Policy SC3
Sports, recreation and play
- The council will ensure that people of all ages and abilities have access to a wide range of opportunities for sports, recreation and play by:
a) Requiring development proposals maximise opportunities for new or improved community infrastructure provision, along with public realm enhancements, and to ensure sports and recreation facilities and play spaces are safe and easily accessible throughout the borough.
b) Seeking the retention of existing sports and recreational facilities.
c) Supporting development proposals that increase opportunities for play and informal recreation. Where located in areas with identified deficiencies in play space, new housing development must provide demonstrable improvements in the quantity and quality of play space in line with Policy OB5.
- Development proposals involving the loss of sports, recreation and play will only be permitted where:
a) an assessment has been undertaken which has clearly shown the facility to be surplus to requirements; or
b) the loss resulting from the proposed development would be replaced by equivalent or better provision in terms of quantity and quality in a suitable location; or
c) the development is for alternative sports and recreational provision, the benefits of which clearly outweigh the loss of the current or former use.
- Professional football grounds
a) In considering any redevelopment proposal for all or part of an existing football ground, the council will require the re-provision of suitable facilities to enable the continuation of professional football or other field-based spectator sports in the borough.
Sports, recreation and play
7.6 Healthy and liveable neighbourhoods provide ample opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to participate in sport, recreation and play. Safe and stimulating play is essential to childhood development. It can impact positively on physical health, helping to address and prevent obesity.
7.7 The council is preparing a Playing Pitch Strategy which will help shape the policy and identify where new provision and/or improvement of existing facilities is needed. It includes an audit of sports and recreational facilities within the Borough and an assessment of future requirements over the plan period.
Professional football grounds
7.8 The council wishes to retain professional football in the borough, because it provides a source of entertainment and contributes to the life of the community by enhancing social inclusion and community cohesion. The council is only prepared to consider re-development proposals for professional football grounds if they make provision for continuation of professional football or other field-based spectator sports at that ground. If it can be demonstrated that these facilities are no longer viable there, the redevelopment should include provision for other community service uses in accordance with other policies in this chapter.