salix caprea flowering plant

Goat's-beard Tragopogon pratensis flowering plant

Great Willowherb Epilobium hirsutum flowering plant

Greater Celandine Chelidonium majus flowering plant

Greater Plantain Plantago major flowering plant

Greater Pond-sedge Carex riparia flowering plant

Greater Stitchwort Stellaria holostea flowering plant

Green Alkanet Pentaglottis sempervirens flowering plant

Green Field-speedwell Veronica agrestis flowering plant

Grey Sedge Carex divulsa flowering plant

Grey Willow Salix cinerea flowering plant

Ground-elder Aegopodium podagraria flowering plant

Ground-ivy Glechoma hederacea flowering plant

Gypsywort Lycopus europaeus flowering plant

Hairy Tare Vicia hirsuta flowering plant

Hairy-brome Bromopsis ramosa flowering plant

Hard Rush Juncus inflexus flowering plant

Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna flowering plant

Hazel Corylus avellana flowering plant

Heath Wood-rush Luzula multiflora flowering plant

Hedge Mustard Sisymbrium officinale flowering plant

Hedge Woundwort Stachys sylvatica flowering plant

Hemlock Conium maculatum flowering plant

Herb-Robert Geranium robertianum flowering plant

Hoary Cress Lepidium draba flowering plant

Hoary Ragwort Senecio erucifolius flowering plant

Hogweed Heracleum sphondylium flowering plant

Holly Ilex aquifolium flowering plant

Honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum flowering plant

Hornbeam Carpinus betulus flowering plant

Horse-chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum flowering plant

Indian Balsam Impatiens glandulifera flowering plant

Ivy Hedera helix flowering plant

Japanese Knotweed Fallopia japonica flowering plant

Large Bindweed Calystegia silvatica flowering plant

Large-leaved Lime Tilia platyphyllos flowering plant

Least Duckweed Lemna minuta flowering plant

Lesser Burdock Arctium minus flowering plant

Lesser Celandine Ranunculus ficaria flowering plant

Lesser Stitchwort Stellaria graminea flowering plant



Lime

Tilia platyphyllos x cordata = T. x europaea flowering plant

Lords-and-Ladies Arum maculatum flowering plant

Marsh-marigold Caltha palustris flowering plant

Meadow Buttercup Ranunculus acris flowering plant

Meadow Foxtail Alopecurus pratensis flowering plant

Meadow Vetchling Lathyrus pratensis flowering plant

Midland Hawthorn Crataegus laevigata flowering plant

Mistletoe Viscum album flowering plant BAP Priority London

Mouse-ear-hawkweed Pilosella officinarum flowering plant

Mugwort Artemisia vulgaris flowering plant

Musk-mallow Malva moschata flowering plant

Norway Maple Acer platanoides flowering plant

Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare flowering plant

Pedunculate Oak Quercus robur flowering plant

Pendulous Sedge Carex pendula flowering plant

Perennial Rye-grass Lolium perenne flowering plant

Philadelphus Philadelphus flowering plant

Pignut Conopodium majus flowering plant

Pin Oak Quercus palustris flowering plant

Pink-sorrel Oxalis articulata flowering plant

Prickly Sow-thistle Sonchus asper flowering plant

Pterocarya Pterocarya flowering plant

Ramsons Allium ursinum flowering plant

Red Campion Silene dioica flowering plant

Red Clover Trifolium pratense flowering plant

Red Fescue Festuca rubra flowering plant

Reed Sweet-grass Glyceria maxima flowering plant

Remote Sedge Carex remota flowering plant

Rhododendron Rhododendron ponticum flowering plant

Ribwort Plantain Plantago lanceolata flowering plant Rosa arvensis x rubiginosa = R. x gallicoides

Rosa arvensis x rubiginosa = R. x gallicoides flowering plant

Rosebay Willowherb Chamerion angustifolium flowering plant

Rough Meadow-grass Poa trivialis flowering plant

Rowan Sorbus aucuparia flowering plant

Ruscus Ruscus flowering plant

Russian Comfrey

Symphytum officinale x asperum = S. x uplandicum flowering plant

Salix Salix flowering plant

Selfheal Prunella vulgaris flowering plant

Sheep's Sorrel Rumex acetosella flowering plant

Shepherd's-purse Capsella bursa-pastoris flowering plant

Silver Birch Betula pendula flowering plant

Silverweed Potentilla anserina flowering plant

Smooth Meadow-grass Poa pratensis flowering plant

Smooth Tare Vicia tetrasperma flowering plant

Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis flowering plant

Soft-Brome Bromus hordeaceus flowering plant



Soft-rush Juncus effusus flowering plant

Sowbread Cyclamen hederifolium flowering plant

Spanish Bluebell Hyacinthoides hispanica flowering plant

Spear Thistle Cirsium vulgare flowering plant

Spotted Medick Medicago arabica flowering plant

Squirreltail Fescue Vulpia bromoides flowering plant

Stone Parsley Sison amomum flowering plant

Sweet Chestnut Castanea sativa flowering plant

Sweet Vernal-grass Anthoxanthum odoratum flowering plant

Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus flowering plant

Taraxacum Taraxacum flowering plant

Three-nerved Sandwort Moehringia trinervia flowering plant

Timothy Phleum pratense flowering plant

Tormentil Potentilla erecta flowering plant

Trifid Bur-marigold Bidens tripartita flowering plant

Turkey Oak Quercus cerris flowering plant

Turkish Hazel Corylus colurna flowering plant

Turnip Brassica rapa flowering plant

Ulmus Ulmus flowering plant

Upright Hedge-parsley Torilis japonica flowering plant

Viola Viola flowering plant

Wall Barley Hordeum murinum flowering plant

Water Figwort Scrophularia auriculata flowering plant

Water Forget-me-not Myosotis scorpioides flowering plant

Water Mint Mentha aquatica flowering plant

Water-plantain Alisma plantago-aquatica flowering plant

White Clover Trifolium repens flowering plant

White Dead-nettle Lamium album flowering plant

White Willow Salix alba flowering plant

Wild Cherry Prunus avium flowering plant

Wild Plum Prunus domestica flowering plant

Wood Anemone Anemone nemorosa flowering plant

Wood Avens Geum urbanum flowering plant

Wood Dock Rumex sanguineus flowering plant

Wood Meadow-grass Poa nemoralis flowering plant

Wych Elm Ulmus glabra flowering plant

Yarrow Achillea millefolium flowering plant

Yellow Iris Iris pseudacorus flowering plant

Yorkshire-fog Holcus lanatus flowering plant

Field Horsetail Equisetum arvense horsetail

Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni insect - butterfly

Comma Polygonia c-album insect - butterfly

Common Blue Polyommatus icarus insect - butterfly

Hedge Brown Pyronia tithonus insect - butterfly

Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus insect - butterfly

Large Skipper Ochlodes faunus insect - butterfly

Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina insect - butterfly

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui insect - butterfly

Peacock Inachis io insect - butterfly

Purple Hairstreak Neozephyrus quercus insect - butterfly



Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta insect - butterfly

Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas insect - butterfly

Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris insect - butterfly

Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae insect - butterfly

Small White Pieris rapae insect - butterfly

Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria insect - butterfly

White-letter Hairstreak Satyrium w-album insect - butterfly

BAP Priority London; BAP Priority National; W&CA Act Sch5 Sec 9.5a; W&CA Act Sch5 Sec 9.5b

Sehirus Sehirus insect - true bug (Hemiptera)

Eastern Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis terrestrial mammal

European Water Vole Arvicola terrestris terrestrial mammal

BAP Priority London; BAP Priority National; W&CA Act Sch5 Sec 9.4a; W&CA Act Sch5 Sec 9.4b

FORTY HALL PARK - Enfield

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