Evaluating the effectiveness of a cross-sector partnership for green space management: The case of Southey Owlerton, Sheffield, UK

Community Food Growing in Parks? Assessing the Acceptability and Feasibility in Sheffield, UK

“…This constitutes a backward step: 'undeveloped' land has a different meaning to 'open land', to include land earmarked for development which may not lend itself to anything beyond temporary urban agriculture and food growing. Contributors to a recent conference on urban gardening [44] noted their wariness of the capacity of policy to-in isolation-effect increases in community food growing activity, underlining the constraints that urban environments and governance structures currently impose (e.g., regulations) which can favour those groups with the means and capacity to respond to such constraints [45]. This potential NPPF step back-if enacted in the revised Framework-may well contribute to exacerbating the associated injustice and inequity which is highlighted in the literature.…”

“…De Magalhães and Carmona's final model is the 'market-centred model' where management tasks are devolved to private entities. This is discussed in more detail elsewhere [45] and is in use in some English urban parks. For example, Southwark Borough Council in London has contracted out many of its parks management tasks since 1996.…”

“…Parson Cross Park (PCP), established in the 1950s, is located in a deprived residential area of Sheffield where anti-social behaviour and vandalism frequently occur in and around park, often attributed to the lack of housing overlooking the park [45]. This problem was exacerbated when economic regeneration in the area in the 2000s led to park improvements but planned housing around the site did not materialise, meaning that anti-social behaviour continues to date.…”

Place-Keeping for Health? Charting the Challenges for Urban Park Management in Practice

“…The notion of 'place-keeping' was introduced by Wild et al [34], and asserts how long-term management has the potential to bring positive environmental, social, and economic benefits for future generations [35]. Place-keeping is a normative concept that explores how the qualities and benefits brought about through the initial place-making process can be enhanced and maintained through long-term management.…”

“…This ranges from the large-scale public parks of the 19th century to programmes to establish small green spaces in highly urbanised areas around the world [38,39]. A growing body of research is critically examining the legacy of policy-driven green space management [35,40,41], identifying the impact of changing policy contexts. Levels of political support and accompanying funding for urban green space wax and wane over time [40,42,43], which can have a detrimental effect on their quality, negatively affect their use, and potentially reduce the potential health benefits [44].…”