Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas

the new spaces are intended to provide. A balance will be
required between the provision of active and passive
recreational facilities.
• Shared use: The potential for maximising the use of open space
facilities (such as all-weather pitches) should be explored, for
example, by sharing them with nearby schools.
• Biodiversity: Public open spaces, especially larger ones, should
provide for a range of natural habitats and can facilitate the
preservation of flora and fauna.
• Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (see para 4.29) are often
used to reduce the impact of urban runoff on the aquatic
environment.
• Provision for allotments and community gardens: Allotments
are small plots of land which are let (usually by a local
authority) to individuals for the cultivation of vegetables and
plants. They are of particular value in higher density areas.
Recommended quantitative standards
4.19 Most planning authorities include quantitative standards for public
open space in their development plans, generally in the range of 2 -2.5
hectares per 1,000 population, and allocated according to a hierarchy
of spaces. Assessing open space requirements on a population basis
can be difficult due to the unpredictability of occupancy rates where
often larger houses and apartments are occupied by fewer persons
than the number of bed spaces would indicate. Case studies also
indicate that, where existing recreational facilities are available close
to town and city centres, public open space provision on a strictly
population basis is not appropriate. Apartment developments in
particular, located in the inner city where bed space rates are
normally high, will be unable to achieve public open space standards
similar to suburban developments where bed space rates are
considerably lower. However, the design of public open spaces in
higher density areas is more critical, requires integration with the
design concept and may need to be more intensively maintained.
4.20 To ensure that there are adequate safeguards in place to avoid overdevelopment
and to assist the planning authority in their assessment
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Planning Guidelines