Policy DM16 - Playing Pitches and Other Leisure and Recreational Activities
Object
Development Management Submission Document
Representation ID: 32682
Received: 01/07/2013
Respondent: Sport England
Legally compliant? Yes
Sound? No
Duty to co-operate? Not specified
Policy DM16 is objected to as only allowing new playing pitch proposals in areas of pitch supply deficit, results in the policy being unduly restrictive and inflexible. Playing pitch proposals may also come about under the circumstances envisaged by paragraph 74 of the NPPF (replacement pitches for a facility being lost elsewhere), but they might not meet the policy as currently worded as they might not be in areas of deficit of supply or where schools need to expand to meet their own playing pitch needs which woudl not be accounted for in the Council's evidence base.
Sport England welcomes the broad thrust of the policy, but suggest that in only allowing new playing pitch proposals in areas of pitch supply deficit, that the policy is unduly restrictive and inflexible. Playing pitch proposals may also come about under the circumstances envisaged by paragraph 74 (second bullet point) of the NPPF (replacement pitches for a facility being lost elsewhere), but they might not meet the policy as currently worded as they might not be in areas of deficit of supply. Playing field development does not occur speculatively and as such we are concerned that the policy as currently worded is unduly restrictive.
This approach would not accord with Government policy in the NPPF in terms of paragraph 70 in relation to planning positively for the provision and use of community facilities (including sports venues) or paragraph 74 in terms of permitting the principle of replacement playing field provision.