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| 14. COMMUNITY AND LEISURE
FACILITIES |
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Introduction |
| 14.1 |
A wide range of activities fall within
the remit of this section. Leisure facilities can be taken to include
provision for indoor sport, such as sports centres and swimming pools,
and less formal types of recreation like theatres, or bowling alleys.
Recent years have seen an increase in demand for these facilities,
through a general increase in affluence, and a desire to pursue healthier
lifestyles. |
| 14.2 |
The term "community facilities"
embraces a wide range of services provided by the public sector; particularly
by the County Council (education, social services, and libraries),
the health trusts, and voluntary and church organisations. Local,
small scale sports facilities like bowling clubs are also considered
to be community facilities. |
| 14.3 |
Community and leisure facilities play
an important part in maintaining and developing a sense of community,
and, therefore, contribute much to the quality of life. Some have
major land use implications, and the Local Plan has an important role
to play in protecting essential facilities, meeting future demand
and guiding new development to appropriate locations. It is Government
policy to promote greater participation in sport across all sections
of the community, and this is reflected in the Council’s general
community and leisure policies. |
| 14.4 |
Existing leisure facilities principally
meet the needs of Preston and the surrounding area. Increasingly,
tourism, including the conference business, is playing an important
part in the local economy. New tourism-related development should
be encouraged, to take advantage of Preston’s accessible location,
its good accommodation and its proximity to areas of high quality
countryside. It is important to recognise the contribution that such
development can make to urban regeneration, and the site specific
policies in the Local Plan identify a number of sites with leisure
potential. |
| 14.5 |
Leisure development can also contribute
significantly to the rural economy by assisting farm diversification,
although such developments require very careful planning in order
to minimise their impact on the environment. |
| 14.6 |
The Lancaster Canal and the River Ribble
both offer considerable potential in terms of leisure and informal
recreation, although again, very careful control is required to limit
the effect on the environment. |
| 14.7 |
Provision for outdoor recreation is considered
in Chapter 8 on greenspace. |
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Policy Context |
| 14.8 |
Central government advice as to the provision
of community facilities is very limited, in terms of land use policy.
Plans are simply required to make provision for schools and higher
education, for places of worship and other community facilities (PPG12).
The Lancashire Structure Plan makes no explicit reference to the provision
of community facilities. |
| 14.9 |
In land use terms, community facilities
are seen as ancillary to residential areas. Sites for primary schools,
local centres and community facilities have been included in the committed
development areas at Cottam and Longsands Lane. Primary schools have
already been built at Longsands and Cottam. English Partnerships (formerly
known as CNT) is responsible for the release of these sites and approval
for their development. |
| 14.10 |
Provision is also being made for facilities
at Whittingham/Goosnargh. Proposals for additional community facilities
will normally be acceptable in residential areas throughout Preston
provided they meet the requirements of policy H5. Clearly, a wide
range of other non-statutory policies and programmes relate to the
provision of community facilities, including the Community Strategy. |
| 14.11 |
The main Central Government guidance for
leisure and tourism is set out in PPG17: ‘Planning for Open Space,
Sport and Recreation’ (2002) and PPG21 ‘Tourism’ (1992). |
| 14.12 |
PPG17 stresses the need for development
plans to ensure that adequate land and water resources are available
both for organised sport and for informal recreation. PPG21 makes
the point that Local Plans are not in themselves a medium for promoting
tourism, but that the policies they contain may be aimed at facilitating
tourist development. |
| 14.13 |
Also of particular relevance is PPG6 ‘Town
Centres and Retail Development’ (1996) which attaches great importance
to maintaining the traditional role of local and town centres. This
further develops the themes of PPG 13 ‘Transport’ (2001)
and ‘A Guide to Better Practice (1995) which make reference to
the location of development and reducing the need to travel, especially
by car. |
| 14.14 |
PPG 6 introduced the sequential approach
to leisure development location with the protection of the vitality
and viability of the town centre and existing local centres being
the over-riding aim. Leisure is one of a range of different but complementary
uses that can reinforce each other, making town centres more attractive
to residents and visitors. |
| 14.15 |
The new guidance also links leisure to
the evening economy of town centres and urges local planning authorities,
in consultation with the leisure industry, to develop a strategy and
policies for uses that support the evening economy of town centres.
Whilst the development of such a strategy is not strictly a land use
issue some of the needs, that the PPG directs local authorities to
address, are contained within other policies of the Local Plan. Namely,
access, public transport links, safe secure parking, good street lighting
and a mixture of uses as covered by the Transport, Design and City
Centre policies. Policies SS1 - Mixed Use Frontages and SS2 - Appropriate
City Centre Uses and other site specific policies provide locations
for leisure uses in the City centre. |
| 14.16 |
Clarification on Government policy on
leisure (and retail) development in February 1999 re-emphasised the
above approach and indicated that the nature and scale of such proposed
developments should also be related to the centre - whether town,
district or local - the development seeks to serve |
| 14.17 |
The Lancashire Structure Plan contains
policies which aim to direct the location of new tourism and recreation
development. |
| 14.18 |
There are a wide range of other non-statutory
and non-land use policies impinging on this area of development. These
include the Sport England regional strategies and their focus plans
for individual sports. Lancashire County Council also pursues a number
of strategies, outside the planning system, concerned with recreation
in the countryside, and the development of tourism. The City Council
is a major provider of leisure facilities, and has published its own
sport and recreation strategy. |
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Objectives |
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- TO PROTECT, ENHANCE AND EXTEND COMMUNITY FACILITIES IN THE CITY.
- TO PROVIDE LEISURE OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF PRESTON’S
RESIDENTS.
- TO ACCOMMODATE THE APPROPRIATE NEEDS OF THE LEISURE INDUSTRY,
WHILST MINIMISING ANY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
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| Large Scale Leisure
Facilities |
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| Policy CLF1 |
Large Scale Leisure
Facilities |
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| Large scale leisure development
will be located: |
| 1. |
on sites allocated for
this purpose; |
| 2. |
elsewhere within the urban
area provided that: |
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(a) |
there is no suitable site
within or adjacent to the City centre; or, |
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(b) |
allocated elsewhere in
the Local Plan; |
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and where the applicant
can demonstrate that it would: |
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(i) |
be justified in terms of
proven need; and |
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(ii) |
not have any significant
adverse effect either singly or cumulatively, on the vitality or viability
of the City centre or defined local centres, or centres outside the
City, or prejudice approved development proposals or future investment
for those centres; and, |
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(iii) |
be accessible to a high
percentage of its potential customers by a variety of realistic and
convenient alternative forms of transport other than the car to include
the bicycle, public transport and walking; and, |
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(iv) |
not increase the number
and length of car journeys made; and, |
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(v) |
have no unacceptable adverse
environmental impact; and, |
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(vi) |
not adversely affect the
amenity of adjoining property; and, |
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(vii) |
not result in a shortage
of land or sites for the purpose for which the site is allocated in
the Local Plan. |
| 3. |
Exceptionally, such development
will be permitted in the rural areas outside the Green Belt: |
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(a) |
where the applicant can
demonstrate that the nature of the use dictates that it take place
within the countryside; and |
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(b) |
that it satisfies other
policies of the Local Plan, in particular the Development in the Countryside
policies; and, |
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(c) |
that it satisfies the criteria
(b)(i) to (vii) above. |
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| 14.19 |
Policy CLF1 is in line with the guidance
contained in PPG 6 and requires that any proposal for out-of-centre
development demonstrates that all town and edge of centre sites have
been assessed for suitability before stating that the out-of-centre
location is the only site for development. Paragraph 1.16 applies
the following key considerations: |
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- the likely harm to the development plan strategy;
- the likely impact of the development on the vitality and viability
of existing town centres, including the evening economy, and on
the rural economy;
- their accessibility by a choice of means of transport; and,
- their likely effect on overall travel patterns and car use.
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| 14.20 |
PPG 6 paragraph 2.22 recognises that some
leisure uses need to attract customers from a wide catchment area
and that where it is appropriate, sites in or on the edge of town
centres should be considered for major leisure uses, such as small
multi-screen cinemas (i.e. up to six screens) and bowling, and planned
in conjunction with parking and complementary uses. Where this is
not possible the guidance promotes the sequential approach and states
that such developments should be encouraged to locate on sites which
are, or will be made, highly accessible by public transport. |
| 14.21 |
Large-scale leisure developments generate
substantial employment and revenue. Such developments can increase
the attractiveness of Preston and therefore fulfil an important part
of the City’s overall tourism potential. |
| 14.22 |
Tourism developments in the rural area
can contribute to the diversification of the rural economy providing
that developments satisfy other policies of the Plan including the
Development in the Countryside Policies. |
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| Small-Scale Leisure
Facilities |
| 14.23 |
In urban areas, including defined shopping
centres, small-scale leisure development will generally fall within
use classes C1 (hotels and boarding or guest houses), D1 (museums
and art galleries), or D2 (cinemas, theatres, dance halls, sports
halls, and other indoor leisure uses). However this should not be
taken to mean that all types of development within these uses should
necessarily be judged by this policy. |
| 14.24 |
For the purposes of this policy small-scale
leisure development refers to development which does not have a significant
impact on the local environment, for example, visual intrusion and
generation of significant volumes of traffic. |
| 14.25 |
For example, small scale leisure will
include; the change of use of an existing building, for instance,
to include bed and breakfast accommodation, or a small infill development,
but not the construction of a purpose built hotel. It will include
the conversion of a mill to a craft shop but will not include the
building of a themed amusement area. |
| 14.26 |
Small-scale leisure development will be
acceptable in primarily residential areas if it is ancillary to housing,
and is considered essential if the general quality of life is to be
maintained or improved. Depending upon the particular leisure activity
it can help to engender a sense of community in an area, provided
that residential amenity is safeguarded. |
| 14.27 |
Some types of small-scale leisure development
can contribute to the attractiveness of City centres and local centres
by adding to the range of services provided. They can play a significant
part in regenerating run-down areas, and in City-centres particularly,
they may be accommodated in vacant premises above shops, without detriment
to primary and secondary shopping frontages. |
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| Policy CLF2 |
Small Scale Leisure
Facilities |
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| Small-scale leisure development
will be permitted: |
| 1) |
On sites allocated for
this purpose within the City centre; |
| 2) |
Within or adjacent to defined
local centres, provided that there is no adverse impact on the vitality
and viability of the centre; |
| 3) |
Within primarily residential
areas, provided that the criteria set out in Policy H5 are satisfied; |
| 4) |
In the rural areas outside
the Green Belt: |
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(a) |
where the applicant can
demonstrate that the nature of the use dictates that it take place
within the countryside ; and |
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(b) |
that it satisfies other
policies of the Local Plan, in particular the Development in the Countryside
polices; and, |
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(c) |
does not have a detrimental
effect on the local environment or the character of the landscape,
and is laid out and landscaped to a high standard. |
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| New Golf Courses |
| 14.28 |
Open land areas, including green belt
and open countryside may be suitable for golf course development.
PPG17 requires that new golf course provision should be based on an
assessment of need. Where a need is identified, it is important that
new facilities are accessible by a means other than the car, and that
any significant loss of amenity to residents, neighbouring uses or
biodiversity is avoided. Golf courses in rural areas require special
justification in terms of how they will contribute to diversifying
the rural economy and must be designed with great care and sensitivity
to the location. In the AONB, proposals must also be consistent with
the objectives of conserving the natural beauty of the landscape.
New golf courses may be appropriate in the Green Belt, subject to
the above, but any built development should be the minimum necessary. |
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| Policy CLF3 |
New Golf Courses |
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| Proposals for golf courses
will only be permitted, provided that it can be demonstrated that
there is no adverse impact on: |
| (a) |
Green Belt (Policy DC1) |
| (b) |
The best and most versatile
agricultural land (Policy DC3) |
| (c) |
Areas of Outstanding Natural
Beauty, Open Countryside and areas of Landscape Protection (Policy
DC9) |
| (d) |
Areas of Nature Conservation
(Policies DC5 and DC7) |
| (e) |
Highway Safety (Policy
T19) |
| (f) |
Public Footpaths and Bridleways
(Policy CLF6) |
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| 14.29 |
The Bowland area was designated as an
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty because of its landscape and habitat
characteristics. This upland area is unlikely to be capable of accommodating
manufactured, non-natural features on such a large scale. The character
of the golf landscape is quite different from a “natural landscape”
by dint of its mown fairways, greens, bunkers and other features. |
| 14.30 |
If carefully planned, designed and managed,
golf courses can provide a range of different wildlife habitats. |
| 14.31 |
General transport considerations and the
traffic generation implications of new golf courses will be given
significant weight. Therefore the attention of applicants is drawn
to policies T19 and T20. |
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| Amusement Centres |
| 14.32 |
Amusement centres include clubs, prize
bingo centres, amusement-with-prizes machines and amusement-only machines.
Such uses are often perceived to be problematic by the public. Therefore
it is important that clear parameters are laid down within which such
uses are acceptable. The licensing of amusement centres is covered
by separate legislation. |
| 14.33 |
Amusement centres are appropriate to City
centre locations, or locations of mixed commercial development, but
would be unacceptable in areas of primary shopping frontage and small
scale district shopping areas which are not able to support a wide
range of facilities without prejudicing the viability of the retailing. |
| 14.34 |
The noise and general disturbance associated
with amusement centres makes it important that their location is carefully
considered. Locations near to schools, churches, hotels or predominantly
residential areas are unacceptable. In City centre locations the effect
on the residential amenity of those living nearby should be judged
when coming to a decision. |
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| Policy CLF4 |
Amusement Centres |
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permitted where: |
| (a) |
the proposal lies within
defined Secondary Shopping Frontage, or mixed use frontage, or in
an area of mixed commercial development; and, |
| (b) |
the proposal is not close
to a school, church, hospital or hotel; and, |
| (c) |
the proposal is not close
to residential properties; and, |
| (d) |
the proposal does not lie
within a conservation area or any other area which has a special historic
or architectural character; and, |
| (e) |
the proposal does not generate
more noise than other neighbouring uses; and, |
| (f) |
appropriate measures are
taken to prevent excess noise generation such as self-closing doors,
and restrictions on the opening hours. |
| Any approval will be conditional
upon a ground floor window display being installed and maintained
to the satisfaction of the local planning authority. |
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| 14.35 |
Wherever possible, in line with PPG12,
conditions will be imposed to make applications acceptable which would
otherwise be refused. If the use can be controlled by conditions,
so that it does not generate any more noise or disturbance than the
existing use, it would be unreasonable to refuse an application. |
| 14.36 |
The installation of the shop display is
to ensure the visual amenity of the area is protected by preventing
unattractive blank frontages. |
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| Water Based Recreation |
| 14.37 |
Proposals which affect important water
features within Preston should be sympathetic to the existing qualities
for which the features are valued. |
| 14.38 |
Riversway Docklands includes an existing
marina and associated facilities, and a site has been identified adjacent
to the dock for use as a water activities centre. |
| 14.39 |
The River Ribble is an important leisure
and wildlife link between open countryside, public open space, and
the urban area of Preston. The Round Preston Walk, the nationally
important Ribble Way and the proposed Lancashire Coastal Way all run
along the riverbank. |
| 14.40 |
An existing footpath, which is presently
not a public right of way, could form a link between the Lancashire
Coastal Way and the Ribble Link and if this is achieved the Council
will encourage its inclusion on the Definitive Footpath Map. |
| 14.41 |
Similarly the Lancaster Canal forms an
important wildlife corridor with intrinsic value for formal and informal
recreation both on the water and tow path. |
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| Policy CLF5 |
Water Based Recreation |
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| Proposals for recreational
uses, including development associated with water recreation, adjacent
to the Lancaster Canal, the River Ribble Corridor and other water
features and any links or extensions will be permitted providing that: |
| (a) |
the existing quality, amenity,
recreation and wildlife value is not diminished; |
| (b) |
public access is facilitated; |
| (c) |
the design reflects the
appearance and character of the area; |
| (d) |
in respect of the Lancaster
Canal the ratio of moorings to navigable water length is not increased. |
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| 14.42 |
Reducing the ratio of moorings to navigable
water length leaves unobstructed a greater proportion of the canal’s
surface area to the benefit of canal users. The development of marinas
has in the past helped to achieve this objective. |
| 14.43 |
The Ribble Link opened in 2002. It was
constructed by a partnership of the Waterways Trust, The Ribble Link
Trust, Lancashire County Council and British Waterways with funding
from the Millennium Commission together with grants and donations. |
| 14.44 |
There have been significant benefits to
the tourism and leisure base of the City by encouraging a higher level
of recreational use on the canal and extending the definitive footpath
network. |
| 14.45 |
The Proposals Map shows the route of the
"Ribble Link Navigation". This is the canalisation of a
four mile stretch of the Savick Brook to the River Ribble, connecting
the Lancaster Canal to the National Inland Waterway System, via the
Ribble Estuary and the River Douglas. The project has involved the
construction of locks to lower the water level from the canal to River
Ribble and some minor works to bridges which cross the route. |
| 14.46 |
The Ribble Link will provide a boost to
the recreational and tourist facilities in the region. The Link will
also provide many opportunities to improve the environment for wildlife. |
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| Public Rights
of Way |
| 14.47 |
The public right of way network in the
City provides a valuable resource which many people make use of during
their leisure time. The Council, in conjunction with the highway authority,
will retain and improve the existing public rights of way network.
The following policy will encourage the increased use of the existing
network for residents of Preston and visitors alike and will safeguard
routes from development. |
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| Policy CLF6 |
Public Rights of Way |
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| Where practicable, new routes
and public rights of way will be designed and existing public rights
of way improved to be accessible to people with reduced mobility. |
| Development unacceptably
affecting public rights of way will not be permitted unless they can
be retained or diverted along an acceptable route(s), in a manner
which maintains or enhances standards of accessibility. |
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| Tourism related
Caravan and Chalet Development |
| 14.48 |
In the countryside, the Council seeks
to direct developments such as chalets, static caravan sites, new
touring caravans and camping sites to suitable rural locations. This
will assist in rural diversification in accordance with national and
structure plan policies and other policies in the Local Plan. Such
development must be planned very carefully to avoid damaging sensitive
sites, or encroaching on the best and most versatile agricultural
land. |
| 14.49 |
The plan area contains a limited number
of certified short stay caravan and camping sites. The Council is
consulted on applications for certification as a matter of course.
Generally, on a site of not less than 2 hectares, up to 3 caravans
may remain for up to 28 days a year, or if the site is less than 2
hectares, only one caravan can remain for no more than 2 consecutive
nights, without the requirement of a licence or planning permission. |
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| Policy CLF7 |
Tourism related Caravan
and Chalet Development |
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| In rural areas outside the
Green Belt, tourism related static caravan and chalet development
will be permitted provided all the following criteria are met: |
| (a) |
The site is well screened
by land form or landscaping from roads, high viewpoints and other
public places and the development would not harm the character or
appearance of the countryside either on its own or when taken together
with other established or proposed static caravan or chalet development
in the vicinity; |
| (b) |
The scale of development
relates sensitively to its surroundings and would blend into the landscape; |
| (c) |
The site is well laid out,
designed and landscaped and the caravans and chalets would blend into
the landscape in their siting, design, colour and materials; |
| (d) |
The site is in an area
with local opportunities for informal countryside recreation but would
not itself harm such attractions; |
| (e) |
The development would not
harm the character or setting of settlements or the amenities of local
residents; |
| and, that it satisfies other
policies of the Local Plan, in particular the Development in the Countryside
policies. |
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| Horses |
| 14.50 |
Horse riding is increasingly popular as
a leisure activity but developments associated with it can pose problems
in some locations. Whilst this type of recreational activity is difficult
to accommodate in urban areas, even in the rural area the scale and
careful siting of buildings must be considered in relation to other
plan objectives. (The grazing of horses does not require planning
permission; however a full planning application will normally be required
for the use of the land for keeping of horses for non-agricultural
purposes). |
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| Policy CLF8 |
Horses |
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| Development involving the
keeping or riding of horses will be permitted where there is no adverse
impact on the character and appearance of the local area, nor detriment
to neighbouring amenity. |
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| Community Facilities |
| 14.51 |
The following policy seeks to ensure that
specific provision is made for new community facilities to meet existing
and future needs in particular areas, where known shortages exist.
The sites allocated were previously identified in earlier local plans. |
| 14.52 |
With regard to facilities needed to serve
new housing development, contributions will be sought from developers
in accordance with policy DR1 (Developer Responsibility), to ensure
that adequate provision is made. |
| 14.53 |
The policy also seeks to protect the supply
of existing facilities wherever possible. |
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| Policy CLF9 |
Community Facilities |
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| (a) |
Sites are allocated for
the development of new community facilities at the following locations,
as shown on the Proposals Map: |
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Adjacent to Eastway, Fulwood; |
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Larches Avenue, Larches. |
| (b) |
The City Council will refuse
planning permission for the development or change of use of premises
or sites currently or last used for the provision of community facilities
unless: |
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(i) |
it is no longer practical
or desirable to retain such premises; or, |
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(ii) |
development of a small part
of the site will ensure that those facilities remaining can be enhanced. |
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| 14.54 |
The Eastway and Larches Avenue sites are
of sufficient size to accommodate a clinic/GP practice, or a community
hall/meeting room. |
| 14.55 |
The second part of the policy contains
criteria for assessing proposals to redevelop a community facility
site for some other use. Although it is an objective of the plan to
protect the City’s community facilities, the majority of these
facilities are provided by agencies other than the Council, such as
the health trusts and the County Council. It is therefore the responsibility
of these agencies to determine the appropriate level of provision.
The Council will consider in appropriate cases, proposals to develop
a small part of the community facility site where this will generate
funds to enhance the facility being provided. |
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| Allotments |
| 14.56 |
Allotments provide a valuable local facility
for residents. They are also important areas of open, undeveloped
land of amenity value in the urban area and, as a consequence, they
should be retained wherever possible. |
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| Policy CLF10 |
Allotments |
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| Development involving the
loss of existing allotments, as shown on the Proposals Map, will not
be permitted unless: |
| (a) |
development of a small
part of the site will ensure that those allotments remaining can be
enhanced; or, |
| (b) |
the proposal includes alternative
provision on another site in the area of similar or better facilities
in terms of community benefit. |
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