Have your say on Kettering borough’s open spaces

Now you can tell Kettering Council after they launched a consultation for residents, businesses and visitors to help them create an ‘Open Space Strategy’.

The purpose of the strategy is to identify the needs of the borough and to ensure that there is adequate open space provision both now and in the future.

Open spaces include local parks and gardens, like Rockingham Road Pleasure Park, play areas, allotments and natural green space such as Desborough green space, as well churchyards and cemeteries, civic spaces, and green corridors.

Cllr Ian Jelley, Kettering Council’s portfolio holder for environment, said: “The Open Space Strategy will help deliver the council’s vision to serve existing and future communities by guiding the enhancement of existing and provision of new open space for Kettering borough up to 2031. 

“It will lead to a network of high quality, well managed open spaces that will be accessible to all to promote, support and increase physical activity leading to improvements in health and well-being across the borough.”

Knight, Kavanagh and Page (KKP) has been appointed by Kettering Council to develop the new strategy.

KKP has a proven track record of producing such strategies.

The final document will become part of the evidence base used to inform the development of the borough’s Site Specific Part 2 Local Plan.

As part of the consultation KKP has also been consulting local community groups and sports clubs to make sure that their views are reflected in the strategy.

James Wilson, head of development services at Kettering Council, said: “I would encourage local people to fill in the online survey giving their views on the many and varied open spaces in our borough.

“It is important for residents and community groups to let us know how they use local space so we can ensure that the needs of local people are met for now and in the future.”

Chris MacFarlane, principal consultant at KKP, said: “KKP is very pleased to have been appointed to deliver this vital assignment.

“We will be working closely with Kettering Council officers and carrying out extensive consultation with the community to ensure that the strategy identifies and meets local needs.”

The council is keen to hear from residents, local businesses and visitors to the borough with their views on open spaces and how they use them.

The survey can be found at www.kettering.gov.uk/openspacessurvey.