Shropshire Council
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Shropshire Council Playing Pitch Strategy 2010 - 2019 A Final Report December 2010 strategic leisure Shropshire Council Playing Pitch Strategy 2010 - 2020 Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1 2 SHROPSHIRE – CONTEXT FOR THE STUDY 4 3 METHODOLOGY 9 4 SUMMARY OF THE RESEARCH COMPLETED 11 5 AUDIT OVERVIEW 15 6 ASSESSMENT AND ANALYSIS SUMMARY – MAIN PITCH SPORTS 24 7 ASSESSMENT AND ANALYSIS SUMMARY – MINOR SPORTS 50 8 SUMMARY OF KEY ISSUES AND CONCLUSIONS 59 9 POLICY OPTIONS APPRAISAL 81 10 RECOMMENDATIONS 84 Shropshire Council Playing Pitch Strategy 2010 - 2020 Table of Appendices 1. STUDY CONSULTEES 2. DEMAND DATA 3. PLAYING PITCH MODEL (PPM) 4. SUPPLY DATA 5. CLUB SURVEY 6. STUDY CONTEXT AND RELEVANT POLICIES Shropshire Council Playing Pitch Strategy 2010 - 2020 Maps 1 ALL SITES WITH COMMUNITY USE* 1a North Sub Area – all sites by community use 1b Central Sub Area – all sites by community use 1c South Area – all sites by community use 2 ALL MINI FOOTBALL SITES WITH COMMUNITY USE 3 ALL SITES WITH YOUTH FOOTBALL PROVISION WITH COMMUNITY USE 4 ALL SITES WITH SENIOR FOOTBALL PROVISION WITH COMMUNITY USE 5 ALL SITES WITH RUGBY PROVISION WITH COMMUNITY USE 6 ALL SITES WITH CRICKET PROVISION WITH COMMUNITY USE 7 ALL SITES WITH AGP’S WITH SECURED COMMUNITY USE 8 ALL SITES WITH BOWLS PROVISION WITH COMMUNITY USE 9 ALL SITES WITH TENNIS PROVISION WITH COMMUNITY USE 10 NORTH SUB AREA ALL SITES BY PITCH TYPE 11 CENTRAL SUB AREA ALL SITES BY PITCH TYPE 12 SOUTH SUB AREA ALL SITES BY PITCH TYPE 13 NORTH SUB AREA ALL COMMUNITY USE SITES BY PITCH QUALITY 14 CENTRAL SUB AREA ALL COMMUNITY USE SITES BY PITCH QUALITY 15 SOUTH SUB AREA ALL COMMUNITY USE SITES BY PITCH QUALITY 16 ALL MINI FOOTBALL SITES BY CATCHMENT AREA 17 ALL YOUTH FOOTBALL SITES BY CATCHMENT AREA 18 ALL SENIOR FOOTBALL SITES BY CATCHMENT AREA 19 ALL RUGBY SITES BY CATCHMENT AREA 20 ALL CRICKET SITES BY CATCHMENT AREA Shropshire Council Playing Pitch Strategy 2010 - 2020 21 ALL AGP SITES BY CATCHMENT AREA 22 ALL BOWLING GREEN SITES BY CATCHMENT AREA 23 ALL TENNIS SITES BY CATCHMENT AREA *In Shropshire, with the exception of dual-use AGPs, there is no secured community use of playing pitches, where ‘secured’ means a formal written agreement in place. Therefore, with the exception of hockey, and AGPs, supply and demand has been modelled on community use, as identified through the audit and consultation process. Community use in this strategy reflects the fact that local teams and clubs are able to use the facilities, as are the local community, but there is not necessarily a written/formal or approved agreement/arrangement for this in place. Hockey is modelled on full size AGPs with community use which are suitable for hockey. Shropshire Council Playing Pitch Strategy 2010 - 2020 1 Introduction and Background The Project 1.1 Strategic Leisure (SL), part of the URS/Scott Wilson Group, was commissioned by Shropshire Council to develop a Playing Pitch Strategy (PPS). The strategy is based on an eight stage assessment (following the process detailed in Towards a Level Playing Field the Sport England and CCPR 1 guidance on developing local playing pitch strategies) of supply and demand for football, cricket, rugby union and hockey. The Strategy covers a ten year period and will guide long term decision making to align with Shropshire’s Local Development Framework (LDF). 1.2 The PPS has been prepared by SL following the development of an Indoor Facilities Strategy for Shropshire and a Facility Framework for Energize Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (County Sports Partnership). The PPS therefore reflects the conclusions and recommendations of these strategies where appropriate, and links the strategic direction for future provision of playing pitches with built facilities. 1.3 The assessment of major sports (football, cricket, rugby and hockey), where participation rates are relatively high has included ‘sub-area’ analysis on the basis of the 3 sub areas – North, Central and South. Further analysis has also been undertaken in relation to the planning policy hierarchy, on the basis of the main urban area of Shrewsbury, the market towns and the rural areas. 1.4 This final report is supported by a series of appendices, which contain the detailed modelling and assumptions behind the analysis, together with the methodology. This draft report is intended to provide an overview of the findings of the assessments completed, the key priorities and emerging recommendations, which will then be developed into the final report. It deliberately focuses more on the results of the assessment and recommendations and priorities, rather than the research process and methods, given the complexities of the overall process, and the known priority outcomes and agendas to which this study needs to contribute. Strategy Aim and Objectives 1.5 The Shropshire Playing Pitch strategy aims to provide a strategic approach to future playing pitch provision; it will provide direction and set priorities for pitch sports for both Shropshire Council and its local partners. 1.6 Whilst the report was commissioned, and is owned by, Shropshire Council there is recognition that a number of the playing pitches within the report are owned and maintained by a range of public, private and voluntary providers. The strategy aims to support each of these and encourage partnership working in order to provide appropriate high quality playing pitch provision for all of Shropshire’s different communities. 1.7 In light of the above, the aim of the study is to produce a playing pitch strategy, which will provide robust justification for future provision of high quality and accessible facilities within Shropshire, in addition to providing policy options and clearly identifying local standards. 1.8 The strategy provides baseline data on the present quantity and quality of all the playing pitches in Shropshire identifies gaps in provision – both quantitative and qualitative. The strategy includes an action plan, agreed with partners, to improve provision for local communities and how this might be achieved. 1 1 CCPR – Central Council for Physical Recreation www.scottwilson.com www.strategicleisure.co.uk 1 Shropshire Council Playing Pitch Strategy 2010 - 2020 1.9 In meeting this aim, the objectives of this study are to: Produce a strategy based on an assessment using the eight stage Sport England Playing Pitch Model (Towards a Level Playing Field) Produce a full audit of all playing pitches in the local authority area, including those not available for community use. Data supplied by PMP Consulting was initially utilised as base data, however this was then added to using Active Places, Active Places Power, general internet research, consultation feedback and detailed site visits. Complete non-technical quality assessments on the majority of sites as agreed with the Client). These included community and non-community use sites to provide an indicative overview of quality, quantity and accessibility. It must be noted that not all site visits were completed within the actual playing season for specific sports; this can have an impact on overall quality scores. Utilise a range of consultation methods with internal and external key stakeholders, clubs, and NGB’s i.e. on-line surveys, email, telephone and face-to-face consultation to facilitate supply and demand analysis Help deliver government policies and demonstrate the value of leisure services in terms of locality working, social inclusion, environmental protection, community involvement and healthy living. Help deliver a value for money process through: Consultation with pitch-based sports clubs, providers and organised leagues Challenging the current system for sports pitch ownership, management and maintenance Comparison with other local authorities through various benchmarks (team generation rates, the NPFA’s Six Acre Standard, local standards and other performance indicators – see later sections for more details) Competition, perhaps for pitch maintenance contracts. It will also encourage continuous improvement through monitoring, auditing and benchmarking. Develop a range of options resulting from the modelling results and use qualitative data to interpret these Develop clear recommendations for current and future playing pitch provision – levels, location, quality etc Develop local provision standards reflecting both qualitative and quantitative issues Provide robust evidence for capital funding bids. 1.10 As well as proving the need for developer contributions towards pitches and facilities, the playing pitch strategy will provide evidence of need for a range of capital grants eg Sport England Lottery Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund (for park improvements), the Football Foundation and the New Opportunities Fund. It will: Provide the basis for new pitch requirements as a result of new housing developments. Evidence the need for suitable protection for pitches threatened by development. Improve Shropshire Council’s asset management, which should result in more efficient use of resources and reduced overheads. www.scottwilson.com www.strategicleisure.co.uk 2 Shropshire Council Playing Pitch Strategy 2010 - 2020 Highlight locations where quality of provision can be enhanced. Help identify where community use of school sports pitches is most needed. Provide better information to residents and other users of sports pitches. This includes information about both pitches and sports teams. Promote sports development and helping unlock latent demand by identifying where the lack of facilities might be suppressing the formation of teams. Link closely with Shropshire Access, and Play Strategies to ensure the playing pitch strategy contributes to a holistic approach to open / green space improvement and protection and the development of relevant community green spaces which can be sources of recreation and locations for community events. Study Scope 1.11 The study encompasses an assessment of all formal outdoor playing pitch facilities (football, cricket, rugby and hockey) in addition to tennis, bowls, athletics and golf. It includes facilities provided via the public, private, education and voluntary sectors and presents an area wide (i.e.