Landscape Development
Proposals
Community Consultation
October 2015
DRAFT Report
Will Self
www.willselfrd.com
Executive Summary
It is intended that the landscape at Cove Park be opened up for a variety of community uses. This
consultation ensures that the local community has the opportunity to be involved in this process from the
start.
The consultation was focussed on a drop in day with guided walks and discussion. There was significant
interest and many ideas were collected. Native woodland development and improved access were
particularly highlighted and there was a small amount of interest in a community poly tunnel. Participation
and education was a consistent theme.
Introduction
Scotland’s International Artist Residency Centre is at Cove Park on the Rosneath Peninsula in Argyll. It is a
registered charity and since 2000 has hosted hundreds of artists of all disciplines from all over the world. A
new centre is being built which will open in 2016 and the grounds of the 50 acre site will be improved.
While there is a requirement to provide resident artists with a sense of space there is a desire from within
Cove Park and from the local community to improve the ecology of the land and open it up to more
people. This community consultation is the start of a process of engagement of the local people in the
landscape at Cove Park. The consultation was funded by the Forestry Commission Scotland Community
Seedcorn Fund for small projects under £1000.
Consultation Process
A drop in day was chosen as the best way to directly engage the community as it is flexible and informal.
Importantly, the event on Friday 9th October was very well publicised locally and through Cove Park media
outlets. As well as raising awareness of the landscape development this also gave people the opportunity
to engage on site on the day and remotely via email and phone. The event had to be carefully coordinated as part of the site, including the main access, was cordoned off for demolition and building
works.
The event was facilitated by Will Self, a rural development specialist and Gordon Gray-Stephens, a
woodland specialist with Cove Park staff. In order to encourage active participation two questions were
asked: “What do we want to be able to do?” and “How do we want to get there?” The day was divided
into a morning consultation for invited stakeholders and an open afternoon for all. Visitors were guided
round the site and points from discussions were recorded. Information was circulated via social media
after the event to encourage those that were not able to attend to contribute. In particular input is still
being sought from the Rosneath Peninsula schools. Discussions were guided to be wide reaching but
relevant. There was enthusiastic involvement throughout the day with some of the morning visitors
choosing to stay into the afternoon. The results are recorded below as snapshots of the discussions.
Results
Awareness
A significant result is the raised awareness locally about potential community use of Cove Park through
high visibility publicity for the event and the success of the drop in.
Event feedback from the public
Native woodland development and improved access were particularly highlighted and there was a small
amount of interest in a community poly tunnel. The importance of providing education and the process of
community participation were also highlighted. The feedback from the consultation is listed below in full
to help guide future developments.
Comments from participants in the morning:
Very important to maintain a sense of place
Spread the costs through community participation
The landscape at Cove Park is currently degraded by over grazing therefore management is required
Link Peaton Hill, Cove Park and the Peace Woods with a trail
Have small tracks through the land for getting into the land
Cows need to be better managed
Important to manage access rather than try to prevent it
What are the priorities of Cove Park?
There is an ambiguity of privacy for artists and open access
A staged approach to landscape management is required at Cove Park
People locally feel they don’t have access to Cove Park
A feeling of ownership of the site by residents is important
Cove Park should be able to manage the land rather than an external grazier
Local farmers are important actors
Little outside spaces and special outside spaces are needed
How do we best manage grass? Strimmers, scythes, grazing?
Scythes are better than strimmers in most ways
Offer a scythe course
The current Scottish Environment Minister has a strong interest in small community environmental projects
A Peaton Hill to Cove park path would be good. Could Peaton Hill lead on the development of this?
Peaton Hill is owned by the MOD therefore it can be bureaucratic to deal with
John Simpson, The MOD police wildlife crime officer and volunteer at Peaton Hill offered support
A leaflet should be provided with trail information
Decent fences are needed for deer and livestock management
Grants are available for woodland management including deer fencing
Duchess Woods is used all the time and is highly stimulating for kids
Community woodland often leads to many other community benefits e.g. Kilfinan Community Woodland – an early
visit to Kilfinan is recommended
There is a small poly tunnel at Kilcreggan Primary School
There is a model of horticultural partnership with Helensburgh at Ardarden Estate
School Eco Flag projects could be undertaken at Cove Park
After school, holiday clubs, John Muir and Duke of Edinburgh Awards could use Cove Park
Course provision would give a better interaction of locals with the residents
It would be fun for children to engage and inspire them with contact with residents
Could there be a joint resource issue with Linn Botanic Gardens?
Hermitage Park in Helensburgh is very keen to be involved and to be partners in this project
There are good skills exchange opportunities with Hermitage Park including a men’s shed project
Interpretation potential with Cove Park artists at Hermitage Park
Hermitage Park has a good core staff that could be shared including a volunteer co-ordinator
Argyll Coast and Countryside Trust is already involved at Hermitage Park
Hermitage Park has a resource of a large user group and a large number of volunteers
Perhaps focus on gardening specialist plants e.g. dyeing plants and share resources with Hermitage Park
Peaton Hill Community Nature Reserve wants to link with a community project locally
Peaton Glen Wood Trust has three pieces of land close together for conservation purposes. Access is a lesser priority
Could Cove Park offer camping or caravanning in exchange for voluntary work?
A recreational poly tunnel with such fantastic views would be unique in the area
There is a tourism potential e.g. with NVA and the trail at Cardross
Natural regeneration of trees where possible is desirable with planting of native species elsewhere
Tree planting has already been undertaken at the top of the site (13 years old with hawthorn)
Outside seating should be incorporated
People need to drive to Cove Park (not served by public transport)
Transport will be an impediment for some community use, particularly schools (coaches cost hundreds of pounds
per day)
If transport is a barrier then funding should be sourced for it
Investigate Council mini-busses for community group use
People feel they don’t know what happens at Cove Park
There is very high local sensitivity for black grouse and hen harriers to be considered with any developments
Residencies could be based around black grouse and hen harriers
Set up children’s focus groups at inception
Cove Park is 10 minutes drive from the local primary schools
Lomond School children ask about an art club
There is no local forest school but there is a need for it
The major growing time for plants is during the school summer holidays
For schools the woodlands should be the main focus and not the gardens or poly tunnel
Provide a programme of events for a holiday club
This project at Cove Park could be a catalyst for community broadband
Exchange between the Helensburgh glass house and a poly tunnel
Mix gardeners and non-gardeners and include the woodlands
Open up the walking loops currently clogged with gorse
A planting plan would need to include an archaeological survey
Visibly co-ordinated community groups will be much more attractive to locals, donors and others
Future proofing should be built in to proposals e.g. broadband
Any community dialogue can lead to unforeseen benefits (It is good to talk)
Health and well-being should be a focus for access proposals
Grants are available for promoting public access
Paths for All provide grants and advice for access
Beware of the danger of duplication
Build partnerships to share volunteers, training and demonstrations
Pool money, people and time and share with other organisations
Comments from participants in the afternoon:
There should be no artwork on site so that the place is new for each person
Have an outside exhibition space for rotating exhibitions not permanent installations
An outdoor exhibition space could be on the site of one of the WWII bases
What could a poly tunnel be used for as a space?
Would curatorial residencies be possible? Possibly leading to local exhibitions?
Lomond School has small grounds so is looking for new places
Also getting out of the school grounds gives a better focus and it is close enough to the school
The Lomond kids could plant trees
Children could meet visiting artists
Opportunities for John Muir Awards
A Lomond forest school, especially for the younger children, could be a good long term project
The Lomond School Biology and Geography departments are interested in Cove Park as a venue for field work e.g.
the geographers could work with a woodland specialist on soil analysis and tree planting
There is opportunity for resident artists to work with locals e.g. with John Simpson on wildlife projects
Opening up land beyond livestock will open it up more to people
A poly tunnel visit to Kilfinan Community Forest poly tunnel should happen soon
Community partners could be valuable to the resident artists for provision of venues
Community partners could be valuable to the resident artists as people
Explore the wildlife and conservation opportunities
For resident artists collaboration could be the key value from grounds / landscape partnerships
An artist in residence could be a practitioner in woodland planting
There could be architecture or building residencies
Walter Segal timber kit building is easy to construct and cheap (architect Duncan Roberts – Northumberland)
See Architecture and Design Scotland
Timber build provides good insulation
There could be funding for apprentices to build units
Herbs and salads may be more realistic in a poly tunnel at Cove Park rather than vegetables
Poly tunnels are also great places to dry logs
Event opportunities will extend the season
Keep it interesting and “left field”