Area Seven
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Phoebe Merrick

Area Setting and Landscape Settlement Pattern Open and other spaces Building Form Streets and Street furniture Pedestrian Routes Trees, hedges and other landscspe features Boundary Features Consultation Process

   Open and other spaces

Romsey County Junior School contains the largest individual space. It is well landscaped and attractive, but is not open to the public.

The larger public open space areas are found in the southern half of the area and near to the canal. Martha’s Piece is a stretch of open land parallel to the railway line from the rear of the Sun Inn through to the canal. It joins a piece of open ground on the eastern side of the canal. These lands provide for informal recreation and are much used and appreciated by local people.

Between the canal and the southern part of Canal Walk, there is a triangle of land that is largely hidden behind high hedges. Part of it is given over to allotments and part of it is a depot used by the Environment Agency.

On the other side of Canal Walk there is a substantial rectangle of open ground, with a small extension to the north. It is widely used for informal recreation. Part of this land and the extension are earmarked for building, which will reduce the amount of open space.

To the west of Grayling Mead, there is a patch of open land which includes a bank for catching floodwater. There is a path beside the Fishlake which leads to a tunnel under the railway embankment.

In addition to these substantial pieces of open ground, the area is well provided with smaller pieces. For example there is an area of grass to the south-west of Kingfisher Way and St Johns Gardens. Nightingale Lodge on the corner of Cupernham Lane and Winchester Road stands in substantial grounds.

Many of the houses right across the area are laid out with grass land between the groups and the feeling of space is enhanced by the prevailing style of open plan front gardens on all but the older streets.

There is no playground anywhere in this area, but there is some play equipment around Mercer Way. Although not grassed, the courtyard style of grouping houses in Mercer Way gives a feeling of spaciousness, and provides for car parking where people can see their vehicles.

Apart from these spaces within the area, local people make much use of the canal and Fishlake paths to the north and the Fishlake Meadows. However there are problems with dog excreta and litter that detract from the amenity value of all these places.

Design Recommendation

	Give thought to enhancing the courtyard effect of parts of Mercer Way
	Preserve the informal greens across the area