OPEN SPACE, SPORTS AND RECREATION STUDY October 2019 Open space, Sports and Recreation Study 2019 2 Table of Contents 1. Overview ............................................................................................................. 9 A. Summary ....................................................................................................... 9 B. Methodology.................................................................................................. 9 C. Assessment of Quantity of Open Space, Sports and Recreation Supply and Demand ................................................................................................................ 11 D. Assessment of Quality of Open Space, Sports and Recreation Supply and Demand ................................................................................................................ 13 E. Assessment of Accessibility of Open Space, Sports and Recreation Standards ............................................................................................................. 14 F. Assessment of solutions to meet local needs and alleviate provision: ........ 15 G. Planning recommendations ......................................................................... 16 2. Introduction ....................................................................................................... 17 A. Scope of the Study ...................................................................................... 17 B. What is Open Space? ................................................................................. 18 3. Methodology ..................................................................................................... 21 A. Approach ..................................................................................................... 21 B. Assessing local needs ................................................................................. 22 C. Quantitative and accessibility assessment .................................................. 23 D. Qualitative assessment ............................................................................... 26 4. National, regional and local policy context ........................................................ 29 A. National Policy and Guidance ..................................................................... 29 B. Regional Context and Guidance ................................................................. 35 C. Local Context and Guidance ....................................................................... 46 D. Other Tools ................................................................................................. 50 5. Local Needs Assesment of Brent ...................................................................... 51 A. Geography of Brent ..................................................................................... 51 B. Demographic Profile of Brent ...................................................................... 52 C. Child Density ............................................................................................... 56 D. Ethnicity ...................................................................................................... 57 E. Housing ....................................................................................................... 58 F. Deprivation .................................................................................................. 60 G. Health .......................................................................................................... 61 H. Summary: .................................................................................................... 63 6. Assessment of Park provision in Brent .............................................................. 65 A. Character of the borough ............................................................................ 65 Open space, Sports and Recreation Study 2019 3 B. Benchmarking ............................................................................................. 67 C. Assessment of supply and demand: Quantity ............................................. 68 D. Assessment of supply and demand: Quality ............................................... 76 E. Assessment of Accessibility ........................................................................ 93 F. Summary ................................................................................................... 107 7. Assesment of Children’s Play and Informal Recreation Provision ................... 110 A. Planning approach .................................................................................... 111 B. Assessment of supply and demand: Quantity ........................................... 114 C. Assessment of supply and demand: Quality ............................................. 121 D. Assessment of Accessibility ...................................................................... 122 E. Summary ................................................................................................... 124 8. Sports Provision (Outdoor and indoor) ............................................................ 127 A. Planning approach .................................................................................... 127 B. Existing profile: Brent ................................................................................ 131 C. Assessment of supply and demand: Quantity ........................................... 133 D. Assessment of supply and demand: Quality ............................................. 137 E. Assessment of Accessibility ...................................................................... 139 F. Summary ................................................................................................... 140 9. Natural and Semi-Natural Greenspace ........................................................... 142 A. Planning Approach .................................................................................... 142 B. Assessment of supply and demand: Quantity ........................................... 143 C. Assessment of supply and demand: Quality ............................................. 145 D. Assessment of Accessibility ...................................................................... 146 E. Summary ................................................................................................... 148 10. Allotments ..................................................................................................... 149 A. Assessment of current supply and demand: Quantity ............................... 150 B. Assessment of supply and demand: Quality ............................................. 155 C. Assessment of Accessibility ...................................................................... 157 D. Summary ................................................................................................... 158 11. Cemeteries and Churchyards ....................................................................... 159 A. Assessment of supply and demand: Quantity ........................................... 160 B. Assessment of supply and demand: Quality ............................................. 162 C. Assessment of Accessibility ...................................................................... 164 D. Summary ................................................................................................... 166 12. Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................ 167 Open space, Sports and Recreation Study 2019 4 A. Public Parks .............................................................................................. 167 B. Formal play and informal recreation .......................................................... 172 C. Indoor and outdoor sports ......................................................................... 173 D. Natural and Semi-Natural Green Space .................................................... 175 E. Cemeteries and Churchyards.................................................................... 177 F. Allotments ................................................................................................. 178 13. Appendix ...................................................................................................... 180 Open space, Sports and Recreation Study 2019 5 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Typologies of Open Space Table 2: GLA Public Open Space Categorisation Table 3: Fields in Trust standards for Open Space Table 4: London Plan (existing and emerging) Policies concerning Open Space Table 5: Accessibility to Play Space Table 6: Breakdown of Ward Population (2015) Table 7: Ward Population per ha Table 8: Child Density within Brent Table 9: Housing Stock within Brent’s Wards Table 10: Open Space provision within the borough Table 11: Provision of public park within Brent and other London boroughs Table 12: Public Park Provision and deficiency in Wards Table 13: Size of public park provision within Brent Table 14: Public park provision outliers Table 15 Indicative Population Supported by Typology Table 16 Amount of Public Parks for Current and Future Needs Table 17: Issues and Options consultation - comments received on specific parks Table 18: Preferred Improvements for identified open spaces and public parks Table 19: Proposed management improvements Table 20 Green Flag Award Key Criteria and Associated Judging Criteria Table 21 Average KBT Scores of Parks and Open Spaces Table 22: Highest