South Staffordshire Playing Pitch Assessment - Final Report · Playing Pitch Assessment Final Report October 2007 . South Staffordshire Playing Pitch Assessment Client: South Staffordshire

South Staffordshire Playing Pitch Assessment Final Report October 2007

South Staffordshire Playing Pitch Assessment Client: South Staffordshire Council

Table of contents Executive Summary 1

Key findings – Pitch Sports 1 Key findings – Other outdoor sports 3

1. Introduction 4 About this report 4 Specific issues addressed by the strategy 4 District profile 5 Strategic context 6 National Facilities Strategies 7

2. Methods 10 Assessing pitch sports - the eight-stage model 10 Assessing other outdoor sports 11 Auditing supply and demand 11 Local Provision Standards 16 Inclusions, exclusions and exceptions – sport locally 17

3. Assessment findings – Football 18 Demand and Supply 18 Assessing quantity 19 Assessing quality 20 Assessing accessibility 21 Future Supply and Demand 22 Local Standards of provision 23 Football conclusions and recommendations 26

4. Assessment findings – Cricket 28 Demand and Supply 28 Assessing quantity 29 Assessing quality 29 Assessing accessibility 30 Future Supply and Demand 31 Local Standards of provision 32 Cricket conclusions and recommendations 34

5. Assessment findings – Rugby Union 36 Demand and Supply 36 Assessing quantity 37 Assessing quality 37 Assessing accessibility 38 Future Supply and Demand 39 Local Standards of provision 40 Rugby Conclusions 42

6. Assessment findings – Hockey 43 Demand and Supply 43 Assessing quantity 44 Assessing quality 44 Assessing accessibility 45 Future Supply and Demand 45 Local Standards of provision 47 Hockey conclusions and recommendations 48

7. Assessment findings – Bowls 50 Demand and Supply 50 Assessing quantity 50 Assessing quality 51


Assessing accessibility 51 Future supply and demand 52 Local standards of provision 52 Conclusions and recommendations 53

8. Assessment findings – Tennis 54 Demand and Supply 54 Assessing quantity 55 Assessing quality 55 Assessing accessibility 56 Local standards of provision 56 Conclusions and recommendations 58

9. Assessment findings – Athletics 59 Demand and Supply 59 Accessibility 59 Conclusions 59

10. Assessment findings – Golf 60 Demand and Supply 60 Accessibility 61 Conclusions 61

11. The Way Forward – Recommendations & Action 62 Overall conclusion 62 Summary of key issues to be addressed 62 Policy options 62 Recommendations 63 Action Plan 67

Appendices 74 Contact details 75


Executive Summary

Introduction South Staffordshire Council and Wardell Armstrong commissioned Hall Aitken to assess the adequacy of playing pitches in the district. Our assessment also looked at other outdoor sports facilities of local significance. Our assessment for pitch sports followed the prescribed method detailed in “Toward a Level Playing Field” (Sport England and Central Council for Physical Recreation, 2003). For other sports we used several consultation and analysis tools to assess the adequacy of provision.

The assessment sought to find out:

if facilities for each sport are adequate to meet demand (current and future);

the adequacy of facilities relating to quantity, quality and access;

appropriate local provision standards; and

priorities for addressing recorded deficiencies.

Key findings – Pitch Sports

Football

There is a large theoretical surplus in adult football pitches (+59 pitches) and a modest surplus in junior pitches (+13 pitches) to meet peak demand. But we identified a shortage in dedicated mini soccer facilities (-2 pitches) and pockets of deficiency in specific areas of the district.

Shortages can be addressed if surplus adult pitches are redesignated as junior or mini as appropriate. And the overall surplus in current provision is also enough to cater for the estimated increase in future demand.

We found the quality of pitch facilities does not adversely affect capacity. But poor changing facilities are a common problem across the district. One in three community use sites lacks facilities.

Access to facilities varies significantly. There is significant variance in hire charges levied and the quality of facilities this relates to. And we identified a significant difference in the distance clubs are prepared (or feel they have to) to travel to access quality facilities. Most clubs rank quality over access to more local facilities. We identified some exported demand (teams from the district playing in neighbouring authorities). But no access issues relating to this – neighbouring authorities don’t manage differential pricing policies for non-residents.

South Staffordshire Council does not have direct control over any of the pitches. So addressing shortages will require partnership working with schools, parish councils and private providers. Key priorities include redesignation of surplus adult facilities to address shortages in mini and junior facilities and investment in changing room facility improvement across the district.

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Cricket

We identified a small surplus in pitches (+1 pitch) to meet peak demand. But facilities are only adequate because demand is split fairly evenly across the weekend. When assessed more locally we found shortages in specific areas on both a Saturday and Sunday. And these cannot be addressed even if access to ‘spare’ pitches without community use is possible.

Future demand is likely to remain static or decline. Population projections suggest a decline in the cricket playing population and clubs do not expect a significant increase in membership.

We found pitch quality does not adversely affect capacity. Most sites provide pitches rated as excellent or good and two thirds of all clubs also rated pitches positively. Most sites are served by changing rooms and these are generally of a high-quality. But some pitches have a quality ceiling – specifically school pitches where other sports (and uses) are allowed.

Access to facilities varies significantly. There are also potential issues (given the ownership and ‘spare’ provision) for accommodating any new teams developing.

As with football, South Staffordshire Council does not have direct control over any of the pitches. So addressing priorities will require partnership working. Key priorities include increasing capacity in the south of the district.

Rugby Union

We identified a small surplus in pitches (+4 pitches) to meet peak demand. But provision is only enough because demand is split fairly evenly across the weekend. Not all pitches theoretically available are used. We also noted that 3 of the 4 clubs, although resident in the district, ‘represent’ neighbouring authorities (Dudley and Walsall). When assessed more locally we found a shortage in the south of the district area (-2 pitches) on a Sunday. In reality this is addressed through phasing mini and junior games. Future demand is likely to result in an increased shortage of –3 pitches.

The quality of pitch facilities does not adversely affect capacity. Three-quarters of sites provide pitches rated as excellent or good. All clubs also rated pitches positively.

Access to opportunities appears not to be a problem. All clubs have capacity for new members and are located strategically across the district.

South Staffordshire Council does not have direct control over any of the pitches. So delivering all recommendations will need partnership working. The key priority for rugby is to work with existing clubs to support the continued investment in facilities.

Hockey

Our assessment of current provision shows there are just enough facilities to meet demand. When assessed more locally we found a shortage in the south of the district (equivalent to -3 match slots). Access to facilities outside the district addresses this. But future demand, and the need for training facilities for other sports is likely to put pressure on existing facilities. All three pitches in the district are located at Cannock Hockey Club. These accommodate high use levels and the club may need support to

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upgrade current facilities. But access is limited for non-hockey clubs, new teams or wider sports development initiatives. So we recommend a feasibility study into another STP in the district.

Key findings – Other outdoor sports

Bowls

We identified a declining membership across clubs. There is enough capacity at local clubs to cater for new members and facilities are satisfactory to cater for any increase in demand. There may be some access issues about the location of greens. All greens are managed through clubs, so opportunities for casual (pay and play) use are limited.

Tennis

We estimate around 1,603 regular participants demanding access to tennis courts and a need for 47 accessible courts. Our analysis suggests a small surplus in provision enough to meet any future growth. But there may be a need for more floodlit courts. Private clubs own and manage most courts which limits opportunities for casual access (pay and play).

Athletics

There is no permanent synthetic track in the district. But we identified five permanent facilities within a 10-mile radius of central South Staffordshire. This provision is satisfactory to meet recent UK Athletics facility provision standards (1 track per 250,000 population or 20-40 minute drive). All tracks identified outside the area are used by local clubs with capacity for new members.

Golf

Our review of golf focused on an audit of all golf courses and whether they provide pay and play opportunities. Our analysis suggests there are around 5,860 regular participants – 6.7% of the adult population, slightly higher than the national average. High levels of estimated demand appear to be met be high levels of supply. Our audit highlights 12 golf facilities (11 courses and 1 stand alone driving range) across the district. 10 (83%) of these facilities have casual pay and play access identified. But there are no casual pay and play facilities in the north of the district.

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1. Introduction Hall Aitken was commissioned by South Staffordshire Council (SSC) and Wardell Armstrong (WA) in April 2007 to undertake an assessment of Playing Pitches and other key outdoor sports facility provision. The assessment forms part of a wider Sport, Recreation and Open Space Study undertaken to address the needs of Planning Policy Guidance Note 17 (PPG 17). This report provides a stand-alone assessment and recommendations about outdoor sports facilities. References to this report and a summary of the findings are included within the overarching report for all Open Spaces.

About this report

Assessing pitch provision for football, cricket, rugby union and hockey was undertaken using the prescribed method detailed in “Toward a Level Playing Field” (Sport England, 2003).

We assessed other key outdoor sports, including crown green bowls, tennis and athletics using various audit and consultation exercises.

We report our key findings, conclusions and recommendations as follows:

Section 1 (this section) summarises the scope of the study and key background context;

Section 2 provides a summary of key elements of our method;

Sections 3 - 6 details the findings of the playing pitch assessment for football, cricket, rugby and hockey;

Section 7 - 10 details the findings of assessing other key outdoor sports, notably bowls, tennis, and athletics; and

Section 11 provides a summary of our overall conclusions, policy options, recommendations and actions.

Specific issues addressed by the strategy

New residential areas, population growth and changing expectations of leisure activities and opportunities all have implications for providing outdoor sports facilities. Equally, the plans of all sports facility providers will influence the future location, mix and scale of playing pitch, green and court provision in the district. So our assessment and recommendations consider these factors and take account of likely future changes to demand and supply.

Developing a strategic approach to the analysis of playing pitch, greens and court supply and demand is necessary to:

protect facilities against development pressures, and specifically residential proposals on land in, and around, urban areas;

identify facility supply and demand issues about population changes; and

address ‘demand’ pressures created by specific sports development changes for example mini soccer or the move artificial pitches by hockey.

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Our assessment covers the overall district area. It also considers the influence of supply and demand from adjoining districts where relevant.

A major driving cause for this assessment and strategy is the need to identify a hierarchy of investment priorities for facility improvements and development. These should inform the continued development of effective Planning Policy and specific supplementary planning documents. They should build on an assessment of use and quality and whether they are “fit for purpose”.

District profile

Demographic profile

South Staffordshire has a current population of 105,897. We estimate 69,683 of the population fall within ‘active age groups’ - those age groups playing sport as defined by Sport England.

Population projections show a slight decline in the population over the next five years. The decline is not significant overall, but there are large projected decreases among many of the age groups who typically take part in sport. These are offset by increases in those age groups not typically active in sports.

Specifically the projections show an 11% decrease in the 10-14 year old age group, and 9% decline in 15-19 year olds. Figures also show decrease of over 25% in the 30-34 year old population.

Projections show a continued decrease in several active age groups over the following 10-year period.

Geography

Staffordshire is a rural District on the north-western edge of Birmingham and the Black Country. It has seen a rapid expansion of housing in the past 25 years. Other changes which have affected the patterns of life and work in South Staffordshire. Traditional industries, such as agriculture, coal mining and engineering have declined. Their place has been taken by new forms of employment, among which mineral extraction, the construction industry, commercial distribution and small manufacturing and service businesses have made large contributions to providing jobs. New roads, the M6 and the M54, have eased movement from the District to nearby urban centres. This undoubtedly impacts on how residents access facilities and services, including sports provision. It is likely that South Staffordshire residents engage in sport organised in neighbouring authority areas.

Current sports participation

The Active Peoples survey (Sport England) provides a suggestion of the number of residents taking part in regularly in sport.

The survey shows around 20.7% of the population take part in 3 x 30 minutes of sport every week. This places South Staffordshire in the middle 50% of all local authorities. But current participation is below the national and regional target. Providing a good

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network of sporting opportunities is key to driving up participation if supported by relevant development resources.

The survey also shows just over 25% of the population are a sports club member. As with participation levels, this places South Staffordshire in the middle 50% of all local authorities. Although there is no target for sports club membership, the fact other local authority areas achieve higher rates suggests there is scope for improvement. Ensuring clubs have access to high-quality, accessible facilities is key to achieving this.

Satisfaction with sports facilities in South Staffordshire

Several measures are available to signal levels of satisfaction with local sports facilities.

The Active Peoples Survey results suggest 75% of residents are satisfied with local sports facilities. This is significantly higher than most local authorities and places South Staffordshire within the top 25% for this indicator. The results suggest there are high-quality facilities used by residents.

The results of Best Value Performance Indicator 119 also provides a measure of satisfaction. The results suggest that 57% of residents are satisfied with facilities. Although lower than levels recorded by the Active Peoples survey it still shows most residents are satisfied with facilities.

Our consultation with sports clubs and pitch providers also asked questions about quality of facilities.

Strategic context

South Staffordshire Local Plan

The adopted local plan (1996) contains several land use planning policies about sports facilities. Specifically Policy R2 covers protecting sports pitches and replacement facilities.

Policy R2 states:

Permission will not be granted for redeveloping public and private sports pitches including school playing fields unless investigations have found out the pitches will not be needed in the longer term for school or community use, or replacement facilities of equivalent or greater size can be provided in suitable locations nearby. In suitable cases, the District Council will seek developers to enter an Agreement under Section 106 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 to provide replacement facilities.

Policies are informed by a previous playing pitch assessment completed in 1998. This identified several priorities for facilities in the district, including:

Preserving existing sports pitches and ancillary facilities;

Improving the quality of sports pitches and ancillary facilities;

Providing new grass pitches;

Providing changing facilities; and

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Providing synthetic grass pitches

The District Council will encourage providing new grass sports pitches and synthetic sports pitches where the proposals are compatible with other policies in the Local Plan.

The Local Plan also highlights several provision standards. Specifically it refers to the (then) West Midlands Council for Sport & Recreation recommendation of a minimum provision of 3 acres (1.2 ha) of public and private grass sports pitches. This follows recommendations of the National Playing Fields Association 3 acre standard (which includes courts and greens). The plan also highlights a standards of one synthetic pitch per 1,000 population.

These levels of provision are based on recommended national provision standards. They do not build on local research or reflect local differences in demand for specific sports, the quality of or access to facilities. So our research and analysis seeks to provide the information needed to revise standards where suitable. Within each of the individual sports assessments we have proposed provision standards taking quantity, quality and accessibility into consideration. Where apt these have been applied and compared to current provision levels to highlight shortages and provide priorities for future investment.

However a Local Development Framework (LDF) is currently replacing the Local Plan under the new Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 for South Staffordshire. The current 'saved' Local Plan will therefore be replaced over time by new documents in the LDF. The Core Strategy is the central document to the LDF and sets out the overarching spatial strategy and will, once adopted, include a policy on open space, leisure, recreation and culture. In due course, and after completion of the Open Space Audit, Playing Pitch Strategy and further work on the Core Strategy, a separate Site Allocations and Policies Development Plan Document will identify sites for open space and sport/recreation provision. Until such time as the documents in the LDF are adopted, the Local Plan will be saved.

South Staffordshire Council Leisure Services Plan 2003-2008

The South Staffordshire Leisure Services Plan for 2003 to 2008 looks at how the council will deliver improved leisure services. One of the plans aims is to work with parishes to develop rural sports provision. This could include increased access to school playing fields for community use, as well as increased use of existing playing pitches. To deliver this plan the council has set itself certain priorities, including working closely with the community to increase opportunities for participation in sport and leisure activities.

National Facilities Strategies

We have reviewed relevant Governing Body of Sport facilities strategies. These provide some guidance on facility standards for community sport provision. We considered any published standards in our quality audits. Our non-technical visual audit includes consideration to any published standards of provision.

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Football

There is no National Facilities Strategy. Strategic Planning for facilities is the responsibility of County Football Associations. Staffordshire FA does not currently have a strategy in place.

The FA also funds various programmes through the Football Foundation including ‘The Capital Projects Scheme’ and ‘The Goalpost Safety Scheme.’ Through these schemes clubs and projects are able to apply for funding to replace poor quality goalposts, refurbish or build changing rooms, improve or build grass and artificial pitches for community use and build clubhouses.

Cricket

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) National Facility Strategy (2000) is used by the County Cricket Boards (CCBs) in England to form their County Development Plans. Within the strategy the ECB identify key priorities for facilities. These include:

improving the quality of match and practice grass pitches at all levels, from school to International level.

ensuring good artificial pitches and nets are provided at schools;

providing good quality match and practice facilities at senior and premier league clubs; and

upgrading changing and support facilities to minimum standards in clubs.

Locally County Cricket Boards (CCBs) review these issues and compare them to their county assessment. From this they produce investment plans.

Rugby Union

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) National Facilities strategy (2001-2006) identifies a need for increased numbers and improved standards of pitches, changing provisions, social facilities, floodlit areas and better access to indoor training.

Hockey

England Hockey does not have a facility development plan in place currently. But they do have an investment strategy for 2003-2008. This highlights the changes introduced and developing preferred surface for holding league games, specifically synthetic pitches. England Hockey aims to provide top quality playing surfaces all over England as participation increases.

Bowls

The British Crown Green Bowling Association (BCGBA) is developing a National Facilities Strategy. This will provide guidance on improving existing provision and developing new bowling facilities. Previous needs assessments show that indoor bowling facilities are an investment priority in many areas rather than outdoor facilities.

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Tennis

There is no National Facilities Strategy for Tennis at present. The ‘Blueprint’ for British Tennis does however highlight current issues and investment considerations.

Most public tennis courts in the UK are underutilized and of a poor standard. Because of this many local authorities have started to change the use of these courts.

The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has made significant capital investments nationally in improving facilities such as floodlit and indoor courts. The ‘Blueprint’ document for the future states there is further capital investment committed over the next five years. It also highlights the LTA will set priorities for a smaller number of clubs that offer a full range of performance programmes.

Athletics

A new delivery plan for UK Athletics is about to be published. This will highlight key priority projects for new facility development.

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2. Methods The Sport England and Central Council for Physical Recreation method for assessing playing pitches (contained within Toward a Level Playing Field) does not provide specific standards for pitch provision that can be universally applied. Its focus is on providing the means for deriving local standards, using local information, and developing policy to meet local circumstances. So our methods were developed with this in mind.

The overall aim of our assessment for pitch sports was to find out the number of pitches needed for each specific sport (Football, Cricket, Rugby Union and Hockey) to meet current or future demand, for example future population projections. Our assessment also encompassed other outdoor sports (bowls, tennis and athletics) with formal facility needs. As with pitch sports this sought to assess the adequacy of facilities relating to quantity, quality and accessibility.

Assessing pitch sports - the eight-stage model

BriefingMeeting

Audit

Demand

Supply

Identifying teams/teamequivalents

Calculating homegames per team

Assessing total homegames per week

Establishing temporaldemand for games

Defining pitchesused/required

Establishing pitchesavailable

Assessing the findings

Identifying policyoptions and solutions

Analysis 1

Analysis 2

Reporting

Playing Pitch ModelMethod

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The method for assessing local playing pitch provision comprises an eight-stage approach. This method is designed for use in football, rugby, cricket and hockey. It “does not include provision for athletics, tennis and bowls, and is therefore concerned with a more limited range of provision than that embraced by the Outdoor Playing Space Standard of the National Playing Fields Association”.

Assessing other outdoor sports

There is no nationally prescribed method to assess other facility based outdoor sports. So we assessed sports of local significance using audit, consultation and analysis techniques. These make use of facility provision standards recommended by National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) where applicable.

We consulted where appropriate with sports clubs providing opportunities in the assessed sports. We commissioned a CACI report to provide an estimation of demand based on the local demography and socio-economic profile. We also visited facilities to audit quantity and quality of them.

Our analysis focused on the responses to our consultation and applying any relevant provision standards for individual sports.

Auditing supply and demand

The current supply of facilities was established through various data review, research and consultation exercises. These consisted of:

a review of information held by South Staffordshire Council;

a review of the FA database and other relevant datasets;

consultation with National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs);

site visits to all identified facilities owned and managed by all providers at local level (with and without) community use;

consultation with key stakeholders (for example Governing Bodies of Sport);

a postal survey of all schools within the authority;

a postal and telephone survey to all identified Sports Clubs as agreed with South Stafforshire Council; and

Consultation with relevant neighbouring authorities.

Assessing quantity

For playing pitches we assessed quantity using the eight-stage model. At its simplest this compares the number of pitches demanded at peak time with those available.

For Football and Cricket where levels of demand are higher, we assessed quantity locally. Based on our club consultation results we divided the district into three analysis areas. The Parishes included within each analysis area are shown in the figure below:

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Figure 1 - Analysis Areas

Cheslyn HaySaredon

Great W yrley

Hatherton

Featherstone

Shareshill

Himley

Lower Penn

Trysull and Seisdon

W ombourne

Bilbrook

Pattingham and Patshull

Blymhill and W eston-under-Lizard

Acton Trussell and Bednall

Huntington

Kinver

Lapley, Stretton and W heaton Aston

Penkridge

Coppenhall

Codsall

Enville

Hilton

Dunston

SwindonBobbington

Essington

Brewood and Coven

Teddesley Hay

Perton

South Analysis Area

Central Analysis Area

North Analysis Area

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Analysis Area Parishes included

North Blymhill and Weston-under-Lizard; Lapley, Stretton and Wheaton Aston; Penkridge; Dunston; Coppenhall; Acton Trussell and Bednall; Teddeslay Hay; Huntington; Hatherton

Central Brewood and Coven; Saredon; Cheslyn Hay; Great Wyrley; Shareshill; Featerstone; Hilton; Essington; Bilbrook; Codsall; Perton; Pattingham and Patshull; Lower Penn

South Trysull and Seisdon; Wombourne; Himley; Swindon; Bobbington; Enville; Kinver

For non-pitch sports we also compared supply and demand using data collected form secondary sources and consultation.

Assessing quality

We assessed quality through consulting with pitch users and through site visits. We rated all pitches using the non-technical visual assessment pro forma included in the Toward a Level Playing Field electronic toolkit. We used our own in-house pro forma for other sports facilities using similar criteria.

Our assessment of quality included consideration to:

Grass cover;

Length of grass;

Size of pitch (towards recommended dimensions);

Safety margins;

Slope of pitch;

Evenness of pitch;

Presence of common problems such as dog fouling and litter;

Evidence of unofficial use.

Evidence the pitch is also used for training;

Whether the pitch is served by changing accommodation;

Condition/quality of equipment (for example Goalposts);

Condition/quality of line markings;

Whether there are training areas on the site.

Site inspections also rated the quality of changing and ancillary facilities for pitch site with community use, based on:

Overall Quality;

Evidence of vandalism;

Whether there are showers;

Whether there are toilet facilities;

Whether the pitch site is served by car parking.

Links to public transport;

Security;

Whether there is separated changing to allow male and female sport to be accommodated on the site at the same time.

We completed site visits during April-July 2007. This meant that for football pitches, many were being reseeded or were not marked because the season had finished.

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And for early visits many cricket pitches were not marked as the season had not formally started. Sometimes cricket outfields are used for football pitch provision.

Assessing accessibility

A key part of the analysis of data was an examination of the extent to which pitches identified were in “secured public use”. This was undertaken in the context of the Sport England definition of community use, and broadly embraces:

All local authority (parish council) pitches

Educational facilities where they are subject to formal dual use/ community use agreements/ formal hire arrangements with local teams. This was assessed through a specific question on the Schools Questionnaire;

Any other institutional facilities which are available to the public because of formal dual/ community use agreements;

Any facilities owned, used or maintained by clubs/private individuals, which as a matter of policy or practice are available by large sections of the public through membership of a club or admission fees; and

Only formal playing pitches that are marked out and in use for the relevant pitch sports have been included in the audit of facilities.

For this assessment we also included consideration to distance thresholds. We consulted clubs about these and mapped the results. We took account of quality as well as quantity in doing this.

Data Collection Issues

Portability of facilities

Finding out precisely how many pitches and teams there are within the study area is difficult for several reasons. For example the number of pitches at a given site can change over short periods of time for reasons about management and care. This means a count conducted in one season may differ from results of similar exercise conducted previously or in future seasons. A specific example might a sports and social club opting to supply a specific pitch because it yields a greater income potential, for example football rather than rugby or cricket.

Mini football matches often make use of portable goals. This can make pitches difficult to identify through a site visit. It is increasingly common for mini soccer to be played on parts of adult football pitches rather than dedicated facilities. This is the case at several settings in South Staffordshire.

For these reasons assessing playing pitch supply and demand within the study area can only be considered to be a ‘snapshot’ in time. There is a need to ensure the data used within the assessment is updated at suitable intervals to ensure the constant validity of the recommendations made.

Timetable for audits

The time at which site surveys are conducted will influence the number of pitches identified through site investigation. This reason was an issue for football, given that

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most of site visits were conducted at the end of the football season. Sometimes goalposts had been removed and pitches unmarked.

Baseline information

South Staffordshire Council does not directly provide pitches itself. At the start of the study there was no baseline data. The Council did not have a comprehensive record of facilities within the district and our audit for many sports had to start with building a baseline.

Data Analysis tools

Our analysis has made use of several analysis tools. We summarise these below. They include some provided as part of the Toward a Level Playing Field toolkit, and some we developed.

Team Generation Rates

A team generation rates (TGR) is the ratio of the number of teams within a specified area to the total population within a given age group from that same area. The groupings used reflect age groups engaging in the different sub-groups of each of the assessed sports. (For example 6-9 year olds for Mini Soccer).

Identifying Team Generation Rates provides the means to:

Compare participation in the assessed sports between the study area (and areas within) and other parts of the country where Team Generation Rates have formed part of Playing Pitch Strategy developments; and

Help in modelling future demand for pitches.

But the use of Team Generation Rates needs caution. It is important to make use of them as a guide only and not at the expense of using qualitative evidence gathered as part of the study. Essentially, Team Generation Rates reflect the current situation and are based on current demand information. They may not include potential/ latent demand where teams may for example not be able to develop because of lack of a suitable facility.

Future team calculator

We use a future team calculator to use the Team Generation Rates, consultation results and population projections. The calculator provides an indication of rates of growth or shrinkage. It considers natural growth (through population change) and development growth (through the efforts of clubs).

Carrying capacity

We used a simple matrix to consider pitch quality in calculating surplus or shortages. This works on the assumption that lower quality pitches will be able to hold less games or use than those of high-quality. Although crude, the matrix provides a suggestion of surplus or shortage in facilities beyond a simple count of the number of pitches available.

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Local Provision Standards

We used the research, consultation and assessment findings to set local provision standards. We base these on required provision to meet both current needs and where estimations have been possible, future demand and growth expected within specific sports.

Local standards have been set on quantity and quality, based on:

Assessment results and the adequacy of current provision to meet known and estimated demand;

Expected changes to demand based on current participation rates; and

Current and desired quality of facilities.

Quantity standards for playing pitches

Quantity standards have been set based on the assessment results and estimates of future demand using population projections, Team Generation Rates, consultation results, and known patterns of temporal demand. The proposed standards reflect the assessment results and findings of local consultation. Standards are set to reflect pitch requirements to meet peak demand. Standards are proposed for all types of natural turf pitches assessed.

For setting standards, the assessment has been undertaken for each pitch sport and suitable subcategories where different types or specification of pitch are needed. This specifically concerns football where mini teams and junior (youth) teams need correctly sized pitches. For example, some junior teams make use of senior pitches. However for setting standards junior teams are assessed they demand a junior pitch.

It is important to note there are several key strategies to meet required standards of provision including. Addressing deficiencies in provision does not always require developing new facilities. Approaches can include:

Redesignation of some pitches (or simply remarking sometimes);

Enabling and helping access to other existing provision for example Education and private provision;

Improving quality of facilities to improve capacity and volume of use; and

Changing use of other existing recreational open space.

We make some recommendations in the report to the priorities for meeting local standards of provision.

Quality standards for playing pitches

Quality standards have been set based on the quality assessment results and classifying scored pitches using the electronic toolkit accompanying “Toward a Level Playing Field”. The quality standard is based on all pitches being rated within the “Good” classification. In simple terms, the standard for playing pitch provision is “all pitches available for the community to use will be of a good standard”.

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Quantity standards for other outdoor sports (tennis and bowls)

Quantity standards have been set based on consultation results and population projections. This has included consideration to the capacity of current facilities and the current use. Clubs were consulted to find out trends in membership and expected growth and decline. Consideration has been given to population projections and participation rates.

Quality standards for other outdoor sports (tennis and bowls)

Quality standards have been set on the basis the site visits and results from the non-technical visual assessments. The assessments have rated provision within a category ranging from “very poor” to “excellent”.

Inclusions, exclusions and exceptions – sport locally

The Assessment Method requires an assessment of the facilities’ and teams’ relevance to be included within the method. Specific teams and facilities must be excluded from the method to establish the local supply and demand for community accessible facilities. In this study, the Sport England Method includes key clubs within local communities, which contribute to developing sporting opportunities for local people. These community clubs are often the key clubs within the local area and have open membership policies and sports development opportunities where otherwise they may not exist, despite them owning their own grounds, and having exclusive team use of the pitches thereon. These local factors must be considered when establishing the quantitative analysis of playing provision within the area.

It is more difficult to apply strict criteria to assessing demand. Many teams and sports clubs comprise members living in neighbouring areas or settlements. So it is not always easy to identify “where” a team comes from. People do not live their daily lives within of a specific analysis area or council boundaries. Inevitably there are some “grey areas” about some clubs and whether they should be included within the assessment or not. It is important the assessment reflects the way sport runs locally.

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3. Assessment findings – Football

Demand and Supply

Demand

Our research identified 66 football clubs generating 187 teams. A full listing of these clubs and teams is provided in the appendices to this report. The number of teams generated by each club varies significantly, from single team clubs to those with more than twenty-five teams. Most clubs (84% of those consulted) report they have capacity for new members. These teams are shown by type in Figure 2 below which also shows which areas of the district teams originate from.

Figure 2 - Football demand in South Staffordshire

Number of teams Team Type

District Central North South

Mini Soccer – Mixed (6-9 years) 57 36 8 13

Junior Football - Boys (10-15 years) 77 44 12 21

Junior Football – Girls (10-15 years) 12 8 3 1

Senior Football – Men’s (Over 16) 39 23 5 11

Senior Football – Women’s (Over 16) 2 2 0 0

TOTAL NUMBER OF TEAMS 187 113 28 46

These teams produce around 93 games per week. Saturday is the peak time for Junior Football (52% of demand) and for Mini Soccer (63% of demand). The peak time for adult football is on a Sunday (84% of games). For junior football peak demand is marginal, with demand at ‘off-peak’ times almost at the same level as the peak days.

Demand is based on teams playing home and away games. The playing pitch model makes the assumption that teams will demand a pitch for home games once every two weeks – so weekly demand for each team is assumed to be 0.5 pitches.

Supply

We identified 116 pitches on 72 sites with secured public use included in our assessment calculations. We identified a further 12 sites with some facilities without secured community use. A full listing of all sites is included within the appendices.

18


Figure 3 – Football pitches with secured community use in South Staffordshire

Number of pitches Pitch Type


Mini Soccer Pitch 16 9 4 3

Junior Football Pitch 31 18 8 5

Senior Football Pitch 69 38 15 16

PITCHES IN SECURED PUBLIC USE 116 65 27 24

Assessing quantity

Our quantitative assessment is based on how many pitches are available (those with secured public use) to meet peak demand.

For football we have assessed the adequacy for mini soccer, junior and adult football separately. The results are shown below in Figure 4 below.

Figure 4 - Football quantitative assessment - district

Sport No. pitches required

No. of pitches available

Surplus / Deficiency

Mini Soccer 18 16 -2

Junior Football 18 31 +13

Senior Football 10 69 +59

Our full calculations are detailed in the appendices to this report. As an example of how assessment results are calculated, for Mini Soccer:

63%, or 36 of the 57 teams play their games on a Saturday afternoon;

these 36 teams play home games every other week; so

18 pitches are required.

The model also works on an assumption there are four possible times for matches to be played – Saturday and Sunday, morning and afternoon. In reality most pitches will only house one game on each day. If this is assumed to be the case, the recorded surplus for Junior football reduces to +9 if all Saturday demand is included (total of morning and afternoon demand). Similarly the surplus of adult football pitches reduces to +41 if all demand on a Sunday is added together.

The surplus in senior and junior pitch provision, if redesignated as mini pitches is more than enough to meet the identified shortages.

We also assessed the adequacy of pitches on a more local level. Details of areas included are provided in our methods section.

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Figure 5 - Football quantitative assessment – by area

Area surplus / deficiency Sport

Central North South Mini Soccer -2 +3 -4

Junior Football +9 +7 -4

Senior Football +34 +13 +12

We did not identify any latent demand or potential teams who would play if there were more facilities. But we did identify some clubs and teams currently accessing pitches outside the district or their local area for their home games. Where identified, we include these within the demand audit of the assessment if it reasonable to assume most of their playing membership lives in South Staffordshire.

Assessing quality

We visited pitches and undertook a non-technical visual assessment. We did this using the Sport England Electronic toolkit. As reported earlier this scores each pitch based on evenness, grass cover, line markings and ancillary facilities.

Figure 6 - Football pitch quality summary

Pitch Type Pitch quality rating

Mini Junior Senior

Excellent 0 0 5

Good 13 21 47

Average 1 8 11

Below Average 2 2 2

Poor 0 0 4

TOTAL 16 31 69

The results of our audit show 74% of pitches are good or excellent when using the non-technical assessment proforma. 91% of pitches are at least average or better.

We also asked clubs about the quality of facilities they use. The results show clubs have lower opinions on pitch quality. 81% of clubs rate pitches as being of average quality or better.

The impact of quality on quantity

Our quantitative assessment provides an indication of surplus or deficiency of pitches based on the number needed and those available. But it is important to take account of other factors impacting on pitch availability. Specifically the quality of pitches has a significant impact on how much use they may be able to house. So we used a simple matrix to assess the findings of our quality audit on quantity. This is shown overleaf.

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Figure 7 - Theoretical carrying capacity

Rating of Pitch Assumed carrying capacity Excellent / Good Three matches per week

Average Two matches per week

Below average One match per week

Poor One match per fortnight

Applying the principles of this matrix to our quality audit results allows us to consider the impact of quality on quantity.

Figure 8 - Impact of quality on quantity

Type of pitch Number of pitches Quality Ratings

Number / equivalent based on quality

increasing capacity

Mini Soccer 16 13 excellent / good 1 average 2 below average

22

Junior Football 31 21 excellent / good 8 average 2 below average

40

Senior Football 69 52 excellent / good 11 average 2 below average 4 poor

90

The quality ratings for all pitches in theory impacts positively on the theoretical capacity of provision. When quality is factored into the supply, the current pitch supply is increased, some pitches can in theory hold three games a week. (The assessment calculation works on an assumption of two games per week).


We also assessed accessibility. We considered access from several perspectives, including both access to opportunities to play sport, and access to facilities. So our research covered hire charges, acceptable travel distances, physical access at facilities, capacity of clubs to allow new members and imported/ exported demand. We consulted clubs about these topics.

We found:

Few clubs reporting issues about hire fees and charges; But

A significant variance in fees and charges between providers;

Different booking arrangements;

Some examples of exported demand (South Staffordshire teams playing in other authority areas) but no barriers to this (such as hire fees levied to ‘outside’ teams);

84% of clubs have capacity for new members suggesting plentiful opportunities for those wanting to take up the sport;

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22% of clubs reported access difficulties at their current facilities, suggesting the

need for improvements to ancillary facilities;

Clubs travel up to 30 miles to access good quality facilities – feedback from them suggests an average acceptable travel distance is 6.1 miles (used as an accessibility standard).

Future Supply and Demand

Future demand for playing pitches is difficult to ascertain. There are many factors, which contribute to a change in the demand for playing pitches, including the success of local teams, sports development initiatives and the quality/accessibility of local facilities and nature/scope of local leagues.

Team generation rates (TGRs) can be used as a guide. These show, based on current team numbers, how many people it takes to generate a team of a given type. For example, 1 Mini soccer team is generated for every 90 6-9 year olds.

Figure 9 – Current team Generation Rates for football

Football Team Type Age- Group Population

Current Population

Current number of teams

Current Team Generation Rate

Mini-Soccer: Mixed 6-9 year olds 5,103 57 1:90

Junior Football: Boys 10-15 year olds 4,327 78 1:55

Junior Football: Girls 10-15 year olds 4,079 12 1:340

Senior Football: Men 16-45 year olds 20,349 36 1:565

Senior Football: Women 16-45 year olds 19,917 2 1:9,959 Population figures are estimated based on published figures.

No up-to-date published Team Generation Rates are available for comparison. Consultation with key neighbouring authorities revealed that although there were several Playing Pitch Assessments completed, few had published Team Generation Rates. However, based on recent studies we are aware of, some observations about generation rates in the South Staffordshire district can be made. These include:

a high number of mini and junior teams; and

low generation rates for Girls and Women’s teams, in line with other areas of the country.

47% of football clubs (of those consulted) project an increase in their playing membership over the next 5 years. But population (within key active age groups) is projected to fall. Our Future Team calculator considers both these factors to estimate likely future demand. Using this we estimate:

a growth of 22% for mini soccer;

a growth of 17% in junior football; and

a growth of 14% in adult football.

Our consultation with current pitch providers has been used to highlight any planned changes in supply. We asked schools, parish councils, sports clubs and other providers

22


about any new or improved facilities. Although some providers have plans to improve facilities none are yet at the stage where they will definitely progress. Examples include plans for Football Foundation applications in Perton and a new Walsall FC training facility in Essington Parish.

We used the Playing Pitch Model to assess the need for future provision based on our best estimates of demand and supply. Our assessment findings are summarised in the table below.

Figure 10 - Future quantitative assessment - district

Sport No. pitches required -

future No. of pitches

available Surplus /

Deficiency

Mini Soccer 22 16 -6

Junior Football 21 31 +10

Senior Football 12 69 +57

The recorded surplus for Junior football reduces to +4 if all Saturday demand is included (total of morning and afternoon demand). Similarily the surplus of adult football pitches reduces to +48.

As with the current supply and demand assessment, the surplus in senior and junior pitch provision, if redesignated as mini pitches is more than enough to meet the identified shortages across the district.

We also assessed the adequacy of pitches on a more local level. Details of areas included are provided in our methods section. The results are shown below:

Figure 11 - Future quantitative assessment - area

Area surplus/ deficiency Sport

Central North South

Mini Soccer -2 +3 -4

Junior Football +9 +7 -4

Senior Football +33 +13 +12

As with the district findings, there is enough provision for football in all areas if surpluses in Senior Football pitches are redesignated to make up shortfalls in mini and junior.

Local Standards of provision

Quantity standards

We set Quantity standards based on the assessment results and estimations of future demand. The proposed standards reflect the assessment results and findings of local consultation. Standards reflect pitch requirements to meet peak demand. They are stated in pitch units (as recommended in PPG17) rather than hectares. The local standards presented reflect the number of pitches needed to meet estimated future

23


demand. It is also prudent to ensure there is a satisfactory surplus to enable pitches to be taken out of use periodically for major renovation works. Advice from specialist natural turf consultancies suggests that spare supply of around 10% of the total needed number of pitches would be prudent. This effectively allows every pitch to be taken out of use for a season once every ten years. This allows time for any essential renovation and reinstatement of drainage works. Several recommendations are made later in the report in consideration to meeting local standards of provision.

We recommend the following standards of provision:

Figure 12 - Recommended quantity standards

Current provision

Recommended required provision

Area

Mini Junior Adult Mini Junior Adult

North 4 8 15 5 5 3

Central 9 18 38 15 11 7

South 3 5 16 9 10 6

The following will be required to meet standards:

access to 6 additional mini soccer pitches in the south analysis area;

access to 6 additional mini soccer pitches in the central analysis area; and

access to 5 additional junior football pitches in the south analysis area

From the results of our audit, this additional provision can be created from existing supply rather than developing new pitches.

Quality standards

We set Quality standards based on the quality assessment results and classifying scored pitches using the electronic toolkit accompanying “Toward a Level Playing Field”. The quality standard is based on all pitches being rated within the “Good” classification. In simple terms, the standard for playing pitch provision is “all pitches available for the community to use will be of a good standard”. The figure below shows the application of this standard with quality ratings.

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Figure 13 - Application of quality standards - pitches

Pitch Score Area

High score Low score Average score

% of community use pitches not

meeting the quality standard

District 91% 15% 69% 26% (30 pitches)

North 91% 46% 71% 30% (8 pitches)

Central 91% 15% 67% 32% (21 pitches)

South 83% 62% 73% 4% (1 pitch)

Playing Pitch Quality Standard (as rated by the Non-Technical Visual Assessment): = or >65% Ancillary Facility Quality Standard (as rated by Non-Technical Visual Assessment): = or >60%

Figure 14 - Application of quality standards - ancillary facilities

Ancillary Score

Area High score Low Score Average

Score


served by facilities meeting

the quality standard


North 71% 0% 25% 79% (15 pitches)

Central 85% 0% 28% 74% (42 pitches)

South 85% 0% 61% 25% (5 pitches)

Priorities to meet these standards are:

Investment in ancillary facilities across the district (with a focus on the north and central areas); and

Prioritising pitch improvements at average or below average pitches in the North and central analysis areas.

Accessibility

Access standards are arguably more difficult to set for playing pitch provision than other types of greenspace facility. For example, provision standards for formal parks normally take the form of a number of hectares of provision per 1,000 of the general population, with quality often linked to national standards (for example Green Flag). The access element of a provision standard is normally comprised of a distance threshold based on all residents living within a set distance of a facility.

25


Setting standards about access to playing pitches is difficult for several key reasons, including quality, standard at which some teams play and the presence of ancillary facilities.

Opinions on acceptable distance thresholds vary significantly, as identified through the consultation process. Often closeness to a facility for home games is less relevant given that teams travel on alternate weeks for away games.

We used an average acceptable distance provided by the clubs consulted. Based on this, we mapped indicative catchments of 6.1 miles around pitch sites meeting the quality standard to identify any initial areas of deficiency.

The principal findings when the standards are applied are:

No significant areas of shortage; and

Overlap of catchments between sites and provision in neighbouring areas.

Football conclusions and recommendations

Quantity

Our conclusions about the quantity of football pitches are:

There is adequate quantity of adult and junior pitches to meet current demand district wide;

There is a small deficiency in mini soccer provision to meet current demand district wide;

There is a small deficiency in both mini soccer and junior pitches in the south analysis area; and

There is adequate quantity of pitches overall to meet estimated future demand if some surplus adult pitches are redesignated as junior or mini.

Quality

Our conclusions about the quality of football pitches are:

Quality is generally not an issue with pitches - a high proportion of good pitches could increase capacity to accommodate demand; but

There are qualitative deficiencies about adequate changing and ancillary facilities with over half of all community accessible pitches not served by good quality provision.

Accessibility

Our conclusions about accessibility are:

There is capacity within clubs to accommodate new members; and

Based on acceptable travel distances to pitches there are no significant deficiencies in provision.

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Recommendations

In relation to football, recommendations include:

F1 Making use of the study findings to inform the re-designation of pitches to address deficiencies;

F2 Work in partnership with local schools and Parish providers to re-designate pitches in areas where there is a deficiency in pitch provision;

F3 Work in partnership with Parish Councils to develop and maintain an audit of current pitch use for each site;

F4 Work in partnership with Parish Councils and schools towards a more equitable fees, charges and letting arrangements;

F5 Use the study findings to help prioritise investment in ancillary facilities – improvements should be focused on the north and central analysis areas.

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4. Assessment findings – Cricket

Demand and Supply

Demand

Our research identified 14 cricket clubs generating 111 teams. We provide a full listing of these clubs and teams in the appendices to this report. The number of teams generated by each club varies significantly, from single team clubs to those with more than ten teams. Nearly all clubs (91% of those consulted) report they have capacity for new members. We included Cannock Cricket Club in our assessment. – Despite originating from outside the district, they are now located within and attract playing membership from the South Staffordshire population.

A summary of South Staffordshire cricket teams by type is shown in Figure 15 below.

Figure 15 - Cricket demand in South Staffordshire



Junior Boys (11-17 year olds) 54 15 7 33

Junior Girls (11-17 year olds) 1 0 0 1

Senior Men (18 – 55 year olds) 56 18 15 23

Senior Women (18 – 55 year olds) 0 0 0 0


These teams generate around 56 games per week. Peak demand for all cricket is on a Sunday. 43% of all games are played on this day. But demand is almost equally split across the weekend – 41% of games take place on a Saturday.

Supply

We identified 25 pitches across 20 sites with secured public use. We include these in our assessment calculations. A full listing of all sites is included within the appendices.

Figure 16 - Pitches with secured community use in South Staffordshire

Number of pitches Pitch Type District Central North South

Cricket Pitch 25 9 7 9


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Assessing quantity

Our quantitative assessment is based on how many pitches are available (those with secured public use) to meet peak demand. The results are shown below in Figure 17 below.

Figure 17 - Cricket quantitative assessment




Cricket - Sunday 23 25 +2

Cricket – Saturday 24 25 +1

We identified few pitches not in community use that could be used as ‘spare’ facilities. Only one pitch (at Featherstone Prison) was identified without secured community use.

We also assessed the adequacy of pitches on a more local level. Details of areas included are provided in our methods section. The results are summarised in the table below.

Figure 18 - Cricket quantitative assessment – by area

Area surplus/ deficiency Sport

Central North South

Cricket +1 +1 -2

We did not identify any latent demand or potential teams who would play if there were more facilities. But we did identify some clubs and teams currently accessing pitches outside the district or their local area for their home games. Where identified, these teams have been included within the demand audit of the assessment if it reasonable to assume most of their playing membership lives in South Staffordshire.

Assessing quality


Figure 19 - Cricket pitch quality summary

Pitch quality rating Number of pitches

Excellent 0

Good 22

Average 2

Below Average 1

Poor 0

Our quality audit identified that 88% of pitches were of excellent or good quality.

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We also consulted with cricket clubs about the quality of facilities they use. 64% of clubs rate the facilities used as excellent or good. This broadly matches the results of our audit. The rest of clubs rated facilities as average.


Our quantitative assessment provides an indication of surplus or deficiency of pitches based on the number needed and those available. But it is important to take account of other factors impacting on pitch availability. Specifically the quality of pitches has a significant impact on how much use they may be able to accommodate. So we used a simple matrix to assess the findings of our quality audit on quantity. This is shown below.


Rating of Pitch Assumed carrying capacity Excellent/ Good Three matches per week








increasing capacity

Cricket 25 22 excellent / good 2 average 1 below average

35

The quality ratings for all pitches in theory impacts positively on the theoretical capacity of provision. When quality is factored into the supply, the current pitch supply increases, some pitches can in theory house three games a week. (The assessment calculation works on an assumption of two games per week).


We also assessed accessibility. We did this through identifying any issues with hire charges, booking arrangements. And we also consulted clubs about acceptable travel distances. We found:

No issues about hire fees and charges with most facilities privately managed by the clubs using them;

91% of clubs have capacity for new members suggesting there are satisfactory opportunities for those wanting to take up the sport;

64% of clubs have access to excellent or good quality training facilities; and

30


clubs report an average of 5.9 miles for travel to a home venue as an acceptable

threshold (used as the accessibility standard).



Team Generation rates (TGRs) can be used as a guide. These show, based on current team numbers, how many people it takes to generate a team of a given type. For example, 1 junior boys cricket teams is generated for every 92 11-17 year olds.

Figure 22 – Current team generation rates for cricket

Cricket Team Type Age- Group Population

Current Population

Current number

of teams

Current Team

Generation Rate

Junior Cricket: Boys 11-17 year olds 4,974 54 1:92

Junior Cricket: Girls 11-17 year olds 4,601 1 1:4,601

Senior Cricket: Men 18-55 year olds 27,018 56 1:482

Senior Cricket: Women 18-55 year olds 26,815 0 N/A Population figures are estimated based on published figures.

No up-to-date published Team Generation Rates are available for comparison. Consultation with key neighbouring authorities revealed that although there were some Playing Pitch Assessments completed, few had published Team Generation Rates. However, based on recent studies we are make some observations about generation rates in the South Staffordshire. These include:

A Very high number of junior boys teams;

High levels of demand for senior men’s cricket

64% of cricket clubs (of those consulted) project an increase in their playing membership over the next 5 years. But these increases are not large for most clubs. And the population (particularly within key active age groups) is projected to fall. We therefore estimate a decline in the number of cricket teams in five years, or at best that demand remains static.

Our consultation with current pitch providers has been used to highlight any planned changes in supply. We asked schools, parish councils, sports clubs and other providers about plans for new or improved facilities. No developments were identified.


31





available Surplus /

Deficiency

Cricket 22 25 +3

We also completed a quantitative assessment based on our best estimates of future supply and demand. The results are shown below.



Central North South

Cricket +2 +1 -1


Quantity standards

We set Quantity standards based on the assessment results and estimations of future demand. The proposed standards reflect the assessment results and findings of local consultation. Standards reflect pitch requirements to meet peak demand. They are stated in pitch units (as recommended in PPG17) rather than hectares. The local standards presented reflect the number of pitches needed to meet estimated future demand. It is also prudent to ensure there is an acceptable surplus to enable pitches to be taken out of use periodically for major renovation works. Advice from specialist natural turf consultancies suggests that spare pitches should comprise around 10% of available supply. This allows time for any essential renovation and reinstatement of drainage works. Several recommendations are made later in the report in consideration to meeting local standards of provision.



Current provision


Area

No. of cricket pitches No. of cricket pitches

North 7 7

Central 9 7

South 9 11


2 additional cricket pitches in the south analysis area

From the results of our audit, this extra provision can be created from existing supply, or by some teams travelling to access facilities in a neighbouring analysis area.

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Quality standards

We set Quality standards based on the quality assessment results and classifying scored pitches using the electronic toolkit accompanying “Toward a Level Playing Field”. The quality standard is based on all pitches being rated within the “Good” classification. In simple terms, the standard for playing pitch provision is “all pitches available for the community to use will be of a good standard”.


Pitch Score Area

High score

Low score

Average score



District 89% 62% 78% 5%

North 82% 72% 77% 0%

Central 89% 62% 77% 11% (1 pitch only)

South 88% 69% 80% 0%



Ancillary Score

Area High score Low

score Average

score





North 71% 51% 61% 50% (1 pitch)

Central 83% 29% 59% 44% (3 pitches)

South 71% 24% 53% 50% (5 pitches)

The priorities to meet local standards are:

Improvements to the quality of 1 pitch in the Central area; and

Improvements to ancillary facilities, focusing on the south and central areas.

Accessibility

Access standards are arguably more difficult to set for playing pitch provision than other types of greenspace. For example, provision standards for formal parks normally take the form of a number of hectares of provision per 1,000 of the general population, with quality often linked to national standards (for example Green Flag). The access element

33


of a provision standard is normally comprised of a distance threshold based on all residents living within a set distance of a facility. Setting standards about access to playing pitches is difficult for several key reasons, including quality, standard at which some teams play and the presence of ancillary facilities.

Opinions on acceptable distance thresholds vary significantly, as identified through the consultation process. Often close proximity to a facility for home games is less relevant given that teams travel on alternate weeks for away games. We used an average acceptable distance provided by the clubs consulted.

We mapped indicative catchments around pitch sites meeting the quality standard to identify any initial areas of deficiency. We used a threshold of 5.9 miles based on the average acceptable distance reported by local cricket clubs. This effectively provides a recommended combined quality and access standard of:

All residents will have access to good quality cricket facilities within a 5.9 mile catchment

Application of the standard does not highlight any areas of shortage.

Cricket conclusions and recommendations

Quantity

Our conclusions about the quantity of cricket pitches are:

There is adequate quantity pitches across the district to meet current demand on a district wide basis (but only because demand is split fairly evenly across the weekend);

There is a small deficiency provision more locally – specifically in the south of the district; and

There is likely to be a small deficiency in the future in cricket provision in the south of the district.

Quality

Our conclusions about the quality of cricket pitches are:

Quality is not an issue with pitches and a high proportion of good pitches could increase capacity to accommodate demand; but

There are qualitiative deficiencies about adequate changing and ancillary facilities, particularly in the south and central areas.

Accessibility


There is capacity within clubs to allow new members; and

There are no significant areas of shortage.

34


Recommendations

In relation to cricket, recommendations include:

C1 Working with local clubs and other providers where necessary to increase cricket provision in the south area; and

C2 Work with local clubs and other providers across the district to improve the quality of ancillary facilities at cricket sites.

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5. Assessment findings – Rugby Union

Demand and Supply

Demand

Our research identified 4 rugby union clubs generating 53 teams. We provide a full listing of these clubs and teams in the appendices to this report. The number of teams generated by each club varies significantly, from single team clubs to those with more than ten teams.

We included Clubs originating from outside the district, but now located within and attract playing membership from the South Staffordshire population. Specifically these include Dudley Kingswindford RUFC, Stourbridge RUFC and Willenhall RUFC.

A summary of South Staffordshire rugby teams by type is shown in Figure 28 below.

Figure 28 - Rugby demand in South Staffordshire



Mini Rugby – mixed (8-12 year olds) 15 5 0 0

Junior Boys (13-17 year olds) 17 5 0 12

Junior Girls (16-17 year olds) 3 0 0 3

Senior Men (18 – 45 year olds) 18 7 0 11

Senior Women (18 – 45 year olds) 0 0 0 0


These teams generate around 27 games per week. Peak demand for all rugby is on a Sunday. 70% of all games, and all junior fixtures are played on this day and all other games taking place on a Saturday.

Supply

We identified 19 pitches all with secured public use and included in our assessment calculations. A full listing of all sites is in the appendices.

Figure 29 – Rugby pitches with secured community use in South Staffordshire


Rugby Union Pitch 19 7 4 8


We identified few pitches not in community use that could be used as ‘spare’ facilities.

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Assessing quantity

We based our quantitative assessment on how many pitches are available (those with secured public use) to meet peak demand. We adapted the model for rugby to take account of mini rugby games using a section of senior pitches. More than one mini game can be accommodated on one senior pitch. The results are shown below in Figure 31 below.

Figure 30 - Rugby quantitative assessment - district




Rugby 15 19 +4

The surplus is a nominal one across the district. We also assessed quantity on a more local level. The results are shown below in Figure 32.

Figure 31 - Rugby quantitative assessment – by area


Central North South

Rugby +3 +4 -2

Our assessment shows despite a small surplus across the district, pitches are not always in the right place to meet local demand.

We did not identify any latent demand or potential teams who would play if there were more facilities.

Assessing quality


Figure 32 - Rugby pitch quality summary


Excellent 1

Good 16

Average 2

Below Average 0

Poor 0 TOTAL 19

We also asked clubs to rate the quality of facilities they use. We found all clubs responding rate the facilities used as good. This supports the findings of our quality assessment.

37



Our quantitative assessment provides an indication of surplus or deficiency of pitches based on the number needed and those available. But it is important to take account of other factors impacting on pitch availability. Specifically the quality of pitches has a significant impact on how much use they may be able to accommodate. So we used a simple matrix to assess the findings of our quality audit on quantity. This is shown below.


Rating of Pitch Assumed carrying capacity Excellent/ Good Three matches per week








increasing capacity

Rugby 19 17 excellent / good 2 average 27

The quality ratings for all pitches in theory impacts positively on the theoretical capacity of provision. If we factor quality into the supply, the current pitch supply increases, several pitches can in theory accommodate three games a week. (The assessment calculation works on an assumption of two games per week).



No issus about hire fees and charges with most facilities privately managed by the clubs using them;

100% of clubs (of those responding) have capacity for new members suggesting there are enough opportunities for those wanting to take up the sport;

all clubs have access to excellent or good quality training facilities; and

clubs report an average of 10 miles for travel to a home venue as an acceptable threshold (used as the accessibility standard).

38




Team Generation rates (Team Generation Rates) can be used as a guide. These show, based on current team numbers, how many people it takes to produce a team of a given type. For example, 1 Mini team is generated for every 379 8-12 year olds.

Figure 35 – Current team generation rates for rugby

Rugby Team Type Age- Group Population

Current Population

Current number

of teams

Current Team

Generation Rate

Mini Rugby: Mixed 8-12 year olds 6,818 15 1:379

Junior Boys 13 -17 year olds 3,518 17 1:251

Junior Girls 16-17 year olds 1,216 3 1:405

Senior Men 18-45 year olds 18,975 18 1:1,054

Senior Women 18-45 year olds 18,701 0 N/A Population figures are estimated based on published figures.

No up-to-date published Team Generation Rates are available for comparison. Consultation with key neighbouring authorities revealed that although there were some Playing Pitch Assessments completed, few had published Team Generation Rates. However, based on recent studies we are aware of observations about generation rates in the South Staffordshire district can be made. These include:

fairly high number of junior boys teams;

fairly high levels of junior girls teams.

All rugby clubs (of those consulted) project an increase in their playing membership over the next 5 years. These increases are large for one club (150 members). But the population (within key active age groups) is projected to fall. We therefore estimate a decrease in the number of rugby teams in five years, or demand to be fairly static. But we expect an increase in mini teams.

Our consultation with current pitch providers has been used to highlight any planned changes in supply. No planned improvements or new facilities were identified.


39





available Surplus /

Deficiency

Rugby 15 19 +4

We also completed a quantitative assessment based on our best estimates of future supply and demand. The results are shown below.



Central North South

Rugby +4 +2 -3


Quantity standards

We set Quantity standards based on the assessment results and estimations of future demand. The proposed standards reflect the assessment results and findings of local consultation. Standards reflect pitch requirements to meet peak demand. They are stated in pitch units (as recommended in PPG17) rather than hectares. The local standards presented reflect the number of pitches needed to meet estimated future demand. It is also prudent to ensure there is an enough surplus to enable pitches to be taken out of use periodically for major renovation works. Advice from specialist natural turf consultancies suggests that spare supply of around 10% of the total needed number of pitches would be prudent. This effectively allows every pitch to be taken out of use for a season periodically. This allows time for any essential renovation and reinstatement of drainage works. Several recommendations are made later in the report in consideration to meeting local standards of provision.



Current provision


Area

No. of rugby pitches No. of rugby pitches

North 4 0

Central 7 6

South 8 12


access to 4 additional rugby pitches in the south analysis area

40


Quality standards

Quality standards have been set based on the quality assessment results and classifying scored pitches using the electronic toolkit accompanying “Toward a Level Playing Field”. The quality standard is based on all pitches being rated within the “Good” classification. In simple terms, the standard for playing pitch provision is “all pitches available for the community to use will be of a good standard”.


Pitch Score Area




District 91% 60% 77% 19%

North 91% 72% 82% 0%

Central 82% 60% 68% 50%

South 83% 82% 82% 0%



Ancillary Score

Area High score Low

score Average

score




District 83% 0% 49% 88%

North 71% 32% 52% 50%

Central 83% 0% 48% 83%

South 54% 46% 50% 100%

Priorities to address deficiencies are:

improvements to pitches in the central area; and

improvements to ancillary facilities in the south and central analysis areas.

Accessibility

Access standards are arguably more difficult to set for playing pitch provision than other types of greenspace. For example, provision standards for formal parks normally take the form of a number of hectares of provision per 1,000 of the general population, with quality often linked to national standards (for example Green Flag). The access element

41


of a provision standard is normally comprised of a distance threshold based on all residents living within a set distance of a facility. Setting standards about access to playing pitches is difficult for several key reasons, including quality, standard at which some teams play and the presence of ancillary facilities.

Opinions on acceptable distance thresholds vary significantly, as identified through the consultation process. Often close proximity to a facility for home games is less relevant given that teams travel on alternate weeks for away games. We used an average acceptable distance provided by the clubs consulted.

This distance threshold can be mapped to show indicative catchments around pitch sites meeting the quality standard to identify any initial areas of deficiency.

Rugby Conclusions

Quantity

Our conclusions about the quantity of rugby pitches are:

sufficient levels of provision to meet demand when measured on a district wide level; but

areas of shortage in the south of the district;

a need for more provision within some local clubs to cater for expected growth.

Quality

Our conclusions about the quality of rugby pitches are:

all accessible facilities are of a high standard; but

some improvements are needed to the ancillary facilities serving pitches – in the main this relates to school sites.

Accessibility


There is capacity within clubs to allow new members;

Clubs have significant catchment areas (in advance of 10 mile radius for some clubs).

Recommendations

In relation to rugby, recommendations include:

R1 Work with local clubs to improve facilities where there are recorded deficiencies – specifically to increase provision in the south analysis area;

R2 Work with local clubs to maintain and improve the quality of ancillary facilities.

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6. Assessment findings – Hockey

Demand and Supply

Demand

Our research identified 3 hockey clubs generating 30 teams. We provide a full listing of these clubs and teams in the appendices to this report.

We included Cannock Hockey Club in our assessment. Despite originating from outside the district, they are now located within and attract playing membership from the South Staffordshire population. We also included Finchfield Hockey Club, which serves the south of the district but currently plays its matches outside. In addition, some teams from Rugeley Hockey Club who play at Cannock Hockey Club are included to provide an accurate picture of demand.

A summary of South Staffordshire hockey teams by type is shown in Figure 41 below.

Figure 41 - Hockey demand in South Staffordshire



Junior Boys 7 0 6 1

Junior Girls 1 0 1 0

Senior Men 14 0 10 4

Senior Women 8 0 8 0

TOTAL 30 0 25 5

These teams generate around 15 games per week. Peak demand for all hockey games is on a Saturday.

Besides demand from Hockey, STPs are used for training facilities for other sports, including football. It is important therefore to consider STP facilities for sports other than hockey.

Supply

We identified 3 pitches all with secured public use and included in our assessment calculations.

Figure 42 – STP pitches with secured community use in South Staffordshire


Synthetic Turf Pitch 3 0 3 0 PITCHES IN SECURED PUBLIC USE 3 0 3 0

All three pitches are located at Cannock Hockey Club. The priority use for these pitches is hockey.

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Assessing quantity

Our quantitative assessment is based on how many pitches are available (those with secured public use) to meet peak demand. The calculation for synthetic pitches differs to that for natural turf. It takes account of the all-weather nature of the facility and capacity to play fixtures on a rolling basis. So we adapted the model to take account of how many matches can be programmed on an STP, with a maximum of 4 games per day (at the weekend). The results are shown below in the figure below.

Figure 43 - Hockey quantitative assessment - district

Sport No. match

slots required

No. of match slots available

Actual pitch surplus /

deficiency

Hockey 12 12 0

The current provision is just adequate to accommodate the estimated demand.

We also assessed the adequacy of provision on a local level using the three analysis areas.

Figure 44 – Hockey quantitative assessment – by area


Central North South

Cricket N/A +3 match slots -3 match slots

We did not identify any latent demand or potential teams who would play if there were more facilities. But we did identify some clubs and teams currently accessing pitches outside the district or their local area for their home games. Specifically, Finchfield Hockey Club attracts players from within South Staffordshire.

Assessing quality


Figure 45 - STP pitch quality summary


Excellent 0

Good 3

Average 0

Below Average 0

Poor 0

TOTAL 3

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We also consulted clubs about the quality of facilities they use. Cannock Hockey Club rate the quality of the facilities on site as Below Average. This contradicts the rating made using a non-technical visual assessment.

We also found that three-quarters of football clubs view training facilities available as average at best.


Our quantitative assessment provides an indication of surplus or deficiency of pitches based on the number needed and those available. But it is important to take account of other factors impacting on pitch availability. Specifically the quality of pitches has a significant impact on how much use they may be able to accommodate. We assume there are no carrying capacity issues with the synthetic turf pitches. We assume that lighting levels of floodlights is sufficient to cater for league matches.

Importantly Cannock Hockey club report worsening pitches at their site. This is because of overuse created by significant demand. Around 18-20 games were cancelled during last season.



No issues about hire fees and charges with most facilities privately managed by the clubs using them;

all clubs of clubs have capacity for new members suggesting there are enough opportunities for those wanting to take up the sport;

2 of the 3 clubs have access to excellent or good quality training facilities; and

clubs report an average of 6-7 miles for travel to a home venue as an acceptable threshold (used as the accessibility standard).



Team Generation rates (Team Generation Rates) can be used as a guide. These show, based on current team numbers, how many people it takes to produce a team of a given type. For example, 1 junior boys team is generated for every 514 11-15 year olds.

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Figure 46 – Current team generation rates for hockey

Hockey Team Type Age- Group Population

Current Population

Current number

of teams

Current Team

Generation Rate

Junior Hockey: Boys 11-15 year olds 3,599 7 1:514

Junior Hockey: Girls 11-15 year olds 3,385 1 1:3,385

Senior Hockey: Men 16-45 year olds 20,349 14 1:1,454

Senior Hockey: Women 16-45 year olds 19,917 8 1:2,490 Population figures are estimated based on published figures.

No up-to-date published Team Generation Rates are available for comparison. Consultation with key neighbouring authorities revealed that although there were some Playing Pitch Assessments completed, few had published Team Generation Rates.

2 of the 3 clubs project an increase in their playing membership over the next 5 years. One of these expects a significant rise. At the same time the population (within key active age groups) is projected to fall. On balance, we estimate a slight increase in the number of hockey teams in five years, or at best that demand remains static.

Our consultation with current pitch providers has been used to highlight any planned changes in supply. We asked schools, parish councils, sports clubs and other providers for details of any plans. Our consultation highlighted no formal plans for extra facilities.



Sport No. match

slots required -

future

No. of match slots available

- future Surplus /

Deficiency

Hockey 13 12 -1

We also completed a quantitative assessment based on our best estimates of future supply and demand more locally. The results are shown below.



Central North South

Hockey N/A +3 match slots -3 match slots

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Quantity standards

We set Quantity standards based on the assessment results and estimations of future demand. The proposed standards reflect the assessment results and findings of local consultation. Standards have been set to reflect pitch requirements to meet peak demand. They are stated in pitch units (as recommended in PPG17) rather than hectares. The local standards presented reflect the number of pitches needed to meet estimated future demand. We make several recommendations later in the report in consideration to meeting local standards of provision.



Current provision


Area

No. of synthetic pitches No. of synthetic pitches

North 3 3

Central 0 0

South 0 1*


1 additional synthetic turf pitch in the south analysis area. But given the catchment for this facility and the need to fit with provision in neighbouring authorities a facility in the central area could be considered instead.

Quality standards

We set Quality standards based on the quality assessment results and classifying scored pitches using the electronic toolkit accompanying “Toward a Level Playing Field”. The quality standard is based on all pitches being rated within the “Good” classification. In simple terms, the standard for playing pitch provision is “all pitches available for the community to use will be of a good standard”.

All pitches meet this requirement at the moment, but appropriate maintenance is important. Sites are also served by changing rooms presently which meet the quality standard. But as with pitch ratings, the Club also report their changing facilities are in need of improvement.

Accessibility

Access standards are arguably more difficult to set for playing pitch provision than other types of greenspace facility. For example, provision standards for formal parks normally take the form of a number of hectares of provision per 1,000 of the general population, with quality often linked to national standards (for example Green Flag). The access element of a provision standard is normally comprised of a distance threshold based on

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all residents living within a set distance of a facility. Setting standards about access to playing pitches is difficult for several key reasons, including quality, standard at which some teams play and the presence of ancillary facilities.

Opinions on acceptable distance thresholds vary significantly, as identified through the consultation. Often closeness to a facility for home games is less relevant given that teams travel on alternate weeks for away games. We used an average acceptable distance provided by the clubs consulted. We mapped indicative catchments around pitch sites meeting the quality standard to identify any initial areas of deficiency.

For hockey their appears to be a good network of facilities (including those in neighbouring authorities around the district). Clubs have not identified a lack of facilities.

But synthetic pitches are also used for training use for other sports and from our consultation with clubs across sports we found access to STPs is poor for training. We identified 4 STPs within 5 miles of Codsall. And within 10 miles there are 12 STPs (including the pitches at Cannock).

Hockey conclusions and recommendations

Quantity

Our conclusions about the quantity of STPs are:

There is just adequate quantity of synthetic pitches to meet current demand on a district wide basis;

There is a small shortage in provision to meet current demand in the south analysis area - although Finchfield Hockey Club plays at facilities in a neighbouring authority;

There is a theoretical shortage if other sporting use is considered.

Quality

Our conclusions about the quality of synthetic turf pitches are:

Quality was rated good using a non-technical visual assessment but rated poorly by local clubs - pitches are heavily used; and

There are no qualitative deficiencies about adequate changing and ancillary facilities from a visual inspection, But clubs report they are inadequate to meet their needs.

Accessibility


There is capacity within clubs to accommodate new members;

There is no publicly managed STP available for casual pay and play in the district.

Recommendations

In relation to hockey recommendations include:

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H1 Working with Cannock Hockey Club and other partners to develop a facility

improvement plan;

H2 Carry out more detailed feasibility work into the need for an extra STP in the district to serve training needs for sports – this should be based in the central or south of the district but will need to complement existing provision in neighbouring authorities.

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7. Assessment findings – Bowls

Demand and Supply

Demand

We identified 13 bowls clubs in the South Staffordshire district and consulted with 7 of them to collect details about membership, opinions on facilities and to highlight issues. The data collected from 8 suggest an average of 52 players per club, but figures show that playing member numbers range from as few as 19 at Cheslyn Hay Bowls Club to 70 at Cannock Hatherton Bowls Club.

We also commissioned a CACI analysis to estimate likely levels of demand. This uses demographic and socio-economic data to estimate demand based on known participation rates. It estimates the total number of participants rather than members only.

Figure 50 - Bowls demand in South Staffordshire

Number of clubs Average number of players per club

Estimated total bowls club

membership

Estimated regular participants

(CACI)

13 55 715 1,234

From our research we estimate there are between 715 and 1,664 regular bowls participants competing in 16 local and regional leagues and on a casual basis. This equates to a participation rate of around 1.4% of the adult population and is slightly below the national average for regular participation.

Supply

Our audit identified 13 bowls greens within the district. All of these are natural turf and none are floodlit. We include a full listing of sites in the report appendices.

Figure 51 - Summary of Bowling Greens in South Staffordshire

Number of bowling greens Facility


Bowls Greens 14 8 3 3

All are privately managed with access via the resident club. Some facilities are linked to other provision on-site. For example they are part of other on-site sports facilities.

Assessing quantity

There is no prescribed method for assessing the quantitative adequacy of bowling green provision. So we based our assessment around the capacity of clubs and any identified

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latent demand and whether the current levels of provision address this. We used our consultation with the British Crown Green Bowls Association and local clubs to identify this. We also consulted with a selection of bowls clubs in the surrounding area to identify trends in neighbouring areas.

All the clubs consulted have capacity for new members and most are experiencing declining membership numbers. 29% of clubs also have issues with recruiting members suggesting. This suggests current provision levels are enough to meet current demand.

Assessing quality

We visited bowling greens and completed a non-technical visual assessment. This rated quality against several criteria to provide a classification for sites.

Figure 52 - Quality of bowls greens

Green quality rating Number of greens

Excellent 2

Good 10

Average 2

Below Average 0

Poor 0

TOTAL 14

Our findings show facilities across the district are of a high-quality.

We also consulted clubs about the quality of facilities they use. 86% of respondents rate the greens they use as excellent or good. The results of our site visits and consultation with clubs shows quality of facilities is high.

We also considered which facilities are served by good quality changing facilities. Changing facilities have less impact on the quality of bowls greens than for playing pitches. Changing rooms are not necessarily a need for league games, and most players arrive at greens ready to play.

Our audit shows half (50%) of greens served by good quality changing facilities. This finding is supported by the results of our club consultation which highlights an issue about a lack of appropriate local facilities.


We assessed accessibility through considering several factors affecting access. These included physical access to facilities, access to opportunities, cost of playing and location of greens. Our research highlights:

57% of clubs highlighting access difficulties for members;

29% of clubs report a lack of appropriate local facilities; and

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100% of clubs with capacity for new members;

The cost of playing bowls does vary from club to club, although levels of fees and charges are not highlighted as a key issue for clubs. Membership requirements also vary across clubs.

But our consultation did highlight issues with access to funding. Clubs reported issues with producing income and accessing external funding.

Clubs also report some transport issues. 88% of clubs did not expect members to travel more than 5 miles to a local bowling green and many estimate the catchment area for their club being a 2-5 mile radius.

Specific issues cited by some clubs include a lack of wheelchair access.

Future supply and demand

Future demand for bowling greens is difficult to find out. Clubs (85%) estimate a decline or status quo in their membership. At the same time, population projections signal a growth in those age groups traditionally playing the sport, although an overall decrease in the general population. Balanced against this is the focus on development initiatives within the sport, many of which now focus on younger players.

Taking these factors into account we suggest there will be no growth in the sport and participation will remain static at best over the next five years.

Our audit did not reveal any plans for changes in bowling green provision over the next five years. We therefore assume no changes to current numbers of greens.

Local standards of provision

Quantity standards

We set Quantity standards based on the assessment results and estimations of future demand. They are set to reflect the provision needed to meet future demand. They are stated in bowling green numbers (as recommended in PPG17) rather than hectares.



Current provision Recommended required provision Area

Number of bowling greens Number of bowling greens

North 3 3

Central 8 8

South 3 3

No change is required in current provision to meet these standards.

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Quality

Quality standards are set based on the quality assessment results and classifying greens using the scores collated for each site. The quality standard is based on all greens being rated within the “Good” classification. In simple terms, the standard for bowling greens is “all pitches available for community use will be of a good standard”.

Figure 54 - Application of quality standards – bowling greens

Bowling Green Score Area


% of community use greens not


District 100% 49% 70% 15% (2 greens)

North 73% 64% 68% 0%

Central 87% 49% 71% 25% (2 greens)

South 100% 61% 78% 0%

No quality standard is set for changing rooms. Good quality ancillary facilities are required for all bowls greens. But our audit would suggest the priorities for any investment should focus on greens where both green quality and ancillary facility quality are below the recommended standard.

Accessibility

Setting accessibility standards for is difficult. Alone, our findings on access could suggest a need for a network of more local greens. Clubs report access issues, and fairly small catchment areas for facilities, as little as 2 miles in some cases. But facilities and opportunities to play will only be sustainable if demand is sufficient.

Conclusions and recommendations

We conclude:

there is enough supply to meet current and estimated future demand; and

supply is generally good quality although some improvements needed in ancillary facilities;

there is a trade-off in providing more accessible provision and the demand needed to sustain this.

We recommend:

B1 Any future bowls provision is included within a wider development of sporting and community facilities to promote sustainability; and

B2 Clubs are supported to make improvements to their facilities to improve disability access and the quality of ancillary facilities.

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8. Assessment findings – Tennis

Demand and Supply

Demand

We identified 5 tennis clubs in the South Staffordshire district. These include Stourbridge LTA and Cannock Tennis Club. Although associated with neighbouring areas, their location within provides opportunities to play tennis for South Staffordshire residents.

We collected some data about club membership, although this was too limited to undertake detailed analysis.

We also commissioned a CACI analysis to estimate likely levels of demand within the district. And we used national participation trends published by the Lawn Tennis Association to compare this.

Figure 55 - Tennis demand in South Staffordshire

Number of clubs Average number of players per club

Estimated total tennis club

membership

Estimated regular participants (CACI/ LTA)

5 Not known Not known 1,603 – 2,118

From our research we estimate there are between 1,603 (based on 1.8% of the adult population) and 2,118 (based on 2% of the whole population) regular participants. The CACI analysis suggests tennis participation is in line with national average participation rates.

Supply

We identified 49 tennis courts available for community use within the district. These comprise a mix of shale, hard, clay and synthetic turf surfaces. 34 of these courts are owned or managed by private member tennis clubs and are for use by members only. The rest are in public ownership (Parish Council or Education). A full listing of all sites is included within the appendices.

Our audit also identified some facilities with provision for tennis. Some schools have markings on playgrounds and multi-use games areas, which are used for tennis occasionally. These do not provide for significant community use, so are not used in our assessment calculations.

Figure 56 – Tennis courts with secured community use in South Staffordshire

Number of tennis courts Facility


Tennis courts 53 13 9 31

Of the 53 courts identified, 21 (40%) are floodlit.

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A further breakdown in the figure below shows a summary of courts with casual pay and play use (normally on schools sites) and those managed by clubs.

Figure 57 - Tennis courts by type of access

Area Number of Pay and Play Courts

Number of club courts

Total number of courts

North 6 3 9

Central 13 0 13

South 6 25 31

Assessing quantity

We used the LTA standards of provision to provide an indication of whether quantity is enough to meet demand. These standards work based on a need for 1 tennis court for every 45 players.

Figure 58 - Tennis quantitative assessment - district

Tennis assessment

Population Estimated number of

players

Courts required (not

floodlit)

Number of courts

available

Surplus / deficiency

Tennis courts 2,118 47 53 +6

Our assessment shows current provision is just sufficient to meet estimated demand.

We also assessed the provision against demand for floodlit courts. LTA provision standards suggest 1 court for every 65 player.

Figure 59 - Tennis quantitative assessment - floodlit courts

Tennis assessment

Population Estimated number of

players

Courts required (floodlit)

Number of courts

available Surplus /

deficiency

Tennis courts 2,118 32 21 -11

Our assessment shows a deficiency in floodlit courts to meet estimated demand.

Assessing quality

We rated quality against several criteria using a non-technical visual assessment. Criteria include the evenness of the surface, visibility of line markings and the condition of the nets and fences. Overall quality of tennis courts in South Staffordshire varies

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significantly from a poor quality to an excellent quality. A summary of quality ratings is provided in the figure below:

Figure 60 – Tennis court quality summary

Court quality rating Number of courts

Excellent 16

Good 23

Average 14

Below Average 0

Poor 0

TOTAL 53

The quality of the facilities on private clubs is generally excellent or good. Also most private clubs have access to excellent or good ancillary facilities.

Although most facilities are served by changing rooms, we identified two school facilities with not access to facilities. Changing facilities at pay and play sites tended to be of a lesser quality than those on private sites.


We sought to assess accessibility through considering several factors impacting on access to opportunities to play tennis. This included the number of courts with floodlighting (to extend access to opportunities in the winter months in particular). We found:

a potential need for more floodlit courts; and

few public (school) facilities or other provision offering casual pay and play opportunities across the district.

We were unable to identify details on membership rates or whether clubs have capacity for new members.

Our audit identified other tennis facilities in surrounding areas. These are available on either a pay and play basis or a membership basis. In Dudley, Wolverhampton, Sandwell and Shrewsbury there are also indoor tennis facilities.

Local standards of provision

Quantity standards

We set Quantity standards based on the assessment results and estimations of future demand. They are set to reflect the provision needed to meet future demand. They are stated in tennis court numbers (as recommended in PPG17) rather than hectares.

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We were unable to access details about club membership, or issues and challenges they face.



Current provision Recommended required provision Area

Number of tennis courts Number of tennis courts

North 9 9

Central 13 13

South 31 31

No change is required in current provision to meet these standards.

Quality

We set Quality standards based on the quality assessment results and classifying courts using the scores collated for each site. The quality standard is based on all courts being rated within the “Good” classification. In simple terms, the standard for bowling greens is “all pitches available for community use will be of a good standard”.

Figure 62 - Application of quality standards – courts

Tennis Court Score Area


% of community use courts not


District 100% 51% 74% 22%

North 74% 54% 61% 67% (6 courts)

Central 76% 51% 62% 38% (5 courts)

South 100% 62% 82% 0%

No quality standard is set for changing rooms. Good quality ancillary facilities are required for all tennis courts, but there are no minimum standards for changing rooms.

Accessibility

Setting accessibility standards for is difficult. Although the provision appears to be sufficient to meet demand, the location of courts does not necessarily match where demand is generated.

There is also limited availability for casual and pay and play tennis. Our research did not produce any findings about difficulties in accessing facilities or wider opportunities.

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Conclusions and recommendations

We conclude:

there is sufficient supply to meet current and estimated future demand;

supply is generally good quality although some improvements needed in ancillary facilities;

most provision is by means of private clubs; and

there is a trade-off in providing more accessible provision and the demand needed to sustain this.

We recommend:

T1 Any future formal multi-use games area development includes markings and provision for tennis;

T2 The Council works in partnership with local schools to make tennis courts available where there is demand;

T3 Supporting tennis clubs to increase the number of floodlit courts (subject to local need and amenity and environmental conditions); and

T4 Clubs are supported to make improvements to their facilities to improve disability access and the quality of ancillary facilities where needed.

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9. Assessment findings – Athletics

Demand and Supply

We identified no formal athletics club or permanent athletics facilities in the district. Our research highlighted 5 synthetic athletics tracks in within the vicinity of the district. These are summarised in the figure below.

Figure 63 – Synthetic athletics tracks neighbouring South Staffordshire

Athletics Tracks Number of lanes

Approximate distance from central South Staffordshire

Access

RAF Cosford Track 8 4.5 miles Via sports club use

Aldersley Leisure Village 6 4.2 miles Pay and Play

Tipton Sports Academy 8 8.0 miles Pay and Play

Cannock Sports Stadium 8 9.1 miles Pay and Play

The Dell Stadium 8 9.6 miles Pay and Play

All tracks are synthetic and floodlit. They accommodate several established clubs and have no restriction on membership (relating to residency).

Accessibility

We are not aware of any current standards of provision for athletics tracks. The Athletics Facilities Strategy for the UK (2002-2006) set provision standards for synthetic athletics facilities which can be used as a framework for assessing need locally. The broad standards show there should be one eight lane track in each county and a six-lane track with floodlighting per 250,000 people living within 30 minutes drive-time. Facilities in neighbouring areas satisfy this standard and the catchment of these facilities extends across South Staffordshire district.

A new delivery plan for UK Athletics covering the period 2007-2012 is due to be published. This will identify several priority track developments. Most priorities are likely to be linked to club development plans and improving the infrastructure of existing clubs. So on this basis a new track in South Staffordshire is not likely to be a priority.

Conclusions

Based on this, there is no identified need for provision within the South Staffordshire district. However consideration may be given in the future to developing a smaller scale training facility (for example a J track or 2 lane 400m track developed in partnership with a local school to help develop the sport.

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10. Assessment findings – Golf

Demand and Supply

We did not undertake a detailed assessment of golf. If included as recreation open space, the sheer size of golf courses can skew any quantitative standard of provision. Also golf is increasingly catered for by the private market so it is assumed that often demand is met through market forces.

So our review of golf has focused on opportunities to play in the South Staffordshire District. This included an audit of all golf courses and whether they provide pay and play opportunities.

Demand

We commissioned a CACI analysis to identify the propensity to take part in sport and leisure activities. The results of this suggest there are around 5,860 regular participants – 6.7% of the adult population. The results suggest demand is higher than the national average.

Supply

High levels of estimated demand appear to be met be high levels of supply. Our audit highlights 11 golf facilities (10 courses and 1 driving range) across the district.

Figure 64 - Golf facilities in South Staffordshire

Golf facility Number of holes Analysis Area Access

Chase Golf Club 18 North Registered Membership use. Driving Range also

Wergs Golf Club 18 Central Pay and Play

Wrottesley Golf Club 18 Central Registered Membership use

The Ledene Golf Centre 18 Central Pay and Play

Perton Park Golf Club 18 Central Pay and Play

Three Hammers Golf Complex 18 Central Pay and Play

Patshull Park Hotel Golf 18 Central Pay and Play

Penn Golf Club 18 Central Pay and Play

Woodfarm Golf Range 13 bays Central Pay and Play – driving range

Himley Hall Golf Centre 9 South Pay and Play

Swindon Golf Club 18 South Pay and Play

Enville Golf Club 18 South Pay and Play

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Accessibility

Our audit shows that 10 of the 12 facilities have casual pay and play access. Facilities are found mainly in the central areas of the district. Although there are no prescribed standards of provision for golf, findings from similar studies suggest the level of provision is high.

Conclusions

We did not complete a detailed assessment of Golf. But from our audit we conclude:

demand appears to be slightly higher than the national average; and

there appears to be sufficient supply to cater for demand.

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11. The Way Forward – Recommendations & Action This section of the report provides a summary of the policy options considered to address the assessment findings. It provides a number of recommendations to address deficiencies in variances in provision across the district. Specific actions are included to implement the recommendations, building on the headline recommendations made at the end of each sport assessment.

Overall conclusion

Our assessment shows there is a plentiful supply of provision for natural pitch sports, currently and for estimated future demand. But this is lacking in quality in some areas. Access to good quality, fit for purpose changing facilities is also a common issue. We also found, when assessing demand and supply more locally that pitches are not always located in areas where demand is greatest.

Overall there is little need to develop new facilities for natural turf sports. Recorded short falls can be met through improvements and change of use at existing facilities.

For sports requiring more specialist provision, such as synthetic turf pitches (STP) and tennis courts, access is a key issue. There is no publicly owned and operated STP in the district and limited opportunities for casual tennis.

Summary of key issues to be addressed

Our assessment results highlight a number of key issues to be addressed.

There is a range of management and operational arrangements resulting in:

inconsistent information about pitch supply and use;

variances in pitch hire policies and charges; and

limited knowledge of pitch availability or access arrangements to enable South Staffordshire Council officers to refer potential users.

Although overall there appears to be a plentiful supply of pitch provision, our assessment results highlight some:

local deficiencies in pitch quantity;

local deficiencies in pitch quality; and

local deficiencies in ancillary facility quality.

We use these broad issue headings in our action plan at the end of this section.

Policy options

There are a number of solutions or options to be considered in relation to the findings and issues identified. These can broadly be described as:

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changing the use of existing provision;

dual-use facilities and greater use of school facilities;

enhancing carrying capacity through improving the quality of facilities;

management options, including consideration to leasing; and

development of new facilities or bringing into play disused or unmarked provision (including change of use of other types of open space).

The current mix of management and operational arrangements in South Staffordshire influences the suitability of some of these options. For example, the Council does not directly provide any provision and will need to work in partnership with others to change existing facility use.

The recommendations in this section relate primarily to reducing deficiency (quantitative and qualitative). They are made with consideration to the above policy options and provide a framework for prioritisation of resources. The action plan provides more detailed actions to deliver these recommendations.

Recommendations

We recommend the following policy options be adopted to guide future strategy:

The quantitative and qualitative deficiencies highlighted should form the basis of future developer contributions. It is important to acknowledge that the area assessments provide theoretical catchments for local facilities only. In reality local residents often travel further to access sports facilities (as evidenced by the sports club survey), depending upon the level of sport they play, the quality of local facilities and other “individual” factors, such as loyalty to a particular sports club. As such, it may be appropriate for developer contributions to be spent on facility improvements in adjacent areas within the district. Consideration should be given to use developer contributions towards partnership facility developments with neighbouring local authorities. It is also important to consider the impact on demand and supply if facilities in adjacent areas are not improved;

Multi-pitch sites with ancillary facilities in areas of deficiency are priorities for investment (as opposed to single pitch sites) – Sport England and Sports Governing Body guidance on facility development should be used to inform minimum standards of provision for site developments;

Dual use of schools sites should be a priority where there is a deficiency in junior and mini provision and where quality is high;

The Council should work with local Parishes to identify alternative recreation use (addressing the findings of the PPG17 audit) for sites where there is an area surplus, low demand and facilities are poor.

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We make a number of specific recommendations below:

General recommendations

G1 Given the findings of the assessment and the reliance on non-Council facilities there is a need to strengthen and develop partnership working with the Parish Councils, County Council Education Department, local schools, and other private providers. This could be achieved in part through the establishment of “forums” for key sports, particularly Football and further development of the existing Cricket Development Group.

G2 Update the supply and demand information collated as part of the study on an annual basis. A full playing pitch assessment should be repeated every 5 years or as near as possible to fit in with the LDF process.

G3 Community use agreements, to Sport England’s specification (or a similar specification), should be required from future school redevelopment schemes. This can be required through the planning process, where:

There will be a resulting loss in area or quantity of pitch provision

This will aid the achievement of PPG17’s objective of remedying local deficiencies (PPG17 paragraph 33). School playing fields are likely to have qualitative improvements, and there are identified qualitative deficiencies, “community use agreements” should be required from future school redevelopment schemes. These should not be limited to those already known about

The Council should investigate changes to the existing joint use agreements with secondary schools to cover playing pitches.

Ounsdale High School has recently engaged the Council to manage pitch bookings – this could provide a model for other schools.

G4 Subject to resources continue to develop regular consultation with pitch users to establish trend data in relation to satisfaction, ratings of quality and common pitch issues. This will be done as a matter of course in the update of the playing pitch assessment in 5-7 years time.

G5 Review the level of fees and charges on a regular basis, specifically for junior and mini football pitches. It is key to note that South Staffordshire Council’s direct control on the level of fees and charges is limited (given the ownership split and different management arrangements for all pitches in community use).

G6 A programme of condition surveys on changing facilities should be undertaken at regular intervals to identify any remedial work that may be required, identify any additional disability access requirements and provide an estimated lifespan for the building.

Football recommendations

F1 Make use of the study findings to inform the re-designation of pitches to address deficiencies

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F2 Work in partnership with local schools and Parish providers to re-designate pitches in areas where there is a deficiency in pitch provision

F3 Work in partnership with Parish Councils to develop and maintain an audit of current pitch use for each site

F4 Work in partnership with Parish Councils and schools towards a more equitable fees, charges and letting arrangements


Cricket recommendations

C1 Working with local clubs and other providers where necessary to increase cricket provision in the south area; and


Rugby recommendations

R1 Work with local clubs to improve facilities where there are recorded deficiencies – specifically to increase provision in the south analysis area

R2 Work with local clubs to maintain and improve the quality of ancillary facilities

Hockey recommendations

H1 Working with Cannock Hockey Club and other partners to develop a facility improvement plan

H2 Carry out more detailed feasibility work into the need for an extra STP in the district to serve training needs for sports – this should be based in the central or south of the district but will need to complement existing provision in neighbouring authorities

Bowls recommendations

B1 Any future bowls provision is included within a wider development of sporting and community facilities to promote sustainability

B2 Clubs are supported to make improvements to their facilities to improve disability access and the quality of ancillary facilities

Tennis recommendations

T1 Any future formal multi-use games area development includes markings and provision for tennis


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T2 The Council works in partnership with local schools to make tennis courts available where there is demand

T3 Supporting tennis clubs to increase the number of floodlit courts (subject to local need)

T4 Support clubs to make improvements to their facilities to improve disability access and the quality of ancillary facilities where needed


Action Plan Short term actions: 1-2 years Medium term actions: 3-5 years Long term actions: 5 years+

Ref Recommendation Issue(s) addressed

Action(s) Timescale Resource implications

G1 Strengthen and develop partnership working with the Parish Councils, County Council Education Department, local schools, and other private providers.

Inconsistent information

Variance in prices / policies

Limited knowledge of pitch provision

Establish a Football and a further develop the role of the Cricket Forum for the Area

Develop and update the PPS data base

Short term Officer time

Some set up costs / administration

G2 Update the supply and demand information collated as part of the study on an annual basis. A full playing pitch assessment should be repeated every 5 years or as near as possible to fit in with the LDF process.


Limited knowledge of pitch provision

Use the “Toward A Level Playing Field” guidance to undertake an updated playing pitch assessment and strategy in 2012 Ensure Project brief / process incorporates a review of the effectiveness of this strategy (2007 – 2012) Use the Database provided as part of this Study to update supply and demand information Consider an annual user survey to include all clubs in the area.


Survey costs

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Ref Recommendation Issue(s) Action(s) Timescale Resource addressed implications

G3 Community use agreements, to Sport England’s specification (or a similar specification), should be required from future school redevelopment schemes

Pitch quantity and access

None specific – no new schools or major refurbishment planned

Investigate extensions to existing joint use agreements with 4 secondary schools to include playing pitches

Long term

Short term

None presently

G4 Subject to resources continue to develop regular consultation with pitch users to establish trend data in relation to satisfaction, ratings of quality and common pitch issues.


Pitch quantity, quality, access

This will be done as a matter of course in the update of the playing pitch assessment in 5 years time.

Medium term Officer time

G5 Review the level of fees and charges on a regular basis, specifically for junior and mini football pitches



Develop as a role for the Cricket and Football forums to monitor the levels of fees and charges for pitch hire Undertake an annual survey of providers and clubs

Compare pitch hire charges on a regular basis with neighbouring authorities Use quality assessments to further inform the current pricing structure for Council pitches


G6 Undertake a programme of condition surveys on changing facilities at regular intervals identifying remedial, identify additional disability access requirements, provide an estimated lifespan for the building.

Ancillary facility quality Complete an audit of all planned surveys through a survey of providers (recommended every five years)

Short term Officer time / potential costs if commissioned

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F1 & F2

Make use of the study findings to inform the re-designation of pitches to address deficiencies

Work in partnership with local schools and Parish providers to re-designate pitches in areas where there is a deficiency in pitch provision

Pitch quantity Central Area Work with Cheslyn Hay Primary School and Leisure Centre to re-designate 1 senior pitch to a mini-soccer.

Consideration should be given to re-designation of the adult pitch at Coven playing field (Brewood & Coven Parish Council) to mini/junior facilities to cater for high levels of local demand (subject to improving the quality of changing room facilities)

Consideration should be given to re-designation of one of the adult pitches at Twentyman Playing fields (Bilbrook Parish Council) and Landywood Sports Ground (Great Wyrley Parish) to mini/junior facilities to cater for high levels of local demand (subject to improving the quality of changing room facilities)

North Area

No specific action required

South Area

Consider re-designation of 1 adult pitch to junior/mini at Sterrymere Gardens (Parish Council, Ounsdale

Short – medium term Officer Time

Some Grounds Maintenance costs associated with new goal post sockets

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School/Wombourne Leisure Centre (County Council), Kinver Leisure Centre (County Council) ,Trysull Playing Playing Fileds (Parish Council). Redesignation could also be considered at Brickbridge Playing Fields (Parish Council) subject to investment in changing facilities.

F3

Work in partnership with Parish Councils to develop and maintain an audit of current pitch use for each site

Inconsistent information Consult annually with all Parish Councils as part of an annual provider survey. Specific priorities initially are: Enville Parish Council, Penkridge Parish Council, Shareshill Parish Council, Featherstone and Brinsford Parish Council – no information


F4 Work in partnership with Parish Councils and schools towards a more equitable fees, charges and letting arrangements



Address as part of role of sports forums

Short – medium term Officer time


Pitch and changing room quality

North

Support to Cannock Hockey and Cricket club to improve changing room facilities at the club (subject to maintaining appropriate community use arrangements for football)

Medium term Officer time / possible match funding

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C1 Working with local clubs and other providers where necessary to increase cricket provision in the south area

Pitch quantity Work with local clubs to identify existing sport sites where additional cricket provision should be accommodated.

The above action should include testing the feasibility of additional cricket provision at Wombourne Leisure Centre / Ounsdale High School, Sterrymere Gardens and Trysull Playing fields

Short term Officer time / possible funding to contribute towards pitch development


Pitch quality Support clubs to maintain and develop the standard of their changing facilities. Priorities are: Swindon CC, Enville CC and Cannock CC (see action under F5)

Medium term Officer time / possible funding application support / funding contribution

R1 Work with local clubs to improve facilities where there are recorded deficiencies – specifically to increase provision in the south analysis area

Pitch quantity Support Dudley and Stourbridge Rugby clubs in accessing additional facilities where required to accommodate increases in demand.

Work with Willenhall RUFC to explore access to rugby facilities at High Hill Road and Featherstone Prison to accommodate increasing demand

Medium term

Short term

Officer time

R2 Work with local clubs to maintain and improve the quality of ancillary facilities

Ancillary facility quality No specific action immediately

Long term None at present

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H1 Working with Cannock Hockey Club and other partners to develop a facility improvement plan

Pitch quality / ancillary facility quality

See actions F5 and C2 Medium term Officer time / potential funding support

H2 Carry out more detailed feasibility work into the need for an extra STP in the district to serve training needs for sports – this should be based in the central or south of the district but will need to complement existing provision in neighbouring authorities

Pitch quantity Commission / complete a detailed needs assessment and feasibility study, including funding appraisal and management options assessment.

Short term Officer time if conducted in-house. Potential £10k if commissioned externally

B1 Any future bowls provision is included within a wider development of sporting and community facilities to promote sustainability

Quality and access No specific action immediately

None specific None specific

B2 Clubs are supported to make improvements to their facilities to improve disability access and the quality of ancillary facilities

Ancillary facility quality Work with clubs and Parish Councils and clubs to complete a disability audit of facilities – this could be considered as part of action under G6

Short term Officer time / potential costs if commissioned

T1 Any future formal multi-use games area development includes markings and provision for casual tennis

Quality and access No specific action immediately

Priorities for the future are the North Analysis area where there are no public courts available for casual use

None specific None specific

T2 The Council works in partnership with local schools to make tennis courts available where there is demand

Quantity and access No specific action None specified None specific

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Ref Recommendation Issue(s) addressed

Action(s) Timescale Resource implications

T3 Supporting tennis clubs to increase the number of floodlit courts (subject to local need)

Quantity Support local clubs as demand arises

None specified None specific

T4 Clubs are supported to make improvements to their facilities to improve disability access and the quality of ancillary facilities where needed

Ancillary facility quality Support local clubs as demand arises

None specified None specified


Appendices Appendices to this report are contained in a separate report or in electronic version.

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Contact details Client Client contact Title South Staffordshire Playing Pitch Assessment Date October 2007 (v5)

Hall Aitken Contact Adam Clarke Direct Line +44 (0)161 835 2011 Email [email protected] Address 3rd floor

Swan Buildings 20 Swan Street Manchester M4 5JW

Telephone +44 (0) 161 835 2010 Fax +44 (0) 161 835 2021 Email [email protected] Website www.hallaitken.co.uk

Other Offices

Glasgow Address 3rd Floor

93 West George St Glasgow G2 1PB

Telephone +44 (0) 141 204 3183 Fax +44 (0) 141 221 2953

Newcastle upon Tyne Address 2nd Floor

Adelphi Chambers 20 Shakespeare Street Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 6AQ

Telephone +44 (0) 191 260 3906 Fax +44 (0) 191 260 3890

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Documents

South Staffordshire Playing Pitch Assessment - Final Report · Playing Pitch Assessment Final Report October 2007 . South Staffordshire Playing Pitch Assessment Client: South Staffordshire