LONGBRIDGE AREA ACTION PLAN

OPEN SPACE, SPORT AND RECREATION BASELINE STUDY

January 2008

CONTENTS

PAGE NUMBER

1. INTRODUCTION 1

i. Purpose of Study ii. Definitions

2. PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT 2 i. Planning Policy Guidance 17 ii. Regional Planning Policy iii. UDP and Bromsgrove Local Plan iv. Supplementary Planning Guidance and Supplementary Planning Documents v. Other initiatives

3. OPEN SPACE, SPORTS AND RECREATION PROVISION 7 i. Playing Pitches ii. Public open space iii. Local Play Space Provision iv. Other Informal Open Space v. Other sports facilities vi. Indoor Sport and Recreation Provision

4. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 14

APPENDICES A Plan Of Existing Provision

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1.0 INTRODUCTION

Purpose of study

1.1 This study provides the evidence base for the Longbridge Area Action Plan (AAP) on open space, sport and recreation.

1.2 It examines the availability and quality of existing provision in the area around Longbridge and provides an assessment of where gaps exist. The study also evaluates the potential for new open space, sports and recreation facilities and quantitative and qualitative requirements resulting from new development, and the wider role of sport and recreation in delivering cohesive, healthy and robust communities. It also makes recommendations for the AAP.

1.3 The study has been updated during the preparation of the AAP.

Definitions

1.4 For the purposes of this report, sport and recreation includes a wide range of activities:

• Formal outdoor sports facilities such as football, cricket, rugby, and hockey pitches, tennis courts, bowling greens;

• Play areas for toddlers and juniors and facilities for teenagers such as multi-use games areas, youth shelters, skateboard parks and basketball hoops, and other spaces to allow for play and sports;

• Areas for informal recreation (walking, cycling, horse riding) such as parks, open countryside and other natural green spaces, river and canal corridors mainly using footpaths, cycleways and bridleways; and

• Indoor sports facilities such as gyms, sports halls, skating rinks and bowling.

1.5 The definition of “public open space” is “open space, including playing fields, owned by the Council or to which there is a public right of access, used by the public primarily for recreation purposes. It does not include private or education playing fields, nor does it include municipal or private golf courses, cemeteries, or open areas within housing estates which substitute for private gardens” 1.

1Birmingham Unitary Development Plan 2005

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2.0 PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT

2.1 This section sets out an overview summary of the principal aims and direction of policy within the Birmingham Unitary Development Plan (UDP) and Bromsgrove Local Plan and the respective Council’s supplementary guidance and documents, national guidance in PPG 17, regional policy within the Regional Spatial Strategy, and other policy based initiatives including guidance issued by Sport 2.

2.2 In general these policies seek to ensure there is adequate, well managed, accessible and high-quality green space and recreation facilities by protecting and enhancing existing open spaces and sports and recreation facilities and by providing new open spaces and facilities to serve development. They also recognise that public open spaces and recreation and sport facilities have a number of major benefits;

• Benefits for quality of life and well-being. By providing a good quality natural and built environment that is attractive to live and work in. For example, well managed, well located, high quality open spaces and sport and recreation facilities can provide high levels of local amenity and can strengthen local identity and pride.

• Benefits for community cohesion and safety. By providing a range of local facilities that are accessible to all groups, sports and recreation provision can help reduce social exclusion and disaffection. For example, sport and recreational facilities can provide a focal point for a range of strategies and programmes for tackling anti-social behaviour and crime.

• Direct benefits for environmental sustainability. Sports and recreation facilities can contribute to sustainable development objectives in issues such as equity and participation in activities, supporting economic development, and providing cooling open spaces to counteract climate change. Equally there are various indirect benefits such as providing opportunities for sport and recreation close to where people live.

• Benefits for physical and psychological health. Sports and recreation facilities can contribute to delivering conditions that enable active lifestyles and encourage life long participation. For example sport and recreation facilities can provide a focal point for a range of strategies and programmes aimed at health promotion and encouraging life long participation.

• Realising economic benefits. The presence of good parks and other public spaces is often viewed as an essential business and marketing tool, attracting companies,

2 Spatial Planning for Sport and Active Recreation, Sport England 2005

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customers, employees and services. A good range of high quality open spaces offers very clear benefits to the local economy in terms of stimulating increased house prices, as house-buyers place a premium on proximity to good quality green space. There is also a growing body of evidence which supports the value of sport and physical exercise in improving the productivity of workforces.

Planning Policy Guidance 17 (PPG 17)

2.3 Planning Policy Guidance 17 “Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation” (2002) provides the government’s planning guidance on open space sport and recreation and it gives guidance on providing new and protecting existing open space.

2.4 PPG 17 states that open spaces, sport and recreation all underpin people’s quality of life. Accordingly well-designed and implemented planning policies for open space sport and recreation are therefore fundamental to achieving wider government objectives and will support urban renaissance, rural renewal, social inclusion and community cohesion, health and well-being, and sustainable development.

2.5 Good quality assessments and audits, leading to clear strategy, supported by effective planning policies, will provide vital tools for resolving potential conflict arising between different uses and users of open space, sport and recreational facilities. PPG 17 advises that it is essential to understand existing and future needs of a community in order to identify specific needs and quantitative and qualitative deficits or surpluses of open space, sports and recreational opportunities in the area.

2.6 It goes on to state that existing open spaces, sports and recreational buildings and land should not be built on unless an assessment has been undertaken which has clearly shown the land and buildings to be surplus to requirements, acknowledging that not all open space, sport and recreational land and buildings are of equal merit and some may be available for alternative uses.

Regional Planning Policy

2.7 Regional Planning Guidance for the West Midlands 3, which forms the Regional Spatial Strategy and part of the Development Plan, contains policies concerning greenery, urban green space and public spaces. It states, like PPG 17, that local authorities should carry out audits of provision and assessments of local need and develop strategies to ensure that there is adequate, accessible and high-quality urban green space. The policy in the RSS goes on to emphasise aims of improving the quality of public spaces, and generally improving accessibility and enhancing sports, playing fields and recreation grounds.

3 Regional Planning Guidance for the West Midlands was adopted in June 2004 and became the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS)

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Birmingham UDP and Bromsgrove Local Plan

2.8 The Birmingham UDP aims to support the provision of a network of open space. It also sets standards against which existing provision will be measured. These are 2 ha per 1000 population of public open space and public playing fields and 1.2 ha per 1000 population for public and private playing fields. These requirements are based on the National Playing Fields Association’s six acre standard adapted to reflect the built up nature of Birmingham.

2.9 It also seeks to protect existing open space and to require the provision of new open space in new residential development, or off site provision through a financial contribution secured through Section 106 legal agreement.

2.10 The UDP recognises the particular importance of linear open space walkways, (many of which utilise canals and rivers) to the open space network. It states that the completion and extension of this network will continue to be a priority. The Proposals Map highlights the Rea Valley Walkway as a key route in this network.

2.11 The Bromsgrove Local Plan (2004) contains both policy and supporting text which requires the protection of existing sports and recreation facilities and open space, and also positively supports and encourages the provision of additional sports and recreation provision, both indoor and outdoor.

2.12 In particular policies RAT 1 and 2 support and encourage the use of the Green Belt for sport and recreation. Policies RAT 3 and 7 support the provision of indoor sports facilities, including sports halls in recognition of the lack of formal indoor sports facilities. RAT 4 protects open space and RAT 5 and 6 require new provision in accordance with set standards.

Birmingham and Bromsgrove Supplementary Planning Guidance and Supplementary Planning Documents

2.13 ’s Supplementary Planning Document “Public Open Space and New Residential Development” (July 07) seeks to ensure the appropriate level of public open space, and equipped children’s play and youth facilities are provided in all new residential developments. It states that an amount of open space equivalent to 2 ha per thousand population will be required and that this may be on-site provision or in the form of a commuted sum if the requirement is to be met off site. In appropriate circumstances this may be used to secure qualitative improvements to existing open space off site.

2.14 As part of the overall requirement, children’s play areas will be required within or in the vicinity of development. The maximum distance to play areas is commonly defined as 400m. Schemes of 50 or more dwellings would require a junior play area, which includes

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equipment for both toddlers and children up to the age of 12. The larger the residential development the greater the likelihood that the corresponding children’s play provision will involve more than one play area. The SPD also notes that there may also be the need for other facilities such as a multi-use games areas or youth shelters for larger developments.

2.15 In appropriate circumstances requirements for play facilities may be met off site e.g. through qualitative improvements to existing facilities.

2.16 Bromsgrove District Council’s Supplementary Planning Guidance “Outdoor Play Space” (2004) provides guidance on the provision of Local Areas for Play (LAP), Local Equipped Areas for Play (LEAP) and Neighbourhood Equipped Areas for Play (NEAP) within Bromsgrove in association with the development of residential schemes.

2.17 The guidance sets out the amount of new play space required using a formula based on the number of dwellings proposed. It also sets out a formula for an alternative financial contribution in lieu of on site provision.

2.18 Birmingham’s “Playing Pitches Strategy” Supplementary Planning Document (2006) recognises that playing pitches make a major contribution to urban life by providing space for competitive sport to encourage physical activity, play, recreation and social interaction involving families, children and others.

2.19 It seeks to safeguard playing pitch provision and to increase the quality and quantity where deficiencies exist. The vision of this Playing Pitch Strategy is to see, by 2020, the provision of an appropriate distribution and range of high-quality playing pitches and associated facilities that will provide opportunities for participation in pitch sports by residents from all sectors of the community.

2.20 The strategy assesses provision across the city and it identifies areas where pitches are of inadequate quality and areas where there is unmet demand. Northfield Constituency is identified as having both a number of inadequate pitches and a latent demand for more pitches

2.21 “The Future of Birmingham’s Parks and Open Spaces” Supplementary Planning Document (2006) seeks to respond to PPG 17 by assessing the need for parks and open spaces and setting out actions required to improve and manage parks and open spaces. It identifies locations where there is an inadequate quantity and quality of open space and looks at ways of improving open space.

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Other Initiatives

2.17 Sport England has produced a Priority Area Initiative (PIA) and Longbridge Ward falls within the PIA. To qualify for this, a ward has to be in the top 20% of the most deprived wards in the country. The PIA initiative is intended to be used by Sport England to channel funding to improve sports facilities and aid sports development in those areas that need it most.

2.18 The Northfield Operational Delivery Plan (2007-2008), which covers the wards of Northfield, Longbridge, Weoley and Kings Norton, contains a number of healthier community priorities, which includes:

• Linked sport and healthcare projects;

• Extended schools and sports clusters;

• Sports and healthcare initiatives with young people; and

• Developing projects with Birmingham Sports Partnership.

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3.0 OPEN SPACE, SPORTS AND RECREATION PROVISION

3.1 This section looks at existing open space, sport and recreation provision within the Longbridge area, drawing on specific work and audits undertaken by others including Birmingham City Council as part of their Playing Pitch Strategy for the constituency of Northfield, and both Bromsgrove District Council and Birmingham City Council as part of their Park and Leisure Services management. The plan attached at Appendix A shows many of the facilities referred to.

Playing Pitches (Public, Private and Education pitches)

3.2 Northfield Constituency has a relatively small number of public pitches and falls below Unitary Development Plan standards of 1.2hectares (ha) per 1000 population. In particular Longbridge and Northfield Wards have a provision of less than 0.3ha per 1000 population and therefore fall well below standards.

3.3 The existing facilities are:

a) Cofton Park, which is within the AAP area, is the main multi pitch site serving a wide area.

b) Other facilities within the vicinity of the AAP area are Colmers and Rednal Hill Schools, which are shared with the education sector. The following table sets out an overview of provision of formal playing pitches available for public/community use, with a brief summary of its quality in general terms.

Table 1: Public/Community Use Pitches in Longbridge Ward

Location Facilities Issues

Colmers School & 1 x Senior Football Dual use facility. Sports College and 1 x Junior Football There are some distinct quality deficiencies Community Leisure 1 x Senior Cricket including rutting on pitches. Junior football cannot Centre 1 x All Weather Pitch be expanded into a senior. Cricket is played on an artificial wicket. Changing block only in sports hall. All weather pitch is floodlit.

Cofton Park 3 x Senior Football The pitches on Cofton Park are amongst the worst 3 x Senior Cricket locally and are of average quality at best. Poor cricket square, which is degraded and rutted. Changing available with showers but no toilets.

Rednal Hill Junior 1 x Senior Football Dual use facility. Good pitches but only available for School 1 x Junior Football community use on Sundays. No community use of changing facilities, which are within the School.

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3.4 Although overall provision is well below standards, Birmingham City Council Playing Pitch Strategy identifies only a limited amount of latent demand for further pitch use in the area. This demand equates generally to a senior football and a junior football pitch.

3.5 A key issue is the quality of pitches, and improvements are needed to a number of pitches within the area. Specific inadequacies with each facility are:

• Colmers School & Sports College and Community Leisure Centre has some limitations on its use. The changing rooms are located in the block attached to the sports hall and the junior pitch cannot be expanded to a senior pitch because of rutting. Its cricket pitch is played on an artificial wicket but is floodlit.

• The football pitches at Cofton Park have been assessed within the playing pitch assessment as being average. There is a poor level of changing facilities in old converted farm buildings and no use of toilets but the changing areas do include showers. Whilst the football pitches are rated as being adequate, they are among the worst in the area, and it is also evident that the cricket squares are poor and rutted in places. The site is well used and is known to be unable to accommodate the current demand for cricket.

3.6 Colmers School & Sports College and Community Leisure Centre has interest from local employers exploring the development of sports facilities available to their employees. The school became a specialist sports college in 2004 bid and has a new Fitness Area for both school and community, refurbished changing areas, and has developed strong links with Aston Villa Football Club, Birmingham City Football Club, Birmingham Bullets Basketball Club and the Warwickshire County Cricket Club.

3.7 Rednal Hill Junior School has football pitches but these are only available to the community on Sundays. There are a number of other schools in the wider area but very few have pitches available for community use.

Playing Pitches (Private)

3.8 There are private football pitches at Austin Sports and Social Club within the AAP area. Barnt Green Sports club also provides tennis, squash and badminton to subscribers.

Public open space

3.9 In quantitative terms, figures produced by Birmingham City Council for Longbridge Ward suggest there is 3.26 ha of public open space per thousand population. This compares to provision of 2.22 ha of public open space per thousand population in Northfield Ward. The

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figure for Longbridge includes Cofton Park, the largest park in the constituency and a facility that serves needs beyond the Longbridge Ward.

3.10 The plan at Appendix A shows the main public open space, natural and semi natural urban green spaces, green networks and corridors, and amenity green space. All form part of the wider network of open space and informal recreation opportunities within the Longbridge area. Apart from Cofton Park the other key large area of open space near to the AAP area is Lickey Hills Country Park, within Hillside Ward. The main smaller local areas of open space adjoining the AAP area are Daffodil Park on the Rea Valley, Callow Brook, and Rover Park in Great Park.

3.11 The area is therefore relatively well served by parks and open spaces but public consultation on the AAP has highlighted a strong desire to see improvements in the quality of open spaces, particularly Cofton Park. The following table sets out an overview of provision of public open space, with a brief summary of opportunities for improvement.

Table 2 – Public open space in vicinity of AAP area

Location Size Type Usage Quality Opportunity Cofton Park is a major park within Cofton Park 53.2ha Ward Park High Average Longbridge. The recreation (within AAP opportunities it presents are significant area) both for formal and informal recreation. There is a need for landscape enhancement, investment in informal recreation facilities and general management. Part of the park is a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation. A significant and highly beneficial Lickey Hills 163.7 Strategic High Very country park, which is located in a Country Park Ha, inc Park and Good highly accessible location for and Golf Course Golf Golf Longbridge. Landscape conservation located west of Course Course and management are key to its AAP area continued contribution to local recreation opportunity. It is a Site of Importance for Conservation and has Green Flag status. The Golf Course is municipal. Callow Brook Linear A linear open space with a need for Located to the 2.93ha Open Medium Average conservation and continued west of AAP Space management. area Rover Park Orientated to serve Great Park a new located north of 2.12ha Local Park Medium Average recreation space. AAP area Continued enhancement and Daffodil Park 3.84ha Linear Medium Good management. located north of Open AAP area Space Fairfax Road 4.0ha Park High Mixed Continued management and Located to the enhancement. Play area very poor but east of the AAP S106 money has been tagged for area replacement.

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Linear open spaces and Networks

3.12 The Rea Valley Walkway and Heritage Trail is one of the city’s main linear open space walkways and is also laid out as a cycleway. It extends from the City Centre to Waseley Hills. Continuous public access is provided alongside the river between and Daffodil Park through a linked network of open spaces. Public access is interrupted where the River Rea passes though the former MG Rover site. The redevelopment of the site therefore provides an important opportunity to complete a key missing link in the walkway and provide connecting routes to the surrounding area.

3.13 The River Arrow passes under East Works in culvert, and again the redevelopment of the site provides an important opportunity to open it up and provide routes connecting into the surrounding area.

3.14 The AAP area also features other cycle lanes and a network of walkways/footpaths. These linear spaces have a valuable role to play in providing local residents and employees with healthy and sustainable transport options. They are also of value for informal recreation.

Local Play Space Provision

3.15 Provision for children and young people forms an important element of a balanced portfolio of junior and toddler play areas and facilities for older children/young people such as skateboard parks, outdoor basket ball hoops, youth shelters and other multi use ball game areas.

3.16 It is also important to recognise that many activities are captured under the heading of ‘play’, which could be broadly interpreted as ‘what children and young people do when they follow their own ideas and interests in their own way and for their own reasons’ (Getting Serious About Play, 2004). This means the provision of play facilities needs to be looked at creatively and often involves planning for play beyond pitches and play equipment.

3.17 The main facilities in the vicinity of the AAP area are identified on the plan at Appendix A, and the table below summarises the provision.

Table 3: Local Play Areas

Location Size Type Usage Quality Opportunity

Kendall Rise Expand and improve (over 500m from AAP 1.11ha Local Park and Medium Poor equipment and area) Play Area environment Play area with Fairfax Rd 4.0ha Local Park with Medium Average opportunity for (Approx 800m to east play area improvement with of AAP area adjoining open space

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Preserve as a good site Fox Hollow Close, 0.1 ha Local Play area High Good Rednal (400 m to south west of AAP area) Myhill Field, Cofton 0.1 ha Local Play area High Good Recently improved and Hackett also know as for under 8’s upgraded. Cofton Community Recreation Ground (adjoining east works) Rover Park 2.06ha Local park with Medium Good Laid out approximately Play area 5 years ago; no further work since. Lickey Hills visitor 0.14ha Country park with High Good Funding for new centre play area children’s play additional play area for area. older children recently granted.

3.18 There is one play area adjoining the AAP area at , but most are much further away than the recommended 400m walking distance and/or are separated by main roads. There are no skateboard parks, no youth shelters and no multi use balls game areas in the vicinity. The existing play areas vary considerably in terms of quality and most would benefit from further improvements in terms of range of equipment and surfacing.

3.19 Public consultation on the AAP has also highlighted a shortage of quality facilities for older children/young people.

Other informal open space

3.20 The surrounding countryside is almost exclusively green belt. As well as the Lickey Hiils Country Park it also contains attractive farmland and woodland areas of high landscape value, several reservoirs and pools including Upper and Lower Bittell Reservoirs, and the Worcester and Birmingham Canal.

3.21 The wider area provides major recreational resources with a wide network of footpaths and bridleways. These include the North Worcestershire Long Distance Path that passes along Cofton Church Lane immediately adjacent to the AAP area.

3.22 The footpath route through the AAP area from Cofton Church Lane was closed off when East Works factory was developed.

3.23 All paths suffer from pressure from users, and many would benefit from improvements to quality through, for example, surface upgrades. This pressure will increase as a result of the new development proposed.

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Allotments

3.24 There are allotments gardens at The Leys and at Cofton Hackett detailed below.

Table 4: Allotments

Site size Usage Quality Comments Forms part of a Wildlife Corridor and a The Leys 3.49 ha Medium Average Site of Local Importance for Nature Allotments Conservation. Rubery, Great park

Cofton Hackett 1.34ha Low Average Only a small part of total area is allotments cultivated. (adjacent to AAP area)

Other sports facilities

3.25 There is a municipal Golf Course on the Lickey Hills to the south west of Longbridge. The North Worcestershire Golf Club, Northfield is a private course about 1km north of the AAP area. Kings Norton also has a private golf course further to the south east, but relatively accessible from Longbridge. There is a private fishing club at Cofton Hackett Reservoir and opportunities for fishing elsewhere in the area, for example Rubery Balancing Lake. Barnt Green Sailing Club is based at Upper Bittell Reservoir. There are tennis and crown green bowls facilities at Rose Hill, adjacent to Lickey Hills Country park, but these are in need of investment.

3.26 There is also a growing focus upon the participation of young people (particularly more excluded groups) in ‘street sports’, which creates the opportunity to be involved in sport in a more informal atmosphere. This can include such activity as street hockey, in-line skates, skateboarding and BMX biking in formal and informal sport ‘facilities’.

Indoor Sport and Recreation Provision

3.27 Indoor sport and recreation can have considerable value given its availability year round, and again forms an important part of the necessary portfolio of sport and recreation provision within any community.

3.28 The main facilities within the Longbridge area are listed in the table below.

Facility Comment

LA Fitness, Bristol Road South, Bristol Road Private health and fitness centre with monthly south – to the north of the AAP area subscription providing a range of cardiovascular work out equipment, gym and changing. The premises also

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have a swimming pool, solarium and crèche for members. The facility is located on the West side of the Bristol Road.

Greens Health and Fitness, Great Park Private health and fitness centre with monthly subscription again providing a range of cardiovascular work out equipment, gym and changing located within the leisure area of Great Park. The premises have a more extensive range of facilities than LA Fitness including larger 25m pool, aerobic and spinning classes, sauna, steam rooms, health and beauty salon.

Colmers Community Leisure Centre, Bristol Municipal facility attached to Colmers School with a Road South junior and senior football pitch, a cricket pitch and an all weather pitch. Indoor sports hall provides courses in martial arts, indoor bowls, badminton, and indoor cricket amongst others. The Leisure Centre also has a gym, fitness room and changing. Barnt Green Sports Club Private club offering indoor badminton, squash and outdoor tennis

Northfield Pool and Fitness centre Municipal facility offering gym, swimming pools, dance and fitness studios.

Hollywood bowl, Great Park Ten pin bowling

Table 5: Indoor Sport and Recreation

3.29 Indoor sport and recreation opportunities are more limited than outdoor sport and recreation opportunities. The lack of indoor sport and recreation facilities is recognised in the Bromsgrove Local Plan with a specific policy encouraging the provision of sports halls.

3.30 Public consultation highlighted a desire to see a wider range of indoor sports and leisure facilities including sports halls, skating rink and swimming.

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4.04.04.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

4.1 The previous section of this study examines the availability and quality of existing sports and recreation infrastructure in Longbridge and looks at where gaps and deficiencies exist.

4.2 This section looks at the key issues raised in Section 3 and the implications for the AAP. It sets out what provision would be expected.

4.3 Based on the opportunities that present themselves through the Area Action Plan, it is clearly the case that future provision can;

• Ensure that any new residential development proposed appropriately meets its own likely needs for all types of recreation and open space provision;

• Seek to ensure new recreation and open space provision also addresses current deficiencies within Longbridge; and

• Ensure the needs of other users of sports and recreational facilities are met; in particular the future sports college, local employers and employees.

Playing Pitches

4.4 The recommendations for the AAP are set out in table 6.

Table 6- Playing pitches- issues and recommendations

Issues Implications/recommendations for the AAP

• The residential development proposed by the • A package of improvements to Cofton AAP of over 1450 dwellings will create a need Park including improved drainage, for at least 4.5ha of playing pitches. protective fencing to cricket wickets, provision of improved changing facilities • Other users, particularly the new college and and toilets to be provided through the local employers, will require sports facilities to community infrastructure levy. meet their needs. • Further assessment of the needs of the • Cofton Park offers significant potential to college and local employers. enhance facilities to meet needs of the development proposed by the AAP • Sports development programmes and immediate area and to address existing other measures to widen access to formal deficiencies. pitch provision for all sectors of the community, to help reduce crime and

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• The need for sports development youth offending, to increase social programmes to address social exclusion inclusion and promote health and well- issues and meet needs of young people. being; to be funded through the Longbridge community infrastructure levy.

Public open space

4.5 The recommendations for the AAP are set out in table 7.

Table 7 – Public open space- issues and recommendations

Issues Implications/ recommendations for the AAP

• The residential development proposed by • Development should provide open spaces to the AAP of over 1450 dwellings will create a meet local needs within the development. need for at least 7.5ha of public open space. Neighbourhood parks should be provided in the housing sites at West Works and East • Other users, particularly the new college Works. These should take advantage of the and local employers, will require local open rivers that run through the sites. spaces to meet their needs. • To redress the need for larger open spaces, • Due to the presence of Cofton Park and and to meet the balance of open space Lickey Hills Country Park there are requirements, improvements to existing adequate large parks to serve needs. open spaces, especially Cofton Park, should However there is a need for smaller local be met through the community infrastructure public open spaces to serve the levy. development. • Other smaller open spaces will be required • The quality of existing open space is an in the development where appropriate e.g. issue. to meet the needs for informal recreation within employment areas

Play space

4.6 The recommendations for the AAP are set out in table 8.

Table 8 – Play space- issues and recommendations

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Issues Implications/ recommendations for the AAP

• The residential development proposed by • The neighbourhood parks provided in the the AAP of over 1450 dwellings will create a housing sites at West Works and East need for several toddler and junior play Works should contain play facilities for all areas within the AAP area. age ranges. Where these cannot be accommodated on site the Community • Development will create the need for at least Infrastructure Levy should allow for one Multi Use Games Area (MUGA)/Youth improvements to appropriate sites in the shelter and skateboard area within the AAP area. area or elsewhere within the local area. • Programmes and other measures to • Only a small corner of East works lies encourage citizenship and youth within 400m of existing facilities; the vast engagement to be funded through the majority of the AAP area is not currently community infrastructure levy. served by play facilities. • Programmes and other measures to support • Need to take a forward a broad the development of local play strategies for interpretation of play children and young people; to be funded through the Community Infrastructure Levy

Walkways/ Footpaths/Countryside

4.7 The recommendations for the AAP are set out in table 9.

Table 9 – Footpaths/Countryside issues and recommendations

Issues Implications/ recommendations for the AAP

• Opportunity to complete missing links in • Complete missing links in River Rea River Rea walkway. Walkway by providing continuous walkway routes through West and North works sites • Oportunity to create new walkway across with links to adjoining areas. East Works site to link in with surrounding countryside and Cofton Park. • Create new walkway alongside re-opened River Arrow with links to adjoining areas and • Opportunity to enhance walkway/footpath re-open former right of way under railway links with surrounding areas and to re-open line. rights of way. • Implement measures to mitigate impact of • Need to manage increased recreational increased recreational pressure on

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pressure on surrounding countryside as a surrounding countryside funded through the result of new development. community infrastructure levy.

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APPENDIX A