Playing Pitch Strategy
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Scarborough Borough Council October 2013 Playing Pitch Strategy Scarborough Filey Scarborough Playing Pitch Strategy 2013 CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Project Plan 3.0 Context 4.0 Market Segmentation Analysis SPORT SPECIFIC SUMMARY REPORTS AND STRATEGIES 5.0 Football 6.0 Cricket 7.0 Rugby Union 8.0 Rugby League 9.0 Hockey 10.0 Tennis MONITORING AND REVIEW 11.0 Monitoring and Review TECHNICAL APPENDICES Appendix 4 Market Segmentation Analysis (North Yorkshire Sport) Appendix 5 Football Appendix 6 Cricket Appendix 7 Rugby Union Appendix 8 Rugby League Appendix 9 Hockey Appendix 10 Tennis Appendix 11 Planning Issues * Please note that the Appendices numbering has been designed to match with the relevant chapter. As such, there are no appendices numbered 1-4. Scarborough Playing Pitch Strategy 2013 1.0 INTRODUCTION What is a playing pitch and what is a Playing Pitch Strategy? 1.1 A playing pitch is defined by the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order (2010) as being: “a delineated area which, together with any run off areas is of 0.2 hectares or more, and which is used for association football, rugby, cricket, hockey, lacrosse, rounders, baseball, softball, American football, Australian football, Gaelic football, shinty, hurling, polo or cycle polo.” 1.2 A Playing Pitch Strategy (PPS) is a 2-part report; firstly, it is a formal assessment of current and future team-based for, and the supply and quality of, playing pitches. Secondly, it is a strategy for the development of pitch based sport, both in terms of the quantity and quality of pitches and facilities, and levels of participation within the sports covered by the strategy. Why is the Playing Pitch Strategy being developed? 1.3 Scarborough Borough Council is currently involved in a number of projects that are directly related to the provision of playing pitches. At present, each project is being progressed independently. By developing a Playing Pitch Strategy each individual area of work can be brought together into a single document; thereby ensuring that there is a clear and concise strategy for sports development in place that Sport England, the pitch sport National Governing Bodies and the wider sporting community can buy in to. The key drivers behind the development of the Playing Pitch Strategy include: . Sustainable Communities Strategy (April 2010) The Borough’s Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) contains a series of objectives based around healthy lifestyles and sports participation. Section 4.1 of the SCS highlights the need to ‘improve the quality of leisure provision within the Borough’ and to ‘improve opportunities for participation in sporting activity for all residents’ as future priorities. The Playing Pitch Strategy can assist in the delivery of these objectives. Sports Development There are a number of sports development initiatives taking place within the Borough. The Playing Pitch Strategy can provide clear aims and objectives to enhance existing initiatives whilst also indicating where new initiatives can be put in place. Local Plan update The Borough Council are currently in the process of updating its Local Plan (1999). As part of this process a robust evidence base covering a variety of topics will need to be compiled. One of the outcomes of the Playing Pitch Strategy will be to identify whether or not additional land will - 2 - Scarborough Playing Pitch Strategy 2013 need to be allocated within the Local Plan for the development of new sports facilities. The North York Moors National Park Core Strategy and Development Policies was adopted in 2008 and Core Policy I supports new sports facilities and resists loss of existing ones unless they are no longer suitable or viable. New facilities should ideally be located in Service Villages (Scalby, Sleights, and East & West Ayton) and Local Service Villages (Fylingthorpe, Lythe, Staithes and Hinderwell) unless there are no suitable sites in these locations. The assessment of planning applications The Playing Pitch Strategy will inform the assessment of planning applications involving playing pitches, e.g. where development would result in the loss of playing pitches. The Strategy would indicate whether there is a surplus or deficit of playing pitches within the study area and, therefore, whether or not there is a need to re-provide facilities elsewhere. Development Projects The Borough Council are currently progressing a number of development projects, including the Weaponess Sports Village, which seeks to provide a new integrated hub for sports provision within the town of Scarborough. The Playing Pitch Strategy will help to shape the context, scale and scope of the proposals. Capitalising on Investment Opportunities Having a Playing Pitch Strategy that sets clear priorities for sport, based around robust evidence, will put the Council and its delivery partners in the best position to take advantage of funding and investment opportunities. What sports are to be included in the strategy? 1.4 The sports of football, cricket, rugby union, rugby league and hockey have been included within this Playing Pitch Strategy as their respective national governing bodies1 (NGBs) have developed the new PPS guidance in partnership with Sport England. Moreover, each of these sports are well represented within Scarborough Borough. 1.5 In addition, although it is not a pitch sport by definition, tennis has been included within this PPS due to the number of issues facing the sport in the Borough. For example, Filey Road Sports Centre, which currently provides a large number of hard and grass surface tennis courts, is due to be closed within the next few years. The PPS will assess the implications of this and establish a clear way forward in terms of the number of courts that should be re-provided. 1 Football Association, England and Wales Cricket Board, Rugby Football Union, Rugby Football League and England Hockey - 3 - Scarborough Playing Pitch Strategy 2013 What is the vision for playing pitch provision in the area? 1.6 The “Sustainable Community Strategy for the Borough of Scarborough” (2010 2013) sets out a long-term strategic vision for the future of the Borough. It states that Scarborough will be; “A dynamic, vibrant and prosperous place where people want to live now and in the future. A place where people have opportunities and support to achieve their full potential in an outstanding natural environment.” 1.7 The document is structured around five themes, which set out the key issues for Borough and identifies how the vision can be delivered. Theme 4 of the SCS is titled ‘Inclusive and Vibrant Communities’ and identifies the need to: . improve the quality of leisure provision within the Borough . improve opportunities for participation in sporting activity for all residents 1.8 These objectives can be used to develop a vision that is specific to sport pitches and to this Playing Pitch Strategy. The vision for the PPS is to: “Ensure that all residents of the Borough have access to high quality sports pitches; to promote participation in sporting activity, both now and in the future.” What are the key objectives of the PPS? 1.9 The following objectives are central to the delivery of the vision for playing pitches and sport participation. They relate directly to key stages of developing a Playing Pitch Strategy (see chapter 2). The objectives are: a. Provide a robust evidence base that can be used by multiple Council departments and other stakeholders for a wide range of projects b. Gather all available supply and demand data from a range of sources for all sports covered by this Playing Pitch Strategy c. Assess the quality of all sites and pitches in the Borough (including the area covered by the North York Moors National Park) d. Achieve a high response rate from the surveys sent to clubs, schools and parish councils/community organisations e. Engage with Sport England and the relevant National Governing Bodies for sport throughout the production of the PPS f. Compile a comprehensive GIS database of the location and quality of all playing pitches in the Borough g. Assess whether there is sufficient pitch capacity to accommodate all elements of current and future demand h. Identify the nature and location of any overuse, unmet demand and spare capacity for play across all pitch types and sports i. Highlight the key issues around pitch provision and participation that need to be addressed j. Establish clear, prioritised, specific and achievable recommendations and actions to address the key issues around pitch provision and participation k. Ensure that the PPS is regularly monitored and updated, with a full review to be undertaken after 5 years - 4 - Scarborough Playing Pitch Strategy 2013 3.0 PROJECT PLAN 3.1 The Project Plan sets out the methodology for completing this Playing Pitch Strategy. It has been developed in accordance with Sport England’s new PPS guidance (“Developing a Playing Pitch Strategy”) and identifies the key elements of work required to complete the step-by-step approach outlined in the diagram below: Section A: PREPARATION STEP 1: STEP 2: STEP 3: Clarify why the PPS is Set up the management Tailor the approach being developed arrangements Section B: INFORMATION GATHERING STEP 4: STEP 5: Develop an audit of Develop a picture of playing pitches demand Section C: ASSESSMENT STEP 6: STEP 7: STEP 8: Understand how each Develop the current Carry out scenario site is being used picture of provision testing Section D: KEY FINDINGS AND ISSUES STEP 9: STEP 10: Identify key findings Check and challenge & issues key findings & issues Section E: STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION STEP 11: STEP 12: STEP 13: Develop conclusions Develop an action & Adopt, monitor and & recommendations implementation plan review the PPS - 5 - Scarborough Playing Pitch Strategy 2013 SECTION A: PREPARATION Management Arrangements 3.2 A Steering Group comprising representatives of key stakeholders (including Sport England and the NGB’s) has been established to oversee the production of the PPS.