Source: City of Plymouth
This is the green space just off Manadon roundabout, accessible through Treveneague Gardens.
Unless you know the area, you could be forgiven for not even knowing it was there.
It was originally a rugby training pitch, complementing the next door playing pitches, but it’s currently under-used.
It’s boggy, it’s not particularly pretty and has low levels of biodiversity.
But all that could change as part of the plans to revamp Manadon Roundabout and we’re asking residents about plans to develop this space into a community park.
Better access is a given but maybe you’d like to see more places to sit? More planting? An environment that allows nature to thrive? We want your ideas.
“This is a really good chance for residents to work with us to shape this new-look green space,” says Councillor Tom Briars-Delve, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Climate Change.
“Enhancing this piece of green space, making it accessible when once it was not, is key to providing the biodiversity needed to make this project a success.”
There’s no getting away from the fact that the Manadon project is a road scheme and although we don’t know how many yet, there will be significant tree removal. It’s unavoidable.
As with all transport schemes, the guiding principle is to present a design whereby we avoid as many trees as possible and where tree loss is necessary, we will plant more and ensure that we will achieve a ten per cent biodiversity net gain in any finished scheme.
“I want to be really up front about the tree loss,” said Councillor Briars-Delve.
“Although we won’t know how many we’ll lose until we’ve done the detailed design work, we are committing to planting more trees than we remove.
“Not only that, once we have the numbers and a final plan, which will have taken the suggestions about Treveangue Gardens on-board, I am committed to consulting with residents again.”
Any new planting schemes or new green spaces such as parks that are included as part of a transport scheme are in addition to the work that goes into delivering a more environmentally friendly Plymouth through a range of natural infrastructure and biodiversity-focused projects.
You can view the plans for improvements at Manadon and fill in the online survey at https://keepmanadonmoving.commonplace.is
How we enhanced the environment during the Forder Valley Link Road scheme
Increasing biodiversity, trees, hedgerows and shrubs, with around 14,500 trees planted (more than 30 times the number lost)
Starting the mitigation before spades went in the ground on the transport scheme, including planting and the installation of 50 bird boxes and 43 bat boxes
Making sure an environmental team was on hand to monitor and advise on all aspects during the build, advising on issues from water quality and noise to the protection of sensitive habitats and species
Providing a wildlife pond, a new habitat for birds, invertebrates, reptiles and common toads, as well as foraging bats and otters
Protecting bats with special hedgerows
Helping otters by building special culverts to allow them and other species to move through.