KETTERING BOROUGH COUNCIL PLAYING PITCH STRATEGY & ACTION PLAN JULY 2020 QUALITY, INTEGRITY, PROFESSIONALISM Knight, Kavanagh & Page Ltd Company No: 9145032 (England) MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS Registered Office: 1 -2 Frecheville Court, off Knowsley Street, Bury BL9 0UF T: 0161 764 7040 E: [email protected] www.kkp.co.uk KETTERING BOROUGH COUNCIL PLAYING PITCH STRATEGY CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................................... 1 PART 1: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 2 PART 2: VISION ............................................................................................................... 15 PART 3: AIMS ................................................................................................................... 16 PART 4: SPORT SPECIFIC ISSUES SCENARIOS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .......... 17 4.1 Football – grass pitches ........................................................................................ 17 4.2 Third Generation turf (3G) pitches ......................................................................... 24 4.3 Cricket pitches ....................................................................................................... 28 4.4 Rugby union .......................................................................................................... 33 4.5 Hockey pitches (sand/water-based AGPs) ............................................................ 38 4.6 Bowling greens ...................................................................................................... 40 4.7 Tennis courts ......................................................................................................... 41 4.8 Netball courts ........................................................................................................ 42 4.9 Athletics provision ................................................................................................. 44 4.10 Golf courses ........................................................................................................ 45 4.11 Archery ................................................................................................................ 46 4.12 Cycling provision ................................................................................................. 46 PART 5: STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................ 48 PART 6: ACTION PLAN ................................................................................................... 64 PART 7: HOUSING GROWTH SCENARIOS ................................................................... 79 PART 8: DELIVER THE STRATEGY AND KEEP IT ROBUST AND UP TO DATE ......... 83 APPENDIX 1: SPORTING CONTEXT .............................................................................. 87 APPENDIX 2: FUNDING PLAN ........................................................................................ 98 APPENDIX 3: GLOSSARY OF TERMS ......................................................................... 103 KETTERING BOROUGH COUNCIL PLAYING PITCH STRATEGY ABBREVIATIONS 3G Third generation turf AGP Artificial grass pitch ASC All Stars Cricket BC Bowls Club CC Cricket Club CFA County Football Association EG England Golf ECB England and Wales Cricket Board EH England Hockey FA Football Association KBC Kettering Borough Council FC Football Club FF Football Foundation FIFA Fédération Internationale de Football Association GIS Geographical Information Systems HC Hockey Club IOG Institute of Groundsmanship JCS North Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy (2011 – 2031) JFC Junior Football Club KKP Knight, Kavanagh and Page MES Match equivalent sessions NGB National Governing Body of Sport NPPF National Planning Policy Framework NTP Non-turf pitch ONS Office for National Statistics PPS Playing Pitch Strategy PQS Performance Quality Standard PIP Pitch Improvement Programme RFU Rugby Football Union RUFC Rugby Union Football Club S106 Section 106 SSP2 Site Specific Part 2 Local Plan TC Tennis Club TGR Team Generation Rate U Under WRC World Rugby Compliant July 2020 Strategy: Knight Kavanagh & Page 1 KETTERING BOROUGH COUNCIL PLAYING PITCH STRATEGY PART 1: INTRODUCTION Kettering Borough Council (KBC) commissioned Knight Kavanagh & Page Ltd (KKP) to develop a Playing Pitch Strategy (PPS) for the authority. This Strategy forms part of a wider inter-related strategy for open space, sport and recreation which will see the development of a Sports Facilities Strategy and an Open Spaces Strategy to complete the trilogy. The inter- relationship between the strategies must be noted as some sports covered by the PPS also use indoor facilities for matches/training or use open space areas for informal use. These documents will act as an evidence base for the preparation of the Site Specific Part 2 (SSP2) Local Plan. These strategies will be robust and provide the necessary information and direction to inform decisions on future strategic planning and investment priorities for sports facilities across the Borough. They will support sports development programmes and health and wellbeing objectives. This Playing Pitch Strategy (PPS) for Kettering Borough has been developed in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework (2019 (NPPF), Sport England guidance1 and under the direction of a Steering Group led by the Council and with collaboration from the National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs). The Steering Group drew representation from across Council departments and with outside partners. This ensured a full representation of individuals involved in the provision, enhancement, management and maintenance of facilities and with those responsible for developing activities to support and deliver sport and health and well-being programmes across the Borough. It builds upon the preceding Playing Pitch Assessment Report (Oct 2019) and is capable of: Providing adequate planning guidance to assess development proposals affecting outdoor sports facilities, as appropriate, directing S106 contributions secured from new development and informing and shaping local planning policy. Informing the protection and provision of playing pitches. Informing land use decisions with respect to future use of existing playing pitch areas and playing fields (capable of accommodating pitches). Providing a strategic framework for the provision and management of playing pitches. Supporting external funding bids and maximising support for playing pitches. Providing the basis for ongoing monitoring and review of the use, distribution, function, quality and accessibility of playing pitches. 1.1 Monitoring and updating Once the PPS has been formally signed off it is important to ensure there is regular annual monitoring and a review of the actions identified. The monitoring should be led by the Council and supported by the Steering Group. It is worth noting that if no review and subsequent update has been carried out within three years of the PPS being signed off by the Steering Group, then Sport England and the NGBs would consider the PPS and the information on which it is based, to be out of date. If the PPS is used as a ‘live’ document, and kept up to date, the time frame can be extended to five years. 1 Playing Pitch Strategy Guidance: An approach to developing and delivering a playing pitch strategy (Sport England) (2013) July 2020 Strategy: Knight Kavanagh & Page 2 KETTERING BOROUGH COUNCIL PLAYING PITCH STRATEGY The monitoring and review process will help maintain the momentum and commitment built into the development the Strategy. It will also ensure that the original supply and demand information is no more than two years old without being reviewed. Part 8 of the Strategy contains a suggested process for undertaking the update and monitoring. The Steering Group will need to agree the process prior to signing off the Strategy. 1.2 Scope The Council has set out that the PPS should cover the main pitch sports of football, cricket, rugby union/league and hockey and asses both grass pitches and artificial pitches. In addition, it will also include an assessment of other outdoor sports facilities including tennis courts, netball courts, golf courses, bowling greens, skateboard parks, athletics tracks, cycling tracks and outdoor water sport facilities. It should be noted that for the non-pitch sports, (i.e. tennis, bowls and netball) included within the scope of this study, the supply and demand principles of Sport England guidance: Assessing Needs and Opportunities Guide for Indoor and Outdoor Sports Facilities (ANOG) (2014) are followed to ensure the process is compliant with the NPPF. This is less prescriptive than the PPS guidance. Thus, where applied, the approach to assessing non-pitch sports is a supply/demand assessment based on more a ‘light touch’ approach. 1.3 Study area Kettering Borough is situated in the heart of England covering an area of over 23,000 hectares; it has good road and rail links to the rest of the country. Located in Northamptonshire the Borough shares a close functional relationship with Corby, Wellingborough and East Northamptonshire. These four local authority areas are collectively known as North Northamptonshire. The study area will comprise the whole of Kettering Borough Council’s administrative area. Cross boundary issues will also be explored to determine the level of imported and exported demand, recognising,