Scottish Government

Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning 2003

Application form

This application form can either be completed by hand or electronically (pdf version) on the Planning homepage at www.scotland.gov.uk/planning . Please complete all four questions. The deadline is 12 September 2003. An acknowledgement letter will be sent to the person who has completed this form.

Please provide a name and contact details of the organisation responsible for this work. If partners were involved, identify the lead organisation, and then list the other partners/bodies who had a key role.

Name of key partners (if appropriate)

Please complete the form by providing a brief summary (in no more than the space provided) of the piece of work you have entered. You must also conclude, with a key reason, as to why you think this work merits an Award.

Please tick the key criteria which relate to this entry:

You must describe in your written submission (below) how the criteria which you have ticked relates to your project.

Description of project

Falkirk Greenspace is a long term and ongoing project, which is already delivering accessible and attractive greenspace adjacent to the main settlements within the Falkirk Council Area. lt is being achieved by implementing action on a series of sites as opportunities arise, within an overall strategic framework and vision. The vision is tailored to the particular physical characteristics of the area in aiming to link existing landscape features and recreational assets, by developing new woodlands, open space and path networks, to create a more valuable community asset. The overall vision is to create a well-wooded landscape encircling Falkirk and the other main towns, which also reaches out to the wider countryside.

As well as the recreational priorities, the project has supplementary aims including, visual separation of urban areas, regeneration, image enhancement, tourism and enhancing the setting for future development, addressing dereliction, bringing existing woodlands into management and creating new habitats for wildlife.

The project is being realised through a close working partnership which seeks to involve local communities and businesses wherever possible.

Timescale (over which the project has developed)

The project was initiated in 1992/93, through joint working between a partnership, of Central Scotland Woodlands Countryside Trust now Central Scotland Forest Trust (CSFT), Forth Valley Enterprise (now SE Forth Valley), Falkirk District Council (now Falkirk Council) and Central Regional Council, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Forestry Authority (now Forestry Commission Scotland). An initial Feasibility Study was produced in September 1993 and this began to focus the work of the Trust on the Greenspace Area. The concept was incorporated in the various local plans as these were reviewed. It became subject to public consultation at this stage and the Trust also progressed community consultation on specific site works. The initiative was launched publicly in November 1996 by the partners once a number of significant projects had been completed on the ground.

Given its scale and the fact that such initiatives are never fully funded at the outset, this is a long-term project, which is being implemented as opportunities arise. The project was innovative for its time, predating the more recent greenspace policy initiatives and promoting a large-scale vision rather than small ad hoc sites.

Context (the problem which had to be addressed)

The local area features a pattern of small/medium sized towns, dispersed around the main Falkirk urban area separated by undeveloped land in agricultural use, degraded former estates and scrub woodland. The overall impression was one of a degraded landscape, parts of which were affected by dereliction or mineral working, parts subject to development pressures and parts with informal and poorly managed access. Much of the land was designated as green belt or countryside. The main agency in achieving landscape enhancement was the Trust, supported by the two Councils and the LEC. Activity prior to the Greenspace initiative was opportunistic and scattered across the rural area as sites became available. However, with the vision in place it has been possible to direct funding and staff effort towards critical areas of the Greenspace, such as Langlees - the flagship area (see supporting sheets).

Action taken

As indicated, steps were taken to incorporate the concept in each of the relevant local plans as these were reviewed. These plans which included appropriate policies to support implementation and community consultation helped to identify priorities. Policies were strengthened in later plans, to include possible developer contributions. The annual programme of works delivered by the Trust was increasingly focussed on contributing to Greenspace. The partnership effort was maintained and expanded over time, as more opportunities for funding were explored, and links were made to other policy agendas.

Specific examples of partnership working are:

• Working with Falkirk Environment Trust to maximise the opportunities offered by landfill tax.
• Working with BP in a funding partnership to deliver a large forest park, which met some of BP's carbon sequestration aims.
• Helping Forest Enterprise to deliver some of its community engagement aims, through the
• acquisition and management of a large woodland.
• Canal improvement activity in the millennium canal project has significantly improved sections of the Greenspace corridor, with CSFT delivering a number of complementary access projects leading out from the towpath to settlements and the wider countryside.
• Currently, the opportunities presented by the Greenspace Scotland ihitiative, are being explored and the greenspace aims are being addressed in masterplanning for a major housing development at Mungal Farm.
• Increasing national policy emphasis on the countryside access agenda has also contributed greatly.
• Working with a partnership of agencies to enhance the eastern 'Gateway' to Falkirk as part of the Falkirk Action Plan for economic regeneration.

A supplementary sheet headed Planning is attached.

Results achieved

The acceleration of activity over the past few years, means that the original theoretical vision now has real substance. It is now possible to make recreational or even travel to work journeys on foot or by cycle over significant distances. The circular route around Falkirk is nearing reality and there are much improved connections to existing and emerging longer distance routes, including the canals and the round Forth coastal route. There has been considerable community involvement in the major sites and of these, Lang lees Woodlands and Callendar Woods are good examples. Efforts are currently being focussed on key 'Gateway sites on key approaches to the urban area, one of which is associated with the Falkirk Wheel and the other with the new Falkirk Community Stadium. These were envisaged in the original greenspace vision as providing a link, with appropriate facilities, between the urban development and the Greenspace.

For the future, Falkirk Council and CSFT have begun a review of achievements to date which will identify areas where activity needs to be increased. Consideration is also being given to more effective marketing of the Greenspace as a whole, rather than specific sites within it.

Conclusion - Why does this piece of work merit an Award?

• The initiative is an excellent example of sustained and effective partnership working. The key agencies are now Falkirk Council and Central Scotland Forest Trust. Many other partners have been involved in the implementation of specific sites, including SE Forth Valley, SNH, local businesses, Scottish Water, Forest Enterprise and local communities.
• It is an example of effective, planning led implementation, which is contributing to the overall regeneration of the local area.
• It has had particular success in sourcing partnership funds from a wide range of sources including Council funds, SNH grants, company sponsorship, landfill tax, woodland grants and spin off benefits from other projects.
• It has achieved effective community participation in the development of key sites. Some communities have now been working with CSFT for over 10 years ensuring these sites remain relevant to local needs.
• It makes a contribution to the local agenda of sustainable development, being clearly identified as an action in the Sustainable Falkirk Strategy, and being linked with the Local Transport Strategy, the Countryside Access Strategy, the Strategic Community Plan and the Social Inclusion Strategy.
• It is believed to be innovative in being one of the earliest attempts to develop a large scale Greenspace Strategy.

Date
09 September 2003