Open space planning
Our approach

Quality open space forms a significant part of an urban area’s lifestyle infrastructure. A ‘green’ environment encourages pride in the community and provides a location for recreation and sporting activity. It defines an area as a ‘nice place to live’.

Quality open space has four dimensions:

  • sufficient in supply
  • well-distributed
  • well-maintained
  • adequately embellished.

Ensuring all four aspects are addressed is essential to good open space outcomes. However, open space needs to be affordable. Finding the balance is important. Good planning can ensure the four dimensions are addressed within the financial capacity of a local government.

The challenge for many local governments is to establish a framework for open space provision that is easy to understand, transparent in determining needs and can be applied consistently across different sections of Council, eliminating confusion, mixed messages or contradictory advice in land planning processes.

An open space plan can ensure that all outcomes are achieved and ROSS Planning has the expertise and experience to develop this for our clients.

Overall the strength of this project reflected a high level of innovation and tenacity in achieving the open space provision.
Colin Wise, President PLA Queensland Regional Council (2008 awards)
 
Case studies

Gunnedah Open Space Plan

This open space plan was driven by the need to understand the costs of the open space resource, meeting the needs of a growing population and having a clear plan for each open space area.

A budget of backlog maintenance was developed as well as maintenance projections for the next 15 years. All parks an`d sporting areas were inspected and individual recommendations for each were developed.

Policy recommendations to improve practices and cut costs were aso made.

Dubbo City Park and Open Space Plan

This open space plan considered the concept that much of the city could be included within a park: the Dubbo City Park. The concept recognised that roads, footpaths, shopping centres and tourist attractions – as well as parks – can form part of the open space resource.

Views of front yards can also form part of the resource. In ‘old’ areas, where there are no opportunities to increase the supply of open space, these other areas can be landscaped or improved, to fulfill much of the function that a traditional park would deliver.
 
Recent projects
  • Sturt Park in Broken HillBeaudesert Shire Council - Tamborine Mountain: Sports Opportunities Options Study
  • Brisbane City Council - Logan—Brisbane Sports Project
  • Brisbane City Council - Berrinba—Browns Plains Open Space Analysis
  • Broken Hill City Council - Plan of Management for Open Spaces
  • Caloundra City Council – Open Space Setting Assessment
  • Dubbo City Council - Dubbo City Park and Open Space Plan
  • Fraser Coast Regional Council - Hervey Bay Plan for Trunk Infrastructure
  • Gold Coast City Council - Recreation, Sport and Open Space Study
  • Gold Coast City Council – GCCC Surfers Paradise and Central Corridor Open Space Plan (sub-consultant)
  • Gold Coast City Council – Northern Growth Corridor Open Space Strategy
  • Gunnedah Shire Council – Open Space Strategy
  • Hervey Bay City Council – Discussion Paper Plan for Trunk Infrastructure for Parks and Open Space
  • Hervey Bay City Council – Toogoom and Burrum Heads Sport, Recreation and Open Space Strategy
  • Noosa Council - Open Space Strategy (sub-consultant)
  • Rockhampton Regional Council - Open Space, Sport and Recreation Plan
  • Toowoomba Regional Council - Open Space Network Strategy
  • Tamworth City Council – Recreation and Open Space Plan
  • Tamworth City Council - CBD Parks Issues and Options Paper

Download Project sheet: Open space planning (pdf)