Greengrid Research Project - visitor/information/education centres - a methodology for South Essex: phase one - scoping study
This project aimed to develop a model for assessing the potential market for visitor/information/education centers connected with open spaces in the Thames Gateway, South Essex. The area is currently facing strong development pressures and the South Essex Greengrid Strategy is working towards maintaining a ‘living system’ threading through the urban and rural landscape so that open landscapes are acknowledged and promoted in the development process.
The research entailed collecting information about visitor centers in other UK locations, and from international examples, where visitors are attracted because of open space-related activities. The examples cover a range of landscape types, for example upland national parks; coastal areas that are being promoted in new ways and with new strategic plans for visitor centre attractions; a similar estuary close to a large centre of urban development (i.e. Merseyside); an example of a Welsh World Heritage Site that is a participant in the Boundless Parks, Naturally (EU INterregional IIIB) which aims to realise better spatial dispersion and improved access to nature in densely populated North West Europe; and others.
Essentially lessons are being ‘pulled out’ in terms of the sustainability of these centres. There seems to be increasing emphasis placed on visitor attractions ‘pointing to each other’ and being linked, for example, by sustainable transport routes in relation to strategic planning for areas. Models that have been used in examining the feasibility of centres are also being reported on. Amanda Wragg led the work, with assistance from Jonathan Somper.
