Decision ref
0130 2022/23
Decision date
17/02/2023
Portfolio
Wellbeing, Culture & Heritage
Wards
All wards
Title
Indoor Built Sports Facilities Assessment and Action Plan 2022-32
Summary
St Helens Borough Council has engaged with Sport England and a range of sport’s national governing bodies in relation to indoor sports facilities and what will be required to meet future needs. The Indoor Built Sports Facilities Assessment Report sets out up to date supply and demand information, and it also considers the demands arising from the planned level of growth proposed in the St Helens Borough Council Local Plan.
Purpose
To provide a summary of the key findings and recommendations from the Indoor Built Sports Facilities Assessment 2022-2032 and accompanying action plan and to seek its adoption.
Background
The St Helens Indoor and Built Facilities Assessment for the period 2022 – 2032 includes recommendations that have been drawn from the Needs Assessment Report carried out in Autumn 2021. The St Helens Indoor and Built Facilities Assessment Report 2022-32 has been prepared in accordance with Sport England’s Assessing Needs and Opportunities Guidance, and in consultation with Sport England, national governing bodies of sport, local sports clubs and key stakeholders.
The overall aim of the document is for the Council to make informed decisions, ensuring that sports and physical activity facilities (with an appropriate combination of amenities) are in the right places to ensure that the maximum number of local people take part in regular and meaningful physical activity. The Council needs to consider its facilities planning, particularly in the context of the boroughs growing population and its changing economic and demographic profile (rise in older population).
The focus of this document is to provide clear direction to all partners so that together they can plan and develop a more modern, efficient and sustainable range of community-based leisure, physical activity and sport facilities that the borough’s residents require. It provides a concise, robust, comprehensive, and up-to-date evidence base in line with the St Helens Borough Council Local Plan to 2037 and sets out a strategic, action plan-based approach to the enhancement of existing, and creation of new, sporting provision. This will ensure that residents have the option to be physically active and healthier, and where appropriate develop their physical, sporting, health, and wellbeing ambitions within their local community.
Policy LPA07 of the St Helens Borough Local Plan Up To 2037 (2022) sets out the Council's intention to ensure the satisfactory provision of all forms of infrastructure that are required to serve the needs of the local community through a number of different ways, including through seeking developer contributions. Such contributions need to comply with relevant legislation and national policy, and development proposals will be expected to include or contribute to the provision, improvement or replacement of infrastructure that is required to meet needs arising from the development proposal. It should be noted that due regard will have to the impact that developer contributions towards infrastructure provision may have on the economic viability of new development, and in this context, consideration will be given to any economic viability evidence in support of proposals. The policy also sets out a hierarchy of developer contributions to be applied when considering a planning application.
Therefore, when taken as a whole, Policy LPA07 in the Local Plan sets out the overarching mechanism to deliver the necessary infrastructure in support of new development
The Assessment Report identifies the following key areas for consideration by facility type:
• Swimming Pools - there is a current shortfall of pool space in the borough. Local demand is, to a degree, being exported and taken up by pools in neighbouring authorities as is noted in the analysis, club consultation and needs assessment. Although theoretically satisfied, demand remains high despite only two community pools being available, and it is important to retain and service swimming demand within the borough.
Sports Halls - projected increases in population can be accommodated in sports halls across St Helens during peak hours, although contemporary information about the extent to which halls are unavailable during exam periods and are required for other school functions is insufficient to enable a holistic evaluation of the extent to which they can accommodate all present and anticipated demand. The Council, in partnership with schools and other key agencies (such as the respective academy trusts) should undertake a more detailed facility condition audit to identify where targeted investment might best and most cost-effectively be focused to improve these sports hall facilities to ensure they are sustainable at a requisite level of quality, in the medium to long term. The checklist of elements to address will almost certainly include new or resurfaced and line marked floors, better (and more energy efficient i.e. LED) lighting, improved fittings and upgraded plant.
Health and Fitness - health and fitness facilities, along with dance studio space, offer potential to increase physical activity in the wider population. There is a current shortfall of fitness stations in St Helens, which will increase over time. The Council should consider both short and long-term options to address the shortfall in health and fitness provision. Short term options could include providing a fitness provision at Sutton Leisure Centre. Long term options could be to provide provision in the new facility at Parr. Six of the 21 facilities in adjoining authorities are of significant scale and are likely to be attracting St Helens residents and meeting some demand in the area.
Squash - in terms of court numbers, squash is adequately catered for in the borough; however, there is a need to improve the quality of the courts at Sutton Leisure Centre. It is unlikely that population increases will lead to a demand for more squash courts as there is spare capacity now and to cope with population growth up to 2035.
Gymnastics - there are 19 dedicated gymnastics facilities within a 30-minute drive of the Borough, resulting in a significant supply accessible to St Helens residents. These include facilities in neighbouring authorities.
Indoor Bowls – the English Indoor Bowling Association would be keen to explore whether a sustainable facility could be provided to meet the needs of the borough’s older population; however, this exercise did not identify specific demand for such a facility.
Indoor Tennis - all residents live within a 30 minutes’ drive time of an indoor tennis facility and as such there is no demand for a facility within the borough.
Conclusion
Except for indoor swimming pools space, for which there is a need to explore opportunities to address the shortfall, the borough’s population has access to sufficient indoor facilities within an acceptable travel time and these facilities have the capacity to meet forecast population growth up to 2035. However, the condition of many of these facilities would benefit from investment and this is required to ensure they remain accessible and able to meet demand.
Risk Implications
The main risk identified for the proposals are reductions in the Council’s capital budget, and inability to secure external funding.
Measures to Redress Risk
Funding opportunities for delivering the Action Plan will include, as part of the Council’s Regeneration Programme, the potential use of capital receipts from the sale of existing assets and Section 106 contributions linked to developments in the borough. By adopting the Built Indoor Sports Facility Assessment Report 2022-3032, the Council would be able to maximise its potential ability to secure external grant funding and ensure that investment decisions are fully informed.
Declarations Of Interest
None
More information
Please contact Dave Boocock on 01744 675408
