Luton playing pitch strategy 2014 2021 contents
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PART 6: CONCLUSIONSThe Playing Pitch Strategy seeks to provide guidance for planning decisions made across Luton in the eight years up to 2021. By addressing the issues identified in the Assessment Report and using the strategic framework presented in this Strategy, the current and future sporting and recreational needs of Luton can be satisfied. The Strategy identifies where there is a deficiency in provision and identifies how best to resolve this in the future. It is important that this document is used in a practical manner, is engaged with partners and encourages partnerships to be developed, to ensure that outdoor sports facilities are regarded as a vital aspect of community life and which contribute to the achievement of Council priorities. The production of this Strategy should be regarded as the beginning of the planning process. The success of this Strategy and the benefits that are gained are dependent upon regular engagement between all partners involved and the adoption of a strategic approach. The Strategy is intended to be flexible and regularly updated using the accompanying database tools provided. An overarching action plan is intended to be developed in order to meet the current and future demands of playing pitch provision, a wide range of organisations will have a role in implementing the action plan with lead from Luton Borough Council. PART 7: MONITORING AND REVIEWIt is important that once the strategy is adopted that the plan becomes a live document so that progress against the actions can be reviewed and monitored. We recommend that there is regular monitoring (i.e. quarterly). The Council should ensure that a process is put in place to track progress with implementing the recommendations and action plan. This process should involve regular liaison with the pitch sport NGBs. A PPS should be subject to a full review every three years. However, regular monitoring and updating of key supply and demand data could extend its life to five years and limit the resource needed to carry out a full review. Keeping the supply and demand information up to date annually will reduce the amount of work required in the long term. Demand for pitches is often subject to annual change and even a three year period will see significant changes in both the supply of and demand for provision. Alongside the regular steering group meetings a good way to keep the strategy up to date and maintain relationships may be to hold annual sport specific meetings with the pitch sport NGBs and other relevant parties. These meetings could look to update the key supply and demand information, if necessary amend the assessment work, track progress with implementing the recommendations and action plan and highlight any new issues and opportunities. These meetings could be timed to fit with the annual affiliation processes undertaken by the NGBs which would help to capture any changes in the number and nature of sports clubs in the area. Other information that is already collected on a regular basis such as pitch booking records for local authority and other sites could be fed into these meetings. The NGBs will also be able to indicate any further performance quality assessments that have been undertaken within the study area. Continuing the bi-annual ddiscussions with the football league secretaries/FA will be useful to pick up any specific issues and/or enable a review of the relevant club details to be undertaken. The steering group should regularly review and refresh area by area plans taking account of any improvements in pitch quality (and hence increases in pitch capacity) and also any new negotiations for community use of education sites in the future.It is important that the Council maintains the data contained with the accompanying Playing Pitch Database. This will enable it to refresh and update area by area plans on a regular basis. The accompanying databases are intended to be refreshed on a season by season basis and it is important that there is cross-departmental working, including for example, grounds maintenance and sports development departments, to ensure that this is achieved and that results are used to inform subsequent annual sports facility development plans. Results should be shared with partners via a consultative mechanism. APPENDIX ONE: STRATEGIC CONTEXTThe objectives within this Strategy have been developed via the combination of information gathered during consultation, site visits and analysis. They reflect key areas to be addressed over its lifetime. However, implementation must be considered in the context of financial implications and the need for some proposals to also meet planning considerations. National contextThe provision of high quality and accessible community outdoor sports facilities at a local level is a key requirement for achieving the targets set out by the Government and Sport England. It is vital that this strategy is cognisant of and works towards these targets in addition to local priorities and plans. The following section summarises the key strategic documents relevant to this Strategy and link, where appropriate, to the aims and objectives set out later. Sport England: A Sporting Habit for Life (2012-2017) In 2017, five years after the Olympic Games, Sport England aspires to transforming sport in England so that it is a habit for life for more people and a regular choice for the majority. The strategy will:
Sport England Strategy (2011/12 – 2014/15) The vision is for England to be a world leading sporting nation where many more people choose to play sport. There are five strategic themes including:
Sport England Youth and Community Strategy 2012 – 2017 Launched in January 2012 the strategy sets out how Sport England will invest over one billion pounds of National Lottery and Exchequer funding during the five year plan period. The investment will be used to create a lasting community sport legacy by growing sports participation at the grassroots level following the 2012 London Olympics. The aim by 2017 is to ensure that playing sport is a lifelong habit for more people and a regular choice for the majority. A specific target is to increase the number of 14 to 25 year olds playing sport. To accomplish these aims the strategy sets out a number of outcomes:
National Planning Policy Framework The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out planning policies for England. It details how these changes are expected to be applied to the planning system. It also provides a framework for local people and their councils to produce distinct local and neighbourhood plans, reflecting the needs and priorities of local communities. The NPPF states the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development. It identifies that the planning system needs to focus on three themes of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental. A presumption in favour of sustainable development is a key aspect for any plan-making and decision-taking processes. In relation to plan-making the NPPF sets out that Local Plans should meet objectively assessed needs. The ‘promoting healthy communities’ theme identifies that planning policies should be based on robust and up-to-date assessments of the needs for open space, sports and recreation facilities and opportunities for new provision. Specific needs and quantitative and qualitative deficiencies and surpluses in local areas should also be identified. This information should be used to inform what provision is required in an area. As a prerequisite the NPPF states existing open space, sports and recreation sites, including playing fields, should not be built on unless:
In order for planning policies to be ‘sound’ local authorities are required to carry out a robust assessment of need for open space, sport and recreation facilities. The methodology to undertake such assessments should still be informed by best practice including Sport England’s ‘Towards a Level Playing Field’ (TALPF) and ‘Assessing Needs and Opportunities: A Companion Guide to PPG17’. Despite PPG17 being replaced by the NPPF, the Companion Guide still offers relevant guidance about undertaking a needs assessment. A Sporting Future for the Playing Fields of England Sport England is a statutory consultee on planning applications that affect playing fields. It is Sport England’s policy to object to any planning application, which will result in the loss of a playing field, unless it meets one of five exceptions as defined in ‘A Sporting Future for the Playing Fields of England’. Protection of playing fields was enhanced in 1998 with Circular 9/98 (replaced in 2009 by Circular 02/09), which stipulates that where a local authority is minded to grant planning permission against Sport England’s advice on land owned by a local authority or used for educational purposes, then the application should be referred to the Secretary of State. The FA National Game Strategy (2011 – 2015) The Football Association’s (FA) National Game Strategy provides a strategic framework that sets out key priorities, expenditure proposals and targets for the national game (i.e., football) over a four year period. The main issues facing grassroots football are identified as:
‘The National Game Strategy’ reinforces the urgent need to provide affordable, new and improved facilities in schools, clubs and on local authority sites. Over 75% of football is played on public sector facilities. The leisure budgets of most local authorities have been reduced over recent years, resulting in decaying facilities that do not serve the community and act as a disincentive to play football. The loss of playing fields has also been well documented and adds to the pressure on the remaining facilities to cope with the demand, especially in inner city and urban areas. The growth of the commercial sector in developing custom built five-a-side facilities has changed the overall environment. High quality, modern facilities provided by Powerleague, Goals and playfootball.net for example, have added new opportunities to participate and prompted a significant growth in the number of five-a-side teams in recent years.
The Strategy commits to delivering in excess of £150m (through Football Foundation) into facility improvements across the National Game in line with identified priorities:
It also commits to:
England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Champion Counties Strategic Plan 2014 – 2017 The England and Wales Cricket Board unveiled a new strategic plan in May 2013 which seeks to deliver successful England teams at all levels, to produce a vibrant domestic game as well as increasing participation during the period 2014-17. It builds on the 2005 plan, Building Partnerships and the subsequent 2009 initiative, Grounds to Play. The plan will take advantage of local partnerships developed in earlier plans and support local delivery of priorities through the County network. It targets operational excellence to make maximum use of scarce resources and facilities during a time of economic austerity. Among the targets set under the four pillars of Effective Governance, Vibrant Domestic Game, Enthusing Participation and Successful England teams, which are relevant to the playing pitch strategy, are:
The Rugby Football Union National Facilities Strategy (2013-2017) The recently launched RFU National Facility Strategy 2013-2017 provides a framework for development of high-quality, well-managed facilities that will help to strengthen member clubs and grow the game in communities around them. In conjunction with partners, this strategy will assist and support clubs and other organisations, so that they can continue to provide quality opportunities for all sections of the community to enjoy the game. It sets out the broad facility needs of the sport and identifies investment priorities to the game and its key partners. It identifies that with 470 grass root clubs and 1500 players there is a continuing need to invest in community club facilities in order to:
In summary the priorities for investment which have met the needs of the game for the Previous period remain valid:
It is also a high priority for the RFU to target investment in the following:
England Hockey Board (EHB) 2013-2017 Strategy – ‘A Nation where Hockey Matters’ EHB’s 2013-2017 strategy is called “A Nation where Hockey Matters”. The strategy builds on the successful system improvement (talent and participation), product development, and profile and brand building that has taken place in the sport over the last four years. EHB’s mission is to provide inspirational leadership to ensure:
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