7.1 Introduction

7.1.1 Leisure is a term used to describe free time and the enjoyment of free time. Leisure uses involve a broad range of inter-related sport, recreation and cultural activities. Sports activities can be described as games or competitive activities played indoors and outdoors and involving physical exertion, for example, athletics, football and cricket. Recreational activities are harder to define and encompass a wider range of pursuits. They are pursuits which result in the refreshing or entertaining of oneself and are pleasurable activities, for example, having access to the countryside in the form of a country park, cycling along a riverside walkway, non-competitive swimming, walking etc. Cultural activities can be defined as arts and entertainment activities, for example, theatres, cinemas and museums. Therefore leisure activities can range from those carried out at indoor or outdoor facilities, involve passive and active pursuits and be within public or private ownership.

7.1.2 The provision of accessible sport and leisure facilities is an essential ingredient in improving the quality of life and achieving a sustainable living pattern for the residents of Medway. Leisure pursuits help to develop a person’s physical and mental health and self-esteem. They also play an important role in enhancing social interaction, fostering a sense of community, assisting in the protection of green spaces and semi natural habitats and creating a high quality urban environment that meets the leisure demands of its residents. All these aspects add to the social, economic and environmental fabric of Medway not only by providing new opportunities and experiences for the local community but also providing a source of income generation and employment opportunities. 

7.2 The Current Position

Sports Facilities

7.2.1 Within Medway there are various public and private sports facilities. The area contains one regional and one district sports centre, namely the Black Lion Sports Centre in Gillingham and the Strood Sports Centre respectively. They provide a wide range of facilities including indoor swimming pools and an all weather sports pitch at Strood Sports Centre. There is also an international trampoline centre situated next to the Black Lion Sports Centre. There are a number of local sports centres including the Stirling Centre in Rochester, the Lordswood Leisure Centre and the Priestfield Sports Centre. These include large and small sports halls, squash courts, fitness rooms and health suites as well as outdoor provision for tennis, netball and 5-a-side football. Indoor swimming pools are also located at Hoo St Werburgh and Rainham. Other key facilities include an ice rink at Gillingham Business Park, a private all-weather sports pitch in Gillingham, a badminton “Centre of Performance” in Gillingham, an internationally recognised indoor bowls club at Prince Arthur Road in Gillingham and two other indoor bowl venues at Deangate and Chatham. Other facilities include ten pin bowling at the Pentagon Centre, Chatham; a six lane floodlit athletics track at Deangate; an artificial ski slope in the grounds of Capstone Country Park and Medway Valley Park, a major leisure facility which would benefit from greater accessibility to various forms of transport. There are also a number of marinas located along the Medway Estuary.

7.2.2 The Sports Council’s standard for the provision of indoor sports facilities is one district sports centre per 40,000 - 90,000 population plus one for each additional 50,000 population. Although the existing level of provision is below the standard recommended by the Sports Council, it should be recognised that the standard is based on a numerical assessment and does not take into account locational requirements, accessibility and other factors. It would be unrealistic and beyond available resources to bring existing provision up to these standards.

7.2.3 Nevertheless, Medway Council will seek to enhance and expand existing facilities and it will support the development of new leisure facilities where appropriate. The refurbishment and extension of facilities at Strood Sports Centre has already been completed (in 1995) and the council is now working with the Hundred of Hoo School to develop facilities to meet the needs of communities on the Hoo Peninsula and with Medway Community College (in the Luton, Holcombe area), in the provision of community sports hall facilities. Furthermore it is aware of the need to replace the indoor bowling facilities at Chatham Riverside and to identify sites for the Medway Rowing Club, an indoor tennis centre and an indoor cricket club. The opportunity to bid for lottery funding to support such proposals could increase the ability to improve or develop new facilities. Medway Council, as Local Planning Authority, will support such bids where it can be demonstrated that the development would be appropriate in land use planning terms.

Open Space

7.2.4 Open space with recreational value such as play areas and playing fields, together with informal open space, such as amenity land, are all of great value in the contribution they make towards meeting the leisure needs of residents. Within the urban area there are a number of important open spaces that act as green lungs, breaking up the built environment and providing accessible areas of open space, such as Capstone Country Park, Gillingham Riverside and the Coney Banks. Many of these open spaces provide for a variety of recreational pursuits, from playing field games to observing wildlife habitats.

7.2.5 Open space contributes towards making Medway an attractive place to live and work by improving the quality of the urban environment. Protecting existing open space, especially within the urban area, is important due to the shortage of formal areas of open space when measured against the National Playing Field Association minimum standard (of 2.4 hectares per 1000 population). At a population level of 240,000 (1991 Census) a requirement of 576 hectares of formal open space should be provided and there is a substantial deficit in both playing field and play area provision.

Cultural Facilities

7.2.6 Medway, in spite of its size, has only a limited number of arts and entertainment venues. The principal reason for this is the proximity of London and the significant influence that the capital plays in arts provision. However, there is a growing demand for the provision of cultural facilities such as museums, cinemas, and formal and informal venues for the performance of music, theatre and dance. The council is actively developing the Centre of Chatham as Medway’s “City” centre and it will become the main focus for cultural facilities within Medway.

7.2.7 The principal entertainment venue in Medway is the Central Theatre in Chatham, and over the years substantial improvements have been made to this facility. Other entertainment venues include The Brook Theatre in Chatham; the Medway Little Theatre, Rochester; the cinema in Chatham and the Casino Cabaret Rooms in Rochester. On an occasional basis the St George’s Centre and Black Lion Sports Centre in Gillingham double as further venues for theatre and musical productions. There are a number of museums within Medway including the Royal Engineers Museum in Gillingham and The Guildhall Museum in Rochester. Art galleries are situated at the Visitors Information Centre, Rochester; Lordswood Leisure Centre and at a number of libraries (including Gillingham, Lordswood, Strood and Walderslade). A multiplex cinema forms part of the major out-of-centre entertainment complex at Medway Valley Park to the south of Strood. In addition, Medway can boast other entertainment facilities including bingo halls, night clubs and an extensive range of pubs and restaurants. The council also supports a programme of public events which include arts, entertainment and sport.  

7.3 Policy Context

Central Government Guidance

7.3.1 Government guidance in recent years has promoted the principle of sustainable development and this is most clearly acknowledged in PPG1 and PPG13. The need for facilities to be located within urban areas and accessible by a variety of modes of transport is an essential element of national planning policy. It is therefore important that future leisure provision accords with these principles.

7.3.2 PPG 17 “Planning for Open Space Sport and Recreation” recognises the growing awareness of the importance of all kinds of sports and leisure facilities in urban areas and acknowledges the particular concern felt by many communities that open spaces with recreational value should be protected from development. The guidance states that all playing fields whether school playing fields or those owned by other public, private or voluntary organisations are of special significance both for their recreational and amenity value and, in towns and cities, for their contribution to green spaces in an urban environment.

7.3.3 The overriding theme of central government policy is that local authorities should be actively promoting the development of sport and recreation in the widest sense and encouraging the provision of a wide range of opportunities for recreation so that people can choose activities which suit them best. Such opportunities should be available to everyone including the elderly and those with disabilities for whom access to facilities is especially important. A particular emphasis is placed on protecting all playing fields, both public and private.

Regional Guidance

7.3.4 RPG9 “Regional Guidance for the South East” recognises the important role leisure plays in improving the quality of life of the South East’s inhabitants. Leisure is also an important component within urban areas as it contributes towards the attractiveness of a location as a place in which to live and work. The “Thames Gateway Planning Framework” (RPG9a) acknowledges the contribution that leisure can make towards achieving successful regeneration. Local authorities are encouraged to put in place planning policies which support the provision of a wide range of leisure facilities and allow the market to respond to the demand for recreation. Development plans should include land use policies to provide open space to serve new homes, safeguard existing open space and improve the use of those open spaces which are less well frequented. The Framework also recognises the regional significance of the Medway Estuary for water based recreation, whilst acknowledging that there is only limited scope for greater use without affecting important nature conservation interests.

Kent Structure Plan 1996

7.3.5 The Kent Structure Plan indicates that the main focus for leisure activity is towns and town centres. It highlights the importance of leisure to the vitality and viability of centres. The plan acknowledges the contribution that open space makes to the environmental quality of urban areas and its amenity value. The plan aims to extend recreational opportunities, and this includes support for the provision of major new sports arenas or stadia. Where facilities are located in the countryside, any built development must be small in scale and ancillary to an outdoor recreation use. In built-up areas development will need to be balanced against the objective of maintaining and improving urban environmental quality and to avoid town cramming.

Medway Council Leisure Strategies

7.3.6 It should be noted that leisure objectives cannot be achieved solely through the planning process. The local plan sets out the land use implications of leisure proposals. Medway Council, through the Education and Leisure Directorate, has its own strategies for the provision and management of recreation, sport, art and entertainment facilities. These strategies take their lead from other bodies such as the Sports Council and the Arts Council which have produced national and regional guidance. The Medway Council Strategic Plan for 1999-2004 has identified a special role for Chatham in the provision of arts and entertainment facilities. 

7.4 Objectives

7.4.1 The leisure policies of this plan aim to meet the aspirations of the widest possible range of users, including young people, the elderly and the disabled and recognise that different groups have different requirements. Furthermore, the policies reflect the importance of formal recreation provision, such as sports centres and playing fields, alongside informal recreation provision such as country parks and the cultural aspects of leisure, for instance museums. To achieve improved access and greater participation in sport and recreation, this plan supports the fullest use of existing facilities including those in schools, higher education establishments and private companies and clubs. The efficient use of existing facilities can reduce the need to identify further land. The strategic aim is to provide for as wide a range of interests as possible in a way which meets the objectives of sustainable development.

7.4.2 In pursuit of this strategic aim the council as Local Planning Authority will seek to fulfil the following objectives:

(i) to protect existing open spaces1, buildings and facilities which serve a leisure purpose;
(ii) to provide land for open space for formal and informal recreation to meet identified needs;
(iii) to improve the quality and accessibility of existing leisure facilities and open spaces;
(iv) to ensure that within new developments provision is made for accessible, quality open space and play provision;
(v) to encourage the multiple use of leisure facilities in the public, private and voluntary sectors including, where appropriate, the dual use of educational facilities;
(vi) to maintain, improve and promote the greater use of the public rights of way network;
(vii) to encourage the provision of arts, cultural and entertainment facilities to meet needs within the local plan area, reflecting the council’s intention to promote a “City” Centre in Chatham. 

7.5 Policies and Reasoned Justification

7.5.1 There are often pressures to redevelop existing leisure facilities, such as sports and cultural facilities, for alternative uses and this can apply to facilities in both public and private ownership. The council aims to provide protection for these sites to ensure that there is a range of sports and cultural venues throughout Medway, whilst recognising that there may be exceptional circumstances when it would be beneficial to re-develop existing facilities.

7.5.2 Where replacement leisure facilities are proposed these should be accessible by a range of transport modes and be sited within existing urban areas. A means of achieving this is by locating development in highly accessible locations and by maintaining or improving choice for people to walk, cycle or catch public transport. 

POLICY L1 : EXISTING LEISURE FACILITIES

In order to maintain existing levels of provision, development which would result in the loss of leisure facilities will not be permitted unless it can be shown:

(i) that similar or better replacement is made elsewhere within the same catchment area, which is well located in relation to the primary or secondary road network and is readily accessible by public transport, pedestrians and cyclists; or

(ii) that there is no longer a need for the facility and it is unsuitable for conversion to an alternative leisure use; or

(iii) that the site is allocated for other development in the local plan.

New Facilities

7.5.3 Leisure facilities within town centres, such as arts, entertainment, cultural and some sports facilities, have an important role to play in enhancing the attraction of town centres. They can contribute to their evening economies and widen the scope of facilities offered to the public from a shopping centre to a focus for the community. There are already a number of existing leisure uses located within and on the edge of Medway’s town centres which enhance them, for example, located within Chatham is a ten pin bowling facility at the Pentagon Centre, two theatres and a cinema. It is intended to redevelop Chatham Library, with the new facility providing a range of services and enhancing the leisure offer in Chatham. This will form part of the development of Chatham as the “City” centre of Medway.

7.5.4 In recent years, there has been greater recognition of the role that leisure uses play in making our town centres more attractive. PPG6 supports a sequential test approach towards some leisure uses, encouraging leisure to locate within town centre and edge of centre locations and, only when this is not possible, outside the town centre at sites which are highly accessible by public transport. The types of leisure uses appropriate to a town centre include those falling within Use Class D1 (such as an art gallery, museum, and exhibition hall) and Use Class D2 (such as a cinema, concert hall, bingo, casino or dance hall). Leisure uses appropriate to an edge of centre location include some sports facilities, such as district sports centres (Use Class D2). Other uses which are not included within Use Class D1 and D2 but fall within policy L2 include theatres and other similar leisure uses. Whilst the sequential test approach will be applied to all major leisure proposals, smaller scale facilities of an appropriate nature will be permitted within local or neighbourhood centres.

7.5.5 If facilities cannot be located within town centres (or are not appropriate to a town centre location), such as local sports facilities or playing fields, suitable out-of-centre locations will be acceptable, subject to their impact on residential areas, the environment and the local highway network. In the case of major proposals, particular consideration will be given to whether there is an identified need at the national, county or local level for such a facility.

7.5.6 Within Medway there are three mixed-use opportunity sites that include provision for leisure facilities : Rochester Riverside Action Area (see policy S7); Chatham Maritime (see policy S8) and Strood Waterfront Action Area (see policy S10). All will involve the treatment of contaminated land and the provision of improved infrastructure; Rochester and Chatham are also major comprehensive regeneration schemes involving the reuse of historic buildings.

7.5.7 The development of Chatham as a “City” centre will involve focussing major leisure uses into Chatham and specifically the Chatham riverside. This will provide a link between the retail core redevelopment along Rochester Riverside and the Historic Dockyard and Fort Amherst. 

POLICY L2: NEW LEISURE FACILITIES

Within or on the edge of town centres, leisure uses falling within use Classes D1 and D2 and other theatre, arts and cultural leisure uses will be permitted. Proposals for leisure development outside town centre and edge of centre locations will only be permitted when it can be demonstrated that the proposal:

(i) is inappropriate within a town centre or edge of centre location; or is on a site identified in Policies S7, S8 and S10 as being suitable for leisure uses in accordance with a Master Plan or development brief; and

(ii) would not adversely affect the strategy for, or the vitality and viability of Chatham town centre or other, nearby, town centres; and

(iii) has followed the sequential test in that there are no alternative, suitable and available locations in, or on the edge of, Chatham town centre, the other town centres or on other edge of centre locations; and

(iv) would have no significant detrimental impact on neighbouring land uses or residential amenity; and

(v) is highly accessible by public transport, affords good opportunities for access by pedestrians and cyclists and is sited near the primary or secondary road network.

Major Stadium

7.5.8 Priestfield Stadium, the home of Gillingham Football Club, is Kent’s only professional Football League ground. It is located within a densely built up residential area of inner Gillingham and has been improved to comply with the Taylor Report (with further improvements planned, including the construction of two new stands).

7.5.9 The Kent Structure Plan has identified a need for a major stadium of a regional or sub-regional standard, as there is currently no facility reaching this standard within Kent. This facility would serve the County need and provide the opportunity for multiple use, including a football ground and associated non-football leisure facilities. Gillingham Football Club has expressed an interest in relocating and developing a new stadium in the longer term. Therefore, opportunities may exist to combine a new football stadium with other stadium-based uses. If a suitable site for a stadium comes forward during the period of the local plan the proposal will be considered against the criteria set out in policy L2. Temple Marsh, within the Strood Waterfront Action Area, may be a suitable location (see policy S10).

Open Space

7.5.10 Within urban areas the retention of public and private open space of recreational and amenity value is particularly important as this is where demand is concentrated. Open space includes youth and adult sports facilities, casual play space, play areas and informal amenity open space, such as semi-natural habitats. Amenity open space and semi natural habitats in urban areas provide opportunities for informal recreation and adventure play and contribute much to people’s health and well being. Medway Council attaches great importance to the retention of recreational and amenity open space in urban areas and recognises that once built on, open space is likely to be lost to the community forever. There is also demand for the creation of new open space, such as allotments, in Walderslade, Lordswood, Hempstead and Parkwood.

7.5.11 Open space is equally important within rural settlements. Although villages may benefit from ready accessibility to the countryside they still require open space to meet specific needs, particularly where agricultural practices have led to the intensive use of surrounding land. The countryside also provides important opportunities for public access to semi-natural habitats through the network of public rights of way and larger areas for informal recreation such as the Darland Banks, Capstone Valley and Gillingham Riverside. The importance of open space is further recognised in various local strategies covering nature conservation, landscape and open space and further research into open space needs within Medway is planned.

7.5.12 Provision of land for outdoor sports facilities, such as children’s play areas and playing fields, is currently below the National Playing Fields Association (NPFA) standard of 2.4 hectares per 1000 population. There is a shortage of play areas in every Ward and this is shown in Appendix 3. There is also a deficit in playing field provision although many of these areas have gained greater protection recently under the Town and Country Planning (Playing Fields) (England) Direction 1998 and the Department for Education and Employment Circular 3/99. Under the direction all playing fields either owned by the council or which have been in educational use for the past five years are protected from development. At current population levels, Medway requires a minimum of 576 hectares of outdoor sports facilities to meet the NPFA standard and there is a significant deficit in both outdoor sports facilities and play areas. The constraints imposed by the heavily urbanised nature of much of Medway make it unrealistic to expect new provision to be achieved on a scale that could significantly reduce the deficit in facilities. However, protection should be given to those areas where facilities can be realistically provided during the plan period.

7.5.13 Only those areas of open space (including outdoor play facilities and amenity open space) exceeding 0.25 hectares are identified on the proposals map, but all open space is protected from development, whatever its size and whether the land is in public or private use. Only in exceptional circumstances will development be permitted on areas of protected open space. Sites with potential for contributing towards informal open space and local amenity are those which, for example, could be enhanced by the implementation of a landscaping scheme or other measures.

7.5.14 The term ‘small’ in sub-section (i) of policy L3 relates to a development that would only affect land not able to be used for outdoor play space, or lead to the loss of a sports or recreation facility (including safety margins). Within sub-section (ii) alternative open space provision will be considered suitable if it is of a similar quality and size, location, accessibility and management arrangements to that lost. 

POLICY L3: PROTECTION OF OPEN SPACE

Development which would involve the loss of existing formal open space, informal open space, allotments or amenity land will not be permitted unless:

(i) sports and recreation facilities can best be implemented, or retained and enhanced through redevelopment of a small part of the site; or

(ii) alternative open space provision can be made within the same catchment area and is acceptable in terms of amenity value; or

(iii) in the case of outdoor sports and children’s play space provision, there is an excess of such provision in the area (measured against the n.p.f.a. standard of 2.4 hectares per 1,000 population) and such open space neither contributes to, nor has the potential to contribute to, informal leisure, open space or local environmental amenity provision; or

(iv) in the case of educational establishments, the development is required for educational purposes and adequate areas for outdoor sports can be retained or provided elsewhere within the vicinity; or

(v) the site is allocated for other development in the local plan.

New Open Space

7.5.15 It is important to consider the need for new development to make provision for open space. New residential developments may reasonably be expected to provide open space as a part of the essential community facilities required to meet the needs that they generate. The type of provision will depend on the scale of development, the size and type of dwellings proposed and the particular character of the site. However, there is also a need to provide land for passive leisure and social use to encourage healthy life-styles and provide for general well being. This is particularly important for sheltered housing schemes and special needs housing for elderly people.

7.5.16 Provision of formal open space should be in accordance with the NPFA standard of 2.4 hectares per 1000 population. The NPFA standard is a minimum standard for outdoor play space and recommends 1.7 hectares for outdoor sports facilities and 0.7 hectares for children’s play space. Outdoor sports facilities can be defined as formal areas, such as pitches, courts, greens and athletics tracks. The open space should be planned as an integral part of the development and be of an adequate size and design. It should have regard to its local context, enhance the environment and develop robust landscapes that can easily be maintained. Developers should have particular regard to these requirements if they intend to offer open space for adoption by the Local Authority. The value of combining different forms of open space should also be considered, for instance, combining casual play space and equipped areas. Developers will not be expected to provide private outdoor sports facilities as part of any development.

7.5.17 Of great importance is the ease of access to play areas: if access is problematic then open space will remain under-used. It is considered more important to take account of the walking time taken to reach play areas (allowing for severance of walking routes by main roads, railway lines etc…) than solely the distances involved.

Table 1: Play Provision

Source:NPFA 1992

7.5.18 In calculating the formal open space requirement, the population of a site should be calculated by considering the type of dwellings proposed and the estimated number of inhabitants. The following population per dwelling ratio will be used for calculating the contribution of new development towards open space; details of this approach are given in Appendix 3.

7.5.19 For small developments with a population of less than 50 (or larger developments where there are particular site constraints such as extreme topography or an existing open space adjoining), the provision of open space in accordance with the NPFA standard may not be practical. The residents of these developments will, however, increase the demand on play areas, playing fields and informal open spaces elsewhere. Therefore, a commuted payment from developers will be sought for the provision elsewhere of open space which cannot be provided on site or for the upgrading of existing sub-standard facilities. In all cases, the improvements sought will be directly related to the development and developers will be expected to enter into an agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Contributions will reflect the scale of the proposal, the need for open space arising from the development and the cost of providing the necessary facilities. Where appropriate this will be done in association with Parish Councils where they have responsibility for recreation.

7.5.20 In areas of adequate provision of formal open space and play facilities an informal open space element will be sought in lieu of the formal open space element. What constitutes “adequate provision” will be measured against provision within the relevant Ward, facilities adjoining the site and adjoining Wards, if the development abuts a Ward boundary. In the case of sheltered housing and special needs housing for elderly people, provision of informal open space will be required on site instead of the formal open space.

7.5.21 At the outline planning application stage if the open space requirement cannot be calculated the provision of open space will be reserved through a legal agreement so that it can be resolved at the detailed planning application stage. 

POLICY L4: PROVISION OF OPEN SPACE IN NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS

Where there is a proven deficiency, residential development proposals shall make open space provision, within an agreed timescale, in accordance with the following:

(i) residential development likely to be occupied by 100 people or more shall include well located local open space for formal recreation on-site at a standard equivalent to 1.7 hectares per 1,000 population and open space for children’s play and casual recreation on-site at a standard equivalent to 0.7 hectares per 1,000 population. Provision of some or all of the formal open space off-site or the improvement or extension of an existing off-site facility will be permitted where the council is satisfied that this would be a better alternative;

(ii) residential developments likely to be occupied by between 50 and 100 people should include well located local open space for children’s play and casual recreation on-site at a standard equivalent to 0.7 hectares per 1,000 population;

(iii) in small residential developments likely to be occupied by less than 50 people, contributions will be sought towards the provision of children’s play and casual recreation which is fairly and reasonably related in scale and kind to the development proposal. Such contributions will only be sought where provision can be made in a location close to, and easily accessible from, the development and would be of direct benefit to the occupiers.

Play provision should incorporate facilities based on the hierarchy set out in Table 1.

Where the existing formal open space provision in the vicinity exceeds the N.P.F.A. minimum requirement for outdoor play space, an informal open space element will be sought on-site in lieu, applying the same standard.

In the case of sheltered housing and special needs housing for the elderly, formal open space and children’s play/casual space will not be required. Informal open space provision will be sought on-site in lieu of the formal open space requirement.

Open Space in Employment Areas

7.5.22 Large scale employment development can be remote from existing areas of open space which could be used by employees. Provision close to employment areas would not only benefit employees but also enable the creation of semi natural habitats and improve the appearance and value of the development, as for example, at Gillingham Business Park. Open space could be provided where built development would not be permitted, such as in Areas of Local Landscape Importance. It may also be possible to develop links with existing areas of public open space and public rights of way. The detailed specification of the landscaping to be sought is set out in policy BNE6. 

POLICY L5 : OPEN SPACE IN EMPLOYMENT AREAS

Areas of landscaped amenity open space will be sought from major employment developments, either within, or adjacent to, the development. Open Space Allocations

7.5.23 Within Medway there are a number of areas which are significant, not only from a wildlife and nature conservation perspective, but also for the visual relief they bring to densely built-up areas. They are also areas that, if made available to the public, could provide important recreational opportunities for residents and visitors alike. The council will seek to make these areas available to the general public for informal recreation purposes. The areas listed in policy L6 are protected by policy L3 as existing areas of open space. 

POLICY L6 : OPEN SPACE ALLOCATIONS

The following sites, as defined on the proposals map, will be safeguarded for the provision of informal public open space:

(i) Lower Lines, Gillingham;

(ii) Inner Lines, Brompton;

(iii) Hillyfields, Gillingham;

(iv) land between former junior school, Avery Way and Kingsmead Park, Allhallows;

(v) Cherry Tree Orchard, Rainham ;

(vi) land South of Pier Road, Gillingham.

New Playing Fields

7.5.24 In addition to open space provision for new housing schemes, some additional provision of playing fields is required in the urban area. This is considered necessary both in terms of meeting the NPFA guidelines for playing field provision and to benefit areas which are poorly served by existing provision. 

POLICY L7: NEW PLAYING FIELDS

The following sites, as defined on the proposals map, are identified for the provision of new playing fields :

(i) Castlemaine Avenue;

(ii) Chapel Lane, Hempstead;

(iii) Hoo Road, Wainscott.

Development which would prejudice these proposals will not be permitted.

7.5.25 A key opportunity for improving provision of sports and recreation facilities is the dual-use of existing and proposed facilities in the public and private sectors, for instance at places of employment and educational establishments. This optimises the use of existing resources and avoids the need to release further land adjacent to the urban area.

7.5.26 If school playing fields are available, as a matter of practice, for community use they can count towards meeting the N.P.F.A. standard. In some instances dual use already occurs, for example at the Upbury Manor School in Gillingham and the recently completed netball and tennis centre at Rainham School for Girls. Elsewhere there is potential for facilities to be made more widely available for public use, subject to the agreement of individual schools. The council recognises the potential value of such facilities as a community asset and is promoting dual-use of facilities such as the community sports hall at Medway Community College, Luton. It will seek to encourage and promote dual-use wherever possible. 

POLICY L8 : DUAL USE OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES

Dual-use of private and educational sports facilities will be sought, particularly in areas where a deficiency of open space or demand for sports facilities exists.

Country Parks

7.5.27 Medway is surrounded by attractive open countryside and has an important network of informal open spaces, including two country parks at Gillingham Riverside and at Capstone Valley. The existing country parks have proved very popular, attracting in the region of 200,000 visits to Riverside and 250,000 visits to Capstone each year. They provide facilities for a range of informal recreational activities based around the nature conservation value of the sites. There is also a regular programme of events and educational facilities to allow nature study by schools. Further improvements in facilities are planned, subject to adequate resources being made available, including the restoration of the Black House at Lower Rainham and the clearance of a scrap processing site at Bloors Wharf. Both sites lie within the designated Gillingham Riverside Country Park. The council intends to designate further country parks at Grain, Cuxton and Horsted as well as expanding the existing parks.

7.5.28 Grain Foreshore is in an area with a shortage of open space provision and facilities for young people. The site is already in public ownership and is of high nature conservation, landscape and historic value. Archaeological remains have been found within the site and these are considered to be of national importance. Horsted Farm is also in public ownership and forms an extensive area of semi-natural habitat of high landscape and nature conservation value close to large housing estates. It has been suggested that Ranscombe Farm is suitable for a country park designation as the area is of high landscape and nature conservation value. It is close to an area which has suffered significant environmental damage as a consequence of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and widening of the M2. The creation of a country park at Ranscombe will complement initiatives to manage the countryside affected by these major infrastructure schemes. It is also close to Strood, which has a serious lack of open space. Both Horsted and Ranscombe will relieve the pressure on Capstone, where the number of visitors exceeds capacity, and they will also reduce the length of car journeys to travel to country park facilities. The Council is currently considering a proposal to extend the Horsted Country Park designation onto the Coney Banks and adjoining land. 

POLICY L9 : COUNTRY PARKS

The council will designate country parks at the following locations, as defined on the proposals map :

(i) Grain Foreshore;

(ii) Ranscombe Farm, Cuxton;

(iii) Horsted Farm, Chatham.

and maintain the existing country parks at:

(iv) Gillingham Riverside;

(v) Capstone Valley.

Public Rights of Way

7.5.29 Public rights of way comprise footpaths, bridleways and byways. They form part of a network of links providing access to the countryside, riverside and within the urban area. Other links include cycle lanes, walkways, public open spaces, rural lanes and linear corridors, forming a green grid network. Public rights of way are protected by legislation from development or other activity that would restrict their use. Furthermore, there are several long distance paths which pass through, or are within easy reach of Medway including the North Downs Way, the Pilgrims Way and the Saxon Shore Way. Public rights of way are an important recreational resource and an amenity valued by residents and visitors alike. In considering development proposals, the council will seek to keep the network open to public use, improve standards of maintenance and way-marking, protect the character of individual routes, facilitate access for the disabled and, in accordance with policy S6 extend the network in order to fill gaps in provision. 

POLICY L10 : PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY

Development which would prejudice the amenity, or result in the diversion or closure, of existing public rights of way will not be permitted, unless an acceptable alternative route with comparable or improved amenity can be provided.

Riverside Walk and Cycleway

7.5.30 The River Medway has importance in wildlife, visual amenity and heritage terms and it is considered important to safeguard and improve public access to the riverside. There are some attractive areas where the public can sit and view the river and a walkway also exists on parts of the riverside at Rochester, Chatham, Strood and at Medway Valley Park. However, there is a need for further connecting sections to form a continuous riverside walk and cycleway. The redevelopment of sites within the urban area will bring forward opportunities for new sections of riverside walk to be constructed, such as the new pedestrian route around St Mary’s Island at Chatham Maritime. In some locations it may be desirable for the walk to deviate slightly from the riverbank, but in all cases it will integrate with and enhance the surrounding area including existing development, jetties and connecting pathways.

7.5.31 It is recognised that cycling is an increasingly popular leisure activity providing an inexpensive recreational pursuit that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and incomes. The Inverness to Dover Millennium Cycle Track will be a continuous cycle track that will pass through Medway. The development of cycleways and the formation of a strategic cycle network are considered in more detail in the Transportation chapter. However, it should be noted that bridleways and byways can be used by cyclists and they can provide suitable safe routes for leisure cycling. Therefore it is intended to promote the dual use of new public routes for walking and cycling, including the riverside walk.

7.5.32 There are a number of possible environmental impacts that this cycle route may have. Consequently, developers should have regard to the policies of the Built and Natural Environment chapter. In particular, the riverside footpath and cycle facility should be designed and routed to minimise the impact on ecology, nature conservation and landscape and take into account the integrity and operational requirements of flood defences. 

POLICY L11 : RIVERSIDE PATH AND CYCLEWAY

A riverside path for use by pedestrians and cyclists will be developed between the following locations:

(i) on the south side of the River Medway, linking Gillingham Riverside Country Park to the Historic Dockyard, Rochester Riverside, the Esplanade and Baty’s Marsh, Borstal;

(ii) on the north side of the River Medway, linking Hoo, Upnor and Temple Marsh to Halling.

Development on sites fronting the river will not be permitted unless the proposals include a riverside walkway and cycleway, or it can be demonstrated that the operational needs of the development would prevent this. The walkway or cycleway should provide continuity for users by connecting to, or facilitating future connections to, walkways on adjoining sites. The riverside footpath and cycle facility should be designed and routed to minimise the impact on ecology, nature conservation and landscape and take into account the integrity and operational requirements of flood defences.

Golf Courses

7.5.33 There are two 18 hole golf courses at Gillingham and Deangate and a private golf course at Allhallows, in addition to a range of smaller golfing facilities elsewhere. No new courses have recently been built although facilities have been improved at the Strand in Gillingham, and at Deangate Ridge, Hoo.

7.5.34 Proposals for golf courses and associated leisure facilities will be permitted provided they do not conflict with other policies and subject to the layout of courses and design of buildings being acceptable. 

POLICY L12 : GOLF COURSES

Proposals for golf courses and associated facilities will be permitted subject to the following criteria :

(i) it is compatible with the scale and character of the local landscape and does not adversely affect the countryside and natural environment; and

(ii) it does not result in the irreversible loss of the best and most versatile agricultural land; and

(iii) it is well located in relation to the highway and public transport network; and

(iv) it does not prejudice the amenity of local residents or other users of the countryside, and protects or satisfactorily provides for existing public rights of way; and

(v) it does not include functionally unrelated ancillary development.

Water Based Leisure

7.5.35 The River Medway and its Estuary provide an attractive and increasingly popular setting for water based recreation. Indeed, in recent years the Medway Estuary has become an important regional centre for water sports and in particular sailing. Both the existing recreational use of the Medway and future opportunities for increased activity must be balanced against its commercial use and the importance of the area for nature conservation. Within areas designated as International and National Nature Conservation sites or Strategic and Local Nature Conservation sites, water based recreation will be subject to detailed conditions being satisfied as set out in policies BNE35 and BNE36. In this respect, the area can be split into two. Firstly, the open waters nearer the mouth of the Estuary which lend themselves to a range of water sport activities and secondly, the sheltered waters around the Marshes where many types of water sports could potentially damage and conflict with important nature conservation interests.

7.5.36 An Estuary Management Plan is currently being produced for the Medway Estuary and River Swale. The purpose of the plan is to ensure the sustainable use of the Estuary through integrated management of the natural, economic, recreational, educational and tourism resources. It is intended that the Management Plan will provide a framework that addresses estuary-wide issues and identifies the means for reconciling conflicts. The Estuary Management Plan, when completed, will be adopted as supplementary planning guidance for informing decisions relating to the need for, and location of water based leisure facilities.

7.5.37 The provision of further water based leisure facilities will be considered in the light of this Management Plan. Applicants will need to demonstrate that proposals will not be detrimental to natural habitats through increased noise and disturbance or result in conflict with other water based activities. There is a current approval for a marina development at Chatham Maritime in Basins 1 and 2 which allows for certain mitigation measures and so limits secondary disturbance in the sensitive parts of the Estuary.

7.5.38 An area of land adjoining the Strand Leisure Park, currently owned by British Gas, is likely to be declared surplus to their requirements. The opportunities for development of the land are limited due to the presence of retained gas installations on adjacent land. However, notwithstanding this, there is an opportunity to use the land for a low-key purpose, such as boat storage. This would be of benefit to the Strand Leisure Park as it could enable improvements in access and management to be made to Commodore Hard, a well used public slipway. Other water based leisure facilities likely to come forward in the local plan period include a water sports activity centre at Chatham Maritime, improvements to Upnor Pier and a public slipway at Canal Road, Strood which will form part of the major regeneration works being undertaken along the Strood Riverside. 

POLICY L13 : WATER BASED LEISURE

The development of water based leisure facilities along the River Medway will be permitted, subject to the following criteria :

(i) there is no adverse effect on nature conservation interests; and

(ii) there is adequate land based access for pedestrians, cyclists and road traffic; and

(iii) it does not prejudice the amenity of local residents, adjoining uses or other users of the River Medway. 

7.6 Environmental Appraisal

7.6.1 In accordance with the guidance contained at paras. 4.16 to 4.22 of PPG12 “Development Plans” the policies in this chapter have been subject to environmental appraisal.

7.6.2 The policies protect and maintain open space, whilst also improving access to it, such that facilities are locally available. They also protect existing facilities and establish a firm basis for the provision of new community facilities. Such new facilities are required to be accessible to various forms of transport, affording opportunities for access by means other than the private car. This is in line with sustainable principles.

7.6.3 The policies in the leisure chapter do not have a direct impact on global resources and natural sustainability. However the sustainable nature of the policies will indirectly have a positive effect. 

7.7 Monitoring Measures

7.7.1 The policies contained in this chapter will be assessed against the following indicators:

(i) an increase in the provision of open space protected by policies L3 and L6, taking into account open space lost to development and additional open space provided in new development;

(ii) the number of recreation proposals which have been implemented within, or on the edge of, town and district centres;

(iii) the number and extent of recreation sites lost or partially lost due to development;

(iv) the length of public rights of way which have been closed;

(v) the length of Medway riverside walk constructed.

¹ Open Space: Includes natural heathland, downland, woodlands, parkland and areas that are not publicly accessible but contribute to environmental amenity; playing fields, landscape settings, children’s play areas; local parks providing for court games, sitting out areas or nature conservation; small local parks and open spaces such as gardens; linear open spaces and other routes which provide opportunities for informal recreation.