Whether national planning guidelines have been strengthened to give greater protection to green spaces for sport and informal recreational …

SPP11 was revised in November 2007 to strengthen policy on open space protection. SPP 11 continues the presumption against redevelopment of valued open space, with new requirements for sportscotland to be consulted on a wider range of applications for developments affecting outdoor sports facilities. As required by SPP11, local authority open space audits and strategies are now feeding into the development plan process, providing a more comprehensive approach to identifying, protecting and enhancing open space which meets community needs. The SPP states that it is particularly important to ensure that disadvantaged communities have accessible open space of good quality.