First Steps Towards Open Space Strategy
Description
Customer
Falkirk Council
Challenge
Carry out an Open Space audit that would inform the council’s open space strategy.
Solution
Carry out and maintain an Open Space Audit.
Benefits
Accurate information on which to base the council’s Open Space Strategy and a valuable baseline against which to assess the success of future policies and management decisions relating to open space sites.
Services
Consultancy: data management
“FVGIS has done a great job quantifying the open space in the council’s urban areas. It is important to note the corporate implications of this piece of work. For the first time Falkirk Council has a full picture of both the type and quantity of open space. This data set is already being used as the baseline for a qualitative open space strategy to help Falkirk Council make informed decisions about the planning, management and maintenance of open space.”
Richard Broadley, Environment Coordinator, Falkirk Council
Challenge
Open space gives us a sense of freedom and relief from the built environment in which we live and work - somewhere to relax, somewhere to meet with friends and family, to exercise and to learn about our natural environment. Recognising the contribution that open spaces make to our overall quality of life, Falkirk Council wanted a comprehensive and up-to-date record of open space within its area to help prepare a strategy for managing and developing open space over the coming years.
Solution
Open Space Audit
Forth Valley GIS helped them to complete an audit of its open space based on a pre-defined land use classification system. The audit covers all towns and villages identified in Falkirk’s Local Plans. The resultant dataset is essentially a reclassification of Ordnance Survey Mastermap data.The work was carried out in two stages. The first was a semi-automated classification to identify, classify and to some degree eliminate certain urban land use types that could be easily distinguished based on their OS Mastermap attribution. Stage two involved a more detailed assessment of the remaining areas based on interpretation of aerial photography, other data and local knowledge. Throughout the data capture exercise, weekly updates were published so that Falkirk Council staff could provide expert guidance on specific areas of uncertainty or concern.
Maintenance
We also developed procedures to keep the data up-to-date in relation to agreed ‘change intelligence’ to ensure that the council will be able to get a full return on it’s investment.
Results
The Open Space dataset is a valuable resource that will support management decisions for many years to come. Benefits include:
Information Quality
Comprehensive picture of open space that can be used to inform strategic policy and decision-making. A valuable baseline against which to assess the success of future policies and management decisions. Information that conforms with nationally agreed standards.
Workflow Efficiencies
- Semi-automated classification techniques and a consistent approach to data capture eliminated unnecessary steps and reduced the potential for error.
- The selected data capture method will make it easy for the data to be kept up-to-date and remain relevant and accurate.
Service Delivery
- Improved information that helps council develop an Open Space strategy.
- Valuable resource for staff embarking on a wide range of operational activities.
- Improved management of open spaces ensuring safe, clean and attractive open spaces for all those who use them.
Value for Money
- Identify maintenance requirements and make best-value decisions.
- An approach that will allow the council to keep the data up-to-date.