In recent years concern has increased that the levels of provision of public open space to support sport and recreation activity in some areas are insufficient to meet increasing demand and planning systems are not adequately attending to the open space needs of communities.
Sport and Recreation Tasmania recognise that public and private open space areas offer a range of important benefits that include improved health and well-being through opportunities for physical activity and a connection to nature and green space; more appealing visual amenity that builds community pride and tourism appeal; protection of water catchments; and conservation of biodiversity.
In order to address the concerns, Sport and Recreation Tasmania engaged the services of Melbourne based company @leisure to examine the planning and provision of open space in the Cradle Coast region. @leisure was supported by the project steering committee which comprised:
Greg Winton (Chair; General Manager of Waratah-Wynyard and Circular Head Councils)
Michael Stretton (Director of Planning, Central Coast Council)
Ian Sansom (Senior Planner, Land Use Planning Branch, Department of Justice)
Karen Hampton (Executive Officer, Cradle Coast Authority)
Nic Deka (Manager N/NW, Sport and Recreation Tasmania)
Joan Wylie (Project Manager; Client Manager NW, Sport and Recreation Tasmania)
The resulting plan provides a framework and strategies that will be influential in improving open space planning and provision for the nine local councils representing the region.
Importantly, the plan
supports the Regional Planning Initiative (RPI), a project being led by
the Department of Justice Land Use Planning Branch, which will
introduce consistent and contemporary planning schemes across Tasmania
with the northwest region being the first region tackled.
The documentation prepared for Sport and Recreation Tasmania by @leisure includes:
Project Summary (8 pages, 1MB)
Volume 1: Strategy (39 pages, 2MB)
Volume 2: Locality Analysis and Implementation Plan (101 pages, 4MB)
Volume 3: Demand and Consultation Findings Report (56 pages, 2MB)
Volume 4: Situation Analysis Report (37 pages, 2MB)
Significantly,
the Cradle Coast Open Space Plan recently received a High Commendation
in the Planning Category of the Parks and Leisure Australia Annual
Awards.
