London Borough of Lambeth Playing Pitch Assessment 2010-2015 MTW Consultants Limited Leisure and Health Consultants Sports & Physical Activities Facilities Strategy for Lambeth Draft Report Lambeth Council 1 London Borough of Lambeth Playing Pitch Assessment 2010-2015 MTW Consultants Limited Leisure & Health Consultants in association with Around the Block and Cracknell Landscape Architects Prepared for: London Borough of Lambeth Sports and Physical Activities Facilities Strategy for Lambeth DRAFT REPORT: 09.03.10 MTW Consultants Ltd 90-92 Pentonville Road London N1 9HS Tel: 020 3002 4017 Email: [email protected] Website: www.mtwconsultants.co.uk Lambeth Council 2 London Borough of Lambeth Playing Pitch Assessment 2010-2015 CONTENTS PAGE Page No. 1. INTRODUCTION 5 2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6 3. POLICY & STRATEGIC CONTEXT 7 3.1 Overarching Government & Council priorities 7 3.2 National Context 9 3.3 Regional Context 12 3.4 Local Context 14 4 LOCAL BACKGROUND 19 4.1 Strategic geography 19 4.2 Lambeth Demography 20 4.3 Lambeth Sports Participation 23 4.4 Building Schools for the Future 25 4.5 New sports & leisure facilities being developed 27 4.6 Views of county level NGBs 1 30 4.7 Needs of Community organisations 34 4.8 GP Referral and Health Trainers 38 5. PLAYING PITCH ASSESSMENT 42 5.1 Introduction 42 5.2 Team Sports Playing Population 42 5.3 Supply of pitches in Lambeth 43 5.4 Geographic distribution of pitches 48 5.5 Demand for pitches by sport 50 5.6 Local Standards for Playing Pitch Land 69 5.7 Site inspection of playing pitches and ancillary facilities 71 5.8 Synthetic Turf Pitches 78 5.9 Summary of deficiencies and improvements and priorities 80 6. INDOOR SPORTS AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES FACILITIES 6.1 Sports Halls 81 6.2 Swimming Pools 84 6.3 Indoor Bowls 87 6.4 Fitness Gyms 88 6.5 Athletics 90 6.6 Tennis 91 6.7 Outdoor Bowls 93 7. FUNDING SOURCES REVIEW 97 8. STRATEGY RECOMMENDATIONS 102 8.1 Main Conclusions 8.2 Vision & Aims 102 8.3 Main Objectives 102 8.4 Action Plan 104 1 National Governing Bodies of Sport Lambeth Council 3 London Borough of Lambeth Playing Pitch Assessment 2010-2015 APPENDICES 105 1. List of Consultees 105 2. Bibliography 117 3. Indoor and Outdoor Facilities Database 4. Survey Questionnaires 5. Site Inspection report Lambeth Council 4 London Borough of Lambeth Playing Pitch Assessment 2010-2015 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 This 5 year Sports and Physical Activities Facilities Improvement Strategy (FIS) builds on a number of detailed studies previously carried out in Lambeth including a very comprehensive Facilities Audit, an open spaces study and mapping exercise, a Needs Assessment for Physical Activity, and other relevant consultancy studies (see Appendix 2 for a bibliography of all sources used). The purpose of the FIS has been in particular: • To build on existing research to formulate a coherent strategic plan for indoor and outdoor leisure provision improvements over the next 5 years. • To take into account the impact of the Building Schools for the Future programme on new sports facilities on educational sites. • To provide a Playing Pitch Strategy as required by PPG 17 in accordance with Sport England which had not previously been done. • To review leisure facility needs in the context of what facilities are readily accessible in neighbouring boroughs • To feed the findings into the Local Development Framework The consultants have been conscious of the funding constraints likely to be placed on the Council now and in the short term. Many of the improvements will have to be funded through planning agreements and opportunistic bids for resources from external funding bodies and other third parties and through partnerships. 1.2 There are a number of issues which have shaped the context for this work such as the recent closure of two key Council leisure centres in Clapham and Streatham and the plans to replace them with new modern wet and dry facilities; the growing population in Lambeth and the lack of open space in an inner city borough; the NHS anti-obesity drive and other preventative health initiatives which feeds down into a demand for spaces to run exercise classes as well as after school sport and apparent deficiencies in key sports facility provision compared with other central London boroughs. 1.3 In addition to drawing on existing research, the consultants have carried out a significant amount of primary research during the study particularly in connection with the playing pitch assessment. This has included surveys across the education sector and other site owners, over 200 sports clubs, 30 sports leagues, 120 community organisations, PCT Health Trainers, all the relevant national governing bodies of sport and consultations with a wide range of stakeholders within and outside the Council as well as a site inspection survey of 22 parks and open spaces with playing fields and ___ built facilities. A full list of consultees that we were able to contact is shown in Appendix 1. 1.4 The scope of the study covered the following sports and facilities: football, cricket, rugby league and union, athletics, bowls, tennis, netball, basketball, relevant water sports, cycling including BMX, squash, swimming pools, sports halls, artificial turf pitches and fitness gyms. 1.5 The consultants would like to thank the Council’s cross departmental FIS steering group members for all the assistance and advice they gave us during the study. Lambeth Council 5 London Borough of Lambeth Playing Pitch Assessment 2010-2015 2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (To be written) Lambeth Council 6 London Borough of Lambeth Playing Pitch Assessment 2010-2015 3. POLICY & STRATEGIC CONTEXT 3.1 OVERARCHING GOVERNMENT & COUNCIL STRATEGIC PRIORITIES Benefits of engaging in sport and physical activity 3.1.1 Leisure facilities play an important role in enabling the residents of Lambeth to take part in sport and physical activity by providing an accessible and welcoming environment for people of all ages, ethnicities, religious beliefs and backgrounds. Sustaining and growing participation in sport and physical activity is an important objective on the Government’s agenda, owing to the contribution of physical activity to a number of priority social outcomes including health, community cohesion and safety, meeting the needs of children and young people, and economic prosperity. A summary of the evidence in these areas is outlined below. Sport, physical activity and health 3.1.2 The contribution of physical activity to positive physical and mental health and well-being outcomes is widely acknowledged – most notably in the Chief Medical Officer’s 2004 report, At Least Five a Week: Evidence on the impact of physical activity and its relationship to health. Increasing the physical activity levels of the population is a key preventative initiative in many of the Government’s health strategies. Sport England have summarised the research relating to the health impacts of sport and found that overall, regular participation in sport and physical activity can: • reduce the risk of both physical health issues such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer; and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety help to address obesity by supporting good weight management • help people to recover from an illness or injury and prevent the subsequent reoccurrence of the problem. There are some specific health benefits from physical activity that accrue to different age groups. For young people, regular participation in sport and physical activity supports healthy growth (for example, of the musculoskeletal and cardio respiratory systems), reduces health risks such as high blood pressure, and supports weight management. Physical activity also encourages young people to adopt a healthy lifestyle by providing them with knowledge and skills that help to reduce the risk of some health issues such as substance misuse or teenage pregnancy. Laying the foundations for a healthy and active lifestyle in adolescence also increases the likelihood that this will continue into adulthood. For older people, regular participation in sport and physical activity improves fitness, strength and mobility. This can make it easier for them to perform daily tasks and reduces the incidence of falls – both of which can enable older people to live more independent lives. Sport, physical activity and community cohesion Lambeth Council 7 London Borough of Lambeth Playing Pitch Assessment 2010-2015 3.1.3 Community cohesion is described by the Community Cohesion Unit within the Home Office as communities ‘where there is a common vision and a sense of belonging for all communities; where the diversity of people’s different backgrounds and circumstances are appreciated and positively valued; where those from different backgrounds have similar life opportunities, and where there are strong relationships between people from different backgrounds’. Sport and physical activity play a role in building community cohesion by creating opportunities for social engagement that bring people from different backgrounds, including ‘hard to reach’ groups, together. This can help to create a greater shared understanding of different ways of life, thereby breaking down barriers that exist in the wider community and fostering stronger social networks. Sports facilities themselves can help to improve people's sense of well being in the place they live. Sport, physical activity and children & young people Meeting the needs of children and young people is one the Government’s key priorities