Planning for Award winning Open Spaces
On March 11, 2010 the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth John Swinney, presented the awards for the 13th Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning. The awards, ran by the Scottish Government, aim to stimulate the creativity of those engaged in planning, in the process and in the quality of development produced, and to raise the profile of good planning practice.
The Highland Council Interim Supplementary Guidance on Open Space in New Residential Development, produced jointly between The Highland Council and Kit Campbell Associates, was short listed in the Development Plans category. We are delighted to announce that the guidance has received an award for outstanding performance and quality in development planning.
The award ceremony was attended by officers from the Planning and Development Service and Chairman of Planning, Environment and Development Committee, Councillor Ian Ross.
Councillor Ross said: “We are delighted to have received this award, it recognises the innovative approaches being taken to development planning in Highland. The guidance shows the Council’s commitment to the creation of a sustainable network of high quality open spaces through out Highland and although it was only adopted less than a year ago we have already begun to see positive results.”
The competition judging panel comprised Joan Burnie, Associate Editor of the Daily Record, Richard Holland, Strategic Planning Director for Taylor Wimpey UK Ltd and Ben Train, Town Planning Manager (Scotland) for Tesco Stores Ltd who made their recommendations for awards and commendations to Scottish Ministers.
The judges welcomed the initiative shown in applying a new approach to solving a problem that is evident across Scotland. The document was considered clear, succinct and well laid out. It was recognised that the guide and on-line calculator were useful for a range of stakeholders and that they provide a transparent and consistent approach that allows developers to establish an indication of open space requirements at an early stage in the development process.
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Note: The Interim Supplementary Guidance on Open Space in New Residential Development was adopted by Planning, Environment and Development Committee on May 18th 2009. For additional information on the guidance please contact the Development Plans Team on (01463) 702261 or visit the website.