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RAISING STANDARDS
Quality, quantity and accessibility
20. This SPP encourages good urban design and networks of high quality open spaces. These should be safe, welcoming, appealing, distinctive, well connected environments. Within settlements this should include spaces that can be used by everyone, regardless of age, gender or disability. Statutory equal opportunities obligations should be taken into account in planning for open space and physical activity, to ensure opportunities for access for all members of the community. This includes taking account of the duties under the Disability Discrimination Acts of 1995 and 2005 to promote disability equality. Further details on equal opportunities and duties relating to disability are contained in the glossary.
21. Standards of quality for new open space should be addressed in the open space strategy (see paragraphs 22-27), and incorporated into the development plan. This will enable developers to take account of the costs of provision in commercial evaluation of development values. Local authorities should assist in planning for good quality open space by indicating the costs associated with provision and maintenance. Paragraphs 45-47 provide more detail on management and maintenance.
Open space audit and strategy
22. In order to deal strategically with open space provision it is vital that local authorities have an accurate understanding of the current open space resource in urban settings within their area and current levels or facility provision for sport and physical activity. Local authorities should assess how well the needs of communities are being met and identify any changes needed to improve access to quality open spaces and other sports and recreation facilities.
23. Local authorities must therefore prepare an open space audit. PAN 65, published in 2003, stresses the need for audits and strategies and sets out guidance, including a typology of open spaces which has been successfully applied in a number of local authority areas. However progress in preparing audits and strategies across Scotland has been mixed. It is the intention of this SPP that an early start should be made to prepare audits and strategies in those areas that have not done so and that completed audits and strategies must be reviewed on a regular cycle. To assist in accurate monitoring, local authorities should advise the Scottish Executive Development Department when the audit has been completed and when the open space strategy has been finalised. Local authorities should continue to make use of the PAN 65 typology as a starting point for auditing open space, but should also consider whether some categories require further classification. For example, in many urban areas it may be appropriate to introduce a separate category to include allotments and other plots such as community gardens, city farms and school gardens.
24. The audit should cover all open space, recreational and sporting facilities, public and privately-owned, including those owned by schools and voluntary clubs. Informal open space should be assessed as well as larger established sites and formal facilities. The audit should take account of the value and use of existing open space and should not merely assess the quantity of provision. Local authorities should ensure that members of the community, including voluntary groups and sports clubs, have full opportunity to provide input during the audit, and to help influence the future management of open space and other recreational facilities through the strategy. In preparation of the audit and strategy, local authorities may also wish to seek input from the community planning partnership.
25. Using the information from the audit, each local authority must prepare an open space strategy. The purpose of the strategy is to set out a vision for new and improved open space. The community's needs and aspirations are at the heart of any open space strategy. The audit may identify both surpluses and deficiencies in different types of open space provision, and it is essential that both are clearly addressed through the strategy. The completed strategy serves as a statement of political support to safeguard open space and to guide the allocation of resources for investment; it may also provide the justification for seeking contributions from developers. Local authorities will provide, manage and conserve open space assets within the context of the strategy. It is therefore important that the strategy is robust.
26. It is important that local authorities work corporately to ensure an agreed approach to open space and playing field provision. The value of individual sites identified through the strategy should be formalised in the statutory development plan. The open space strategy should be updated to inform future reviews of the development plan. The open space strategy should include consideration of path networks, which may not all lie within designated open spaces.
27. Local authorities also prepare strategies for a number of related subjects such as playing field provision, 3 sports facilities, outdoor access, core paths and parks. The open space strategy should not duplicate work already covered, but should be prepared in a flexible way, drawing together other relevant strategies within the community planning framework. The planning-related proposals for action from the detailed strategies should be incorporated into the development plan.
Consultation question
(i) We propose that the audit and strategy should be updated at least every 5 years to inform the review of the development plan. Comments are invited on this proposed timescale for updating of the audit and strategy. Do you consider that there is a need for annual monitoring of changes in local provision of green/open space?
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