Dungog Council has placed the Open Space and Recreation Plan on display for community feedback

The open space and recreation plan reviews open spaces like sporting fields and provides a 10-year plan, according to Dungog's Mayor John Connors.

"Its purpose was to review all open space, sporting fields and the like throughout the shire and see if they catered for the current needs or more importantly the prospective needs of the shire," he said.

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Cr Connors said the plan looked at existing open space across the local government area and the community's future needs.

The plan will guide council in where there's a need to generate more sporting fields and outdoor activity venues within the shire.

The plan is underpinned by four guiding principles - a country first approach, a focus on equity and inclusion, sustainability and resilience and fit for purpose and diverse opportunities, according to the draft plan.

A particularly big issue that was defined by the open space and recreational plan still being drafted was that of Abbott's Flat.

In 2022, Ride Dungog proposed to Dungog council to develop the flat into a series of bike tracks entirely at Ride Dungog's expense.

However this proposal was denied as the plan was still being commissioned, according to Mr Connors.

The plan is now recommending that Dungog council work in collaboration with Ride Dungog to turn the flat into a 'conservation and recreation precinct'.

The plan also recommends water-based activities be engaged in that area.