Former Wycombe District Sports Facility Strategy 2015 to 2020

In early 2009, the council adopted a Sports Facility Strategy 2009 to 2014. The strategy recommended the support of a new stadium and sports hubs across the former district, along with the development of a new sports centre for High Wycombe and a large number of community sports club facility developments. This strategy was particularly successful as a wide variety of projects have been achieved by a variety of organisations across the former district during the lifespan of the previous strategy, including:

• replacement Wycombe Leisure Centre under construction (due to open January 2016)
• new synthetic turf pitch (STP) at John Hampden School
• new athletics facility at Little Marlow
• new BNU Sports and Fitness Centre in High Wycombe
• new sports centre and STP at Great Marlow School
• new sports hall at Princes Risborough School
• new hockey competition standard STP at Marlow Sports Club
• four new football pitches at the Rye
• additional rugby pitch at Kingsmead
• new gymnastics facility at Cressex industrial park
• two new croquet lawns at Hazlemere Recreation Ground
• new changing rooms at Desborough Recreation Ground
• pavilion extension at Bassetsbury Manor Bowls Club
• improvements to sports facilities at Bledlow Cricket Club, High Wycombe Cricket Club, Risborough Rangers and Longridge Outdoor Activity Centre
• replacement clubhouse at Marlow Rowing Club and at Hazlemere Parish Council’s Recreation Ground
• clubhouse improvements at Marlow Rugby Club, Bucks Squash Club and Downley Sports Club
• improved facilities at Amersham and Wycombe College
• new Cressex School buildings with sports facilities
• Wycombe Rye Lido re-opened with new gym and dance studio

The recommendation to develop sporting hubs is still relevant as hubs provide sustainable sporting provision (eg management synergies) and as such will be carried forward into the new strategy.

Population - the population of the former Wycombe district in 2012 was 173,300 (Source: 2012 based Local Authorities by single year ONS data (published in May 2014)). Whilst the age structure is relatively similar to national norms, the high proportion of the population aged under 15 will inflate demand particularly for pitch sports locally in the next few years.

Ethnicity - Black and minority ethnic groups comprise 18.7% of the local population, well above the national average. Minority ethnic groups traditionally have lower rates of participation in physical activity, which may reduce local levels of demand. However, the relatively high proportion of people of south Asian heritage, who traditionally have an interest in cricket, may have a specific impact on demand for this sport.

Growth - population growth of 20,100 people (a 10.4% increase) by 2033 will increase demand for many sports and the supporting pitches, indoor and outdoor sports facilities (Source: 2012 based Local Authorities by single year ONS data (published in May 2014). Existing facilities (especially playing pitches) may come under threat of development to accommodate new housing. However, developer contributions will provide an opportunity to fund provision that can be evidenced to meet the needs of the new residents.

Income - the relatively affluent local economy is associated with higher levels of participation in sport and physical activity. The higher levels of disposable income available for discretionary spending on activities such as sport may therefore increase demand levels.

Health - good health indices locally underline the importance of ensuring access to sports facilities as part of a wider strategy to ensure that the local population remains physically active.

Deprivation - the deprivation indices for Wycombe are low and since deprivation is associated with lower rates for participation in sport and physical activity, patterns of demand are likely to be relatively high in the former district. However there are notable pockets of deprivation in High Wycombe town. Some of these areas have very limited access to formal sports provision and this is likely to detrimentally impact on participation by people with lower incomes.

Participation rates - based on the Sport England ‘Active People’ 2014 survey, overall adult weekly participation rates in all sports in Wycombe have increased since 2005 and 2006 and at 40.5% remain well above the regional (37.4%) and national (36.0%) averages, suggesting that local demand for pitches and sports facilities will be commensurately high.

Club membership - sports club membership rates in the former district are comparatively high (31.6%) compared with the regional (22.5%) and national (22.8%) figures, which underlines the important role played by grassroots volunteer-run sports clubs in delivering local opportunities.

Market Segmentation - the local data suggests that demand for pitch sports is likely to be higher than the national average, given the larger than the national average proportion of Wycombe residents from market segments which participate in football in particular.

Corporate Plan - the council’s Corporate Plan contains a commitment to ‘enable the development of local sports, cultural and community facilities’ including playing pitches and indoor and outdoor sports facilities.

Community Plan - the Sustainable Communities Strategy includes a commitment to promote active and healthy lifestyles and playing pitches, indoor and outdoor sports facilities are an integral means of facilitating this priority.

Core Strategy - the Wycombe Core Strategy contains positive policies on the provision and retention of playing pitches and outdoor sports facilities.

Delivery and Site Allocations Plan (DSA) – the DSA recognises the importance of Green Spaces in providing recreational and amenity value, and contains a policy which defines public open space minimum standards based on the Open Spaces Framework required by any new development. The open space standard is split into a local and a strategic element with the latter containing an element of public outdoor sport provision.

Open Space Framework (OSF) - the council’s Open Space Framework provides the evidence base for the DSA open space policy and the developer contribution system in relation to the provision of open space in new developments. It analyses what open space exists and collates, coordinates and prioritises findings from other open space related studies. This current study is using a different methodology to assess playing pitches and outdoor sports facilities requirements, as recently recommended by Sports England. This study confirms the need for formal outdoor sport provision across the district and will provide further detail to inform a revision of the OSF in particular with regard to the action plan.

Neighbouring areas - playing pitch assessments in the 4 neighbouring local authorities who have undertaken such studies, show that there are some significant shortfalls in adjoining areas particularly to the south of the district that might cause demand to migrate to Wycombe.

Sport England - The target to increase participation rates will drive up demand for pitches and both indoor and outdoor sports facilities if it is achieved. The emphasis on developing and funding school-community club links will increase the scope for improving the dual use of education pitches and sports facilities.

Governing bodies of sport - Governing bodies of sport have similar facilities objectives, to improve the quality of pitches/facilities and changing provision and many are introducing new, more accessible formats of their sports some of which, such as ‘Last Man Stands’ in cricket, have additional and specific pitch requirements.

Local assessment of need - the findings of audits of sports facilities in 2014 in the former district provide data for assessing local need of sports facilities currently and in the future based on projected population growth.

Protecting existing provision - existing pitches, outdoor sports facilities and indoor provision will be protected unless a needs assessment can demonstrate that they are surplus to current and future requirements, or that replacement provision of at least the same quantity, quality and accessibility is made .

Spare capacity - spare capacity in one type of pitch or facility can be assessed in the context of other sports and open space needs that they might serve.

New developments - developers in the district will be required to contribute financially towards the cost of facilities required to meet the additional needs of new residents. Strategic sites (including the reserve sites and any site within the Princes Risborough potential expansion area) may provide on-site or off-site provision where required.

Reviews - local supply and demand issues will be reviewed after 3 years, to ensure that the assessment of needs reflects changes over time.

New provision - new pitches and facilities can be provided, with funding from developer contributions and other external funding sources. These opportunities including but not limited to the Reserve Sites and Princes Risborough potential expansion need to be considered on a case by case basis through separate assessments.

Upgrading and refurbishment - improving the quality of some facilities may increase their capacity for use, for example through pitch drainage improvements, provision of floodlighting or expanding changing facilities and sports facilities on a site, but, in most cases, it will only improve the playing experience of participants rather than providing additional capacity.

Enhanced access - enhanced access to facilities on school sites with limited or no existing community use is a cost effective option for increasing the effective supply of provision.

Reinstating former facilities - facilities where use has recently been discontinued can be reinstated in response to changes in demand.

The former Wycombe District Council: The council is likely to play a lead role in co-ordinating the development of the larger, more strategic pitch and sports facility sites, in conjunction with other partners where appropriate.

Parish councils: Parish councils will continue to play a valuable role particularly in providing and maintaining pitches and outdoor sports facilities in the rural parts of the district.

Schools: Many schools in Wycombe already provide pitches and outdoor sports facilities from which local communities benefit and there will be further opportunities to extend and formalise community access to a range of provision on school sites.

Sports clubs: Local sports clubs are significant providers of pitches, outdoor sports facilities and indoor facilities and will continue to do so. Some clubs or parishes may wish to take on delegated management responsibilities for pitch and changing facilities maintenance from the local authority.

Developers: The council will seek funding from developers through the Community Infrastructure Levy, which may be used to fund sports facilities that will meet the needs of the inhabitants of new developments in the former district. On site provision may be sought on larger development sites where appropriate.

Partnership arrangements: Partnership arrangements involving combinations of any of the above providers will help to share the costs of provision, management and maintenance of additional provision.