Powys Unitary Development Plan - Denbighshire Local ...

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Powys County Council UDP 2001-2016 Adopted March 2010 ___________________________________________________________________________________ 10.4 Leisure and Recreation Provision in Powys 10.4.1 Powys has the facilities to host a wide variety of both indoor and outdoor recreational activities. In addition to purpose-built facilities, Powys has the huge benefit of natural resources and thousands of miles of public rights of way. The result is that the majority of Powys residents are within easy walking distance of some form of sporting, leisure or recreational activity, be it formal or informal. However, the presence of the open countryside does not negate the desire to have facilities to the same standard that one would expect in a more urban county, despite the obvious higher resource costs per head of population. 10.4.2 The main centres of population within Powys, the market towns, have a wide range of facilities and most have the popular ones, such as, swimming pools, rugby and soccer pitches and children’s play areas. Some facilities will have reduced hours of usage, dictated by the fact that they are shared between the schools and communities. This is an acceptable compromise in areas of such low population and high cost per capita for provision, and is discussed further in Policy CS4 in the Community Chapter. 10.4.3 Common land also forms an important recreational resource within Powys. Crown Common Land is found in the old county of Radnorshire, covering nearly 4,700 hectares, over which Commissioners have granted the right of access to the public for air and exercise under the Law of Property Act 1925. Those Commons that are situated wholly or partly within a former borough or urban district also have the public right of access for air or exercise. There is also the Elan Valley in the west of the county, which has the public right of access over the whole Estate on foot, as well as forestry areas managed by the Forestry Commission over which public access on foot to tracks and rides is permitted. Hyder and the National Trust also own land over which the public have free access. Under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, a considerable portion of the county has become available for access on foot, under the provisions for access to mountain, moor, heath and down land. 10.4.4 One area in which the provision of existing facilities can be assessed is the provision of outdoor playing space for which Fields in Trust has recommended minimum standards of provision. It recommends a minimum standard for outdoor playing space of 6 acres (2.4 hectares) per 1000 population, commonly known as the Six Acre Standard. This standard comprises: Outdoor Sports Areas: 4 acres (1.6 hectares) - formal recreation space, which serves the leisure time needs for outdoor recreation of members of the public of which 3 acres (1.2 hectares) should be for the provision of pitch sports, including associated training areas; and Children’s Play Space: 2 acres (0.8 hectares) - equipped playgrounds and play space used by children, e.g. premier play parks. 10.4.5 In determining the requirement for additional outdoor play space as part of a new development, or a proposal that may result in the loss of existing playing space, the Council shall undertake or request an assessment of the need for such facilities on a case by case basis. This assessment may for example highlight the need for additional facilities, or improvements to play facilities or open space as a result of increased demand caused by a new development. The rationale for carrying out assessments on a case-by-case basis reflects the sensitivity that is needed in applying Recreation and Leisure 145
Powys County Council UDP 2001-2016 Adopted March 2010 ___________________________________________________________________________________ the six-acre standard to Powys. Care will need to be taken to ascertain the accessibility of playing space and to recognise facilities such as sports centres that although they are not outdoor, are intensively used recreation spaces. Guidance on preparing playing space assessments will be produced in the form of Supplementary Planning Guidance on Amenity and Play Space. 10.5 Outdoor Playing Space 10.5.1 It is important that school playing fields or facilities for public enjoyment are not eroded away by development pressures and that they are respected as being important in their own right. The main outdoor playing space facilities to be safeguarded are shown on the proposals map insets. Over-provision is possible in some areas, particularly where trends have moved away from, for example, organised formal recreation, but it is important that the land remains protected for some form of recreation, even if the type of sport it accommodates changes. However, compelling evidence that the facility is no longer required by the community for recreation or amenity purposes will be required. POLICY RL1 - PROTECTION OF EXISTING OUTDOOR PLAYING SPACE PROPOSALS LEADING TO THE PARTIAL OR COMPLETE LOSS OF OUTDOOR PLAYING SPACE THAT HAVE SIGNIFICANT RECREATIONAL, LANDSCAPE OR AMENITY VALUE WILL BE REFUSED UNLESS IT CAN BE SHOWN THAT ANY OF THE FOLLOWING APPLY: 1. FACILITIES CAN BE BEST RETAINED AND ENHANCED THROUGH THE REDEVELOPMENT OF A SMALL PART OF THE SITE (E.G. PROVISION OF ALL-WEATHER FACILITIES). 2. ALTERNATIVE PROVISION IS MADE AVAILABLE OF EQUIVALENT COMMUNITY BENEFIT IN TERMS OF ITS SIZE, CHARACTERISTICS, LOCATION AND ACCESSIBILITY. 3. IT CAN BE DEMONSTRATED THAT THERE IS AN EXCESS OF SUCH PROVISION IN THE AREA. 4. THE NEW USE IS IN THE WIDER PUBLIC INTEREST. 10.5.2 Accessible outdoor playing space is a very important aspect in the enjoyment of life and well being of communities in these days of heavy traffic and “stranger danger”. Children need to have a safe play area, be it with equipment or simply an open space where they can safely run around. Children under ten years of age should not have to walk a great distance to get to a play area, and certainly not have to cross busy roads. Where new playing space is required as a result of development proposals, Fields in Trust standards will be used in determining the scale of provision or contribution to be sought from developers. 10.5.3 The type of play area or recreation space, and the need for particular facilities to be provided, should be a matter for a development brief on major sites and in discussions with the Local Planning Authority and will be based on various factors including the existing provision in the locality, the site’s suitability in terms of gradients and location, etc. Various alternatives to an equipped play area exist, such as a wooded area or one that can serve as an informal kick-about or basketball area for local children and families. In some circumstances this may be just as useful for community enjoyment as an equipped play area. Open spaces also serve as a community meeting place, with facilities possibly provided for a barbeque area, Recreation and Leisure 146
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