Apply for an award
Apply for an award
The Green Flag award lets members of the public know that the sites are well run and that they will be able to access a quality, well maintained facility. Having the award creates additional publicity for the park, encouraging new users and increasing the sense of civic pride and ownership in the area.
Visit our Awarded Parks page for recent winners of the Green Flag Award, map of where to find them and case studies.
The benefits of having access to parks and green spaces have been well highlighted, particularly in relation to mental health and well-being, tackling stress and encouraging activity.
Applications for Green Flag Award 2025 will open in December 2024
We offer three levels of Green Flag Award:
- The Green Flag Award for parks and green spaces managed by local authorities/duty bodies/land owners
- The Green Flag Community Award for quality green spaces managed by voluntary and community groups
- The Green Heritage Site Accreditation managed by local authorities or community groups
How to apply
If you are a park manager and would like to apply for a Green Flag Award for your park, you will need to:
- Check that the park meets the award criteria and that you have a management plan in place that it is regularly reviewed.
- Email parks@keepscotlandbeautiful.org or phone 01786 477168 with your contact details and park name. We will set up an account for your park at www.greenflagaward.org and supply you with log-in details.
- You will then be able to upload the relevant documents and submit a full application.
Once you have applied for the award we will send you an invoice for the appropriate amount.
Judging
If this is your first application, your park will be visited during April, May or June by two of our volunteer judges. You will need to show them around your park and demonstrate why the park should be awarded a Green Flag. As well as this site visit the judges will also complete an assessment of your management plan and associated documents.
The following year, and every alternative year, a mystery shop visit will be carried out. During the mystery shop one judge will visit your park unannounced and mark it on the criteria. You will be given a copy of the report and you will get the opportunity to make any highlighted improvements.
Cost
There is a cost associated with a Green Flag Award application.
- for sites under 20 hectares the application fee is £440 (excl. VAT),
- for sites over 20 hectares the application fee is £525 (excl. VAT),
- for a Green Site Heritage Accreditation it is an additional £115 (excl. VAT),
- and for community groups it is free.
Find out more about the eight key criteria applicants must meet to achieve a Green Flag Award.
Meeting the criteria is judged through a desk assessment of a site management plan as well as a visit from our experienced judges.
