Comment

Gamlingay - Designation of Neighbourhood Area (September 2014)

Representation ID: 164850

Received: 21/10/2014

Respondent: Sport England

Representation Summary:

National Planning Policy Framework identifies how planning plays important role in facilitating social interaction and creating healthy, inclusive communities. Encourages communities to become more physically active. Formal sport plays part -providing sports facilities vital. Means positive planning for sport, protection from unnecessary loss of sports facilities and planning for new sites.

Important Neighbourhood Plan reflects national policy for sport.

Sport England has role in protecting playing fields and presumption against their loss. Provides guidance on developing sport policy. Works with Local Authorities to ensure Local Plan policy has up to date evidence base. Neighbourhood Plan should reflect recommendations in Playing Pitch Strategy and any local investment opportunities are utilised to support delivery.

New sports facilities should be fit for purpose and designed using our design guidance notes.

Full text:

Planning Policy in the National Planning Policy Framework identifies how the planning system can play an important role in facilitating social interaction and creating healthy, inclusive communities. Encouraging communities to become more physically active through walking, cycling, informal recreation and formal sport plays an important part in this process and providing enough sports facilities of the right quality and type and in the right places is vital to achieving this aim. This means positive planning for sport, protection from unnecessary loss of sports facilities and an integrated approach to providing new housing and employment land and community facilities provision is important.

It is important therefore that the Neighbourhood Plan reflects national policy for sport as set out in the above document with particular reference to Pars 73 and 74 to ensure proposals comply with National Planning Policy. It is also important to be aware of Sport England's role in protecting playing fields and the presumption against the loss of playing fields (see link below), as set out in our national guide, 'A Sporting Future for the Playing Fields of England - Planning Policy Statement'.
http://www.sportengland.org/facilities-planning/planning-for-sport/development-management/planning-applications/playing-field-land/

Sport England provides guidance on developing policy for sport and further information can be found following the link below:
http://www.sportengland.org/facilities-planning/planning-for-sport/forward-planning/

Sport England works with Local Authorities to ensure Local Plan policy is underpinned by robust and up to date assessments and strategies for indoor and outdoor sports delivery. If local authorities have prepared a Playing Pitch Strategy or other indoor/outdoor sports strategy it will be important that the Neighbourhood Plan reflects the recommendations set out in that document and that any local investment opportunities, such as the Community Infrastructure Levy, are utilised to support the delivery of those recommendations.
http://www.sportengland.org/facilities-planning/planning-for-sport/planning-tools-and-guidance/
If new sports facilities are being proposed Sport England recommend you ensure such facilities are fit for purpose and designed in accordance with our design guidance notes.
http://www.sportengland.org/facilities-planning/tools-guidance/design-and-cost-guidance/