HebPlay Play Sufficiency Assessment

Outdoor Focus

1. Outdoor play is particularly valuable as it provides unique opportunities to experience the elements and because of the sense of wellbeing and enjoyment that being outdoors can bring. Access to the outdoors also gives children more space to move freely, run around and use their imagination and creativity. Due to the open landscapes many play-activities in the Outer Hebrides happen outdoors, including beach games, rock pooling, exploring the dunes, machair coastal grassland and moorland fringes. Children living in the Outer Hebrides grow up with much freedom, most within walking distance of high quality, natural play space, including moorland, woodlands, rocky coast, machair fringes and stunning beaches. With the surrounding ocean, activities like fishing, kayaking, swimming, bodyboarding, and surfing are popular forms of play which take place under adult supervision.
2. While informal play in the mostly unspoilt environment is prevalent, the Outer Hebrides also has a sufficient range of designated formal play facilities throughout the area to meet the needs of children and young people and encourage social interaction.
3. There is sufficient informal play space for children in the rural areas of the Outer Hebrides which have a high-quality natural environment. Planning officers have mapped the extent of formal play spaces in the overall area, and this has been further divided into 11 wards. This assessment focuses on the sufficiency (quality, quantity and accessibility) of play spaces within the Islands.

Ownership and Management

1. There exists a mix of ownership and partnership models dating from when the Local Authority and latterly Housing Associations built affordable housing for the community.
2. Some of the land on which play facilities are sited has now been legally transferred from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to the registered social landlord, Hebridean Housing Partnership (HHP), however, CnES retains maintenance responsibility for certain play areas. New play facilities built as part of new HHP housing developments are managed solely by HHP or in partnership with the resident community.
3. CnES continues to work in partnership with community groups to support the upgrade of existing facilities. In addition, community land trusts, community councils and associations play an active role in developing new play facilities independently or facilitating upgrades to existing facilities.
4. Play spaces are not only located on Comhairle land and there is an ongoing need to work in partnership with the Community and HHP to design sufficient future provision across the Outer Hebrides which meets the policy provisions outlined in NPF4 Policy 21.