In 2006, Hyndburn Borough Council appointed Knight Kavanagh & Page (KKP) to conduct an audit and needs assessment of its green spaces and outdoor sports facilities. The work, conducted to meet government guidance (PPG17) included an assessment of all open spaces across Hyndburn. Extensive consultation with stakeholders and members of the local community was used to identify community need.

KKP's assessment highlighted the need for investment in a number of areas. The Council has been progressing with momentum through the identified priorities:

• Developing a play strategy based upon issues identified in the assessment.
• Rationalising equipped children's play areas and removing poor quality, poorly located sites.
• Committing to a five-year investment programme to regenerate allotment provision.
• Continuing to achieve Green Flag success for Mercer and Oakhill parks.

Following the success of the first study, Hyndburn BC was keen to re-commission KKP to deliver its integrated Open Space Strategy, to generate evidence to support the Local Development Framework and to produce associated Open Space Supplementary Planning Document in addition to providing clear targets for site quality and management.  The recently presented strategy is built around the Council's vision for open spaces:

To provide good quality and accessible open space, sport and recreational opportunities in order to make Hyndburn more attractive for those choosing to live, work and invest here.

It details a strategic framework for improvement and includes typology specific recommendations relating to:

• The protection of all parks and gardens due to the high value placed on them by residents.
• Increasing the quality of the Borough's natural and semi-natural greenspace.
• Providing new amenity greenspace in Oswaldtwistle to meet future demand and increasing quality across the Borough.
• Protecting and adding to the number/length of accessible green corridors.
• Upgrading and adding play sites across Hyndburn.
• Developing new allotment provision in Great Harwood and Clayton to meet identified demand to ensure that all residents live within a 15 minute walk of provision.
• Increasing the recreational ‘value' of cemeteries, churchyards and burial grounds to local residents.
• Protecting all existing civic space provision.
• Maintaining existing levels of provision of outdoor sports facilities and upgrading Wilson Playing Fields.

The strategy is currently being scrutinised by Council members and will be published later in the year. Following this, the Council's supplementary planning document will be developed and work will commence to deliver the action plan.

Asked to comment on KKP's work and the strategy, lead officer Craig Hyndburn confirmed how pleased the Authority is with it saying,

We have a very strong relationship with KKP. This has been further cemented by the dedication of the team throughout the strategy development process. KKP has, again, more than met our brief, producing a challenging but practical strategy that I am confident we shall be able to use to lever in additional investment required.

For an independent view on this case study, please contact
Craig Horabin at Hyndburn Borough Council (Craig.Horabin@hyndburnbc.gov.uk )