OPEN SPACE STRATEGY - Moray · 1.1 Purpose of document The Open Space Strategy will provide a...

Moray Local Development Plan

OPEN SPACESTRATEGY

January 2018

CONTENTS1 Introduction 1

2 Open Space Strategy Objectives and Actions 3

3 Open Space Standards and Guidelines 7

4 How the Strategy, Standards and Guidelines should be used 10

5 Summary of Open Space Audit 12

APPENDICES 19

1.1 Purpose of documentThe Open Space Strategy will provide a strategic visionfor the provision, development, maintenance andmanagement of open space within Moray (excludingthe Cairngorms National Park). The Strategy will beused to inform decision making on existing openspace and open space provision within newdevelopment. As Supplementary Guidance theStrategy will help to inform the planning applicationprocess and support Local Development Plan Policy E5Open Spaces.

An audit process has been undertaken to help tounderstand the existing provision of open space whichhas enabled deficiencies and quality issues to beidentified. An important part of this strategy will setout the Council’s standards for open space, identifyingthe quality, accessibility and quantity of open spacethat new development should achieve. The Strategyfocuses on publicly usable open space within orimmediately adjacent to settlements andcomplements other plans and strategies such as theCore Path Plan, Active Travel Strategy and Forestry andWoodlands Strategy.

The Strategy will be used by the Councilwhenmaking decisions which will impact on open spacesuch as disposal of open space for alternative uses, themanagement of spaces and provision of open spacewithin new development.

The Strategy will be used by developers to guide theprovision of open space in new developments.Developers must consider the findings of the audit,new development site requirements set out in theSettlement Appendices and the standards andguidelines within the Strategy.

1.2 Why open space is importantOpen space provision is important on many levels:

Health and Wellbeing – Green infrastructure andopen space supports healthy and active lifestyles.Opportunities to access open space and engage inoutdoor activities has associated health and wellbeingbenefits. Open space provides a place for walking,cycling and other physical activities. Open space canstrengthen mental health and wellbeing by providingspace to relax, unwind, and take time out.

Sustainable Economic Growth – Quality open spacecan encourage people to live,invest in, and visit anarea.

Climate Change - Open space can play a role inreducing flood impacts. Green infrastructure and openspace provide important functions which can provideclimate change related benefits, such as shelter, accessand travel, sustainable drainage, pollution mitigationand resilience to climate change impacts.

Environment - Open space can enhanceenvironmental quality by creating habitatnetworks/connections and supporting biodiversity.Open space can be managed to achieve the objectivesof the River Basin Management Plan.

Placemaking – Green infrastructure and open spacecan help to create places with character, identity andsense of place contributing to quality of life. Openspace can ensure new development fits into thenatural environment and landscape.

1.3 Policy ContextNational Planning Framework 3 recognises thatimproved quality and access to green infrastructureand open space can help to build stronger andhealthier communities, are part of long-termenvironmental performance and climate resilience andcan encourage investment and development.

1 INTRODUCTION

1

Open Space Strategy

Scottish Planning Policy states that Planning shouldprotect, enhance and promote green infrastructureincluding open space as an integral component ofsuccessful placemaking. Scottish Planning Policyrequires Local Development Plans to identify andprotect open space identified in open space auditsand strategies as valued and functional or capable ofbeing brought into use to meet local needs.

The Moray Local Development Plan (MLDP) wasadopted in 2015. The MLDP 2015 includes policies toprotect open spaces designated within the plan andalso in relation to the quantity and quality of openspace provision within new developments. This isprimarily through Policy E5: Open Spaces howeverother policies, including those relating toPlacemaking, seek to help guide the location andquality of open space provision within newdevelopments.

The provision of good quality and accessible openspaces can help to achieve the objectives of MorayCommunity Planning’s “Moray 2026 – A Plan for theFuture”. Open space supports healthy and activelifestyles which can have both physical and mentalhealth benefits. Attractive good quality spaces cancontribute greatly to the attractiveness of placeswhich can encourage people to live and invest in anarea.

This strategy complements The Moray Council ActiveTravel Strategy, the Moray Core Paths Plan, and theMoray Forestry and Woodlands Strategy. MorayCouncil’s Physical Activity, Sport and Health Strategyhas a vision that physical activity and sport areembedded in the lives of the Moray community.Priority 2 Healthier Citizens XIII seeks to “Retain asufficient level of provision of green space/playingfields in Moray”. A review of the Moray Leisure Estate iscurrently ongoing (May 2017). This may result inchanges to the operation and ownership of grasspitches/pavilions and synthetic pitches depending onthe outcome of the review.

Your place, Your plan, Your future

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OUR VISIONMORAY HAS A NETWORK OFQUALITY OPEN SPACES THATPROVIDE A RANGE OFFUNCTIONS, AREACCESSIBLE, ANDAPPROPRIATELY SITED ANDDESIGNED MEETINGCOMMUNITY NEEDS ANDSUPPORTING BIODIVERSITY.

The Strategy is framed around a vision for our openspaces and eight objectives as follows

2.1 VisionMoray has a network of quality open spaces thatprovide a range of functions, are accessible, andappropriately sited and designed to meetcommunity needs and support biodiversity.

2.2 Objectives

To ensure public open spaces provide adiversity of functions, including ecological,cultural, visual, and sport and recreation.

Open space can perform a variety of functions whichgive multiple benefits to communities. It is importantthat the variety of functions open space performs doesnot become diluted, for example through a focus onone typology, as this could reduce the range ofbenefits derived from open space. Whilst it isacknowledged some sites have an important function,for example visual screening of development orenvironmental protection, opportunities to widenfunctionality for example by introducing a pathnetwork or including an educational function canwiden the benefits derived from sites. Similarly, openspace reserved for piperuns or infrastructureassociated with district heating provision should seekto have wider open space functions.

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Open Space Strategy

l Encourage and place greater emphasis on theprovision of multifunctional space within theLocal Development Plan policies and UrbanDesign Supplementary Guidance. Policy E5Open Spaces currently requires new spaces tobe multi-functional, this should include naturalspaces of educational value.

l Reinforce support for biodiversity in the newLocal Development Plan policy and in revisedQuality Audit process.

l Identify new sites within the Local DevelopmentPlan where there are known deficiencies inprovision.

l Use the information within the settlementappendices relating to gaps in provision anddeficiencies to target available resources andsupport funding bids.

To ensure public open spaces in Morayare of sufficient quality and distribution to meet the needs of local communities

and local biodiversity.

Good quality open spaces are fit for purpose and servethe needs of the community. The distribution ofspaces is important to ensure sites are accessible tousers and that provision is not concentrated in onearea.

l Apply the Open Space Standards and Guidelinesto proposed open space provision within newdevelopments.

l Consider impacts on quality, accessibility andquantity when making decisions that affectexisting open space provision.

l Use the information within the settlementappendices relating to gaps in provision, qualityissues and deficiencies to target availableresources and support funding bids.

Action

Action

2 OPEN SPACE STRATEGYOBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS

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To address the importance of accessibility and walkability to public open space.

Public open spaces must be accessible to their users.The easier a space is to access the more likely it is to beused by a broad range of users. Accessibility not onlyrelates to the distance and path provision but also theease of access for older people, young children(including buggies and prams) and disabled people.The ease of walking to an open space is important indelivering health and wellbeing and environmentalbenefits and maximising social inclusion.

l Apply the Accessibility Standards to proposedopen space provision within new developments.

l Consider impacts on quality and accessibilitywhen making decisions. Apply the Quality andAccessibility Standard to decision making thataffects existing open space provision.

l Encourage and place greater emphasis onaccessibility within the Local Development Planpolicies and Urban Design SupplementaryGuidance. Policy E5 Open Spaces currentlyrequires new spaces to be easily accessible.

l Develop the data and mapping used in the auditanalysis as toolkit that can be used as evidenceto inform decision making, including thenetwork routing analysis.

l Review gaps in provision identified in theSettlement appendices and investigate ifimprovements to access could improve accessto existing provision and target resources tothese areas.

To promote safe use and enjoyment of openspace through appropriate siting and design.

The siting and design of open spaces greatlyinfluences how people use open space andperceptions of safety. Open space should be the focalpoint for communities and have a clear function. Landshould be used efficiently to avoid left over areas thatlack function and become maintenance issues. Openspaces should be overlooked by buildings with activefrontages to encourage natural surveillance.

l Apply the Quality Standard to proposed openspace provision within new developments. Aswell as applying the quality requirements inPolicy E5 Open Space and guidance on OpenSpace within the Urban Design SupplementaryGuidance.

l Continue the use of Quality Audits whichincludes specific consideration of open spacewithin the design principles.

To establish a framework and standards toallow consistent decision making for theongoing development and management of

public open space.

A framework and standards can be used to improvethe consistency of decision making in relation to openspace. It can help ensure that the same framework isused across the Council when making decisions thatimpact on open space for example, by Planning, Landsand Parks, Estates. It can help to provide a frameworkfor targeting investment.

Standards and Guidelines are set out in section 3 ofthe Strategy.

l Promote and encourage the adoption of theStrategy, Standards and Guidelines across theCouncil when making decisions that impactupon open space.

l Develop the data and mapping used in the auditanalysis as a toolkit that can be used as evidenceto inform decision making.

ActionAction

Action

To encourage community involvement inimproving and managing open space.

Encouraging active participation in the provision, useand management of open space can extend the senseof ownership and responsibility and build strongercommunities. A range of community organisationsalready champion open spaces and are activelyinvolved in caring for them. Through the audit it wasfound that where the community were involved withthe management of an open space this oftenenhanced the quality of the site e.g. Forres in Bloom atGrant Park, the Biblical Gardens in Elgin.

l Build on positive examples by activelyencouraging community engagement,partnership working and volunteering in themanagement and decision making relating toopen spaces.

To protect public open space and proposedopen spaces from inappropriate development.

Open space is an important asset for our communitiesand should be protected from inappropriatedevelopment. Policy E5 Open Spaces and thedesignation of sites as ENV seeks to protect openspace from inappropriate development. A gap inprotection of open space can occur due to thetimescales of adopting new Local Development Plans.This has meant that open space within consenteddevelopment is not given the protection status thatENV designations have until these are included withinthe next Local Development Plan review. This has thepotential to erode open space through subsequentapplications until these can be protected within theLocal Development Plan.

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Open Space Strategy

l Review and strengthen Policy E5 Open Spacesas part of the Local Development Plan Review.

l Consider replacing ENV categories andusing PAN65 typologies used in Audit. Thiswould separate out Green Corridors fromNatural/Semi Natural and would meanforeshore is included with Natural/SemiNatural rather than having its own ENV.

l Clear links should be made to the Strategyand the Standards and Guidelines thatshould be used when making decisions thatimpact on open space i.e. these should beincluded/referred to within the criteria thatare used to assess if development within anopen space could be acceptable and toassess the provision of new open space.

l ENV sites that have not been audited shouldbe reviewed and a description provided oftheir key qualities and what developmentopportunities may exist. Similar to thedescriptions provided in the tables in thesettlement appendices.

l Define “Public Use” to bring this in line withthe triggers used for Policy H2 Long TermHousing Designations (LONG) i.e. when theland is required to deliver the key objectivesof the Council and its Community PlanningPartners.

l As part of preparation of the next LocalDevelopment Plan review ENV’sdesignations in line with recommendationsin the Settlement Appendices.

l Adverse impacts should be extended toinclude fragmenting green networks.

l Link policy to relevant SupplementaryGuidance – Open Space Strategy, UrbanDesign Supplementary Guidance.

l Open space identified within planningapplications/masterplans over 10 houses to begiven interim protection equivalent to ENVstatus to prevent inappropriate developmentupon these.

Action

Action

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Action

Avoid fragmentation of existing open spacesand encourage creation of green network

Networks of green spaces can help to define thelandscape, provide links to the countryside and allowmovement of people and wildlife. They can enhanceopportunities for physical activity and increaseaccessibility in and around settlements.

The fragmentation or breaking up of open spacescould break these important links and opportunitiesto maximise the potential of these networks could belost.

l Continue to promote connections to green andblue corridors from new open space provisionthrough Policy E5 Open Spaces and UrbanDesign Supplementary Guidance.

l Develop mapping to identify potential andexisting green networks. This information can beused in to develop a green network strategywithin the next Open Space Strategy.

Public sector budget pressures have the potential toimpact on some aspects of the Strategy. The Strategyand Standards should be used to target availableresources to maximise benefits. The Strategy and Auditfindings should be used as an evidence base tosupport external funding bids.

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Open Space Strategy

Identifying and applying standards for open spaceprovision can help to achieve the objectives of theopen space strategy and guide provision of openspace in new development. The standards set outbelow are minimum standards for the provision ofnew open space within settlements and newdevelopment. These should be used as a minimumstandard and not as a hard and fast rule as otherfactors must be considered. Other factors such as thecharacter of an area and the overall quality of a placeplay an important role in decisions relating to openspace. Moray has a range of settlements andappropriate provision in one location may be differentin another, however these standards provide guidanceand a framework to consider provision. The Standardsand Guidelines apply to new open space provision butcan be used more generally to guide decisions relatingto existing open spaces by assessing how decisionswould impact on quality, accessibility and quantity.

Key considerations are the quality and accessibility ofopen space and therefore a standard has been set forthese. A guideline has been given for quantity of openspace as the accessibility and quality standardoverrides the quantity of open space.

3.1 Quality StandardMaking the best use of open space is a key priority toensure spaces meet their full potential. Quality playsan important role in ensuring spaces are fit forpurpose and serving the needs of the community. Theaim of the standard is to ensure that newdevelopment sites maximise their potential.

All publicly usable open spaces will scoregood or very good against the quality assessment criteria (see appendix 2)

It is acknowledged that through using the qualityassessment it can be difficult to achieve a consistentevaluation as the diversity of space and differentassessors make consistency difficult. It shouldtherefore be recognised that the quality assessment isnot an absolute measure but should be used toprovide an informed common sense approach uponwhich judgements on the quality of open space canbe made.

It should be recognised that quality is not just about asite being well maintained or having good qualityequipment but also relates to aspects such asaccessibility, biodiversity, functionality, and thecommunity benefits a site offers. Spaces should,wherever possible, be multi-functional to maximisetheir contribution to quality of place and the benefitsthey provide to the local community.

The long term maintenance of open space is key tomaintaining quality over time. Measures should be putin place to ensure the long term quality of sites sothese continue to meet the needs of localcommunities.

3.2 Accessibility StandardOpen space must be accessible to all users.Accessibility is particularly important in realising thehealth and wellbeing benefits of open space. Theeasier a space is to access the more likely it is to beused.

Everyone will live within a five minute walk of apublicly usable space of at least 0.2ha

Generally in urban design, a five minute walk isconsidered to equate to a distance of 400 metres i.e.from front door to open space. Accessibility is assessedby applying a 400m buffer to network routing usingGIS. The size 0.2ha has been used as this size is bigenough to accommodate a small kickabout pitch andplay equipment. Publicly usable sites are those thatare open to the public with free access.

3 OPEN SPACE STANDARDSAND GUIDELINES

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3.3 Quantity Guideline including Playing fieldStandardLocal Development Plan Policy E5 Open Space sets outthe requirements for the quantity of open spacewithin new development. This policy requirementmust be met in all new developments. The guidelineand standards below will be used to guide the type ofprovision within the policy requirement. Open spaceprovision is calculated by taking account of allgreen/open spaces within a development includingparks, landscaped areas, SUDS, grass verges etc.Private gardens and roads/streets do not contribute toopen space provisions.

Quantity is a consideration in ensuring appropriateprovision of open space, although this should notover-ride the importance of good quality or accessiblesites. The quantity of open space provision is a usefulguide in relation to provision within settlements andto see if there is broad equity across settlements andneighbourhoods. The towns audited in Moraygenerally had generous amounts of open spaceoverall and this was not generally a limiting factorhowever it is recognised that within someneighbourhoods/settlements there is less open spaceor this is restricted to certain typologies.

To arrive at a guideline the audit analysis and theFields in Trust “six acre standard” have been used.

All settlements should have 2.4ha of publiclyusable Public Parks and Gardens, Playspace and

Sports Areas per 1,000 people

In addition to the above a standard is set for playingfield provision. The standard used reflects that in theFields in Trust “Guidance for Outdoor Sport and Play”published in January 2017.

All settlements must have 1.2ha of playing field provision per 1,000 people.

The Quantity Guideline is restricted to only threetypologies but this does not mean that provision is notrequired for other typologies. The provision of othertypologies (Natural/Semi Natural, Green Corridor,Civic, and Amenity) should be driven by the characterand identity of a settlement/development, the layoutand design of a settlement/development, and theconnections that can be made to other open spacesand the countryside.

3.4 Park Hierarchy GuidelineA hierarchy has been developed primarily for thePublic Parks and Gardens and Playspace typology.

The hierarchy definitions have been used to classifyexisting sites and the classification is shown within thetables in the Settlement appendices. Classifying sitesinto the hierarchy definitions helps to define their rolein a settlement and can help to direct funding.

The hierarchy can help to guide provision of openspace within new developments. When identifyingnew provision an assessment should be made ofexisting provision within neighbouring developmentsand the settlement (including its accessibility). Theinformation should be used to inform open spaceprovision within new sites and what role this haswithin the settlement. When applying the definitionsconsideration should also be given to factors such aslocation, accessibility, the character of a town orneighbourhood and the size of the settlement.

The definitions within the “Hierarchy” are set outbelow. A common sense approach should be used tothe application of the definitions as consideration isgiven to the form and function of the space, thecontribution it makes to the setting of a developmentor a town and not just the site size. Definitions havealso been provided for Public Gardens and Sports Areaand whilst not fitting into the hierarchy these have arole within open space provision of a settlement.

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Open Space Strategy

When considering the design, layout, facilities andequipment within parks particular regard must be hadto maximising health and wellbeing benefits bothphysical and mental. This should includeconsideration of creating opportunities for physicalactivity and recreation through playingfield provision,providing opportunities for play by providing playequipment and providing areas for relaxation and totake time out for example through providinglandscaped areas to sit or sensory gardens.

Public Park A major parkland with a diverse range of facilities andfunctions. Mix of formal and informal spaces. Playequipment for a range of ages and facilities forteenagers. Accessible by public transport and pathnetworks. Often accommodating facilities such astoilets, pavilions, and parking. Potential location forcommunity and public events. A distinct destination.More extensive areas but ranging in size from 1.5ha to25ha. Most settlements, and all settlements with apopulation over 1,500 should have at least one spaceperforming this function.

In new developments Public Parks should be plannedthrough the preparation of masterplans and should behighly accessible destinations and ideally close tocommunity facilities. They should cater for a range offunctions and activities and include both formal andinformal areas.

Neighbourhood Park Parkland area with several functions accessible to aneighbourhood. Variety of play equipment for a rangeof ages. Opportunities for informal and formalrecreation and activities. Ranging in size from over 0.5ha up to 5ha.

In new development a neighbourhood park mustinclude, as minimum, play equipment for a range ofages, a playing field (60mX40m), formal and informallandscaped areas with seating, and be accessible tothe neighbourhood. The park must be a minimum of1ha.

Pocket Parks Small parks easily accessible to immediate residentialpopulation. Small range of play equipment, usually foryounger children. Opportunities for informalrecreational and physical activities. Up to 1ha in size. In new development a pocket park must include aminimum of a playspace, a kickabout area (30mX20m)benches and landscaping/planting. The park must bebetween 0.2 ha and 1ha.

Public Gardens Formal landscaped gardens which provide places to sitoutdoors.

Sports Area Sole function is for sports /physical activity.

4.1 When making decisions that impact on existingopen space including in respect of disposal of openspace for alternative uses, new managementproposals or proposals to change the function of aspace . The following should be considered:

a) Will the decision impact on site quality?Use the quality assessment, as if the change hadbeen made, does this alter the quality scoring?Does this reduce quality to a level it would fail theQuality Standard i.e. a poor score?

b) Will the decision create a gap in open spaceprovision or make an existing gap worse in termsof accessibility ?Use the GIS toolkit to assess the impact onaccessibility to open spaces. Does this result in newgaps in provision appearing? Can these bemitigated by improving access to other sites?

c) Will the decision adversely impact on greencorridors and networks and if so how will this bemitigated?”

d) Will the decision reduce the quantity of openspace?Are there any deficiencies identified within theSettlement Appendix? Will the decision result inprovision not meeting the quantity guideline forPublic Parks and Gardens, Playspace and SportsArea (or where this is already below reducing iffurther)? Will the decision result in playing fieldprovision not meeting the quantity standard forplaying fields? Will it result in a reduction in othertypologies that will impact on the character of anarea, placemaking or connections between spaces.

e) Will the decision alter the role of a site within thePark Hierarchy?Will the decision diminish the role a site has in thesettlement?

f ) Will the decision adversely impact on the keyqualities and features of a site as identified in theAudited Sites Summary in the SettlementAppendix?


10 g) Consider any site constraints that may restrict thesuitability of the site for certain open spacefunctions e.g. Sports pitches in areas of flooding.Take into account relevant planning policiesincluding Policy EP7 Control of Development inFlood Risk Areas.

4.2 When assessing open space provision in newdevelopment Applicants, Officers and other decisionmaking bodies must consider the following:

a) Score the proposed spaces against the qualityassessment based on the information available. Is the proposed open space likely to achieve thequality standards and meet planning policyrequirements? Has provision been made to ensurethe long term maintenance of these spaces?

b) Does the new development layout mean residentswill be within a five minute walk of a publiclyusable open space of at least 0.2ha?Use GIS toolkit to assess accessibility. What % ofproposed households would be within a fiveminute walk of a publicly usable open space of atleast 0.2ha?

c) Is there sufficient quantity of open space?Does the open space quantity meet therequirement of Policy E5 Open Spaces? Is thequantity guideline for Public Parks and Gardens,Playspace and Sports Areas achieved based on anestimate of the likely increase of the populationresulting from the development? Is there sufficientquantity of other typologies proposed to ensurethe development reflects the character of the area,sits well within the landscape and makesconnections to other open spaces?

d) What role will the open space provision havewithin the neighbourhood and settlement? Does the provision reflect the hierarchydefinitions?

e) Consider any site constraints that may restrict thesuitability of the site for certain open spacefunctions e.g. Sports pitches in areas of flooding.Take into account relevant planning policiesincluding Policy EP7 Control of Development inFlood Risk Areas.

4 HOW THE STRATEGY,STANDARDS & GUIDELINESSHOULD BE USED

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Open Space Strategy

4.3 Identifying open space requirements in newdevelopments. Developers and Planning Officers mustconsider the following:

a) Establish what the minimum requirements are interms of the proportion of site that should be openspace in line with Policy E5 Open Space. I.e. whatpercentage of the site must be open space to meetthe policy requirements?

b) Consider existing provision within theneighbourhood and settlement, includingaccessibility and quality. This assessment should beused to inform open space provision in the newdevelopment including the location of open spaceand its role within the hierarchy taking intoaccount the size and location of the proposeddevelopment.

c) Consider any landscaping or screeningrequirements either set out within the LocalDevelopment Plan or to ensure the developmentreflects the character of the area and fits into thelandscape.

d) Consider guidance in relation to quality withinPolicy E5 Open Space and within the Urban DesignSupplementary Guidance. Ensure open spacemeets criteria and would be likely to meet thequality standard.

e) Ensure access to open space is maximised andmeets the Accessibility Standard i.e. all of the newhouseholds must be within a five minute walk of anopen space of 0.2ha or over.

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The information collected was then inputted into adatabase and analysed on both a settlement andoverall level. A more detailed summary of the auditfindings for each settlement can be found in theappendices.

The accessibility of sites was also analysed usingGeographic Information Systems (GIS). Accessibilitywas assessed by applying a 400m buffer to networkrouting. The network routing was prepared usingexisting road and core path data. This gave anindication of the likely 5min walking distance toaudited sites and highlighted gaps in provision. Usingrouting data provide a realistic indication of a 5minwalk by taking account of barriers e.g. railway lines,rivers. However, there are gaps in data, particularly inthe path network, which may mean a site is moreaccessible than it appears.

There are limitations to the audit

l Only designated ENV sites or sites over 0.2ha wereaudited. Therefore, the audit addresses only alimited part of the total open space.

l The audit did not include some pitches or siteswhich are not readily accessible e.g. fenced off orrestricted opening. Therefore, judgementsregarding deficits in Sports Area provision aredifficult to make.

l It is difficult to achieve consistency across theQuality Assessment due to the range of differentsites and the subjectivity of officers. Whilst a reviewof all assessments has been made to improveconsistency it is difficult to provide absolute figuresfor quality.

l Assessment completed on one day and thereforechanges may occur over time. Assessments weregenerally completed on weekdays within officehours over the summer which could mean thereare evening, weekend or seasonal variations havenot been taken into consideration.

l The audit only covers seven settlements and hasnot been a Moray wide assessment due to timeconstraints.

5.1 Process An audit of open space was carried out in summer2016. An audit of sites was undertaken in Elgin, Forres,Buckie, Keith, Lossiemouth, Aberlour, and Dufftown.Open spaces within these towns were selected foraudit purposes based on the following criteria

1. Local Development Plan ENV designations whichare publicly usable with free access OR

2. Other sites/areas over 0.2ha identified usingGreenspace Scotland mapping within a 500mbuffer of the settlement boundary.

Publicly usable sites are those which are open to thepublic with free access i.e. no restrictions to access arein place. Therefore, fenced off pitches, allotments,bowling greens, most school grounds and sites whereentry requires payment are not audited. The followingtypologies, from Planning Advice Note 65 Planningand Open Space (PAN65), were used to classify eachsite into a primary typology i.e. the dominant or mainuses a site has.

1. Public Parks and Gardens2. Playspace3. Sports Area4. Natural/Semi Natural 5. Green Corridor6. Civic7. Amenity

See appendix 1 for typology definitions.

The audit process included a site visit to review thephysical aspects of the space and facilities as well ascompletion of a quality audit. The criteria used toassess quality are those within Greenspace Scotland’s“Greenspace Quality – a guide to assessment, planningand strategic development.” A copy of the data sheet isincluded at appendix 2. Quality scores are expressedas a percentage of the total criteria used. Quality is justone consideration when making decisions about openspace and the value of a space to the local communityand wider landscape is another aspect that must beconsidered. A poor quality site may be of high valuedue to other benefits it delivers for example breakingup dense development, connecting to the widerlandscape, or making up an important connection toother green infrastructure.

5 SUMMARY OF OPENSPACE AUDIT

Number of sitesPublic Parks and Gardens 24

Playspace* 25

Sports Area* 15

Natural/Semi Natural 55

Green Corridor 37

Civic 8

Amenity 62

TOTAL Number of sites 226

Area (ha)Public Parks and Gardens 93

Playspace* 7

Sports Area* 53

Natural/Semi Natural 1128

Green Corridor 261

Civic 4

Amenity 85

TOTAL Area (ha) 1633

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Open Space Strategy

Overall the towns audited have large areas ofNatural/Semi Natural open space with this making upalmost 70% of the open space in terms of area;however, this only makes up around 25% of thenumber of sites audited. In terms of area, playspaceand civic spaces are low in area but these make a moresignificant contribution in terms of site numbers.

5.2 Audit Findings The summary of findings below relates to all the sitesaudited. A summary on a settlement level is containedwithin the individual settlement appendix. A tablesummarising some of the findings of all settlements insection 5.3.

5.2.1 Quantity of Open Space and Diversity ofFunction The total open space audited was approximately1632ha over 226 sites. A large proportion of this iswoodland and Natural/Semi Natural spaces which lieon the edge of settlements.A primary typology wasidentified for each site and the analysis below hasbeen completed on primary typology to avoid doublecounting. Where a site includes a playspace orplayingfields this has been identified and measured toallow analysis of these features.

*Playspace and playingfields may be found in other typologies, see table overleaf.

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It is difficult to bench mark the quantity of open spaceagainst other authorities particularly as many of theMoray towns audited are blessed with largewoodlands on their boundary. Reviewing the OpenSpace Strategies of other authorities the standards setvary generally between 4ha and 6 ha per 1,000 peopleand applying this standard to Moray the amount ofopen space audited would exceed these standards.Whilst this would give the impression of a surplus ofopen space consideration has to be given to the valuethe sites provide to the character and identity ofMoray. In particular our Natural/Semi Natural spaces,which include woodland and coastal sites, which arean important part of the identity of Moray and whatmake it an attractive place to live, work and visit.

Fields in Trust, formerly operating as the NationalPlaying Field Association made recommendations onplanning for outdoor sport and children’s play. Thisbecame known as the “6 acre standard”. Fields in Trustrecommends a minimum standard for outdoor playingspace of 2.4 hectares (6 acres) for 1,000 people. Thisstandard only applies to Public Parks and Gardens,Playspace and Sports Area. Comparing the audit datafor these typologies shows that overall Moray isachieving the standard but not exceeding itexcessively.

Breaking down by typology highlights that there arerelatively healthy levels of provision across typologieswith the exception of the playspace which is relativelylow. The Sports Areas/Playing fields also appears lowbut it should be noted that this may not berepresentative as some sites were not audited as theywere not accessible either due to bookingrequirements or within school grounds.

Sites may have more than one function and thereforeplayspaces and playingfields are also found withinother typologies. The table below indicates the totalnumber and area of these.

This demonstrates that more sites are used forplayspace and playing field than analysis of primarytypologies suggests. The area of playingfields appearslower than the overall “Sports Area” typology becausein the overall figures the whole site area has been usedand not just the playing field. It should be noted thatthe quality of the sites relates to the whole site andmay not be representative of the condition ofindividual playingfields or play equipment.

The open space per household /per 1,000 people hasbeen calculated by dividing the open space provisionby the number of households in a town or by itspopulation. Household numbers were identified usingaddress data and the population figures are based onthe census figures. A figure that excludes theNatural/Semi Natural typology has been provided asthe high level of space in this typology skew thefigures. However, this typology is key to providing thecharacter and setting to many towns as well asproviding opportunities for walking and cycling.

59Sites

13.51ha

PLAYSPACE

Good or Very Goodquality sites (number)

90%Sites

25Sites

54.01ha

PLAYING FIELDS

Good or Very Goodquality sites (number)

83%Sites

Total land Audited land audited excluding Natural

/Semi Natural

Open Space per household 584.48 m² 180.63 m²

Open Space per 1,000 people 28.89 ha 8.93 ha

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Open Space Strategy

Analysis of the audit findings show that over 77% ofthe sites audited are of good quality or above.

This can be broken down by typology, which showsthat the proportion of poor sites within the Amenityand Natural/Semi Natural typology are the greatest.Review of assessments show these sites tended toscore poorly when they lacked any clear function orwhere poor accessibility limited their use.

Public Parks and Gardens tended to score more highlydue to their multi functionality and good accessibility.Green Corridors which offered good active travel andpath connections also tended to score well.

5.2.2 Quality The quality of each site audited was assessed using thecriteria set out within Greenspace Scotland’s guidance“Greenspace Quality – a guide to assessment, planningand strategic development.” This scored each site withthe overall score expressed as a percentage of themaximum score that could be achieved. The scoringwas then banded as follows:-

Very Good - Over 75%

Good - 50% to 74%

Poor - Under 50%

Quality should not be confused with the value of asite. The quality assessment considers how accessibleand well-connected a site is, how attractive andappealing a site is, how the biodiversity supportsecological networks, the extent to which the spacesupports health and wellbeing and the levels ofcommunity support/involvement. However, the valueof the site relates to the context of the site, its value tothe community and its importance to the widerenvironment and landscape. Therefore, a low qualitysite could have a high value for example if it is astrategic connection between open space anddevelopment, it is an important setting fordevelopment or it used by the community for events.

As discussed in section 5.1 it is difficult to achieveconsistency across the quality assessment due to thelarge variety of sites audited and the subjectivity ofdifferent officers. Therefore, the quality scoring shouldbe seen as an informed evaluation of quality againstdefined criteria and a common sense approach shouldbe used to the assessment.

Type of Open Space Ha per 1,000 Six Acre Standard

Public Parks and Gardens 1.65 ha 2.7 2ha 2.42 haPlayspace 0.13 ha(Playspace in other typologies) (13.51)Sports Area 0.94 ha(Playing fields) 0.62 haNatural/Semi Natural 19.96 haGreen Corridor 4.63 haCivic 0.07 haAmenity 1.51 ha

Number of SitesVery Good 35 Good 140 Poor 51

Whilst the proportion of the number of poor sites is relatively high, 22%, the area that is classed as poor makesup only 5% of the total audited area. This can be seen in the figure below.


16 Quality by Typology - Site Numbers

Public Parks Playspace Sports Area Natural/Semi Natural

GreenCorridor

Civic Amenity

Quality by Typology - Area (ha)

Public Parks Playspace Sports Area Natural/Semi Natural

GreenCorridor

Civic Amenity

66.69

10

11

0.65 4.9 210.69 80.65 2.37 21.98

22.92

6.108 36.39 876.77 169.39

1.72

43.7

3.64

3

3

19

3

1113

6

35

14

4

30

362

5

32

25

0.55 11.79 40.75 11.45 19.74

Very Good Good Poor

Proportionally the poor sites make up the leastamount of area in each typology. Generally “good”sites make up the greatest area of each typology.Public Parks and Gardens tended to score very welldue to their multi functionality and good accessibility.Similarly Civic spaces tended to score well due to theirhigh accessibility and the contribution these make tothe identity and character of a settlement. Moredetailed consideration is given to the poor sites andpotential actions to improve them within theSettlement Appendices.

5.2.3 Accessibility The accessibility of sites was assessed using GIS byapplying a 400m buffer to network routing using GISand calculating the number of households within thebuffer area. The network routing was prepared usingexisting roads and core path data to gives anindication of the likely five minute walking distance toaudited sites.

Overall 94% of households in all the towns auditedwere within 400m of an audited site. Similarly 92% ofhouseholds in all the towns audited were within 400mof a good or very good quality site.

Approximately 75% of households are within 400m ofa Public Park and Garden, Playspace or Sports Area (orother site containing these functions). Approximately71% of households are within 400m of a good or verygood Public Park and Garden, Playspace or Sports Area(or other sites containing these functions).

The gaps in provision are identified and discussed inmore detail in the individual settlement appendices.

17

Open Space Strategy

5.3 Settlement Summary

The

tabl

e be

low

pro

vide

s a

sum

mar

y of

aud

it fin

ding

s ac

ross

set

tlem

ents

. A m

ore

deta

iled

anal

ysis

can

be

foun

d in

the

Sett

lem

ent A

ppen

dice

s.

Moray

Aberlour

Buckie

Dufftown

Elgin

Forres

Keith

Lossiemouth

28.8

945

.82

11.4

317

.47

35.4

635

.08

20.1

625

1.65

3.03

1.65

1.41

1.54

3.3

1.49

0.26

0.13

0.15

0.24

0.10

0.27

0.12

0.17

0.12

0.94

2.04

0.94

0.49

0.89

0.53

1.46

1.51

19.9

634

.03

19.9

614

.07

26.0

522

.74

9.88

21.3

5

4.63

2.34

4.63

05.

844.

776.

250.

71

0.07

0.09

0.07

0.44

0.03

00.

020.

26

1.51

4.26

1.51

1.55

0.92

3.63

1.05

0.84

77%

79%

86%

67%

82%

62%

78%

79%

95%

97.5

%98

%78

%96

%93

%95

%91

%

94%

92%

97%

96%

92%

98%

89%

96%

71%

85%

51%

76%

71%

81%

67%

84%

18


Qua

ntity

of

spac

e pe

r1,

000

(ha)

Ove

rall

Publ

ic P

arks

Play

spac

e

Spor

ts A

rea

Nat

ural

/Sem

i Nat

ural

Gre

en C

orrid

or

Civi

c

Am

enity

% o

f goo

d an

d ve

rygo

od s

ites

(Num

bers

)

% o

f goo

d an

d ve

rygo

od s

ite (A

rea)

% o

f hou

seho

ldw

ithin

400

m o

f an

open

spa

ce o

ver

0.2h

a

% o

f hou

seho

ldw

ithin

400

m o

f aPu

blic

Par

k, P

lays

pace

or S

port

s A

rea

ofgo

od o

r ver

y go

odqu

ality

Acce

ssib

ility

Qua

lity

APPENDICESAPPENDIX 1: PAN 65 20

Planning & Open Space

APPENDIX 2: Quality Criteria 21

APPENDIX 3: Aberlour 22

APPENDIX 4: Buckie 35

APPENDIX 5: Dufftown 49

APPENDIX 6: Elgin 61

APPENDIX 7: Forres 85

APPENDIX 8: Keith 101

APPENDIX 9: Lossie 113


20

APPENDIX 1 - PAN 65 PLANNING & OPEN SPACE

Type of open space with description as set out in PAN 65 Planning and Open Space.

Description

Areas of land normally enclosed, designed, constructed, managed andmaintained as a public park or garden. These may be owned or managed bycommunity groups.

Landscaped areas providing visual amenity or separating different buildingsor land uses for environmental, visual or safety reasons and used for avariety of informal or social activities such as sunbathing, picnics orkickabouts.

Areas providing safe and accessible opportunities for children’s play, usuallylinked to housing areas.

Large and generally flat areas of grassland or specially designed surfaces,used primarily for designated sports (including playing fields, golf courses,tennis courts and bowling greens) and which are generally bookable.

Routes including canals, river corridors and old railway lines, linkingdifferent areas within a town or city as part of a designated and managednetwork and used for walking, cycling or horse riding, or linking towns andcities to their surrounding countryside or country parks. These may linkgreen spaces together.

Areas of undeveloped or previously developed land with residual naturalhabitats or which have been planted or colonised by vegetation and wildlife,including woodland and wetland areas.

Squares, streets and waterfront promenades, predominantly of hardlandscaping that provide a focus for pedestrian activity and can makeconnections for people and for wildlife.

Type

Public parks and gardens

Amenity greenspace

Playspace for childrenand teenagers

Sports areas

Green corridors

Natural/semi-naturalgreenspaces

Civic space

21

Open Space Strategy

APPENDIX 2 QUALITY CRITERIA

The criteria below were used to assess site quality. Each criterion relevant to the site was scored out of 5 withoverall scores expressed as a percentage of the total criteria used.

Accessible and Well Connected

l Well located close to a community

l Meets DDA requirements and disabled user needs

l Provide surfaced, high quality paths

l Connects with other transport modes

l Allows movement in and between places

l Accessible entrances in the right places

l Offers connecting path network and signage

Attractive and Appealing Places

l Attractive with positive image

l Attractive setting for urban areas

l Quality materials, equipment and furniture

l Attractive plants and landscape elements

l Welcoming boundaries and entrance areas

l Facilities in clean safe usable condition

l Low levels of litter and adequate bins

l Well maintained

Biodiverse supporting ecological networks

l Contribute positively to biodiversity

l Large enough to sustain wildlife populations

l Offers a diversity of habitats

l Part of wider landscape structure and setting

l Connects with wider green networks

l Balance between habitat protection and access

l Resource efficient

Active supporting health and well being

l Provides places for a range of outdoor activities

l Diverse play, sport, and recreational opportunities

l Providing places for social interaction

l Appropriate high quality facilities meeting needs

l Appropriate facilities for location and size

l Carefully sited facilities for a range of ages

l Adaptable to changing needs

Community Supported

l Safe and welcoming

l Good levels of natural surveillance

l No evidence of anti-social behaviour

l Appropriate lighting levels

l Sense of local identity and place

l Good routes to wider community facilities

l Distinctive and memorable places

l Catering for a range of functions and activities

l Community involvement in management

Policy E5 Open Space – Quality

The following quality criteria are set out in Policy E5Open Space and are highlighted here for reference.

l New green spaces should be overlooked bybuildings with active frontages

l Well positioned, multi functional and easilyaccessible

l Well connected to adjacent green and bluecorridors, public transport and neighbourhoodfacilities

l Safe, inclusive and welcoming

l Well maintained and performing an identifiedfunction

l Support the principles of Placemaking policyPP3.

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