Open Space &
Play Area Strategy
2014 – 2033
Area Profile: Silverton
Report produced on behalf of Mid Devon District Council by Ethos Environmental Planning
Silverton Area Profile
SILVERTON AREA PROFILE
1.0
Introduction
1.1
Silverton
Silverton is a large village approximately 8 miles north of Exeter. It is one of the oldest villages
in Devon and has a parish population of 1875 inhabitants. The village is on the "old" road
from Exeter to Tiverton and as such was once busy and thriving. It has now become a
dormitory village for people working in Exeter. The village has a post office, a small
supermarket and several other small shops to service the local community. The average score
under the English Indices of Multiple Deprivation places Silverton well above the 50%
midpoint ranking, implying that the catchment does not suffer from significant or widespread
social deprivation.
1.2
Natural Environment and Green Space Provision
Around Silverton, there are two Strategic Nature Areas, designated as coastal and floodplain
grazing marsh. Within these areas there are designated ancient woodland sites, large-scale
accessible open space and woodland, a small number of County Wildlife Sites and a Tree
Preservation Order protecting a small area of trees. The proportion of the whole parish in
reach of large-scale accessible open space is reasonable compared to other areas, though
there are few areas in Mid Devon that do fully meet the Natural England standard for access
to large-scale open space. There is a regional walking route (Exe Valley Way) to the west
although the public right of way density for Silverton is slightly below average. Small-scale
open space and play area land coverage is also low compared to other areas in Mid Devon,
according to the Green Infrastructure Assessment (GIA, 2013) which compared catchment
areas across Mid Devon simply on the basis of land area. Development has funded open space
improvements to the value of £15,000. However, overall open space investment has been
comparatively low.
1.3
Housing and Development
National Policy advocates market housing in rural locations where it will facilitate the
provision of affordable housing if required. Mid Devon District Council is therefore
considering market development in rural locations where a proportion of affordable housing
will be required. Rural exception sites will also be considered in line with development
management policies and an existing Supplementary Planning Document on ‘Meeting
Housing Needs’. The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA, 2013) identified
sites in Silverton allowing for the addition of 160 dwellings. This number is not indicative of
the amount of development that will definitely take place in Silverton over the Local Plan
period up to 2033, but gives some idea of the potential for new development in the area if
suitable and if necessary.
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Silverton Area Profile
2.0
Map of Parish and Open Space Provision
Figure 1: Provision of open space across the parish
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Silverton Area Profile
3.0
Quantity Analysis
Table 1 shows the quantity analysis of open space for the area. The figures for ‘Park and
Recreation Ground (combined)’ comprise the sum of the following typologies:




Park and Recreation Ground;
Outdoor Sports Space (Pitches);
Outdoor Sports Space (Other);
Outdoor Sports Space (Private).
It is the ‘combined’ figure that is used for the purpose of analysing quantity, as such it is only
this figure where required provision and supply is relevant. Figures have been provided for
the individual typologies which make up the combined figure for information only, however,
there is no supply assessment for these, hence an ‘NA’ (Not Applicable) is provided.
Existing quantity figures are also provided for a number of typologies where there are no
standards, as such these also do not show figures for required provision (a figure of 0.00 is
provided) and supply is ‘NA’, these typologies are:



School Playing Fields;
School Playing Fields MUGA;
Churchyard and Cemetery.
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Silverton Area Profile
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Table 1: Quantity analysis of open space in the Parish
Typology
Allotments
Amenity
Green Space
Park and
Recreation
Ground
(combined)
Park and
Recreation
Ground
Outdoor
Sports Space
(Other)
Outdoor
Sports Space
(Pitches)
Outdoor
Sports Space
(Private)
Children’s
Play Area
Teenage
Facility
School
Playing Fields
School
Playing Fields
MUGA
Churchyard
and
Cemetery
Number
of sites
Existing
provision
(hectares)
Existing
provision
(ha/1000)
Required
provision
(ha)
Required
provision
(ha/1000)
3.00
1.10
0.59
0.47
0.25
0.63
0.34
0.00
0.00
0.00
1.88
1.00
-1.88
-1.00
Supply
SUFFICIENT
SUPPLY
UNDER
SUPPLY
Supply
(ha)
Supply
(Ha/1000)
3.00
1.51
0.80
2.81
1.50
-1.30
-0.70
UNDER
SUPPLY
1.00
0.96
0.51
2.81
1.50
-1.85
-0.99
N/A
1.00
0.10
0.05
0.00
0.00
0.10
0.05
N/A
1.00
0.45
0.24
0.00
0.00
0.45
0.24
N/A
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
2.00
0.10
0.05
0.11
0.06
-0.01
-0.01
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.04
0.02
-0.04
-0.02
N/A
UNDER
SUPPLY
UNDER
SUPPLY
1.00
0.42
0.22
0.00
0.00
0.42
0.22
N/A
1.00
0.06
0.03
0.00
0.00
0.06
0.03
N/A
1.00
0.61
0.33
0.00
0.00
0.61
0.33
N/A
Silverton Area Profile
4.0
Access Analysis
Figure 3: Access to park and recreation grounds across the parish (600m buffer)
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Silverton Area Profile
Figure 4: Access to park recreation grounds across main settlement area (600m buffer)
Figure 5: Access to Children’s Play Areas across the parish (300m buffer)
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Silverton Area Profile
Figure 6: Access to Children’s Play Areas across the main settlement area (300m buffer)
Figure 7: Access to teenage facilities across the parish – no provision
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Silverton Area Profile
Figure 8: Access to teenage facilities across the settlement area – no provision
Figure 9: Access to amenity green space across the parish – no provision
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Silverton Area Profile
Figure 10: Access to amenity green space across the settlement area – no provision
Figure 11: Access to allotments across the parish (300m buffer)
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Silverton Area Profile
Figure 12: Access to allotments across the settlement area (300m buffer)
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Silverton Area Profile
5.0
Quality Analysis
The District Council has one play area within Silverton Parish which is sited at Ellerhayes, this
small play area has limited play value and is in an acceptable condition. The Parish Council
provides a good quality play area within their Playing Field which offers good play value to a
range of children. Also sited within the playing field is a football pitch, two tennis courts and
sufficient open space for residents to exercise in; all of which are well maintained. The
remaining open spaces within Silverton are maintained to an adequate standard.
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Silverton Area Profile
6.0
Summary and Priorities
The priority for Silverton is to upgrade Ellerhayes play area.
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