Quality public open space networks contribute to the health and wellbeing of communities. They:
- Provide locations to undertake sport and recreation pursuits, host community events and escape from the urban hardscapes;
- Accommodate active transport linkages to connect key destination points;
- Provide opportunities for the preservation of landscape features, natural environments and cultural assets; and
- Contribute to urban environmental and ecological outcomes.
The demands upon our open space networks are diverse and competition
amongst them has, in recent years limited the capacity of networks to
meet community sport and recreation needs.
For more background information please see Appendix 1 - Research, Consultation and Identified Key Challenges.
The State, through the Liveable Neighbourhoods Operational Policy,
has placed some responsibility with Local Government to guide open space
decision making and the new Draft Liveable Neighbourhoods Policy 2015 further emphasises this position.
It is via local open space strategy and policy that the greatest
impact on open space provision can be achieved. Open space policies and
strategies have the capacity to guide how public open space is
distributed to establish and protect a parkland network which enhances
sense of place, ensures a balanced provision of sport, recreation and
nature functions, retains significant environmental and cultural
features; and realises opportunities for achieving efficiencies and
sharing of infrastructure.
Local government public open space strategic planning provides local government with the opportunity to:
- Ensure the provision of equitable access to nature, sport and recreation opportunities throughout the local government area
- Identify community needs through conducting a supply and demand analysis to identify need (what, where, how much)
- consider projected demographics, population growth or decline,
demographic profile, housing densities (including access to private open
space), their day-to-day movements to access to essential
infrastructure (public transport, activity centres);
- Establish neighbourhood identity by identifying natural and cultural features that contribute to the local landscape character;
- Create a continuous POS network at a district scale by
identifying potential networks of connected or linear open space for
walking and cycling
- identify public open space in areas where the land is unlikely
to be subject to structure planning, to ensure that piecemeal
subdivisions do not result in a fragmented public open space network
- Consider all available integrated water cycle management
information available such as district/regional water management
strategies, water supply strategies, water license availability and/or
stormwater management planning in coordination with the Department of
Water;
- Identify where district/regional scale sporting facilities or
recreational spaces are required and facilitate the formal acquisition
of this land or re-zoning, where appropriate
- Consider areas of environmental importance identified through Local Biodiversity Planning;
- Consider shared use/co-location of open space (e.g. ovals and
schools), and facilities and develop appropriate procedures and
management requirements
- Identify minimum land size and development requirements - to
ensure that parks are developed to a minimum standard to enhance
residential amenity and to ensure functions identified in planning are
fulfilled e.g. playgrounds, shade, shelter, drinking fountains, seating,
footpaths/boardwalks.
- Consider asset costs, maintenance requirements, and whole of life costs
- Identify the responsibilities and contributions required from the State, local government and proponents.
- Articulate procedures relating to public open space development
plans, and landscaping plans to ensure that agreements are met
throughout the planning, development and maintenance of sites
- Identify handover and audit procedures to ensure infrastructure functions as intended
The strategy should be:
- Evidence based;
- Take into consideration the views of all stakeholders;
- Take into account higher order policies or strategies including
Federal, State and other relevant policies from the Local Government
itself;
- Acknowledge that circumstances may change and that strategies need to adapt over time;
- Explicit about responsibilities and accountability for implementation
- Holistic rather than focusing on one issue;
- Able to identify how the strategy will be delivered, funded and monitored;
- Address sustainability, equity and feasibility;
- Integrate with other relevant plans and policies