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A field of grass with people playing football in Drumlithie

Open Space and Play Sufficiency in Settlements

We have prepared a draft Open Space Audit 2024 and a draft Play Sufficiency Assessment 2024 that we are now seeking comments on by 26 July 2024.  

We ask that if you wish to comment on more than one settlement that you complete a separate survey sheet for each settlement (you can skip the questions on the open space audit and / or play sufficiency assessment) . 

These documents provide an overview on the quantity, accessibility and quality of open spaces and play spaces in 92 settlements across Aberdeenshire.  The Cairngorms National Park will be producing their own Play Sufficiency Assessment.

This questionnaire asks of you, or your organisation, views on the data collected by the Planning Policy Team on public open space within Aberdeenshire.  There are 7 sections to this survey, which are:

  • Section 1 asks about you and the settlement you are commenting on (please comment on one settlement per response).
  • Section 2 asks you to identify any open/play spaces that we may have missed in the settlement.
  • Section 3 asks about specific sites in the Open Space Audit Settlement Summaries.
  • Section 4 asks about specific sites in the Play Sufficiency Assessment Settlement Summaries.
  • Section 5 asks for any general views on the open/play space in the settlement.
  • Section 6 asks for general comments on the draft Open Space Audit report (optional).
  • Section 7 asks for general comments on the draft Play Sufficiency Assessment report (optional).

We have surveyed most open spaces within Aberdeenshire and have collected this information into a set of Open Space Audit maps contained within 92 Settlement Summary documents. As part of our assessment, we have also given consideration to play spaces, and have also prepared Play Sufficiency Assessment maps for 90 settlements. The maps contained within these Settlement Summaries are found in the Document section of the survey homepage. View only access is also available for the collected data through an interactive map.  

Each Settlement Summary provides a breakdown on the amount of open and play spaces in that settlement, and provides an overall summary statement on the following:  

  •  How many publicly accessible open spaces there are. 
  •  Which open spaces contribute to the green network, core paths, and provide opportunities for biodiversity. 
  •  If the current provision and variety of open and play spaces meet the needs of the community (quantity).  For example, are there enough of spaces to visit and play outside for adults and children under 18 years old in the settlement? 
  • If there are specific types of open spaces and play spaces that could be required in the future. 
  • How easy it is to access open and play spaces.   
  • How good the quality of these spaces is in terms of their location (place), health and wellbeing, equalities, biodiversity, and climate change. 

The questions in this survey ask whether you agree with our interpretation of the data that we have collected on a settlement by settlement basis.

In particular we ask for your views on the

  • The accuracy of the data collected;
  • Your views on whether there is enough or too little of the open space or play space that we audited and what more should be provided (if any);
  • Whether you agree with our assessment of the quality of open space within your chosen settlements open space;
  • Whether you agree with our statements on the accessibility of open space  and play space within your chosen settlements.
  • This information will be used to inform a Local Development Plan topic paper on Play and Open space and  will influence the content of a future Open Space Strategy that will guide open space provision in Aberdeenshire over the foreseeable future.

We would like to consider the following, which may help you answer any of the questions you wish to respond to:  

  • Future requirements (for different age groups, ethnic groups and genders, likely areas of change / growth areas, and needs for open and play space). 
  • Needs for a variety of different types of open space, play space and green network connections (these are spaces that with paths that connect to other open or play spaces). 
  • Needs of different interest groups e.g., sporting groups/ clubs/ trainers, dog owners, community growing groups and societies. 
  • Needs of different ages, e.g. toddlers, children, young people, older people. 
  • Needs and requirements of different characteristics e.g. people with disabilities, ethnic and minority groups, different genders and sexual orientations. 
  • Needs for allotments where there is proven demand, and to consider whether there may be need for more allotments to meet future demands. 
  • Maintenance requirements of different types of space (is it enough?). 
  • Requirements for green infrastructure (such as parkland, beaches, woods) to support climate change adaptation and mitigation. 

There is also an interactive map that will allow you to view the all sites audited, as well as six summary tables covering all the sites in Banff and Buchan, Buchan, Formartine, Garioch, Kincardine and Mearns and Marr.  All comments should be provided in the questionnaire.

WHILE WE DO NOT INTEND TO PUBLISH THE INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSION MADE, THEY WILL BECOME PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD. 

If you would like updates on the Local Development Plan please register for our mailing list at ldp@aberdeenshire.gov.uk