RECREATION, LEISURE AND OPEN SPACE

Introduction and Background

9.1       With increased mobility and more people participating in sporting and recreational activities in their leisure time, the provision of open space, recreation and tourist facilities is assuming greater importance. At the same time, large numbers of new houses are proposed to be built in and around the main urban areas of the District and some of the large villages during the Plan period. The residents of these new homes will create additional demands for, and pressures on, recreational open spaces and facilities. The population of South Bedfordshire is forecast to increase by between 6,000 and 9,200 by 2011. By then, over 35% of the total population will be aged 50 or above. Given the trend towards earlier retirement, this is likely to result in further demands for recreational space and facilities, particularly opportunities for informal recreation. This section of the Local Plan investigates the way that these demands can be met by planning proposals and policies. It covers:

 

(i)         The need for, and provision of formal and informal open space in the urban areas of the District and the villages excluded from the Green Belt.

 

(ii)        The need for, and provision of open space in the rural settlements of the District.

 

(iii)       The present and future recreational role of the countryside in South Bedfordshire.

 

(iv)       The provision of specialist indoor sports facilities in the District.

 

The issues examined are:

 

(i)         The appropriate standard to be used in South Bedfordshire against which to judge the adequacy of existing provision of urban open space, both formal and informal recreation.

 

(ii)        How much additional urban open space is required in the District and which existing urban open spaces need improvement (the Urban Open Space Strategy).

 

(iii)       How the implementation of the Urban Open Space Strategy can be achieved through the Local Plan.

 

(iv)       The means of protecting existing Urban Open Space.

 

(v)       The amount of recreational open space to be provided in the rural settlements of the District.

 

(vi)       The types of formal and informal recreational facilities which should be accommodated in the open countryside.

 

(vii)      The level of provision of specialist indoor facilities appropriate in the District and the means and opportunities for making good any shortfalls.

 

(viii)     The contribution which school playing fields and private sports facilities make to the provision of recreational opportunities for the wider community.

National and Regional Policy Guidance

9.2       Advice on how to address the above issues is extensive and sources include Central Government, Sport England, the former Eastern Council for Sport and Recreation, The Countryside Agency, English Nature, The National Playing Fields Association, The Central Council for Physical Education and the Environment Agency.

 

9.3       Detailed Government advice on the land use and planning aspects of sport and recreation is given in Planning Policy Guidance Note 17 (PPG17), July 2002; 'Planning for Open Space Sport and Recreation'. The strategic background is provided by the Bedfordshire Structure Plan 2011. 'Sport in the East - Partnership in Action' produced by the former Eastern Council for Sport and Recreation and adopted by Sport England provides the broad background and rationale for recreational and sporting provision in the region and recommends standards for the provision of facilities. The District Council has examined this advice and, where appropriate has followed it in the preparation of policies and proposals in this Local Plan.

 

9.4       The District Council produces a Cultural Strategy covering the arts, entertainment, museums, cultural activities and community facilities, as well as sport, recreation and tourism. The policies for dealing with recreation, leisure and open space set out in this Plan are compatible with this strategy but concentrate on the land use planning and locational aspects of the subject.

Urban Open Space - Standards for Provision

9.5       On Local Government re-organisation in 1974, the District Council adopted a minimum standard for urban open space provision of 1.94 hectares per thousand population broken down into 1.01 hectares of formal open space and 0.93 hectares of informal open space. This standard was adopted in the South Bedfordshire Local Plan 1995 and has been used since that time to assess the adequacy of existing facilities and the level of provision to be made on new residential developments.

 

9.6       Formal open space comprises playing fields and pitches and hard or grassed areas marked out for particular games or sports. These facilities do not have the same locational requirements with respect to housing as informal open space.

 

9.7       Informal open space comprises parks, recreation grounds and amenity areas. These should be able to accommodate all or some of the following activities:

 

● Informal ball games; or

● Sitting/walking in pleasant surroundings out of doors.

 

There should be an area of informal recreational open space within easy walking distance of every home.

 

9.8       Children's Play Areas are a different form of open space - designed for younger children and should, wherever possible, be located within areas of new housing or within 200m thereof.

 

9.9       Structure Plan Policy 65 advises that Local Planning Authorities should pay regard to the standards for recreational provision as recommended by the National Playing Fields Association and The Sports Council. The current 1.94 hectares standard has been used in successive local plans to assess general deficiencies or surpluses of urban open space. However, it has been recognised that such assessments are deficient in that they take no account of the location of urban open space or its relationship to residential areas which they are to serve. The District Council has, therefore, defined a desirable hierarchy of open urban space to assist in assessments of the adequacy of urban open space provision. This comprises:

 

District Open Space - An area of 20-60 hectares within each of the three main settlements.

 

Community Open Space - An area of between 0.8 and 20 hectares within half a mile of each home.

 

Local Open Space - An area of up to 0.8 hectares within a quarter of a mile of each home.

 

This hierarchy has been used to highlight the areas of particular open space deficiency and inaccessibility as a focus for further provision.

 

9.10     The above standards for formal and informal open space have been used, among other things, to assist with the formulation of the Urban Open Space Strategy set out in paragraphs 9.20-9.65 of this Plan. This Strategy, and the detailed proposals for the provision of open space, sports and recreational facilities within it, is intended to represent a minimum provision of urban open space necessary to meet the needs of the existing and forecast population of South Bedfordshire, and the residents of new homes built in the District up to 2011.

 

9.11     In respect of Urban Open Space Standards, the District Council is aware that its adopted standard has been applied for many years without review and is also aware that demand for and use of Urban Open Space has changed considerably during that time. The formal open space provision is currently well below the standard in the Local Plan and below the national standards that have previously been recommended. However, PPG17 recommends that Local Plans contain local standards, based on local circumstances, and not to rely on national standards. This has been done through the Open Space Study (2002) as described in paragraph 9.12 of this Plan.

 

9.12     Through the Open Space Study (2002), the Council carried out an audit of existing open spaces within the three main urban areas, assessed the current level of usage, and identified the areas of local need. The study clearly identified the need for additional sports pitches in all three towns, and this is reflected in the Urban Open Space Strategy as set out below. A new open space standard for new development has been set, based on the current local deficiencies and future needs of the urban areas, as recommended in PPG17.

 

9.13     There is evidence of a current shortage of playing pitches for both football and hockey in Dunstable and Leighton Linslade. This shortage causes difficulties for existing teams in fulfilling their fixtures within the District, and forces them to play elsewhere. It also has the effect of frustrating the ambitions of existing clubs to run more teams, or to play more fixtures. In addition, the shortage of pitches prevents or impedes the emergence of new sports clubs in the community and reduces opportunities for individuals to take part in active sport. Given the demographic profile of the District and the numbers of new houses to be built in the plan period, it is important that additional land and facilities are provided through development. The situation is not as bad in Houghton Regis, but an additional pitch is needed to satisfy future demand.

 

9.14     The District Planning Authority is of the view that the adoption of a higher standard for the provision of formal open space is both advisable and justified by local circumstances. It therefore proposes to adopt a standard of 2.57 hectares per thousand population for formal urban open space/playing pitches. However, in exceptional circumstances where it is not possible to secure additional land and the site in question is well related to existing open space, it may be appropriate to seek a financial contribution for the upgrading of existing off-site land and facilities in lieu of new or on-site provision. This could take the form of new or upgraded changing and support facilities, or upgrading pitches to 'Astroturf' where necessary, or other improvements identified in the District Council's Cultural Strategy.

 

9.15     As far as informal open space is concerned, the District Planning Authority does not consider that its current standard of 0.93 hectares per thousand should be reduced. It is satisfied that such open space plays a vital role in providing informal recreational opportunities for local people of all ages - but particularly for families with young children and the elderly. Therefore, the existing standard for the provision of informal open space is retained.

 

9.16     The District Planning Authority is aware that, in the main urban areas of the District and the excluded villages, there is a considerable overall deficiency of open space, both formal and informal, in terms of both the existing and the proposed new standards and that it may not be possible during the Plan period to meet these standards in all locations.

 

9.17     The District Planning Authority does, however, consider that these standards represent appropriate minimum levels of provision which should be seen as targets to be achieved in the long term and that they should be used to assess the level of urban open space to be provided in, or in conjunction with, new housing developments.

Educational Facilities

9.18     One potential means of supplementing the supply of recreational facilities is the joint or shared use of school playing fields and indoor sports facilities. All school playing fields and indoor sports facilities are technically available for use by the public on a lettings basis. However, in practice the level of use varies considerably between individual schools.

 

9.19     The District Council considers that school facilities can make an important contribution to meeting the recreational and sporting demands of the Plan area and would like to see more school facilities used by outside bodies. Accordingly:

 

Urban Open Space Strategy

Proposals for the Provision of Recreational Open Space and Facilities

 

9.20     The District Council has carried out an investigation of existing urban open space provision and has identified areas of deficiency and opportunities to make additional provision. The following section deals with each of the urban areas in turn.

 

Dunstable

 

9.21     Urban open space provision in Dunstable was examined during the preparation of the Dunstable Interim Local Plan (1991). That Plan identified a supply of 19.96 hectares of public formal open space including playing pitches in the Dunstable area and concluded that there was a deficiency of 14.6 hectares when compared with the population of the town. The Plan recognised that this conclusion was, in some respects, an over-simplification in that no account was taken of those school playing fields and private sports grounds which were made available for hire by outside clubs. In addition, it was not possible to assess the implications - in terms of deficiency of playing pitches - of the higher levels of use possible on all-weather artificial surfaces, such as the all-weather multi-purpose pitch at Dunstable Park Recreation Centre and the artificial cricket strip at Bennetts Recreation Ground. The South Bedfordshire Local Plan 1995 concluded that, in the light of these considerations, the real deficiency was considerably smaller and could be further reduced by the wider community use of school facilities and the installation of further all-weather multi-purpose areas at existing playing fields.

 

9.22     Since that time, there is evidence that the numerical deficiency is paralleled by a shortage of available playing pitches. There is little to indicate that school playing fields or private recreation grounds are more widely available. In some cases, such facilities have become disused - for example, the private sports grounds at French's Avenue now partly redeveloped for housing. In addition, the open space at Dunstable College is no longer available for public sports pitch use. These reductions in the amount of available formal open space have not been matched by the provision of new areas, and opportunities to do so are limited.

 

9.23     In terms of informal open space, a gross deficiency of 8.4 hectares in terms of the existing standards was identified at the time of the preparation of the Dunstable Interim Local Plan based on an estimated population of 34,930. Since then the population of the town has fallen by about 2,000. The numerical deficiency masked local variations within the town. While most homes are within half a mile of a community park or a quarter of a mile of a smaller local park, there are parts of the town where this is not the case.

 

9.24     The Open Space Study 2002 confirms that the situation has worsened and the deficit has risen to 13.07ha. This increase may be, in part due to the fact that the 2002 study did not count small areas of amenity open space within housing areas as public open space because they were all less than the minimum size threshold of 0.2ha. These areas have little useful recreational value other than for the dwellings immediately adjacent to them but, nevertheless, they are valuable green spaces and should be retained. Parts of the town where such facilities offer only local recreational opportunities must also be considered to be deficient and, together with the areas listed below, should be considered as priority areas for the provision of new or improved facilities.

 

● Northfields

● The Avenue/Beacon Avenue

● Suncote Avenue/Barley Brow

● Spoondell/Ulverston Road

● The North-West Quadrant of the town between Westfield Road, Drovers Way, West Street and High Street North

● Seamons Close/Lockhart Close/Churchill Road

● Hadrian Avenue/Katherine Drive/Linden Road

● Hillcroft/Greenfield Close

 

9.25     Opportunities to provide new urban open space in the areas of greatest deficiency are limited, although some new areas are proposed on the edge of Dunstable. Exceptionally, and where locally appropriate, there may also be opportunities to improve the situation by enhancing access to countryside recreation areas such as Dunstable Downs. Where on-site provision is not possible due to the nature of the site, contributions towards improving existing open spaces or improving pedestrian and cycle routes from the site to the countryside may be sought, (in addition to linkages expected under the provisions of the Transport Chapter), and contributions towards management and maintenance to ensure that increased visitor numbers can be accommodated at these locations.

 

9.26     In addition, provision needs to be made for the improvement of existing spaces or the provision of new ones in locations where new houses are proposed to be built in this Local Plan. Proposed new areas of urban open space and open spaces where improvements are needed are listed in the following policy and shown on the Proposals Map.

 

 

 

Houghton Regis

 

9.27     At the time of the preparation of the Houghton Regis District Plan in the early 1980s, there was a substantial deficiency of recreational open space in the town, both formal and informal. Only 10.4 hectares of open space was then available to the public to serve a population of over 14,500 which was planned to increase to 17,000 by the end of the decade. In order to address this problem, the Houghton Regis District Plan made provision for additional recreational open space at a number of locations:

 

● Houghton Hall Park (16.19 hectares);

● Parkside (15.3 hectares); and

● Plaiters Way (2.02 hectares).

 

9.28     It was anticipated that this would provide sufficient public recreational open space to meet the needs of the existing and future population of the town and make some contribution to the recreational needs of a wider population.

 

9.29     Much of the land at Houghton Hall Park and Parkside is used for informal recreation. In purely numerical terms, there is now a surplus of open space in Houghton Regis when measured against current standards. However, despite the provision of land, there is a deficiency of formal urban open space and playing pitches to serve the needs of local clubs.

 

9.30     In terms of formal open space there are six pitches currently available exclusively to the public in Houghton Regis; Orchard Close (1 pitch), Tithe Farm (3 pitches), and at Parkside (2 junior and 1 senior pitch). All but one of these have changing facilities. A further 3 pitches and an all-weather playing area are available as a shared facility at Kingsland Community College. For a population of 17,000 however, this level of provision is inadequate when judged against both the existing and proposed new standards. There is also evidence that some local clubs cannot fulfil their fixtures on these pitches. A new proposal is to bring an area of open space known as 'Dog Kennel Down' on the south-eastern edge of Houghton Regis into public ownership for informal recreation and biodiversity enhancement. This area, an isolated remnant of chalk grassland, will serve the residents of Houghton Regis as well as residents of the Northfields area of Dunstable.

 

9.31     Although the level of new residential development proposed for Houghton Regis is low, the take-up of existing commitments is continuing, and forecasts do not indicate any reduction in population. It is, therefore, essential to make provision in this Plan for new urban open spaces and the improvement of existing areas. Accordingly:

 

 

Leighton-Linslade

 

9.32     Urban open space in Leighton-Linslade was examined in detail as part of the preparation of the Leighton-Linslade and Heath and Reach Local Plan which was adopted in 1987. The Plan concluded that there was a clear deficiency of both formal and informal open space in the town. Little has changed in this respect since 1987.

 

9.33     In respect of informal open space, the principle issue was accessibility to existing facilities. Two large areas of open space - Tiddenfoot Waterside Park and the Heath Wood and Old Linslade Amenity Area - comprising 23.6 hectares in all, are located well away from the main residential areas of the town and 93% of all dwellings are more than half a mile walking distance from them. Additionally, neither of them offer recreational opportunities which are well suited to the needs of families with young children.

 

9.34     The Leighton-Linslade and Heath and Reach Local Plan sought to provide additional areas of open space in order to make good some of the worst identified deficiencies in the town. Some of these areas have been acquired and are now in public open space use. Others have been transferred to the District Council for open space purposes through planning agreements. These areas are as follows:

 

● Woodland between Sandy Lane and Plantation Road.

● Open space adjacent to Clipstone Brook and Lovent Drive west of South Street.

● Land adjacent to Clipstone Brook between Hockliffe Road and Meadway.

● Public Open Space off Derwent Road.

 

9.35     In spite of these additions, large parts of the town remain poorly served with public open space. The least well served areas are:

 

(a)       North central Leighton Buzzard where the nearest community open space for many is Vandyke Field. This is primarily occupied by a playing pitch and offers little attraction as informal open space owing to the lack of seating, planting or children's play area;

 

(b)       North central Linslade where, owing to the isolating effect of the railway line and canal, large areas are more than half a mile from the community open space or a quarter of a mile from a local open space; and

 

(c)       The extreme west and south-west of Linslade where the Derwent Road site offers little more than a local open space facility, and other open spaces (e.g. Chelsea Green and Southcott Community Green) are grassed amenity areas with little or no recreational value.

 

9.36     The Ouzel Valley Park proposals, as set out in the next section of this Plan, aim to make up some of the shortfall in informal open space that exists within Leighton-Linslade, and are therefore a vitally important part of the urban open space strategy for this part of the District. The proposals are being implemented by a partnership between the Town and District Councils and the Greensand Trust through the Ouzel Valley Working Group.

 

9.37     These proposals (described in detail in paragraphs 9.39-9.48 below and illustrated on the Proposals Map) are aimed at providing a series of open spaces of varying size and character and offering a range of recreational opportunities linked to each other and to the residential areas of the town by an improved network of footpaths and rights-of-way. The establishment of these proposals is seen as making an important contribution to meeting the urban open space and recreational requirements of Leighton-Linslade and a wider catchment area. The Ouzel Valley Park will also be an attractive feature for longer distance walkers using the Greensand Ridge Path and the Two Ridges Link. Some parts of the scheme have already been implemented but much remains to be done. Accordingly:

 

 

 

9.38     The Ouzel Valley Park proposals have the following objectives:

 

(a)       To provide additional areas of open space;

 

(b)       To provide easier access to existing areas of open space and good access to proposed areas from all parts of the town;

 

(c)       To facilitate access between existing and future areas of open space;

 

(d)       To improve access to the canal towpath from the residential areas of Millside, Beaudesert and Clipstone;

 

(e)       To improve the general amenity and biodiversity value and appearance of the Ouzel Valley in Leighton Buzzard;

 

(f)        To rationalise the existing network of public footpaths in the area adjoining the Ouzel and the Canal; and

 

(g)       To provide the opportunity for longer distance walking along the Ouzel Valley and Canal Towpath which forms part of the Grand Union Canal walk beyond the town.

 

9.39     When implementing the Ouzel Valley Park proposals, the need to protect, enhance, and interpret the nature conservation interest, wildlife habits and industrial archaeology of the river and canal corridor, will be taken fully into account.

 

9.40     There are three main elements of the proposals:

 

(a)       The provision of new pedestrian links from existing and proposed residential areas to various points along the Ouzel Valley including, where necessary, the provision of footbridges across the River Ouzel and the Grand Union Canal;

 

(b)       The acquisition of or negotiation of access agreements over riverside and canalside land to supplement (a) above; and

 

(c)       The acquisition of land for recreational/nature conservation purposes and its appropriate management.

 

9.41     The Plan proposals are dealt with in two parts - north of Bridge Street and south of Bridge Street. They are shown on the Proposals Map and Town Centre Inset Map for Leighton-Linslade and the letters and numbers in the text refer to those shown on those maps.

 

 

NOTE:

Links C and E which are already in place are shown on the Proposals Map for the sake of completeness.

 

 

South of Bridge Street

 

9.42     This area contains three important existing urban open spaces - Parsons Close, Linslade Memorial Playing Fields and Tiddenfoot Waterside Park. The objectives of the proposals for this area are:

 

(a)       To improve links between the three open spaces, the town centre, and the existing and proposed residential areas of south Leighton Buzzard and Linslade; and

 

(b)       To provide additional areas of open space related to Parsons Close and Linslade Memorial Playing Fields to form an extended town park and formal and informal recreational facilities for the benefit and welfare of the present and future residents of Leighton-Linslade.

 

 

NOTE:

For the avoidance of doubt, the bridge at Link J will be for the use of pedestrian and cyclists only and will not be suitable for motorised vehicles.

 

Link K which is now in place is shown on the Proposals Map for the sake of completeness.

 

9.43     As far as formal urban open space and playing pitches are concerned, there is now evidence of a serious shortfall of availability in the Leighton-Linslade area with a number of clubs experiencing difficulty in this respect and having to resort to pitches and facilities outside the District. No new formal urban open space has been provided to serve the town for many years and additional pitches and facilities are now urgently needed. The urban open space proposals in the South Bedfordshire Local Plan 1995 at RAF Stanbridge will make a valuable contribution to the supply of new pitches and facilities to serve the new residential areas there and the town in general. However, these proposals have not yet been implemented and further provision remains necessary.

 

9.44     The Open Space Study, 2002, identified a need for two additional artificial pitches within the Leighton Buzzard area. The location for these pitches will be identified through the District Council's Cultural Strategy but it would be appropriate to locate them in either an existing area of formal open space or one of the areas proposed in Policy R7 below.

 

9.45     In addition, the South Bedfordshire Local Plan 1995 proposed the use of an area of disused mineral workings for formal recreational open space at Mentmore Road, Linslade. Since that time, this land has been the subject of restoration proposals which have been approved by the Minerals Planning Authority. These effectively preclude the use of this land for playing pitches as proposed in the 1995 Plan. However, the land should remain the subject of a proposal for its use for informal urban open space.

 

9.46     There is a further area of land to the north of the disused mineral workings referred to in the previous paragraph which could be used for playing pitches. This is a smaller area which has good road access and is well related to existing recreational facilities in the built-up areas of Linslade. This area could accommodate at least two playing pitches, one of which should have an all-weather surface and changing facilities.

 

9.47     The effects of the existing shortfall in both informal and formal urban open space in Leighton-Linslade will be exacerbated by new house building in the town during the Plan period. Very large areas of new housing development on the southern and south-eastern sides of the town are proposed in this Local Plan. The residents of these new housing areas will put additional pressure on the existing facilities most accessible to them - Pages Park, Pages Field, Parsons Close and Linslade Memorial Playing Fields and Gardens. These open spaces are already intensively used for formal and informal recreation and although well maintained, and in some cases with upgraded facilities, have not been the subject of major programmes for improvement for many years. Plans have been drawn up by Leighton-Linslade Town Council for the comprehensive improvement of Pages Park - at a cost in excess of £250,000 as part of the 'Urban Parks Programme'. However, Lottery funding was not forthcoming and this proposal has not yet been implemented. Similar upgrading and enhancement of other sites which are easily accessible and well located in relation to the whole community is essential if the recreational requirements of the existing population and new residential developments in the town are to be met satisfactorily.

 

9.48     In addition to the improvement of existing urban open spaces and the Ouzel Valley Park proposals, there is a need to provide new urban open space to serve the very large housing developments proposed in this Local Plan at Pratts Pit and Quarry, Grovebury Farm and Brickyard Quarry. The provision of these new spaces by the landowners/developers will be sought to meet the recreational requirements of new housing areas.

 

 

NOTE:

The Open Space Study 2002 identified the need for a further eight playing pitches in Leighton Buzzard. The District Council considers that these can be accommodated on the new sites identified in Policy R7.

 

 

The Excluded Villages

 

9.49     A number of the larger villages in the District have been excluded from the Green Belt on account of their size and urban character and because they have a range of facilities and services which make them suitable for consideration for some further expansion. The District Council is of the opinion that, while the application of broad open space standards to judge facilities against existing population levels may be inappropriate, there is a case for normally requiring new residential development to meet those standards. The provision of recreational facilities, and particularly of playing pitches is a key issue for many of the larger villages, and the following sections of this Plan indicate the level of existing and proposed facilities and consider opportunities for further provision.

 

Barton-le-Clay

 

9.50     The level of public open space in this large and expanding village is now adequate, although the provision of facilities to maximise opportunities for its use for formal and informal recreation, are still required. The use of the 3.8 hectare 'old recreation ground' with its tennis court, cricket and football pitch and children's play area, is limited by restrictive covenants, which prevent its use on Sundays and it is not well related to the main residential areas of the village. However, this area has been supplemented through implementation of proposals made in the South Bedfordshire Local Plan 1995 for the provision of a 7.7 hectare site on the southern side of the village to accommodate playing pitches and courts, changing facilities, amenity space, allotments and car parking.

 

9.51     In addition, there is a small play area of 0.16 hectares at Norman Road, and Barton Rovers Football Club has a 3 hectare site accommodating their well appointed football ground for club use with spectator facilities and flood lights. Small play areas and amenity spaces have also been provided on the large Grange Farm residential development in the village.

 

9.52     Plans are in hand by the Parish Council to complete the provision of facilities on the new recreation ground which will provide the village with adequate open space and recreational facilities for current levels of population. Further new developments will be expected to assist with the provision of facilities on the new recreation ground.

 

Caddington and Slip End

 

9.53     Caddington has a population of 3,350. Public recreational facilities consist of a 2.8 hectare playing field with two football pitches, a cricket square, a floodlit multi-purpose games area (incorporating tennis, basketball and 5-a-side football) and a substantial well-appointed pavilion. Proposals are in hand for additional tennis courts and floodlighting.

 

9.54     Five Oaks Middle School at Caddington has a range of winter and summer pitches, tennis courts and athletics facilities. Opportunity for the use of these facilities by the wider community would significantly assist the meeting of local recreational requirements. Land is allocated in Caddington in this Local Plan review for residential development, (Site H1(19), the site is a 2.16 hectare edge of village site.

 

9.55     An area of land adjacent to the proposed housing site has been granted planning permission for replacement allotments and part of this area could be laid out for formal or informal recreational use to serve the village and the residents of the new housing development.

 

 

 

9.56     Slip End has a population of 2,150. It is served by a 2.7 hectare recreation ground with a play area, playing pitch and a well appointed pavilion for changing and community use at Church Road, some way from the centre of the village. There is also a more central playground next to the village hall in Markyate Road.

 

Eaton Bray

 

9.57     Eaton Bray has a population of 2,540 and immediately adjoins the village of Edlesborough in Buckinghamshire, with which it shares some facilities. Eaton Bray is well served with recreational open space. There is a 2.2 hectare recreation ground in School Lane, which accommodates three tennis courts and a children's play area with fixed play equipment. The 1.6 hectare Rye Recreation Ground contains a football pitch and clubhouse with changing facilities, as well as a children's play area with fixed play equipment. Also in The Rye is the 1.54 hectare Eaton Bray Cricket Ground occupied by the local club with a pavilion, cricket square, and cricket nets.

 

9.58     In addition to these facilities, many Eaton Bray residents make use of the large recreation ground at Edlesborough which comprises a cricket pitch, two football pitches, tennis courts and a children's play area as well as a large area of informal recreational open space. No significant increase in housing development or population is anticipated for this village and there is, therefore, no requirement for additional recreational open space.

 

Toddington

 

9.59     The village of Toddington has a population of 4,880. It was, until recently, poorly provided with recreational open space. The 1.6 hectare recreation ground in Luton Road has one football pitch, three tennis courts with floodlighting, a small pavilion, and a children's play area with fixed play equipment.

 

9.60     This has recently been supplemented by the addition of 5.8 hectares of land to the south of the village known as 'The Glebe' which was allocated for public open space in the South Bedfordshire Local Plan 1995. This area has now been laid out for formal and informal recreational purposes, including playing pitches and tennis courts.

 

9.61     No additional housing development is provided for in Toddington in this Local Plan review and it is not, therefore, anticipated that any additional areas of urban open space will be needed to serve the village.

 

Heath and Reach

 

9.62     This village of 1,250 population is immediately north of Leighton Buzzard and relies on the town for the majority of its services, including recreation. The village does, however, have a small recreation ground of 1.5 hectares in Thrift Road which accommodates a football pitch with changing facilities and a children's play area. A further area for formal recreation has recently been provided on a restored mineral working site at the northern end of the village adjacent to Woburn Road. There are no other facilities for sport and recreation in the village, although informal recreation is well provided for through the existence of Stockgrove Country Park and The Heath immediately adjoining the village.

 

9.63     No proposals are made in this Plan for additional residential development on any significant scale in the village and it is not, therefore, anticipated that additional recreational spaces and facilities will be needed. However, the District Planning Authority recognises that there is the potential to make additional outdoor recreational provision in the area north-east of Leighton-Linslade and Heath & Reach by the regeneration of disused sand pits as part of the Sand Pits Study Initiative being undertaken by the District Council in co-operation with Bedfordshire County Council, Leighton-Linslade Town Council, Heath & Reach Parish Council and The Greensand Trust.

 

Hockliffe

 

9.64     This village of 730 population is 4.5km north-west of Dunstable. Two new housing sites totalling 1.86 hectares are allocated for development in this Local Plan.

 

9.65     There is a small 1.12 hectare recreation ground at the eastern edge of the village with playing pitch, changing facilities and play area. There is also a small 0.18 hectare playground adjoining. An addition to these facilities is needed to provide additional pitches for formal recreation. An irregularly shaped elongated area of land to the south-east of the village which adjoins both the existing recreation ground and one of the proposed housing sites, is suitable for this use. It would also limit the outward growth of the village in this direction and could provide a space for effective structural landscaping to soften the built edge.

 

Children's Play Areas for New Residential Developments

9.66     It is important that adequate provision for children's play space is made for new residential developments including dwellings suitable for family occupation. For some time the standard for provision on developments with more than 20 dwellings has been applied in South Bedfordshire. The District Planning Authority now considers that this provision should be made on sites for residential development, comprising dwellings likely to house families, of 12 or more dwellings. Family dwellings are defined as dwellings with 2 or more bedrooms and which are intended for, or capable of being occupied by families with children. The play areas provided should be well related to the houses they serve, but at the same time their siting should not lead to a detrimental impact on adjoining residential properties. The District Planning Authority, therefore, considers that a few larger areas of well maintained open space may be preferable to a number of smaller areas. The following policy will apply:

 

 

NOTE:

In developments of 299 or more units, the area of play space will be calculated on the basis of an extra 600m² per 50 dwellings or pro rata equivalent.

 

 

9.67     Children's Play Areas should be provided on residential development sites wherever possible. However, in exceptional circumstances, it may be appropriate to provide the play area on a nearby area of informal open space or for an alternative form of open space to be provided, such as a play street or pocket park. Where this is not possible, a contribution should be made to the upgrading or replacement of equipment at existing sites nearby. This flexible approach is in line with PPG17 as it allows the greatest needs to be met in each particular case. This provision should be in addition to the provision of urban open space in accordance with the standard set out in 9.5-9.17 of this Plan unless it can be clearly demonstrated that there is adequate provision within 200m of the site.

Making Provision for Urban Open Space in New Residential Developments

9.68     The provision of urban open space to the standards set out at paragraphs 9.5-9.17 of this Plan will be expected in relation to all new housing developments in the District, whether these are allocated in this Local Plan or not.

 

9.69     Ideally, the provision of informal open space should be made within the site. However, given the pressures on allocated and other development land in the District and the need to maximise the contribution that such land makes to meeting the housing provisions of the Bedfordshire Structure Plan 2011, this may not be possible.

 

9.70     As far as provision of formal open space is concerned, only where very large housing developments are proposed, will this be expected to be provided on site. Provision will, therefore, normally be made off-site, either immediately adjacent to the housing development in question or well located to serve it. In such circumstances it will normally be appropriate for developers to make provision for formal and informal urban open space on the same site.

 

9.71     For a number of the sites proposed for allocation for housing development in this Plan, the location and extent of urban open space provision required by the District Planning Authority is specified in the schedule to Policy H1.

 

9.72     Where such provision is not specified it will be for the developer to secure the appropriate provision in line with the standards on or off site. In some cases, where all or some of the provision cannot be made on site it may be acceptable for the developer to make an equivalent financial contribution to the District Council to allow the provision or improvement of urban open space in a suitable alternative location as provided for in the Urban Open Space Strategy set out at paragraphs 9.20-9.65 of this Plan.

 

9.73     The Urban Open Space standards are expressed in this Plan in terms of hectares of land per thousand population. This will be calculated by an assessment of the number of bed spaces in each dwelling to be provided on a particular housing development. Bed spaces will be calculated as the maximum number of spaces likely to be in each type of dwelling as follows:

 

1 Bed Unit = 2 bed spaces

2 Bed Unit = 3 bed spaces

3 Bed Unit = 4 bed spaces etc.

 

This will be translated into the maximum population that the development could accommodate and the open space standards will apply accordingly - 2.57 hectares per thousand population for formal open space and 0.93 hectares per thousand population of informal open space. The securing of the required provision will normally be a matter for a Section 106 Agreement which will be concluded with the developer before any planning permission is granted.

 

9.74     Some developments, such as sheltered housing for the elderly, will have open space requirements different from, and probably lower than, those of family dwellings. In such cases residents may benefit from amenity space within and around the site rather than from public open space. This will be taken into account in the way the Policy is applied. Very small developments may also need to be treated with some flexibility to ensure that what is sought by way of public open space is commensurate with the scale of development.

 

Protecting Recreational Open Space

9.75     The District Planning Authority recognises the importance of retaining recreational open space, playing fields and pitches, because of their value to the communities they serve. Such land is under intense pressure for built development - particularly in urban areas. This pressure is intensified in South Bedfordshire by the existence of the Green Belt which covers the whole of the District outside the main towns and villages and the low land values attached to recreational and amenity open spaces.

 

9.76     The District Council is convinced that open spaces in the towns and villages of the District have a vitally important amenity role in addition to their value for recreational purposes. Such open spaces contribute to the variety of land uses within the urban fabric which help to make towns and villages convenient, satisfying and enjoyable places to live. Their retention is vital to avoid town cramming and their potential loss is a matter of great concern to the District Council.

 

9.77     This concern is reflected to some extent in the Bedfordshire Structure Plan 2011 where Policy 64 states that existing areas of recreation and open space - including amenity and play space - will generally be protected unless alternative facilities of at least equal quality and value are provided in the local area.

 

9.78     The District Council considers that this policy, while useful, fails to reflect the very great importance of recreational and other open spaces and fails adequately to consider the near impossibility of making alternative provision of equal usefulness and convenience to that part of the community most directly affected by the proposed change.

 

9.79     The District Council is encouraged by advice contained on this matter in PPG17. This acknowledges the value of 'open space' in its wider sense (that is, all open space of public value) not only as an amenity but as a contribution to the conservation of the natural and built heritage of an area. PPG17 recommends that an assessment is made of open space in the local area (the Open Space Study 2002 has done this for the three urban areas) and states in paragraph 10 that;

 

'Existing open space, sports and recreational buildings and land should not be built on unless an assessment has been undertaken which has clearly shown the open space or the buildings and land to be surplus to requirements. For open space 'surplus to requirements' should include consideration of all the functions that open space can perform. Not all open space, sport and recreational land and buildings are of equal merit and some may be available for alternative uses.'

 

9.80     The District Council agrees with these views and accepts the advice given. It therefore carried out the Open Space Study in 2002, the results of which are reflected in the Urban Open Space Strategy and the new open space standards. The District Council considers that the recreational and sporting needs of the residents of South Bedfordshire are likely to increase during the plan period in line with national trends and that there is no evidence to suggest that an over-provision of such facilities exists. Therefore, the District Council wishes to protect all open spaces of amenity, recreational, sporting, educational, conservation or other public value in the towns and villages of the District. Accordingly:

 

 

 

NOTE:

For the avoidance of doubt, this policy is intended to include proposals for the incorporation of amenity areas and spaces into private gardens, and to all allotment gardens whether privately or publicly owned.

 

 

9.81     One specific area of open space which should be protected under Policy R12 is the old reservoir on Houghton Road, Houghton Regis, adjacent to Houghton Quarry. Despite its limited recreational function, this 8.4 hectare site is the only water facility in the Houghton Regis/Dunstable area and has significant wildlife and community value. It also adjoins the proposed route of the A5 Dunstable Eastern Bypass which may have an adverse impact on it. It is therefore essential that the site should be protected as far as possible.

 

9.82     Open spaces in the rural parts of the District are already afforded protection by Green Belt policy. However:

 

Countryside Recreation

9.83     Very little of the District's countryside is more than five miles from a sizeable urban area. Although the main rural land use continues to be agriculture, in recent years increasing attention has been directed to the role of the countryside for sport and recreation. The urban population of southern Bedfordshire (including Luton) is well over a quarter of a million and many of these people look to the countryside on their doorstep for regular informal recreational activities, such as walking, riding, angling, etc. A smaller but increasing number look to the countryside to meet their needs for formal organised sport and recreation and there is increasing pressure for the location of facilities for these activities in the countryside.

 

9.84     The whole of the District's countryside is in the Green Belt where there is a general presumption against inappropriate development. The extent to which sport and recreation is considered to be appropriate is set down in paragraphs 3.4 and 3.5 of Planning Policy Guidance Note 2 (PPG2), Green Belts, March 1999, as follows:

 

Paragraph 3.4;

'...essential facilities for outdoor sport and outdoor recreation' which preserve the openness of the Green Belt and do not conflict with the purposes of including land in it;...'

 

Paragraph 3.5;

''Possible examples of such facilities include small changing rooms or unobtrusive spectator accommodation for outdoor sport'.'

 

9.85     Most of the recreational pressure on the District's countryside is experienced in the areas closest to the main urban population and particularly in The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and in the Greensand Ridge in the north of the District, most of which are designated as Areas of Great Landscape Value. In these areas the protection and enhancement of the natural beauty of the landscape are the pre-eminent considerations. There is little direct conflict between this aim and the use of these areas for informal recreation, although their very attractiveness creates its own problems in the demand for potentially intrusive facilities such as car parks, catering establishments, etc.

 

9.86     In these areas there are a number of sites which attract high numbers of visitors. Some, such as Stockgrove Country Park north of Leighton Buzzard, or Dunstable Downs, are managed specifically to cater for large numbers of visitors. Others such as Warden and Galley Hills north-east of Luton are being managed primarily for nature conservation, but with a view to accommodating increased visitor pressure.

 

9.87     The Bedfordshire Structure Plan 2011 includes policies which seek to protect and enhance existing countryside and improve its recreational facilities, particularly in certain areas such as the urban fringe. The Structure Plan also seeks to improve access, for recreational purposes, to the countryside. The District Planning Authority is convinced of the importance of the countryside in meeting the informal recreational needs of the District and supports the Structure Plan approach.

 

9.88     The District Planning Authority accepts the need for working in partnerships to ensure that the countryside offers landscape opportunities for appropriate recreation which will not harm its character and quality. The District Planning Authority will, therefore, co-operate with others through the Chilterns Initiative and the Greensand Project to achieve these objectives.

 

 

 

9.89     The footpath and bridleway network offers an important recreational asset by affording access to the countryside for pedestrians and riders. Much of this network of public ways is intensively used, especially close to towns and villages and in areas of particularly attractive countryside. In other areas the network is neglected and difficult to use. This is particularly the case where new agricultural methods have had a major impact in stripping the landscape of its most attractive features. Bedfordshire County Council has produced a Rights of Way Strategy which takes on board the Countryside Agency's aim to ensure that all rights of way are clearly defined and usable by the year 2000. The District Planning Authority supports this strategy and will resist proposals which would erode the footpath/bridleway network. Accordingly:

 

Sport and Formal Recreation in the Countryside

9.90     A number of playing fields and other facilities exist for sport and formal recreation in the countryside. These are primarily designed to serve the local population, although some facilities have been established by relocation from within adjoining urban areas. There are also a number of established facilities such as golf courses, driving ranges and the London Gliding Club which have served the recreational requirements of a wider population for many years.

 

9.91     The District Planning Authority is of the view that the countryside in South Bedfordshire should primarily be seen as providing opportunities for:

 

(a)       passive or informal active recreation where quiet enjoyment of the countryside for its own sake is the main attraction; and

 

(b)       more formal or organised activities for which a countryside setting is essential.

 

9.92     The District Council is aware of a trend towards the location of recreational activities in the countryside for which a countryside setting is convenient rather than essential. A number of these activities generate substantial amounts of traffic and require the provision of facilities or structures which could have an adverse impact on the appearance of the countryside. Motorised sports and shooting are examples of highly intrusive activities and will tend to impair the enjoyment of the countryside for others. The District Council is also concerned over the potential impact on the countryside of activities which attract large numbers of spectators and which give rise to facilities to cater for them.

 

9.93     The District Council acknowledges the desire to locate noisy sports well away from settlements to reduce nuisance to people in their homes, but is conscious that this will create nuisance for, intrude upon and impair the enjoyment of the majority of those using the countryside for informal recreation. The District Council is not aware of a clear demand by South Bedfordshire residents for facilities for noisy sports activities in the countryside and does not, therefore, propose to make any specific provisions to accommodate them at this stage. Applications for such uses will be considered in the light of the following policy on Sport and Formal Recreation in the Countryside. In view of the above:

 

Specialist and Indoor Sports Facilities

9.94     The provision of specialist and indoor sports facilities in South Bedfordshire, has been concentrated in the main urban areas of the District and in particular at Dunstable Leisure Centre, Tiddenfoot Leisure Centre and Houghton Regis Leisure Centre. The need for additional facilities has been kept under review. In 1987 the Pickering Torkildsen Partnership reported on the deficiencies of certain indoor and specialist facilities and highlighted requirements for learner pools, synthetic pitches, etc. Some of these facilities have now been provided and others are planned subject to the availability of finances. Synthetic all-weather multi-purpose floodlit playing surfaces have been provided at Dunstable and Tiddenfoot. In Dunstable a privately funded Ten Pin Bowling facility was opened in 1992. In terms of ECSR standards, the District Council is aware that there may still be a degree of under provision of indoor and specialist sports facilities in some areas of the District. This matter is examined in detail by the District Cultural Strategy, already referred to.

 

9.95     The District Council is also conscious of the contribution which school facilities can make in this respect in the towns and larger villages of the District. The District Council is of the view that further provision should be directed primarily to the urban areas of the District or made in conjunction with existing facilities of Upper and Middle Schools. However, the District Council is aware that indoor facilities on a smaller scale can also be provided at community and village halls and that this can make an important contribution to meeting the recreational needs of local communities, particularly in rural areas. Therefore: