North Somerset Council Local Development Framework Core Strategy Topic paper Culture, leisure and tourism September 2007 Culture, Leisure and Tourism and Topic Paper This is part of a series of topic papers summarising the evidence base for the North Somerset Core Strategy document. Other topic papers available in this series: � Demography, health, social inclusion and deprivation � Housing � Economy � Retail � Settlement function and hierarchy � Resources (including minerals, waste, recycling, energy consumption) � Natural environment (including climate change, biodiversity, green infrastructure, countryside, natural environment and flooding) � Transport and communications � Sustainable construction / design quality including heritage � Summing up / spatial portrait For further information on this topic paper please contact: Planning Policy Team Development and Environment North Somerset Council Somerset House Oxford Street Weston­super­Mare BS23 1TG Tel: 01275 888545 Fax: 01275 888569 localplan@n­somerset.gov.uk 1. Introduction 1.1 The scope of this topic paper is wide ranging covering those aspects of society which enrich our lives. This is everything from the most fundamental of community services and facilities such as the provision of schools and health services to ways of spending our leisure time whether it be as residents of North Somerset or as tourists. With regards to tourism there are obvious overlaps between this and the economic topic paper and the work which is underway on the Area Action Plans for Weston­super­ Mare Town Centre and the Regeneration Area. No attempt has been made to cover every aspect of Culture, Leisure and Tourism. The intention has been to highlight those areas which may have the clearest implications for spatial/land use planning and especially the Core Strategy. If, however as a result you think that there are important issues that have been omitted from this topic paper then please let us know. Existing characteristics 1.2 The demography topic paper sets out the population characteristics for North Somerset. The demographic make­up of the district has implications for the leisure and cultural needs of the population. 1.3 North Somerset has an expanding population, predicted to rise by 6,184 1 or 3.0% to 2011 and to 2026 by 17% (This does not take into account the additional 26,000 dwellings needed within the district which may increase the population further). This brings with it a need for additional facilities and services. Specifically the two urban extensions of 9,000 houses each proposed for South West Bristol and Weston­super­Mare will result in the need for more school places, greater demand on health services and many other facilities from open space to library facilities. 1.4 Whilst the proportion of people in North Somerset who are under 45 is lower than the national average, population growth is predicted to be strongest in the 20­34 age group who traditionally have the highest rates of participation in sport and physical activity (London Research Centre from 2001 census). Conversely North Somerset has a 4.2% higher percentage of older people (60+ female, 65+male) than the rest of England and Wales. This disparity increases with age with the percentage of the population over 75 years almost 30% higher than the national average, resulting in a relatively aged population. This has implications for the provision of health and related services as well as the sort of leisure provision which needs to be planned for. 1.5 Although North Somerset is a relatively prosperous district there are also significant pockets of deprivation, specifically within Weston’s South and th Central wards. North Somerset has the 11 highest range of inequality of 1 London Research Centre based on Office of National Statistics 2005 mid­year estimates the 408 local authorities in England. People from lower income groups tend to have lower participation levels in sport, physical and cultural activities and tend to have poorer health. 1.6 These factors are important when reviewing the issues for this topic paper particularly as future population growth in the South West Bristol and Weston­super­Mare urban extensions will generate a need for a whole range of leisure and cultural facilities. 2. Leisure/Recreation 2.1 This section covers open spaces, sports and recreational facilities within our communities. There is very strong support nationally for encouraging the provision of recreation facilities and promoting increased use. Context 2.2 The spatial planning context is given in Planning Policy Guidance Note 17 (ODPM 2003) which supports the role that both green spaces and leisure facilities play in regenerating our urban environments; improving an individual’s sense of wellbeing and at a community level providing a focus for community activities; and if well planned and located, in promoting sustainable development. 2.3 There is a strong steer for Local Authorities to produce well researched standards for the amount and type of open space and built leisure facilities which are needed within their area. These can then form the basis for local open space/leisure strategies which can identify how deficiencies can be remedied and how provision can best be made to meet the needs of new development (including the levels of contributions from housing developers to meet an appropriate amount of the cost of providing these facilities). 2.4 The Framework for Sport in England (Sport England 2004, vision to 2020) envisages a 1% increase year on year in participants in sport, to a target of 70% of the population active by 2020). This has huge implications for the provision of the necessary facilities to enable this to happen. This is supported by The Regional Plan for Sport 2004­2008 (Sport England), with a reduced target of 50% active in sport by 2020. 2.5 The first chart below shows the overall participation rates in North Somerset for over 16’s in moderate intensity sport and active recreation for 2 a minimum of 30 mins at least 3 times a week (the government recommended target). The figures are slightly above the national % except for the disabled, but below the level for the South West as a whole for women the disabled and black and minority ethnic groups. The second graphs shows club membership and formal competitive sports activity being well above the national averages. These characteristics have 2 Active People Survey (Sport England 2006) implications for the types of facilities which may be needed in North Somerset. Percentage of over 16's active for 30 minutes 3 times a week 30 25 20 % 15 10 5 0 Men Women Able­ Disabled White Black Highest Lowest bodied and Income Income Minority Group Group Ethnic Group North Somerset South West England *Source Sport England Active People survey 2006 % Adults taking part in organised competitive sport in last 12 months 30 25 20 % 15 10 5 0 Club Members Receiving coaching Organised competition Group North Somerset South West England *Source Sport England Active People survey 2006 2.6 North Somerset is currently producing local strategies for outdoor and indoor sports facilities (including pitches, courts, bowling greens, Multi­use games areas, health and fitness facilities, village and community halls, skate parks, athletics tracks, golf courses and children’s play areas) as well as an open space strategy which will cover less formal provision such as unequipped or unmarked areas of open space and green routes etc. Work is well advanced but the key issues/ outcomes have yet to be defined. The outcomes will identify areas of under/overprovision, priorities for action and revised levels of developer contributions needed to meet the recreational needs of existing and future populations. The issues and outcomes arising from these strategies will need to be addressed and as appropriate, incorporated into the Core Strategy as they emerge. 2.7 ‘Go for life­A Plan for Healthy and Active Living in North Somerset’ is an initiative undertaken by the North Somerset Partnership and launched July 2007. The aim is to increase peoples levels of physical activity under the themes of Sport and Cultural Activity, Healthy Eating, Everyday Activity and Community Activity. The plan links to the Sport England’s Strategies, “North Somerset Health Inequalities Action Plan” (North Somerset PCT), “Choosing Activity : A Physical Activity Action Plan” (Department of Health 2004), North Somerset Community Strategy 2004­5). The Plan targets deprived wards or groups with poor health outcomes and those adults typically taking less than the recommended 3 x 30mins exercise a week. North Somerset’s ‘Go for Life’ plan aims to become, not only the ‘umbrella’ under which all current activity will sit, but also be the mechanism by which these current activities (and the resources that support them) can be drawn together to create a ‘whole greater than the sum of its parts’. Prime objectives are • Raising awareness and understanding of the benefits of healthy and active lifestyles on physical and mental health. • Increasing levels of physical activity • Reducing the barriers to healthy and active living • Promoting healthy eating 2.8 Both the Sport England targets and ‘Go4Life’ have significant implications for active leisure provision within the time period of the Core Strategy and are key factors in the Playing Pitch, Built facilities and Green Space Strategies which are currently in preparation by the Council. Town Centre Leisure uses 2.9 The commercial leisure market has been growing rapidly over the last 10 3 years as disposable incomes have increased . Within Weston­super­Mare 3 North Somerset Retail and Leisure Study (Donaldsons April 2006) leisure facilities are equally important to visitors as well as residents. Various research reports (Donaldsons3, DTZ4, Blue Skies5) have reinforced the need for Weston to have a stronger town centre in order to compete with other centres such as Bristol and Cribbs Causeway and that this should include leisure uses as well as retail.