Rochford District Core Strategy Regulation 26 Draft

Sport England supports the proposal to protect and enhance the Upper Roach Valley as an area for informal recreation, as well as the proposals to improve access and facilities at Cherry Orchard Jubilee Park.

Sport England believes that greater emphasis should be given within this section to the importance of design of new communities encouraging people to be more physically active through the incorporation of attractive public open spaces, provision of formal facilities for sport and recreation and the designing in of increased opportunities for walking and cycling.

These principles are in keeping with the vision and aims of the Core Strategy, inparticular promoting a green and sustainable environment and improving quality of life.

Sport England has published detailed guidance 'Active Design' which promotes these principles and which should be referred to in developing design policies and preparing design briefs for particular sites. The guidance can be downloaded from the Sport England website at www.sportengland.org

Sport England supports the principles of using planning obligations to secure community and environmental benefits, but note that a detailed policy will not be developed until 2008 at the earliest.

Sport England can assist in the production of policies aimed at securing sports facilities via planning obligations, through the tools and guidance contained within our on-line resource 'Planning Obligations Kitbag' which can be downloaded from the Sport England website at www.sportengland.org

Sport England is concerned that this section and policy does not have sufficient clarity or strength to set out the principles for provision in the district.

In particular:
a) the policy does not sufficiently define what is meant by community and leisure facilities - does this include indoor and outdoor sports facilities?
b) the policy does not include a reference to the need to protect and/or enhance existing facilities that make a significant contribution to leisure provision in the district.
c) The policy shoulds set out the evidence base requirements for establishing this policy - is this fully established or is further work necessary?
d) Although the policy refers to leisure facilities which could include facilitirs for sport and recreation, there is no reference to PPG17 in the section outlining relevant national policy (Paras. 4.14.3 - 4.14.6).