Publication Local Plan, Chapter 24: Recreation

Policy R1 Recreation standards

New residential development shall contribute to the achievement of all of the following recreation standards, and the management and maintenance of any facilities provided or improved for at least a 20 year period, proportionate to the additional demand that they would be expected to generate:

Size-based standards

1. A minimum of 0.45 hectares of publicly accessible amenity space per 1,000 residents
2. A minimum of 0.4 hectares of other outdoor sports facilities (both adult and youth) per 1,000 residents
3. A minimum of 1 hectare of Local Nature Reserve per 1,000 residents
4. A minimum of 5,000m² (or 0.50 hectares) of allotments per 1,000 households, with each new plot being 125m² in size to enable as many residents as possible to take on an allotment

Distance-based standards

5. All households to be within 500 metres walking distance of a Local Equipped Area for Play (LEAP)
6. All households to be within 1,000 metres walking distance of a Neighbourhood Equipped Area for Play (NEAP)
7. All households to be within 1,200 metres walking distance of a Neighbourhood Park
8. All households to be within 3,200 metres walking distance of a District Park
9. All households to be within 500 metres walking distance of a publicly accessible Local Natural Greenspace of at least 1 hectare in size
10. All households to be within 2,000 metres walking distance of a publicly accessible Strategic Natural Greenspace of at least 20 hectares in size
11. All households to be within 4,000 metres walking distance of a publicly accessible woodland of at least 20 hectares in size

Other standards

12. Development to secure the level of playing pitch provision and associated changing rooms required to meet the scale of additional demand it is likely to generate, based on Salford’s latest playing pitch assessment and calculated using the Sport England Playing Pitch Calculator
13. All households to have good access to a full range of other indoor and outdoor recreation facilities with sufficient capacity to meet demand

Facilities will only be counted as helping to meet these standards where they are of sufficient quality to properly fulfil their intended function and meet the level of demand placed on them.

The contribution made by new residential developments to the achievement of these standards shall be in accordance with the following order of preference, and may include both new facilities and the improvement or refurbishment of existing facilities:

1. On-site provision where this is practicable and would be the most effective way of meeting the needs generated by the development
2. Off-site provision and/or a financial contribution to off-site provision

Where on-site provision is being made to meet standard 5 and 6 above, this shall achieve a minimum of 0.25 hectares of equipped children’s playspace per 1,000 bed spaces (where the number of bed spaces in each dwelling is equal to the number of bedrooms plus one).

All facilities shall be designed to serve other green infrastructure functions (see Policy GI1) wherever possible, linking into the wider green infrastructure network.

Scale of contribution

It is recognised that there may be situations where it is unrealistic or disproportionate for a development to contribute to the full achievement of all of the standards in this policy, particularly where most of the standards are not currently met and there is limited scope for on-site recreation provision. In these circumstances, it will be considered that this policy has been met where the combined financial value of recreation improvements that will be funded by the development (including financial contributions and the capital cost of on-site provision and off-site provision in the local area, but excluding compensation for any loss of recreation function resulting from the development) meet or exceed the following levels:

1. For all recreation standards other than standard 12 (at 2019/20 financial year prices):
   1. For houses, £1,408 per bed space;
   2. For apartments and other forms of residential accommodation not falling within the definition of a house, £965 per bed space; and
2. For standard 12 relating to playing pitches and changing rooms, the scale of contribution identified using the Sport England Playing Pitch Calculator. For houses and apartments this is £348 per bed space (at 2019/20 financial year prices) with the cost to be reviewed regularly.

The levels in point (a) will increase annually in line with the Retail Prices Index (all items). When there is evidence which indicates that open space provision costs have changed, the contributions per bed space above will be adjusted accordingly.  The most up-to-date published cost at the point of an application’s determination will be used.

Definitions

‘House’ is defined in policy H1.

‘Bed space’ is defined as the number of bedrooms within a dwelling plus one.

Policy R2 Recreation facilities and residential amenity

A distance of at least 30 metres shall be maintained between the curtilage of residential properties and recreation facilities that are likely to generate a significant level of noise and activity such as Local Equipped Areas for Play, Neighbourhood Equipped Areas for Play, and Multi-Use Games Areas.

Policy R3 Protection of recreation land and facilities

The development of existing recreation land or facilities for non-recreation purposes will only be permitted where:

1. It is ancillary to the recreation use and does not reduce the overall recreation function of the site;
2. Replacement recreation provision of at least the same quantity, quality, accessibility to its catchment population, community benefit and management level is made in a suitable location;
3. It has been clearly demonstrated that the site is surplus to recreational requirements and is not capable of helping to meet any of Salford’s recreation standards; or
4. The site has been allocated for alternative purposes in the development plan, and development will deliver a net improvement in the city’s recreation resources.

Wherever practicable, replacement provision shall be made directly by the developer and shall be available for use before the existing recreation facility is lost. The payment of a financial contribution to the city council for replacement provision may be acceptable in other circumstances.

This policy applies to all existing sites and facilities that have a recreation use or value, irrespective of whether they are owned or managed by the public, private or voluntary sectors.

Policy R4 Strategic recreation routes

A network of high quality strategic recreation routes extending through the city and into surrounding districts will be protected and enhanced. Opportunities will be sought to join up existing routes by filling in gaps in the network and to expand routes into other parts of the city. The routes will play an important role in connecting neighbourhoods with places of work, shops and between strategic open spaces, contributing towards public health and quality of life. Where practicable, new developments shall connect to the network of strategic recreation routes, particularly in terms of enhancing pedestrian and cycling accessibility from the development.

Existing strategic recreation routes are shown on the Policies Map:

1. Bridgewater Way
2. Cadishead Way, Irlam to Liverpool Road, Cadishead
3. Clifton Country Park
4. Ellenbrook Loopline
5. Glazebrook
6. Irwell River Park (The Meadow to Salford Quays)
7. Linnyshaw Loopline
8. Port Salford Greenway
9. River Irwell (Clifton Country Park to The Meadow)
10. Roe Green Loopline
11. Salford Quays and MediaCityUK
12. Slack Brook Open Space
13. Swinton Greenway
14. The Meadow
15. Tyldesley Loopline
16. RHS Bridgewater Link

The provision of further strategic recreation routes will be sought, particularly where they would improve links to and through Chat Moss, Port Salford, RHS Bridgewater, the West Salford Greenway and the Irwell Valley, and alongside the city’s waterways.

Planning permission will not be granted for development that would result in the permanent obstruction or closure of any strategic recreation route, unless an alternative route is provided that is equally attractive and convenient.

New development that is proposed on a site which could help to fill a gap in the network will be required to incorporate a strategic recreation route as part of the development. Where the use of a site has previously prevented the provision of a continuous or direct strategic recreation route, such as along the Manchester Ship Canal, then any redevelopment proposals shall deliver a new route connecting to the wider network.

Policy R5 Outdoor and indoor sports facilities

A comprehensive range of outdoor and indoor sports facilities will be protected and enhanced across Salford, in accordance with policies R1 and R3, including:

1. Grass sports pitches for football, rugby league, rugby union, and cricket;
2. Artificial for all sports pitches including hockey;
3. Athletics facilities;
4. Tennis Courts;
5. Bowling Greens;
6. Golf Courses
7. Sports halls;
8. Swimming pools;
9. Fitness centres and gyms; and
10. Other specialist indoor facilities including those for bowls, combat sports, gymnastics, squash and tennis.

The following sites are designated as strategic hubs of city-wide importance for outdoor sports, as shown on the Policies Map, and their enhancement will be supported:

1. Salford Sports Village in Lower Kersal
2. Old Racecourse Playing Fields
3. Brookhouse Playing Fields
4. Bolton Road Playing Fields
5. Duncan Matheson Playing Fields

In the case of Duncan Matheson Playing Fields, a small amount of enabling development to cross-fund the improvement of the site for recreation purposes will be considered consistent with its designation as a strategic hub for outdoor sports if adequate alternative funding cannot be secured.