Outdoor Recreation Space Survey 1999
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Worthing Local Plan Review 1999 Outdoor Recreation Space Survey 1999 SURVEY REPORT Worthing Local Plan Review 1999 Outdoor Recreation Space Survey 1999 1.0 Introduction 1.1 In July 1999, a comprehensive review of outdoor leisure and recreation facilities was undertaken by the Planning Policy Team, in conjunction with Worthing Leisure (Parks Section), to provide an overview of current provision within the Borough of Worthing. 1.2 The purpose of this document is to update and clarify the findings of ‘Urban Amenity Open Space Survey’ undertaken in 1996, in connection with the publication of the revised Worthing Local Plan Review 1999 (Deposit Draft). 1.3 The analysis of the survey findings is presented on a Borough and Ward basis, with all sites listed and identified on the relevant schedules and plans. 1.4 The existing recreation space, once identified, has been assessed against the provision recommended in the National Playing Fields Association (NPFA) document ‘The Six Acre Standard’. The population figures are taken from the 1991 Census, as this is the most accurate source for such data at a ward level. 1.5 In addition to this background report, the information on every site included in the survey is retained on a computer database to enable future amendments and ease the updating of this document. These details and individual site plans are available for inspection only, by contacting the Planning Policy Team on (01903) 239999 extension 2626. 2.0 The NPFA Six Acre Standard 2.1 The NPFA was established in 1925 to help ensure that every man, woman and child in Great Britain should have the opportunity of participating in outdoor recreational activity within a reasonable distance of their homes during their free time. The NPFA defines outdoor playing space as a “space which is available for sport, active recreation or children’s play, which is of suitable size and nature for its intended purpose, and safely accessible and available to the general public”. Outdoor Recreation Space Survey - 1 - 2.2 Since 1938, the NPFA has recommended that a minimum of 2.43 hectares (6 acres) of outdoor play space be provided per 1000 population. Furthermore, the NPFA has advised Local Authorities to adopted such standards as a minimum for their areas. 2.3 The NPFA document ‘The Six Acre Standard’ breaks down the minimum 2.43 hectares (6 acres) into two different categories of play space, as follows: (1) Children’s Playing Space Area per 1000 Population i) Outdoor equipped playgrounds for children of whatever age; 0.2 – 0.3 hectares (0.5 –0.75 acres) ii) Designated play facilities for children, such as adventure playgrounds; iii) Casual or informal playing space 0.4 – 0.5 hectares within housing areas (1 – 1.25 acres) (2) Outdoor Sport i) Facilities such as pitches, greens, courts, athletics tracks and miscellaneous sites such as croquet lawns and training areas owned by local authorities; 1.6 –1.8 hectares ii) Facilities described in (i) within (4 – 4.5 acres) the educational sector and which, as a matter of practice and policy, are available for public use; iii) Facilities described in (i) within the voluntary, private and commercial sectors and serve the leisure needs for outdoor recreation for their members and the public. (NB: Included in the broad 2.4 hectares (6 acres) standard is a specific allocation of 1.2 hectares per 1000 population for pitch sports). Outdoor Recreation Space Survey - 2 - 3.0 Methodology 3.1 The 1996 ‘Urban Amenity Open Space Survey’ provided a starting point for identifying sites to be included in this survey. In addition to this, OS maps and aerial photographs were also examined to identify possible sites to visit. To provide an extensive survey of the outdoor recreation space within the Borough, the majority of sites were visited and detailed site notes taken to clarify the facilities and boundaries of each site. The only sites not visited were educational dual use facilities, the West Worthing Tennis Club and the Davison Leisure Centre, where the details were instead confirmed by the providers. 3.2 All of the survey details have been entered into a comprehensive database and the figures from this database have been utilised to create this report. The areas of the sites were verified using figures from the Park’s Section’s maintenance records, or where sites were not maintained by the Council their areas were checked using GIS. 3.3 Categories in the survey to be compared against NPFA standards 3.3.1 Equipped Children’s Play Space - playgrounds with a range of equipment for children of all ages. 3.3.2 Casual/ Informal Play Space - characteristically open, fairly level grassed area suitable for informal play games. The majority of such sites are easily accessible from surrounding residential areas, but a few sites (such as Highdown North Field) are in more peripheral locations. 3.3.3 Adult/ Youth Outdoor Sport - pitches, courts, greens and tracks that are areas laid out for formal sport and are properly maintained throughout the year. The majority of these sites are maintained by the Council, however the survey also includes dual-use educational facilities (see below) and privately owned facilities at the West Worthing Club and the Davison Leisure Centre. 3.3.4 Educational Facilities - West Sussex County Council advised that some schools/ colleges within the Borough may make their outdoor sports facilities available to the general public, and suggested that the institutions should be contacted direct to confirm such details. A short questionnaire was sent to all relevant schools. The majority replied that their facilities were unavailable for such dual-use and these were thus excluded from the survey. Six institutions did provide information on the facilities that they hire to the public and these are identifiable in the survey and included in the outdoor sport category. Outdoor Recreation Space Survey - 3 - 3.4 Categories in the survey, but not comparable against NPFA standards 3.4.1 Formal Parks & Gardens - floral beds, parks, formal gardens etc.. providing an outdoor recreational facility, but not to be considered as ‘play/ sport’ space in the context of the NPFA standards. 3.4.2 Other Formal/Informal Areas - these areas were identified in the 1996 Survey, but upon visiting the site they were deemed not to fall within the NPFA categories. This category includes woodland areas, nature areas, incidental areas, miniature railways, the Par 3 golf facility and large boating lake at Brooklands. 3.5 Exclusions from survey 3.5.1 In line with the NPFA standards, the following types of area were excluded from this survey: • outdoor sports facilities which are not as a matter of practice and policy available for public use, such as football arenas • indoor sports or leisure centres • grounds of Her Majesty’s Services (unaware of any within Worthing) • verges, woodlands, commons, urban amenity space (except those identified as ‘other informal’, but not to be compared against NPFA) • open countryside areas, such as the South Downs • golf facilities (except Par 3 Brooklands which is categorised as ‘other formal’ rather than ‘Outdoor Sport’ to be in accordance with NPFA exclusions) • water used for recreation , except where it forms a play feature (thus Aquarena is included, Brooklands Lake is categorised as ‘other informal’ and the coastal foreshore is excluded) • commercial entertainment complexes and theme parks • car parks for non-recreational use 3.5.2 Local Employers - two key local employers (namely Smithkline Beecham and Norwich Union) do have some on-site sports facilities, and they were contacted to ascertain the nature and availability of such facilities. However, as it was apparent that such facilities were strictly limited to the use of their staff it was considered inappropriate to include them in this survey. Outdoor Recreation Space Survey - 4 - 4.0 Analysis of Survey Findings 4.1 The summary tables and location plans showing all sites included in the survey are set out in Appendix 1. The information has been grouped on a ward basis, and the tables list the sites by name and provide a breakdown of the areas in the categories discussed in paragraphs 3.3 and 3.4 above. These tables have been created from information held on a comprehensive database which details every site included in the survey. 4.2 Table1, below, provides an overview of the full survey details. The borough total for outdoor recreation space, as defined by the five categories, is 176.268 hectares. Table 1: Outdoor Recreation Space Survey 1999 Borough Analysis By Ward Ward Equipped Casual/ Adult/ Youth Formal Other Total Area Children's Informal Outdoor Parks/ Formal/ (sq m) Play Space Playing Sport (sq m) Gardens Informal (sq m) Space (sq m) (sq m) Space (sq m) BROADWATER 2,414.20 18,972.04 21,422.58 0 0 42,808.82 CASTLE 2,350.81 55,630.33 63,898.63 0 8,761.06 130,640.83 CENTRAL 3,391.6 57,063.96 19,415.06 53,512.98 1,249.16 134,632.76 DURRINGTON 9,170.64 149,535.14 66,126.43 36,650 67,436.48 328,918.69 GAISFORD 174.25 20,096.65 27,560.31 0 0 47,831.21 GORING 452.20 169,933.31 65,888.64 0 33,945.70 270,219.85 HEENE 572.17 24,349.43 8,000.00 2,591.00 0 35,512.60 MARINE 1,172.50 4,393.10 70,678.51 9,132.09 0 85,376.20 OFFINGTON 411.65 77,230.15 59,572.48 0 21,599.00 158,813.28 SALVINGTON 2,342.44 120,937.97 18,764.04 0 85,671.30 227,715.75 SELDEN 846.93 97,121.16 14,675.44 0 126,573.58 239,217.11 TARRING 1989.75 13,123.19 41,676.64 0 4,203.46 60,993.04 BOROUGH 25,289.14 808,386.43 477,678.76 101,886.07 349,439.74 1,762,680.14 TOTALS sq m HECTARES (1 hectare = 2.529 80.839 47.768 10.188 34.944 176.268 10,000 sq m) Outdoor Recreation Space Survey - 5 - 4.2 An overall comparison of children’s playing space (equipped and casual/ informal) and adult/ youth formal sport provision against the NPFA standards is set out below.