Meeting the need for a rational basis for open space and recreation planning in new high density residential areas: the Recreational Activity Benchmark model

ABSTRACT

The development of new high-density residential precincts in Australian cities, notably in association with new public transport nodes (Transit-Oriented Developments – TODs), presents challenges for planners in creating living environments, including provision for open space and recreation. The traditional ‘standards’ method and other existing approaches to planning for open space and recreation have significant limitations in coping with the challenges presented by high-density developments. It is argued in this paper that a planning approach focused on recreation participation as the key performance criterion can provide a solution. The Recreational Activity Benchmark (RAB) model is presented and shown to be capable of providing for appropriate levels of recreational activity while making savings in land requirements.

KEYWORDS:

• Open space
• recreation
• high-density
• transit-oriented developments

Acknowledgements

This paper is based on independent research funded through the NSW state-owned development agency Landcom to find ways to plan for open space and recreation opportunities in high-density transport-oriented developments. Landcom notes the findings as a contribution to the ongoing exploration but does not endorse specific conclusions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 This measure of recreational volume is: V = ((P × F)/52) x 10, where P =  the % participation rate (participants per 100 population); F =  the average frequency of participation (times per year); 52 = the number of weeks in a year; and multiplication by 10 gives the rate per 1000 population.

2 Number of facility units required is: N = (V/G)/C, where G is the size of typical user group and C is the facility unit capacity. The land area required is L = F × A, where A is the facility unit land area, derived from a number of sources, including: Daly (2000, Appendix C) and WA Department of Sport and Recreation (2016). In the case of linear routes the ‘unit’ is a kilometre, while for informal recreation it is the area required for a typical user group (e.g., see Gedikli and Ozbilen 2004). In these cases the estimates relate to peak periods.

3 The data used are, for sport and physical recreation: the Ausplay data for the Sydney metropolitan area; for informal recreation: a Sydney-wide parks user survey (Sydney Parks Group 2008). The AusPlay data do not vary substantially between states – for example the overall state-level participation rates for 2021 were: NSW 89.3%, QLD 87.1%, SA 86.6%, TAS 89.0%, VIC 90.4%, WA 88.7%. Comparable inter-state data are not available on park use levels.