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The objectives need to be implemented to enable the aims to be delivered. It is recommended that LBC and partners adopt the following objectives across a range of departments to enable it to achieve the vision of the Strategy (note: not in any priority order):
AIM 1
To protect and enhance levels of outdoor sports facilities
Objectives:
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Rectify quantitative shortfalls in the current pitch stock and outdoor sports facilities.
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Identify opportunities to add to the overall stock to accommodate both current and future demand.
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Protect sports facilities where there is a need to do so.
Given that the scope to replace facilities in the Luton context is limited, there is a justified need to protect existing outdoor sports facilities unless there is deemed to be a surplus of provision.
Objective (a) - Rectify quantitative shortfalls in the current pitch stock and outdoor sports facilities
The Council and its partners should work to rectify identified inadequacies and meet identified shortfalls as outlined in the Assessment Report. Current quantitative shortfalls of existing provision are identified as:
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Five grass cricket pitches (based on 10 wickets) to meet current overplay and unmet demand.
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Current overplay resulting in the need for two additional youth football pitches in the North analysis area.
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Five senior grass rugby pitches to accommodate overplay (or an IRB compliant AGP as over play is due to training on grass pitches).
It is important that the current levels of grass pitch provision are protected, maintained and enhanced to secure provision now and in the future. For most sports the future demand for provision identified in Luton can be overcome through maximising use of existing pitches through a combination of:
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Securing long term community use at school sites.
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Working with commercial and private providers to increase usage.
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The re-designation of pitches for which there is an oversupply.
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Improving pitch quality in order to improve the capacity of pitches to accommodate more matches.
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Prioritising Luton clubs/residents (i.e. those with a strong tradition of playing in or being established in Luton) for access to pitches.
While maximising the use of existing pitches offers scope to address the quantitative deficiencies for most sports, new or additional cricket squares on public playing fields as well as improving existing wickets is required to meet the levels of demand identified for cricket both current and future.
There may be a requirement to protect some senior football pitches as this provides the flexibility to provide senior, junior or mini pitches (through different line markings/coning areas of the pitch). However, further work should be undertaken on this as an action for the Council/NGBs. Furthermore the re-designation of adult pitches that are not currently used may lead to a deficiency of adult pitches in the medium to longer term as younger players move up the ages. It is likely that for some sports, particularly football, that the provision of new pitches and facilities will be required in the future to support the predicted future demand.
Unmet demand, changes in sport participation and trends, and proposed housing growth should be recognised and factored into future facility planning. Assuming an increase in participation and housing growth occurs, it will impact on the future need for certain types of sports facilities. Sports development work also approximates unmet demand which cannot currently be quantified (i.e., it is not being suppressed by a lack of facilities) but is likely to occur. The following table highlights the main development trends in each sport and their likely impact on facilities. However, it is important to note that these may be subject to change.
In terms of unmet demand, it is only expressed for cricket pitches, with three of the five analysis areas (North, East and Central) requiring additional facilities.
Furthermore, retaining some spare capacity allows some pitches to be rested to protect overall pitch quality in the long term. Therefore, whilst in some instances it may be appropriate to re-designate a senior pitch where there is low demand identified a holistic approach should be taken to re-designation for the reasons cited. The site-by-site action planning will seek to provide further clarification on where re-designation is suitable.
Likely future sport-by-sport demand trends
Sport
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Future development trend
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Strategy impact
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Football
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The needs of the game will change significantly from the 2013/14 season with the implementation of the FA Youth Development Review. As a result, pitch demands will change. This could also see changes in the seasonal demand of pitches (youth football).
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Consider re-allocating leases to Charter Standard clubs with a large number of teams.
Work with clubs to identify facility development opportunities.
Work with clubs in relation to their pitch demands as a result of the FA Youth Development Review.
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Demand for senior football is likely to be sustained or decrease slightly based on current trends and the move to small sided football.
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Sustain current stock but consideration given to reconfigure pitches.
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An increase in women and girls football following £2.4m investment over the next two years (2014-2016) from Sport England to increase the number of women and girls taking part in football sessions.
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A need to provide segregated ancillary facilities and the potential need for more pitches.
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Cricket
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Demand for additional midweek cricket pitches to accommodate the Luton & District midweek league.
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Access to additional midweek cricket pitches
Consider alternatives to grass wickets
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Women’s and girls’ cricket is a national priority and there is a target to establish two girls’ and one women’s team in every local authority over the next five years.
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Support clubs to ensure access to segregated changing and toilet provision and access to good quality cricket pitches to support growth.
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Rugby Union
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The Rugby World Cup (2015) is predicted to see a further increase in the demand for rugby provision.
Strong junior sections
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Clubs are likely to field more teams in the future, and therefore have a demand for more pitches. It is important, therefore, to work with the clubs to maintain the current pitch stock and to support facility development where appropriate.
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Gaelic football
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Increase in junior players due to schools programme starting in 2014.
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Access to additional pitches.
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AGPs
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Demand for 3G pitches for football continues to increase. It is likely that future demand for the use of 3G pitches to service competitive football, particularly mini and youth will result in some reduced demand for grass pitches.
Provision of 3G pitches which are IRB compliant will help to reduce overplay as a result of training on rugby pitches.
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Ensure that access to new AGP provision across the Borough is maximised and that community use agreements are in place.
Utilise Sport England/NGB guidance on choosing the correct surface:
http://www.sportengland.org/media/30651/Selecting-the-right-artificial-surface-Rev2-2010.pdf
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Bowls
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General trend of demand for bowling greens remaining static or slightly decreasing.
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Likely to result in the need for less outdoor bowling greens. However, this could link to demand increasing for short mat bowls and indoor green provision.
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Netball
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Demand for Netball has remained relatively static over the previous three years and is likely to continue. However, if a central venue was created with at least four floodlit courts demand is likely to increase, especially for juniors.
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A need to continue to maintain the current stock of courts to a good standard but also to provide a central venue with at least four good quality floodlit courts.
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Tennis
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With Luton & Vauxhall Lawn Tennis Club operating close to capacity, any increase in participation is likely to lead to the need for more courts. Creation of a Beacon Site at Luton Regional would also increase participation.
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The need for additional courts at Luton & Vauxhall Lawn Tennis Club and support for Luton Regional to become a Beacon Tennis Site.
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Athletics
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Athletics membership is estimated to increase by 10% in Luton over the next five years.
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Athletics track is able to accommodate increase in demand but the impact will be seen on maintenance and ancillary facilities which will need to be increased.
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Objective (b) - Identify opportunities to add to the overall stock to accommodate both current and future demand
The Council should use, and regularly update, the Action Plan within this Strategy for improvements to its own pitches and facilities whilst recognising the need to support partners. The Action Plan lists improvements to be made to each site focused upon both qualitative and quantitative improvements as appropriate for each area.
Public playing fields within and immediately outside Luton should, where possible, be made available for cricket pitch provision. This may require negotiation with neighbouring authorities to help meet the shortfalls expressed. In addition to this, there is a need to encourage development of artificial wickets on school sites, linked to specific use by clubs through a community use agreement.
Objective (c) - Protect sports facilities where there is a need to do so
Protect the existing supply of sports facilities where it is needed for meeting current or future needs. The majority of facilities from the assessment report justify protection. Local plan policies should protect facilities and the scope to legally safeguard long term use of strategically important sites to the community such as the strategic sites and key centres identified in objective (e) should be considered. For example, through the Fields in Trust programme (www.fieldsintrust.org).
Where there is no need to protect facilities and the assessment shows scope for rationalisation, e.g. bowling greens, the following should be considered when making any decisions about disposal:
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Is the facility surplus to requirements not only now but also in the future?
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Could the facility be used for another type of sport for which there is a deficit?
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Can current users be sufficiently accommodated at another appropriate site taking into consideration access, cost and locality?
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Consideration as to the quality of the facilities (including ancillary facilities).
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The long term sustainability of the facility.
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The level of current use and the impact on the spatial distribution of facilities across Luton of closing a facility.
It may be appropriate to dispose of some existing playing field sites (that are of low value i.e. one- three pitch sites with no changing provision) to generate investment towards creating bigger better quality sites (Strategic Sites) in order to meet the objectives of the Strategy and to develop the hierarchy of sites (see objective e).
The following criteria should be established as the basis for negotiations to mitigate the loss of playing field provision: -
Ensure that where playing fields are lost through alternative development or closure, that the type of provision of the same or improved standard is provided to meet demand identified.
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Where pitches are lost due to redevelopment of the site, compensatory re-provision or an equivalent contribution for re-investment into new pitches will be sought as appropriate in an alternative accessible location.
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Where opportunities exist to additionally increase pitch quality (and therefore pitch capacity to accommodate more matches) this should be a priority (please refer to the action plan to identify quality deficiencies in the appropriate area).
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All negotiations and mitigation packages should be raised and discussed in partnership with the relevant NGB and Sport England through the Playing Pitch Strategy Steering Group.
In terms of mitigation it is important, where possible and appropriate for a particular sport, that this takes place in an area that is accessible to the playing field that is lost to avoid a scenario where a redundant playing field is lost in an area of the Borough which has deficiencies and is replaced on the other side of the Borough.
AIM 2
To address issues of quality and management with regard to facility provision
Objectives:
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Seek to address overplay
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Adopt a tiered approach (hierarchy of provision) to the management and improvement of sites – See page 33
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