HILLINGDON UNITARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN - London Borough ...

9. RECREATION, LEISURE AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES
Introduction
9.1 Participation in most leisure activities, including sport, has been increasing since the early 1970s
because of greater interest in health, more disposable income, more leisure time and for many people
greater mobility. The regional recreation strategy emphasises participation and accessibility to recreational
facilities. Within Hillingdon there is expected to be greater demand from most age groups because the
Census Office (OPCS) project an increased population level for the Borough by year 2006. One
implication of these is that participation in many recreational pursuits can be expected to increase,
particularly those popular with young adults such as active sports. The demand for family pursuits which
appeal to the older age groups is also expected to increase while the needs of the very young, people with
disabilities and the elderly remain important. At the same time pressures for development of land used or
capable of use for recreational purposes have also increased.
Provision of Open Space and Children's Play Space
9.2 Total open space provision in the Borough is greater than the widely accepted 'Six Acre' minimum
standard recommended by the National Playing Fields Association and referred to in PPG 17. The London
Planning Advisory Committee (LPAC) has developed a hierarchy of open spaces based on the degree of
accessibility required for different types of activity and this is also referred to in PPG 17. Although new
District Parks are planned at Stockley Park and Minet, Hayes (see Chapter 15), more open space is needed
to meet the shortfall. Areas where there is greatest demand, such as South Uxbridge, Cowley and central
Hayes, appear to offer little scope for the provision of significant and appropriate amount of open space.
Meanwhile the Council, will explore possibilities such as the dual use of existing school and private
playing fields, and will seek by agreement provision of new open space in large scale development
proposals.
9.3 Accessibility and safety are the prime considerations when assessing the provision of children's
play space. It is unreasonable to expect young children and those in charge of them to travel far from home
or to have to cross a main road to use a playground. The National Playing Fields Association's advice is
that children should not have to walk more than 400m to an equipped children's playground. Figure 9
shows residential areas in the Borough which are more than 400m from a playground. There are over 90
Playgrounds in the Borough and the Council recognises the need to maintain these areas adequately and
ensure equipment is safe and up to date. The Local Planning Authority will seek to remedy this deficiency
through provision associated with new developments.
9.4 Whilst there is generally good provision of informal amenity open space throughout the Borough,
problems could arise in areas where there is pressure for small residential developments and flat
conversions. The Local Planning Authority will therefore seek to ensure the provision of open space to the
appropriate standards in new residential development; and will have regard to the Department of the
Environment standard for the provision of playspace at the rate of 3 m² per child bedspace; as well as
standards of open space provision recommended by PPG17 and the London Planning Advisory
Committee's hierarchy set out in Table 9.1. This standard of open space provisions was reiterated in
Strategic Planning Advice for London 1994 and in draft revised RPG3 (1995) (Table 4). The RPG3 adds
further that "each Borough should decide the appropriate provision of local open space and make proposals
in the UDP for such spaces. To achieve this aim Boroughs should draw up their own standards for open
space provision" (Para 6.12).
London Borough of Hillingdon Unitary Development Plan