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additional supporting guidance for planners 28 , which will, for example, highlight current
powers and duties and showcase good practice. The guidance will also consider national
benchmarks around quality, quantity and accessibility of playable spaces, for local partners to
draw upon when determining their standards for provision locally.
Case study – Greater London Authority planning guidance
The Greater London Authority has introduced a new standard that will require all new
residential developments in London to include the provision of at least 10m 2 of high quality
and accessible play and recreation space for every child and young person who will live there.
The standard is contained within new Supplementary Planning Guidance to the Mayor of
London’s London Plan and forms an essential part of the strategy to make London a more
sustainable city, providing a good quality of life and improving the public realm for all its
citizens.
Play space policies must be incorporated into local development plans and the guidance will
assist boroughs, planners and developers in the design of accessible recreation and play
space in new housing schemes in the capital. It has been developed in consultation with local
authorities, key stakeholders and the Government.
The Supplementary Planning Guidance Providing children and young people’s play and informal
recreation is available at www.london.gov.uk/mayor/strategies/sds/spg-children-recreation.jsp
5.9
New guidance from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence sets out first recommendations
on how to improve the physical environment in order to encourage and support physical
activity. This is intended to guide future investment in urban design, transport routes, buildings
and school playgrounds. The Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives strategy sets out plans to encourage
local planning authorities, when considering planning applications relating to all types of
outdoor space, to include open space and playing fields. It also sets out proposals to use the
planning policy review announced in the Planning White Paper to identify where changes can
be made, or additional guidance produced, to help tackle obesity and support healthy
communities. DCSF, DCMS and DH will work with CLG as they carry out this planning
review, and ensure that children’s play needs are considered appropriately.
Housing developments
5.10
Developers are key players in determining how well children’s play needs are met within the
immediate vicinity of their homes. CLG’s policy planning statement on housing 29 aims to ensure
that everyone has the opportunity to live in a decent home, which they can afford, in a
community where they want to live. This guidance requires the needs of children to be taken
into account in housing developments and sets the quality standard for designated and
informal recreational areas, including play areas and informal play space, for children. These
should be well-designed, safe, secure and stimulating areas with safe pedestrian access.
Government will work with the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
28 Additional guidance to planners in support of Planning Policy Guidance 17: Planning for open space, sport and recreation and PPS3 Housing (CLG)
29 Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing (CLG) para 17 :’Particularly where family housing is proposed, it will be important to ensure that the needs of children
are taken into account and that there is good provision of recreational areas, including private gardens, play areas and informal play space. These should be
well designed, safe, secure and stimulating areas with safe pedestrian access’
44 Fair Play: A consultation on the play strategy