135
x
Neighbourhood level parks of at least 0.5 hectares in size located within 500 metres of all
households.
x
Local level parks of at least 0.2 hectares in size and located within 300 metres of all households.
In addition, the Development Regulations 2008 state that for large subdivisions (more than 20
allotments), 12.5% of the land area should be dedicated to public open space. Another common standard
applied to the provision of public open space is 2.83 ha/1000 people. This figure, which is often rounded
up to 3 ha/1,000 people, is derived from the early 1900’s British standard of 7 acres/1,000 people (2.83
ha/1,000 people), based on the concept that this provides adequate space for play and gymnastics for
children.
The various standards outlined above are most easily adopted in a ‘greenfield’ scenario where open
space can be provided in a holistic manner to achieve equitable distribution and access for all new
households. However, in the case of Western Adelaide, the challenge is much greater because the
majority of residential suburbs are well established.
In the Study Area, many suburbs do not have good access to useable public owned open space,
(especially in the older portions of the region closest to the city) with open space located greater than
400m from many houses.
Studies have shown that as urban densities increase, it is more appropriate to link the provision of open
space to the number of people within an area rather than just as a percentage of the overall land. Given
the projected population increases across the Study Area through infill development, it is likely that the
existing quantity of open space will become increasingly insufficient to meet future requirements.
In this context, it has been recognised that the quality or ‘usability’ of open space is a critical factor in
planning for open space and recreation, and consideration be given to other open spaces, streets, natural
areas and connections that ‘contribute’ to an area’s open space and recreational provision.
In addition, with increasing pressure on Council staff and financial resources to deliver a wide range of
services, it is prudent to consider alternative approaches to service delivery for managing open space and
recreational facilities. This includes considering approaches whereby Councils enter into partnerships
with other organisations and entities. Opportunities for enhancing open space and recreation supply and
management outcomes should be explored during stakeholder engagement phases of the WARCCAP
project.
Schools in particular, offer an excellent opportunity for partnership. Although their prime function is, and
will continue to be to serve as places of learning for children and young people, there are significant
periods of time when their buildings and playing fields are not in use.
Using these facilities when they are available presents an excellent opportunity for Councils and schools
to share significant resources and infrastructure and together meet the needs of their community. This
sharing can extend not only to the use of existing school infrastructure but also the joint planning and
investment in the development of shared use facilities at new or expanding school sites.
This partnership approach reflects key State strategic directions identified in the
30 Year Plan for Greater
Adelaide
and the
State Infrastructure Plan
. Both of these documents identify the need to co-locate and
