opinion

There is a body of research so consistent, so large, and so unambiguous that it ought to be driving major policy decisions. Access to green space improves mental health. It reduces anxiety and depression. It shortens recovery times after illness. It strengthens social bonds. And in Huntly, as in most places, access to that green space is not equally distributed. Not all green space is the same, and not everyone has equal access to it.

Huntly has a Place Plan. Like place plans across Scotland, it sets out a vision for the town — how it should develop, what it needs more of, what kind of place it should be in twenty years' time. These are important documents. They shape planning decisions, direct investment, and signal what the council and community believe matters.