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Investing in recreation, both active and passive, is a priority for the NSW Government. It supports better outcomes for everyone – health and well-being, bringing communities together and boosting the state’s economic productivity.
Many public open spaces experience demand for different types of recreational activity. To accommodate for so many different uses some areas have opted to use alternative surface fields – such as synthetic and hybrid surfaces – in place of natural grass surfaces across NSW.
The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment commissioned Ethos Urban to help us gain a better understanding of the social, environmental, and economic impacts, benefits, and limitations of using synthetic turf as a replacement for natural grass in public open spaces across NSW.
As part of the Synthetic Turf Study in Public Open Space, Ethos Urban undertook a literature review as well as consulted with stakeholders and communities over a period of May-June 2021 on the use of synthetic alternatives to natural turf in public open spaces.
The following findings and recommendations from the Ethos Urban investigation bring together some of the different management and best practice approaches to help address key social, economic, and environmental issues identified in the consultation process and literature review conducted as part of the work.
Further investigation by the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer with research in more environmentally responsible synthetic surface methods will also commence and will inform the preparation of the guidelines.
We want to hear from you on the next stages.
Page last updated: 22/10/2021