Agenda item

Report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath.

Members considered a report of the Superintendent of Hampstead Heath regarding the Open Spaces Events Policy including the Policy Framework and site-specific guidance for Hampstead Heath. The following points were made:

·         The Superintendent thanked the Advisory Group (Helen Payne, John Beyer and Nick Bradfield) for their work and support on this project.

·         It was noted that Part 1 of the Events Policy was reviewed by the Open Spaces Committee that morning for feedback and Members were invited to provide comments which would be fed into the process.

·         It was noted that interaction between Parts 1 and 2 required further attention. Members concentrated on Part 2.

·         A Member highlighted contradiction between the two parts and felt that the language and specifically wording regarding environmental protection was much better in the Act, specifically reference to “material injury”. The Deputy Chairman added that similar comments around the language and understanding were made in the Open Spaces Committee meeting that morning.

·         It was noted that “other events” stated under item 4(b) Frequency and timing required clarification.

• A Member felt that clarification was needed to the description under item 4(c) Scale which states that events requiring temporary structures to be erected will be limited to areas defined as Zone A in the Schedule of Locations. The Member questioned if this may potentially restrict consideration of desirable events in the future. For example, in the past Parliament Hill Fields hosted an ice skating rink which proved very popular in winter months.

• A Member queried whether ethical considerations could be included in the policy.

·         Members discussed the event scales provided in item 6.3 Table 1. Some Members felt the threshold for consultation with Members should be lower. The Member for Hampstead Garden Suburb Residents’ Association proposed that this threshold be reduced to medium-scale events. This was supported by the member for Heath & Hampstead Society. A Member also questioned whether three months’ notice for a medium sized event of up to 2,000 people was enough as this was a significant sized event.

·          A Member found the information provided regarding the event application criteria a useful tool and felt that worked examples would be helpful, particularly in the initial months, and examples of how the Officer Event Group had put this into practice in the first 12 months.

·         A Member noted that many of the surfaced paths listed under Zone A (item 5 Event Locations) also go through Zone C and sought clarification. The Projects Management & Support Officer stated that this was applicable for events that covered a wider area, for example trail and running events and that the conditions appropriate to each Event Zone would be applicable.

·         A Member noted that the Pergola ought to be listed in the Schedule of Event Locations alongside the Hill Garden.

RESOLVED – that:-

·         Members give feedback in relation to the draft Hampstead Heath Site Specific Policy (Appendix 2);

·         Members give feedback in relation to the proposed event zones, as set out the in schedule of locations (Appendices 2b & 2c);

·         The views of the Hampstead Heath Consultative Committee be conveyed to the Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood & Queen’s Park Committee at their meeting on 23 May 2018.