The Planning Department monitors the laying out and maintenance of areas of public or communal open space associated with new housing development (including the provision of equipped play areas,) prior to their transfer to the City Council or the Parish Council in the case of public open spaces or a Private Management Company in the case of communal open spaces.

The Local Plan Part 1 Joint Core Strategy (Adopted March 2013) considers that a minimum of 4.0 Ha of recreational space should be provided for every 1000 residents, where it is feasible and appropriate to do so, as set out below.

New housing development is expected to ensure that sufficient recreational space and facilities are available to meet the needs of the prospective residents of the development. Wherever possible, provision should be made on-site as an integral part of the development. It should be of an appropriate type to serve the needs of the development, and in a location well related to the proposed residential properties.

On sites accommodating less than 15 dwellings, it will generally not be feasible or appropriate to provide recreational space on-site. Where some of the provision needs to be made off-site, a financial contribution may be appropriate, to allow facilities to be provided or improved in a suitable location nearby.

Developers are required to maintain the public or communal open space for a minimum of 12 months once it has been laid out to the satisfaction of Winchester City Council, prior to its transfer.

Should developers want to transfer open space into public ownership then a sum is usually required to assist the City or Parish Council with future maintenance liabilities.

Developers are required to make provision for a returnable bond to cover the completion of the open space works, should they be unable to.

Developers are required to pay a fee to cover the supervision and inspection of the laying out of the open space and its transfer to Winchester City Council. This is calculated at 5% of the total Commuted Sum.

For an understanding of local open space needs and quantitative or qualitative deficits and surpluses in each area of the District (outside of the South Downs National Park), developers are directed to the WCC ‘Open Space Assessment’.