Open Space and Recreation

To conserve existing resources and to allocate land for additional facilities to meet the increasing recreational needs of the District.

Recreational Space

Recreation and leisure pursuits are becoming ever more important elements of modern life with the increasing emphasis on healthy, active living and therefore pressures on and for local recreation provision are increasing. Over the years there has been an uneven development of recreational opportunities in the District, and a largely uncoordinated approach to securing further facilities. The urban areas have continued to expand without adequate provision being made for the recreational needs of the growing population.

The Government recognises the importance of sport and recreation as underpinning people's quality of life. It sets out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 17: Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation (2002) the objective of ensuring that everyone has access to high quality and well maintained and managed open spaces, sports and recreational facilities. To achieve this, the Government advises that local authorities should undertake robust assessments of local need and audits of existing provision to enable the establishment of effective strategies for the future provision of open space, sports and recreational facilities.

West Wiltshire District Council published a Recreation Land Survey in November 2000, which compared the existing recreation provision in the District's five urban areas against the adopted open space standards for the District. This study identified that within the District's urban areas there is a deficiency in formal and informal playing space accessible to the general public, particularly of playing pitches and children's play areas. The study concluded that new housing provision that does not make provision for playing space will exacerbate the current shortfall. In addition, local needs for open space provision have emerged from a number of community planning workshops and the emerging Community Strategy has identified the provision of additional open space as a major objective. For the purposes of this Plan, therefore, the District Council has endorsed the adoption of a minimum standard for outdoor playing space of 6 acres per thousand population. However, the District Council is planning to undertake a comprehensive reassessment of recreation needs in the medium term and to review the current adopted standards as part of a future review of this Plan.

Adequacy of Provision

Policy R1 commits the District Council to monitor the supply of and demand for outdoor sporting and recreational facilities, to seek to make the most effective use of existing facilities, and to identify deficiencies and opportunities for further provision. The Council will review the findings of the Recreation Land Survey (2002), in particular through the carrying out of a detailed and thorough needs assessment and an audit of existing provision, to ensure that future provision meets the needs of the people of West Wiltshire.

Policy R2 identifies existing recreational spaces and seeks, through positive safeguarding measures, to ensure that these important and scarce facilities are not lost through their development. These facilities have recreational and amenity value, and also make an important contribution to the green space of urban environments. They can help to meet the growing need for recreational land in local communities, while private facilities and education land can potentially reach wider public use, better utilising the total stock of facilities. Instances where this protection may be relaxed relate only to circumstances where an over supply of sports pitches or public open space can be demonstrated, where alternative provision is made, or where facilities are retained through development of part of the site only. The ‘area’ referred to in Policy R2 (iii) is the catchment area for any facility lost to the development, taking into account the development itself and any new provision it provides. The site at Sandpits Lane, Steeple Ashton, is temporarily protected under this policy but may be required by the County Council as a school site at a future date. The proposed link road at Bowerhill under Policy T4(E) across the existing Bowerhill Playing Fields will necessitate the relocation of the existing pavilion and basketball court in accordance with Policy R2 (i) above.

The dual use of school playing fields will be sought through negotiation with school boards of governors and the local education authority. In particular, dual use of playing fields provided at the proposed new secondary school, Trowbridge will be encouraged for the benefit of the local community. Central government is keen to make the best use of school facilities for community recreation purposes and has published guidance to local authorities on the matter. The disposal of sites considered surplus to educational needs has, in the past, not fully recognised the continuing important recreational and amenity value which the sites provide to the wider community. School playing fields should not be disposed of until it has been established that the sites will not be required in the longer term for school or community use. School sites are especially important in meeting the need for pitch sports.

The District Plan adopts the NPFA’s 6 acre standard and the District Council will apply it to all major new housing developments. This is a minimum standard of provision for outdoor play space and is made up of elements of formal pitches for adult use as well as equipped playgrounds and informal play space for children’s use. Survey work has revealed a consistent shortfall in provision, particularly of playing pitches and equipped children’s play areas within West Wiltshire. Policy R4 requires that standards of provision be met in all new housing developments, with the minimum standard for children’s use to be met at all times and in all circumstances. The NPFA has developed a hierarchy of children’s play space, from local to neighbourhood provision, the principles of which should be incorporated within new developments where appropriate. Supplementary Planning Guidance will be produced to provide developers with a clear and accessible, step-by-step guide to the provision of open space in accordance with Policy R4.

Policy R5 identifies new recreational spaces, often within new housing developments, which have been secured through legal agreement or are required in allocations elsewhere in the District Plan. These sites will help towards the achievement of improved facilities for outdoor recreation across the West Wiltshire towns, and will be protected from built development, where appropriate, in accordance with Policy R2. The recreation space requirement at Hammond Way, Hilperton is annotated diagrammatically to allow for development of land in this area to make appropriate siting of such facilities as part of a comprehensive development package between the County Council and District Council. This will allow for the recreation land to be provided on either or both of the land parcels and will be subject to the granting of planning permission for the development. The open space survey referred to in para 2.5.4 and 2.5.5 above identified a deficiency of provision particularly in formal sports pitches in the Melksham area. In addition, the proposed new infrastructure and economic growth in the Bowerhill area will require a reorganisation of local open space provision both committed in the District Plan (adopted 1996) and currently existing. Policy R5 (3) identifies land to the west of Pathfinder Way (some 10.8 hectares) which is accessible, appropriately located and capable of accommodating formal open space provision to address the above issues. At Land north of Westbury Leigh (Leigh Park) the residential capacity is anticipated to be 1030 so that an open space requirement of 6.2 hectares is required in accordance with R5(20). A further 1 hectare is also required of R5(19) in order to compensate for land lost at Oldfield Road when the link road was constructed. The additional 1 hectare will be provided as part of the Land north of Westbury Leigh (Leigh Park) development (Policy H13).

The District Council recognises the important role that a new football stadium could have in providing sporting and recreational facilities for the people of Trowbridge and the District as a whole. The former Frome Road football ground and adjacent land is allocated for housing development. The District Council supports the development of a new stadium site within the District having regard to the criteria contained in Policy R6.

Trowbridge Cricket Ground is an important local facility and is used as the County Cricket Ground where a number of international cricket matches have been held in recent years. A part of the overall area in use for the cricket ground is in the ownership of the Health Authority. In order to secure the continued viability of the cricket ground, its practice facilities and its ability to stage major events, it is important that this part of the area remains in use in association with the existing pitch. It is acknowledged, however, that should the Health Authority require the land to provide enhanced health care facilities, then it ought to be utilised for that purpose.

The identification of green wedges, informal recreation spaces and networks of linear routes between recreational destinations within and on the edge of urban areas can serve to maximise the use of natural riversides, woodlands and meadows. This can be beneficial to local communities by providing a safe and pleasant network of green space away from road traffic and also to wildlife conservation by protecting habitats and wildlife corridors within urban areas. The provision of appropriate land and facilities in developing this network may be secured through legal agreements and planning obligations under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 where appropriate. The District Council recognises the importance of the current public access and use of Longleat Estate and woodlands for recreational purposes and notes that the Longleat Estate has produced an ‘Estate Plan’ which includes a number of recreation proposals likely to come forward during the Plan period. Any such proposals will be considered against the relevant Structure and District Plan policies.

The River Biss and its tributary the Blackball Brook at Trowbridge is an attractive recreational asset which also provides an important green wedge right into the town centre. It is considered that there are excellent opportunities to develop areas alongside the River Biss and its tributary the Blackball Brook into an urban fringe country park to be known as Biss Meadows Country Park with a riverside walkway into the town centre. It will also provide important community facilities for residents living in the new housing areas off West Ashton Road and south of Paxcroft Mead. The Park will provide a pedestrian and cycle route around to the Paxcroft Mead development. Land at Paxcroft Brook is also identified as a country park and is safeguarded for recreational uses. Urban fringe parks will be promoted in consultation with the Environment Agency to ensure that the efficiency of the flood plain corridor is maintained, flood storage provided for and that the ecological character of any riverside walkway is conserved and improved in an appropriate manner. Further consideration will be given to the establishment of Local Nature Reserves within such parks where appropriate.

Poulton Field, Bradford on Avon comprises two areas totalling approximately 7 hectares, which are in use as playing fields. The western field is education authority land serving the Fitzmaurice Primary School; the eastern field is owned by the District  Council. It is considered that more use could be made of the Poulton Field area if the reclaimed clay pit to the west were used for car parking (Policy CA4). The District Council recognises the interests and obligations of the education authority but feels that the two fields should be considered as a whole, for dual use by the general public, and include improved facilities such as changing rooms, formal courts etc providing enhanced sporting opportunities for the local area and the town as a whole.

Within built up areas, footpaths, towpaths and bridleways play an important recreational role linking urban open spaces together. They also provide opportunities for access to and enjoyment of the open countryside. Footpaths and public rights of way also form part of a more general transportation network allowing people to choose a more sustainable means of transport to the private car when travelling between homes and local facilities. Policies R11 and T12 therefore seek to encourage the development and use of the public rights of way network, including further suitable provision within new developments particularly in urban fringe locations. The signposting of footpaths to recreational facilities such as the Wilts and Berks Canal to Lacock, is another issue which will be taken forward. Wiltshire County Council is the authority with powers over rights of way and as such will be involved in issues such as the requirement of legal agreements and planning obligations, under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, to secure such facilities within new developments.

The sailing lakes at Station Road, Westbury and Shearwater on the Longleat Estate are important recreational resources. The sailing lake at Station Road, Westbury is also an extremely attractive and important feature for wildlife interest on the northern edge of Westbury and on the approach to the station. The development of Policies H14 and E1C will afford the opportunity to provide better access to the lakeside, including pedestrian access along the southern edge of the lake and the water’s edge. Shearwater is a very popular destination for local people and visitors providing a first class area for quiet informal recreation. This use should be safeguarded and enhanced with the provision of improved facilities for sailing and angling together with improvements to footpaths, interpretation, bird hides and picnic areas. The District Council will encourage the provision of facilities to allow the disabled access for angling, sailing and informal recreation. Any proposals at Shearwater will be considered against relevant Structure and District Plan policies particularly those relating to the protection of the AONB.

Over recent years there has been a marked increase in pressures for golf course and driving range developments, in response to increased consumer demand for such facilities. The large areas of land associated with golf courses and their pressure upon areas of high landscape quality has raised important planning issues. In West Wiltshire there have been similar pressures, the major area for the concern being considerations of golf course development proposals within the Cotswolds and Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs AONBs.

Golf driving ranges, hotels, restaurants and other associated development seek to locate at golf courses and in doing so create a development issue which is wider than that of the golf course use itself. Such facilities may be incongruous to a countryside setting and may also generate excessive traffic movements on country roads. Policies R14 and R15 will be used to determine the total impact of such developments upon the amenities of the local area.

The provision of indoor facilities for sport and recreation is an important element of the wider provision for leisure opportunities.  Indoor halls, courts, pools, etc offer all year round undercover facilities and help to meet a large public demand for sports activities. In West Wiltshire there are leisure centres and sports halls across the District, but these operations suffer from fragmentation resulting in a lack of better quality facilities.

There is a need for a major new sporting complex in the District and for a new sports hall in Bradford on Avon, as identified by Sport England. The dual use of school facilities is one area where existing facilities can be brought into wider public use, at reduced public expenditure. Such arrangements are particularly suitable for rural communities where indoor sports provision is scarcer and unlikely to be provided by a local leisure centre.