School Playing Fields: Planning and Design Guidance - VicSport

sportscotland policy on theprotection of playing fieldssportscotland has published a policy statementon the protection of playing fields, expandingupon the policy guidance in NPPG11. Thisdocument re-enforces the protection afforded byNPPG11 and sets out in more detail the criteriawhich must be met before redevelopment of aplaying field may be considered acceptable.sportscotland plays an important role in advisinglocal authorities on the adequacy of playing fieldprovision for new schools. We are consulted onall planning applications affecting playing fieldsand oppose the granting of permission forredevelopment unless there is clear evidence ofno long term need for particular playing fields orunless adequate arrangements are in place forcomparable replacement.Planning Advice Note 65:Planning and open spaceThis document (PAN 65) sets out more detailedadvice to local authorities on how to best planfor Open Space. In particular, it advises all localauthorities to undertake an Open Space Auditand prepare an Open Space Strategy whichmakes provision for different types of openspace, including playing fields.Playing field strategiessportscotland recommends that every localauthority prepares a pitch strategy, settingout plans for long term improvement anddevelopment of facilities for pitch sports, andto help in assessing development proposalsaffecting playing fields. Strategies should lookat current and likely future demand for all types ofplaying fields against the adequacy of the existingstock of playing fields to meet this demand. Suchstrategies should result in an Action Plan, linkedto sports development objectives and containingtargets and investment priorities.The local authority’s Education Department,and if relevant its PPP team, should beinvolved in the preparation of the strategyas school playing fields are an importantelement of an area’s stock of sports pitchesand their role should be considered withinany strategy. This is particularly important forthe planning of school SGPs as they requirea significant capital investment and provideconsiderable capacity for community use.Relevant trends in outdoorpitches and court sportsTechnological advances have resulted in anincreasing acceptance of synthetic grasssurfaces for both practice and competition.Hockey was the first field sport to embracenew surfaces and it is generally accepted that,in time, artificial grass may be recognised asthe only suitable surface for competitive hockey.While the benefits of artificial grass arerecognised for football practice, there hasbeen a reluctance to accept the surface forcompetition, largely because of the disparitieswhich existed between synthetic surfaces andnatural grass. This position has changed as newsurface types have been developed and thelatest third generation artificial grass surfaces arenow recognised as being suitable for training andcompetition at all levels of the sport.Given the high levels of use which artificial grasssurfaces are able to sustain, and their improvedperformance specification, it is probable thatthere will be increased levels of provision ofartificial grass pitches for hockey and football,both as ‘new build’ and through the conversionof some natural grass and mineral based pitches.There has been a major growth in interest injunior small sided football which has led toincreased demand for soccer sevens pitchesin both schools and community recreation sites.The increase in girls’ participation in football hasalso had implications for the provision of pitchesand of suitable changing accommodation.“…in time, artificial grassmay be recognised asthe only suitable surfacefor competitive hockey.”School Playing Fields 10School Playing Fields 11