LDP Evidence Report Play Recreation and Sport

This survey has been prepared to assist with the formulation of the Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan Evidence Report.

This questionnaire focuses on questions associated with the Play, Recreation and Sport Topic Paper.

This topic paper is structured in response to National Planning Framework (NPF) 4 Policy 21. The policy intent of NPF4 Policy 21 is to support and facilitate spaces and opportunities for play, recreation and sport in the natural and built environments for children and people for all ages..

Local Development Plans are expected to identify sites for sports, play and outdoor recreation for people of all ages, which should be based on an understanding of the needs and demand in the community, and be informed by the planning authority’s Play Sufficiency Assessment and Open Space Strategy (in this case the Open Space Audit 2024). These spaces can be incorporated as part of enhancing and expanding blue and green infrastructure, taking account of relevant agencies’ plans or policy frameworks, such as flood risk and/or water management plans. New provisions should be well-designed, high quality, accessible and inclusive.

This topic paper presents an analysis of the spatial implications of the need to identify and safeguard spaces for play, recreation and sport, and it identifies the site selection criteria for new development.

For information, we have provided links to the consultative draft Open Space Audit (May 2024), consultative draft Play Sufficiency Assessment (May 2024), 90 draft Settlement Summaries and six tables that list all the open spaces in the six administrative areas. Consultation on these documents closed on 26 July 2024, and are for information only.

It is likely that this paper will be of particular interest to all communities, and developers and landowners who may wish to consider development.

If there are matters that you do not agree with relating to the information that we have looked at, then these are termed as "disputes". While most disputes made will be resolvable by modification of the topic paper, some will persist. If you make a dispute to this paper, and we cannot agree a solution then the dispute will be referred to a Reporter in the Scottish Government Directorate of Planning and Environmental Appeals in the Spring of 2025. Otherwise comments that you may make to this paper will be analysed and where possible resolution sought before consideration by Aberdeenshire Council, probably in January 2025.

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WHILE WE DO NOT INTEND TO PUBLISH THE INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSION MADE, THEY WILL BECOME PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD. ALL UNRESOLVED DISPUTES WILL BE PUBLISHED ON THE INTERNET AS PART OF THE GATECHECK EXAMINATION.