Greenspace

Public greenspaces provide a range of benefits for communities, the environment and local economy.

They give us opportunities for recreation, sport and play, and healthier lifestyles, support wellbeing, contribute to a sustainable natural environment, provide vital habitats for wildlife and visually enhance the urban environment. They also provide valuable ecosystem services and support climate change action.

This page provides information on Council strategies to improve our greenspaces. These are:

• Open Space Strategy
• Green Network Strategy
• Community Growing Strategy.

For information on the maintenance of parks and other greenspace please see:

Parks and greenspace maintenance

Rosebank Allotments in Kirkintilloch is a site with 41 plots, a mixture of full and half sized plots. The site was set up in 2013 the and running of it is supported by an Allotment Association who are a group of plot holder volunteers.

The site has two shared polytunnels on it where plot holders can take on a poly plot and extend the opportunities for food growing. The site has a range of fruit trees on the site which provide fruit for the plot holders.

For the year 24/25 the charges are as follows:

• £116.70 for a full plot and £58.35 for a half plot

Concessionary rates are available for those over the age of 60, rates are as follows:

• £58.35 for a full plot and £29.18 for a half plot.

If you are interested in learning more about food growing, please see the links for useful information.

SAGS - offers a series of guides and advice for the Allotment Communities.

RHS – offers practical advice and guidance on plants, how to grow, problem solving and design ideas.

Thrive -resources to help people get involved in gardening as part of their personal health and wellbeing.

Garden Organic | Principles of organic gardening- Offers advice and guidance on the principles of organic growing

Social Farms & Gardens | (farmgarden.org.uk)- Social Farms and Gardens offer support and resources to support community growing.

Greenspace Scotland – offers support and advice about Greenspaces in Scotland

Trellis - Offering training and resources about gardening for well being

Get Growing Scotland -resources and support to help people to grow food by providing inspiration, advice, connections, and ongoing support.

BBC - Gardening - Gardening Guides - An online resource with gardening guides from practical gardening essentials, community gardens, making the most of your garden, expert growing advice, how to get children involved and dealing with different weather conditions.

To join the allotment waiting list for Rosebank Allotment in Kirkintilloch, or to register your interest in a future allotment, please complete the online waiting list form below. We will then be in touch with you to confirm your place on East Dunbartonshire's allotment waiting list.

• An East Dunbartonshire resident
• Aged 18 or over
• No one else in the household currently has an allotment.

The Open Space Strategy will be updated soon.

All local authorities are required by Scottish Planning Policy to prepare an audit of their open space provision and from this produce a strategy. This sets a framework for current and future open space provision and seeks to increase the quantity and quality of our open space.

The full East Dunbartonshire Council Open Space Strategy 2015-2020 and associated Audit maps are available in the Documents section. Through partnership working, the Strategy aims to provide open spaces that are inclusive, accessible and ‘fit for purpose’ - to increase the quality of life for residents of East Dunbartonshire, contribute to environmental enhancement, benefit the local economy and provide ecosystem services in response to the effects of climate change. Opportunities for improvements are set out by settlement area within the strategy.

An interactive map of the Open Space Audit is also available.

The Strategy was determined to have potentially significant positive and negative effects on the environment and it was therefore subject to a full Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), the findings of which can be found in the Environmental Report on the SEA documents page.

Where areas of open space are connected to one another they can be said to form a green network. Connections can take the form of paths which we can use to access local greenspace or the wider countryside, or they can take the form of habitat connections which wildlife may use to move around an area to find food or shelter.

In association with the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership, the Council has produced a Green Network Strategy for East Dunbartonshire. The Strategy, covering the period 2017 – 2022, was approved by Committee, following public consultation. The purpose of this Strategy is to:

• Map the existing green network in East Dunbartonshire
• Establish opportunities to enhance and improve our existing green network
• Identify priority areas for expansion of the network to realise a range of benefits, including improved habitat links, increased active travel, improved access to greenspace, enhanced health and wellbeing, and adaptation to the effects of climate change.

The Council also re-signed the Central Scotland Green Network Concordat at the launch event, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to working in partnership.

An interactive version of the Green Network Strategy in the form of a Story Map is also available.

The Story Map presents a reduced version of the Green Network Strategy through a combination of interactive maps with text and pictures. We hope you enjoy exploring it. This is the first Council strategy to be produced as a Story Map and we would welcome any feedback you have on its design and how user-friendly you find it. Feedback can be sent to: sustainability@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

Over recent years the popularity of growing our own food has increased. Many people are attracted by the health benefits associated with growing your own fruit and vegetables and potential reductions in food bills from locally grown produce as well as contributions to reducing their carbon foot print by reducing the distance their food has to travel. In response to the requirements of Section 9 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, East Dunbartonshire will be preparing a Food Growing Strategy which will help to raise awareness of local food growing opportunities and give communities the chance to grow their own food and plants.

For further information about food growing, including any upcoming events, and the Food Growing Strategy please email greenspace@eastdunbarton.gov.uk.

There are a number of resources that can be used to help individuals and groups to feel confident to grow their own, either at home or as part of a community initiative.

Visit the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) website.

Practical advice, problem solving, information on plants, how to grow your own and design advice for creating your own growing space.

Visit the Garden Organic website.

Advice and guidance on growing organic produce as well as using organic manure.

Visit the BBC Gardening Guides website. 

An online resource with gardening guides from practical gardening essentials, community gardens, making the most of your garden, expert growing advice, how to get children involved and dealing with different weather conditions.

Visit the Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society (SAGS) website.

View a series of guides for the allotment community.

Visit the greenspacescotland website.

Additional information about food growing in Scotland can be viewed on the green space website.

Social Farms and Gardens provide a number of informative resources including practical advice for food growers.

Kirkintilloch Skate Park was completed in November 2009. Now, when the weather is dry, young and not so young people on skateboards, inline skates and BMX bikes take full advantage of this great facility.

Luggie Park is a traffic free zone but is close to public transport links and only a short walk from Lenzie Train Station.

Skaters from as far afield as Aberdeen and Edinburgh come to this great local facility.

Attractions and facilities in the vicinity include:

• Junior skatepark beside the KSI skatepark
• children's play area
• parking at pavilion off Waterside Road, B8048 to Cumbernauld
• path over Luggie Water to the skate park
• Forth and Clyde Canal and tow path for easy bike access
• Kirkintilloch town centre within easy walking distance to Auld Kirk Museum, shops and cafes
• cycling and walking routes.

For further information, contact:

Susan Murray
Tel: 0141 776 2096
Email: sc.murray@ntlworld.com

Kirkintilloch Skate Park
Parliament Street
Kirkintilloch
G66 3AD