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| Chapter 12 |
| Leisure and Recreation |
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Context |
| 12.1 |
Participation in sport and recreation
has increased significantly during the last twenty years or so in
line with rising disposable incomes, increasing leisure time and the
growth of public interest in health and fitness. Most people now take
part in some form of active recreation, whether it is playing a sport
or simply walking in the countryside. This trend seems likely to continue,
with greater demands for further and better recreational facilities. |
| 12.2 |
In Wealden, the Town and Parish Councils
have traditionally been responsible for the provision and maintenance
of recreational open space, including children's playgrounds, playing
fields, and other facilities for outdoor sport. Indoor recreational
facilities are largely concentrated in the multi-purpose leisure centres
at Crowborough, Hailsham, Heathfield and Uckfield. However, financial
constraints limit the ability of Councils to make direct provision
for such facilities, and the private and voluntary sectors will continue
to play an important role in meeting future leisure requirements.
Lottery funding has become an important source of finance for sport
and recreation, often based on partnership working. |
| 12.3 |
Government guidance emphasises the importance
of the provision and protection of sport and recreation facilities
and of open space as a valuable contribution to improving the quality
of life in urban and rural areas. Structure Plan policies aim to provide
for the increasing leisure needs of the local population where this
is compatible with the conservation of the environment and local character. |
| 12.4 |
It is the aim of the Council's leisure
and cultural objectives to sustain the existing indoor sports and
leisure centres in view of their overall accessibility and existing
level of facilities, and encourage a network of smaller facilities,
particularly in the rural areas as part of a planned, co-ordinated
approach. In this regard, the Council will support and encourage initiatives
by Town and Parish Councils, voluntary organizations and the private
sector. In the countryside further opportunities for quiet, informal
recreation will be sought and encouraged. |
| 12.5 |
This chapter addresses recreation and
open space requirements within the District, focusing principally
on the need for outdoor playing space and indoor facilities within
the towns and villages. Proposals for leisure-related developments
that may arise in the countryside are considered in Chapter 6, while
tourism-related proposals are covered by the policies in Chapter 11.
Site-specific proposals are covered in the appropriate settlements
chapter of the Plan. |
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Strategy |
| 12.6 |
The Plan's strategy for meeting leisure
and recreation needs gives emphasis to retaining existing open space
and indoor facilities in towns and villages, and making new provision
where this is consistent with environmental and sustainability considerations,
particularly in relation to the increased demand generated by new
housing development. |
| 12.7 |
In accordance with Government guidance,
the Structure Plan, the Council's leisure and cultural objectives
and the Local Plan strategy itself, the main objectives for leisure
and recreation are: |
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1) |
to encourage the provision of a wide range
of opportunities for both formal and informal recreation to meet the
needs of existing and future residents, where this would not adversely
affect the amenities of adjoining occupiers or the attractiveness
of the countryside; |
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2) |
to safeguard, and make the most effective
use of, existing recreation and leisure facilities, and to improve
the level of provision wherever possible; |
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3) |
to seek to ensure that adequate provision
is made for outdoor playing space, indoor facilities and informal
amenity areas in relation to new residential developments; |
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4) |
to improve access to the countryside. |
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Protection of existing
recreational open space |
| 12.8 |
Open space is an important asset to the
community and may be subject to increasing pressures for development,
particularly within the development boundaries of towns and villages.
Government guidance states that existing open space, sport and recreational
buildings and land, should not be developed in urban areas, unless
the planning authority's assessments show them to be clearly surplus
to requirements. In view of the general shortage of outdoor playing
space, particularly within the towns, and the difficulties in securing
new provision, it is important that existing facilities that are of
particular value to the community, or have the potential to be, are
retained and their use maximised. In a similar vein, it is also important
that informal recreational open space is retained. Whilst consultations
with the Town and Parish Councils have not identified any need for
additional allotments, existing allotments represent a valuable facility,
particularly in view of the trend towards increased leisure time,
and are therefore covered by Policy LR1. |
| 12.9 |
In accordance with Government advice,
the Council will protect all such facilities from development unless
specific circumstances apply. Within the development boundaries these
areas have been identified on the Proposals Map and a schedule of
the areas included at Appendix 4, with the exception of school playing
fields which are subject to protection by separate Government guidance.
Whilst it is recognised that many important areas of open space exist
outside the development boundaries these areas are subject to generally
restrictive countryside planning policies and are not therefore separately
identified on the Proposals Map. |
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| Policy LR1 |
| Development proposals
that would result in the loss of existing public or private
playing fields, associated buildings and facilities, or open
space used for informal recreation, as shown on the Proposals
Map, will not be permitted. Exceptionally, permission may be
granted when it can be demonstrated that:- |
| (1) |
redevelopment of
part of the site would enhance the recreational facilities available; |
| (2) |
alternative provision
of equivalent size, suitability and accessibility will be made
within the locality; or |
| (3) |
it can be demonstrated
that there is an excess of such facilities in the area which
would not be prejudiced by the proposed development. |
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Outdoor Playing Space |
| 12.10 |
In accordance with the Government's revised
PPG17 (Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation - July 2002)
a local assessment of need and an audit of open space, sports and
recreation facilities is presently being undertaken to establish the
quantity, quality and value of open spaces and sport and recreation
facilities. The revised PPG17 requires a move away from reliance on
the National Playing Field Association's (NPFA) Six Acre Standard
and the development local standards to reflect local needs. |
| 12.11 |
Pending the completion of the assessment
and audit referred to above this Plan has continued to rely on the
NPFA standard, as the most appropriate basis for assessing the provision
of outdoor playing space in the towns. The NPFA standard is a longstanding
nationally proven tool for assessing the adequacy of outdoor playing
space. |
| 12.12 |
However, once the assessment and audit
have been completed, the information gained will be used to set local
standards and the emerging Local Development Framework. |
| 12.13 |
The NPFA standard recommends that a minimum
of 2.4 hectares of outdoor playing space is provided per thousand
population, comprising 1.6-1.8 hectares of space for youth and adult
uses (including playing pitches, courts and greens) and 0.6-0.8 hectares
of children's play space (defined as equipped playgrounds and casual
play space within housing areas). The standard specifically excludes
informal amenity space, ornamental gardens, parks and woodland. |
| 12.14 |
Appendix 4 indicates the overall provision
of outdoor playing space in Wealden's towns and shows that all fall
below the NPFA recommended levels with a particular deficiency in
the provision of children's play space. Consultation with the Town
Councils confirms the overall deficiency at a local level, a situation
that is often emphasised by local sports clubs and organisations.
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| 12.15 |
The principal requirement for youth and
adult use derives from the four team sports of cricket, football,
hockey and rugby. Whilst all weather pitches have been provided recently
at Crowborough and Hailsham secondary schools, and have significantly
improved outdoor play space facilities in the two towns, the opportunities
for providing other additional outdoor pitches are limited due to
the lack of sites in Town Council ownership. However, land has been
allocated for the provision of further playing fields at Crowborough,
Hailsham, Polegate and Uckfield with the support of the Town Councils,
as described in the relevant town chapters, and playing pitches are
proposed in association with the major new housing allocations at
Hailsham, Polegate and Uckfield. |
| 12.16 |
The opportunities for rectifying the shortfall
in children's play space are limited due to financial constraints
and the fact that the worst deficiencies occur within existing residential
areas, where there is little prospect of suitable sites becoming available.
However, additional provision is made within many of the housing allocations
and potential exists within the public open space allocations as discussed
in the individual settlement chapters. |
| 12.17 |
Whilst the application of the NPFA standards
to rural areas is not considered appropriate, consultations carried
out with the Parish Councils indicate a reasonable level of provision
is achieved in many of the rural parts of the District, with most
of the larger villages possessing at least one recreation ground.
Buxted, Pevensey, Rotherfield, Chiddingly, Hellingly and Hartfield
are seeking new outdoor facilities and several other Parishes are
seeking improvements to existing facilities. These are detailed in
Appendix 4. |
| 12.18 |
The need for new children's play spaces
has been identified by Buxted, Chiddingly, Cuckmere Valley, Hadlow
Down, Selmeston and Pevensey parishes and other parishes are proposing
improvements to existing facilities. These are also detailed in Appendix
4. |
| 12.19 |
Town and Parish Council initiatives for
the provision of new or improved outdoor recreational facilities will
be supported where appropriate. |
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Outdoor Playing Space
in New Housing Developments |
| 12.20 |
In line with Government guidance, it is
considered essential that adequate provision for recreational open
space is made within new residential developments in order to meet
the recreational needs of new residents and to avoid exacerbating
existing deficiencies. The Council will require developers to provide
appropriate outdoor play space as an integral part of new developments
in accordance with NPFA standards, including playing fields for youth
and adult use, and children's play space, or where these cannot be
provided on-site then a commuted payment will be required towards
off-site provision elsewhere in the locality. |
| 12.21 |
The Council has identified thresholds
above which developers will be required to provide on-site children's
play space and playing pitches, as set out in Policy LR2 below. The
scale of provision should relate to the demand generated by the development
and this is calculated from the number of people likely to occupy
each dwelling as detailed in Appendix 4. In determining the precise
requirement for any individual development, account will also be taken
of the type of housing proposed, the location of the site, and the
existing level and quality of local play space provision. Below these
thresholds, in developments of six dwellings or more, or where the
resultant play space would be too small to be practicable or to meet
a local need, the Council will seek commuted payments towards the
off-site provision of open space within the same Parish. |
| 12.22 |
Draft supplementary planning guidance
has been produced on outdoor playing space in new housing development.
It is intended that this will ultimately be incorporated into the
emerging Local Development Framework. |
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Children's Play Space |
| 12.23 |
Development of 15 dwellings or more will
generate sufficient demand for on-site provision when applying NPFA
standards. An exception to this policy is made in the case of one
bedroom units or sheltered housing or other specialist accommodation
for the elderly/retired. Children's play space should be located within
a short walking distance of homes, with safe and convenient pedestrian
access and should be designed to minimize vandalism, avoid nuisance
to neighbours and allow easy supervision. |
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Youth and Adult Open Space |
| 12.24 |
In applying NPFA standards for youth and
adult use, the population generated by 200 houses of the size and
mix which has been typical of previous developments in the District
would justify the provision of one full size football field and its
margins. However, there may be cases where the mix and size of houses
in a scheme of 200 dwellings may not justify a full size pitch. In
such cases the Council may require a junior size pitch or informal
kick-about area as part of the development or, alternatively, a commuted
payment may be required in order to assist with the provision of a
full size pitch elsewhere in the locality where this is supported
by an established local need. |
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| Policy LR2 |
| Planning permission
will be granted for new residential development only where public
open space for play is provided on-site at a minimum of 2.4
hectares per 1000 population, as follows:- |
| Children's play space
in developments of 15 or more dwellings, proportional to the
standard of 0.6 - 0.8 ha per 1000 population, including an equipped
area at 0.2 - 0.3 ha per 1000 population and a casual or informal
play space at 0.4 - 0.5 ha per 1000 population. |
| Playing fields in
development of 200 or more dwellings, proportional to the standard
of 1.6 - 1.8 ha per 1000 population, including playing pitch
provision of 1.21 ha per 1000 population. |
| This space should:- |
| (1) |
in the case of children's
play spaces, be integral to the overall design layout and evenly
distributed around estates, in open and welcoming locations
which are overlooked by dwellings and well used footways. |
| (2) |
be properly drained,
laid out, levelled, equipped and landscaped, and in the case
of playing fields, with car parking and changing facilities
where appropriate; and |
| (3) |
be additional to
any incidental amenity or other open space. |
| A capital sum or other
satisfactory arrangement will be sought for long term future
maintenance. |
| Where the housing
development is below the thresholds stated above; |
| (i) |
in the case of playing
fields, where the resultant play space would be too small to
be practicable or to meet an identified local need, a junior
size pitch or informal kick-about area shall be provided, or
alternatively, a commuted payment shall be made to the District
Council towards the provision of open space elsewhere within
the same Parish; |
| (ii) |
in the case of children's
play space, where the resultant play space would be too small
to be practicable, a commuted payment shall be made to the District
Council towards the provision of open space elsewhere within
the same Parish; in either case, the requirement for a commuted
payment applies to sites of six dwellings or more. |
| The above standards
will be used in order to calculate the appropriate commuted
payment for off-site provision. |
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Artificial Turf Pitches |
| 12.25 |
Artificial turf or 'all weather' pitches
allow for play throughout the year and, with floodlighting, can substantially
alleviate pressures on existing playing fields. Such facilities are
most beneficially located within school sites in order to maximise
day time usage. All weather pitches have recently been provided at
the Community Colleges at Crowborough and Hailsham although the Crowborough
pitch is not currently floodlit. Whilst the Council seeks to encourage
further provision it recognises that floodlighting, together with
increased levels of activity in the evenings, can be of particular
concern in some areas. Proposals will therefore only be permitted
where the amenities of adjoining occupiers and the character of the
locality would not be unacceptably affected. Proposals outside development
boundaries will be permitted in particular circumstances as set out
in Policy LR3 below. The development of artificial turf pitches should
not be at the expenses of grass pitches unless an overall benefit
can be demonstrated. |
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| Policy LR3 |
| Proposals for the
provision of artificial turf pitches will be permitted within
development boundaries provided that: |
| (1) |
The proposal does
not adversely affect the character or amenity of the locality
or the countryside; |
| (2) |
The proposal is easily
accessible by a choice of means of transport including public
transport, cycling, and walking; and |
| (3) |
The proposal does
not adversely affect the amenities of nearby occupiers by reason
of light intrusion, increased vehicular movement, increased
level of activity or noise. |
| Where a clear demand
can be demonstrated, and where the proposal cannot be satisfactorily
accommodated within development boundaries, artificial turf
pitches will be permitted outside of development boundaries
only where related to existing established facilities adjacent
to the edge of settlements, and provided that the proposal meets
criteria (1)-(3) above. |
| Control over the hours
of operation may be required by condition of any planning permission. |
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Informal Amenity Areas |
| 12.26 |
In addition to the provision of outdoor
playing space, informal open space has a valuable role in terms of
its recreational and amenity potential. This type of space, which
can include both open and wooded areas, offers opportunities for passive
recreation and often makes an important contribution to the character
of an area and to wildlife conservation, particularly within built-up
areas. |
| 12.27 |
Whilst it is desirable that everyone should
have convenient access to informal open space, this does not fall
within NPFA guidelines nor are there any other generally accepted
standards which can be applied. However, in order to offset to some
extent the deficiencies in formal outdoor recreation facilities, the
Council will take every opportunity to increase the amount of informal
amenity space which is accessible to the public. This will include
utilising the amenity potential of landscape features where they exist
and providing additional informal open space in association with the
development of new sites. |
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| Policy LR4 |
| The Council will seek
the provision of informal amenity space, additional to the outdoor
playing space required under Policy LR2, in all new housing
developments. Existing landscape features such as trees, hedgerows,
streams and ponds will be incorporated within such areas where
they exist. |
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Indoor Leisure And Community
Facilities |
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Existing Facilities |
| 12.28 |
In general it is considered that Wealden
is well provided for in terms of its leisure centre facilities, principally
providing swimming pools, large sports halls and fitness facilities
with 80% of the District's population now living within three miles
of the public indoor leisure centres. In addition, there are a number
of private indoor facilities mainly providing swimming, squash and
health and fitness facilities, as well as community halls managed
by a variety of public and private organisations which are used for
a range of leisure and community purposes. All of these facilities,
whether public or private, are valued by the local community and in
the light of the planned population growth it is considered appropriate
to resist development that would result in their loss. Exceptionally
planning permission resulting in the loss of these facilities may
be granted in the circumstances referred to in Policy LR5. The loss
of facilities may also be acceptable where there is a demonstrable
surplus. In such circumstances applicants will be required to submit
an assessment of provision in order to demonstrate the appropriateness
of the proposal. |
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| Policy LR5 |
| Proposals which would
result in the loss of existing indoor leisure and community
facilities will not be permitted unless they are replaced with
equivalent provision, either incorporated into the new development
or by replacement provision in a nearby and accessible location,
or it can be demonstrated that the existing facility is no longer
viable. |
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New Facilities |
| 12.29 |
Despite the existing wide range of provision,
there is increasing demand for a wider range of activities. In recognition
of this, as well as the lack of public transport and community expectation,
the Council's leisure and cultural objectives seek a planned approach
to a network of smaller scale indoor provision through schools, community
halls, local clubs and commercial facilities. |
| 12.30 |
Any further indoor leisure facilities
should normally be located within the town or village development
boundaries for sustainability and environmental reasons. Small-scale
proposals may be acceptable in the countryside where they are ancillary
to an existing use or where they provide a use for an existing building.
However, planning permission is unlikely to be granted for such uses
in the Sussex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or on the Ashdown
Forest, where it is intended to provide only for informal recreational
activity in association with the quiet enjoyment of the countryside.
New community halls are covered by Policy LR7. |
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| Policy LR6 |
| Proposals for indoor
leisure facilities will be permitted outside the development
boundaries, as defined on the Proposals Map, provided they are
small in scale and are ancillary to an existing use, or represent
the use of an existing agricultural or other rural building,
in accordance with Policy DC7. |
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New Community Halls |
| 12.31 |
In most parts of the District,
community halls make a vital contribution to town and village life
and many accommodate a range of leisure pursuits alongside more general
community uses. These facilities are managed by a variety of different
organisations, including Town and Parish Councils, voluntary bodies
and churches. In rural areas, and to a lesser extent in urban areas,
the role of community halls in meeting the local need for indoor sport
and recreation facilities is important. In many rural communities,
access to the towns is often restricted due to a lack of private transport
or the inadequacy of public transport, and the provision of purpose-built
leisure facilities is not financially viable given the small catchment
population. It is therefore important that the design of new community
halls should where possible take full account of their potential multi-purpose
role e.g. incorporating badminton court dimensions and the provision
of adequate ceiling height. |
| 12.32 |
The Council recognises that new housing
development can increase the demand on local community halls and the
major housing allocations at Hailsham and Polegate include provision
for a community hall as part of the proposed neighbourhood centres.
Consultations with the Town and Parish Councils have also identified
a need for new community halls at Buxted and Forest Row and several
other Parishes are seeking improvements to existing facilities. |
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| Policy LR7 |
| Proposals for new
or extended community halls will be permitted outside of development
boundaries identified on the Proposals Map only where the proposed
development:- |
| (1) |
is essential to meet
the needs of the community; |
| (2) |
cannot be accommodated
satisfactorily within the development boundaries; |
| (3) |
would not be unduly
intrusive in the landscape, or detrimental to the character
and appearance of the countryside; |
| (4) |
is sited in a location
easily accessible by the community that it is intended to serve. |
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