Open Space and Sports and Recreation
Chapter 14. Open Space and Sports and Recreation
The
importance of open space and sport and recreation facilities
14.1. Access to open spaces is crucial for mental and physical wellbeing. While East Devon has many high-quality open spaces, not everyone has easy access to them. This policy aims to align open space and recreation provision with new development and address current deficits.
Strategic Policy OS01: Access to open space and recreation facilities
Support will be given for the provision of new and enhanced high quality open spaces and access to existing spaces and to sports and recreation facilities.
A key consideration in accommodating new development will be to ensure that residents, visitors to or users of any new scheme must be able to access open spaces and sports facilities and enjoy the benefits that such spaces and facilities offer. Such an outcome will require that availability of space and safe and easy access to it for all. At the outset of designing any development proposal full account must be taken of the need for open space and sports facilities, including suitable access, changing provision, pavilions and other supporting facilities it will generate. High-quality provision must be designed in at the outset.
Qualitative (how good it is) and quantitative (how much there is of it) assessments of open space provision, in respect of what exists now and what is planned will be determining considerations in the decision-making process. Securing planning permission for development will require meeting and ideally exceeding minimum specified standards of provision. This policy applies across the whole plan area including the Cranbrook Plan area.
Justification for policy
14.2. Open spaces serve both informal activities, like walking, and formal sports. However, some areas, especially urban ones, lack sufficient facilities. The Council's Leisure
East Devon Local Plan 2020 to 2042 –Regulation 19 Plan – February 2025
Strategy (2022)115 and the upcoming Playing Pitch Strategy (2025) will guide improvements and new provisions. The new strategy will assess availability, access and use of pitches used for football, cricket, hockey, rugby and tennis.
14.3. Assessment of existing and planned open spaces will be key in decision-making, ensuring developments meet or exceed minimum standards. This policy helps protect existing facilities and supports the creation of new ones, enhancing public health and wellbeing.
Quantified open space standards applicable for new development
14.4. New developments, especially housing, must have access to appropriate levels of open space or contribute to new provision to avoid shortfalls. This policy sets quantified open space standards based on Fields in Trust guidelines116 .
115 HCO-001 East Devon District Council Leisure Strategy 2021-2031, https://eastdevon.gov.uk/media/fvwb1cy5/east-devon-district-council-leisure-strategy-final-15-06-22.pdf
116 HCO-003 - Fields in Trust Guidance for Outdoor Sport and Play, https://fieldsintrust.org/content/images/FIT-Standards-2024-Accessible-version.pdf
FIGURE 17 Playing pitch at Ottery St Mary
Policy OS02: Sport, recreation and open space provision in association with development
Planning permission for new housing development, will be required to provide open space in line with Fields in Trust derived standards and Natural England’s Green Infrastructure and Accessible Greenspace Standards,
All major development proposals should include a clear open space strategy explaining how the provision for play responds to local need and provision, provides for all ages and is based on accessibility and an audit of current provision.
On sites over 200 homes developers will be expected to provide an audit of existing open space provision within 1.5km of the development and its capacity to justify inclusion in meeting site open space requirements.
Open space and play provision should accord with the requirements tabled below.
Up to 20 homes should provide amenity green space suitable for informal play.
Between 21 and 100 homes should provide on-site Local Areas of Play (LAPs) and amenity green space. On smaller sites in particular, amenity greenspace and designated play areas should be co-located to maximise recreational opportunities.
Between 100 and 300 homes should provide on-site Local Areas of Play (LAPs), Local Equipped Areas of Play (LEAPs) and amenity green space.
Between 300 and 500 homes should provide on-site Local Areas of Play (LAPs), Local Equipped Areas of Play (LEAPs), amenity green space and all other open space typologies as set out in the table below.
On sites of more than 500 homes should provide all types of play spaces (LAP, LEAP, NEAP, and additional informal play provision (e.g. MUGA, Pump Track)) for all ages, .amenity green space and all other open space typologies as set out in the table below.
Open space type (defined in Field in Trust standards)
Quantity guideline (hectares per 1,000 population)
Maximum walking guideline distances from dwellings
(A) Amenity green space (including allotments) 0.60 480 metres
(B) Equipped designated play areas
to LAPs, 400m to LEAPs and 1,000m to NEAPs
Additional requirements for residential developments over 200 dwellings
Accounting for open space provision in accordance with the above and any additional existing accessible green space within 1.5 km of the site, all developments of 200 plus dwellings should also seek to ensure that there is or will be:
A. Doorstep Accessible Greenspace (defined as any formal/ informal publicly accessible open space) of at least 0.5ha within 200 metres (under 5 mins walk), or a
B. Local Accessible Greenspace of at least 2ha within 300 metres (5 mins walk from home)
Additionally developments of over 300 dwellings should provide or have access to, a medium sized Neighbourhood Accessible Greenspace of at least 10ha) within 1km (15 minutes’ walk from home). For developments of over 1,000 dwellings this rises to 20 hectares of Accessible Greenspace within 2km.
Accessible Greenspaces can contribute towards other functions such as Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) or Biodiversity Net Gain. New developer provided open space will typically be required on site, unless off-site provision is demonstrated to be of greater benefit.
Open space will be calculated on the basis of an average East Devon residential occupancy rate of 2.26 residents per household as derived from the 2021 census.
Open space provision will be required unless:
A. It is clearly demonstrated that the proposed housing development will provide for a different resident population level than the above or clearly differing needs, in which case moderation of standards may be appropriate; and/or
B. The most meaningful contribution is generated by providing only certain types of space provision, this may be specifically relevant where need generated does not provide sufficient land to meet site size thresholds for a given use; and/or
C. Other substantive open space types are present, or will be provided, and they will provide an alternative better overall open space provision; and/or
D. The site is within a town centre where space is limited, provided that the lack of on-site provision is compensated for by appropriate developer contribution towards new play facilities in the locality.
Open space requirements for non-residential use
Major developments for non-residential uses will need to make space provision of a level that is proportionate to needs arising from the development in question, such as the provision of adequate attractive outdoor sitting/ picnic area for staff on employment sites, and appropriate recreational space on larger sites.
This policy applies across the whole local plan area including the Cranbrook Plan area but in the case of the Cranbrook Plan area only to those areas that are NOT allocated for built development.
Justification for policy
14.5. New developments, especially those increasing the population, create a need for additional facilities unless there is already a surplus. This policy requires new facilities to meet the needs generated by development, primarily housing but also other types that affect local populations, such as commercial projects. The Fields in Trust guidance provides positive design and development guidance that can be used to inform development proposals.
14.6. The policy aims to deliver new open spaces and enhance existing ones alongside residential development. Specialist accommodations, like those for the active elderly, will be assessed similarly, with adjustments for specific needs. Funds from this policy may be pooled to support public open space projects.
Location for new facility provision
14.7. This policy supports the provision of new and enhanced open spaces, sports facilities, and allotments within or near urban areas, ensuring they are accessible and compatible with neighbouring uses.
Policy OS03: Location of facilities for sport and recreation and open
Within or adjoining urban or built-up areas, planning permission will be granted for new open space areas, sports facilities and parks and gardens or for the upgrading or enhancement of existing facilities provided that unacceptable adverse amenity or environmental impacts do not arise from development.
Any new or enhanced provision should be readily accessible to all people with a particular emphasis attached to ensuring safe pedestrian and cycle accessibility. Any built development associated with new facilities should be proportionate in scale or kind to the facilities that exist or are to be provided and where possible close by to existing built development.
This policy applies across the whole plan area including the Cranbrook Plan area.
Justification for policy
14.8. New sport and recreation facilities and open spaces can be built in their own right or be accommodated within development sites, especially larger ones, and be integrated into detailed design proposals. They should be accessible to nearby residential populations and centres, avoiding adverse impacts. While new facilities are generally expected to be close to built-up areas, less formal open spaces can be more flexibly located with minimal adverse impacts.
New allotments and avoiding the loss of existing ones
14.9. This policy supports the creation of new allotments and protects existing ones, ensuring they are well-located and avoid adverse impacts.
Policy OS04: New allotments and avoiding the loss of existing ones
New allotments will be granted planning permission where they are well related to settlements and will avoid adverse environmental or amenity impacts.
Planning permission will not be granted for developments that would result in the loss of existing allotments unless at least one of the tests set out below is satisfied:
A. A development proposal will create a new provision that is equal to or better than that being lost: or
B. There is a demonstrable over-supply, and an over-supply that can be shown to persist in respect of past patterns and future projections of need, in the Parish/town in which the allotment is located.
This policy applies across the whole plan area including the Cranbrook Plan area.
14.10. Allotments are valuable community assets, especially in urban areas. The council supports new allotments based on local needs.
14.11. Demand for allotments has increased, making them important for local communities. Loss of allotments is rare and only acceptable if a demonstrable over supply exists or provision is to be replaced with equal or better alternatives, considering factors to include overall size, cost to users, accessibility, and quality of growing conditions.
Sport and recreation facilities in the countryside
14.12. This policy supports the provision of outdoor recreation facilities in the countryside and on the coast, ensuring they are appropriately scaled and located.
Policy OS05: Leisure and recreation developments in the countryside
Planning permission will be granted for outdoor recreation facilities in the countryside and on the coast provided that the nature of the activities undertaken or the space requirements of the proposal require a countryside or coastal location and all of the following tests are met:
A. The facilities or development proposals are in scale with the character, environmental characteristics and setting of the area and do not conflict with countryside, nature or landscape policies, nor detract from the amenities of the area
B. The proposals provide for safe and convenient pedestrian and cycling access and discreet parking arrangements, particularly in environmentally sensitive areas.
C. On site facilities are appropriate to meet the needs of the proposal and links with adjacent/nearby footpaths and bridleways are provided. D. Development should not result in net adverse natural environmental impacts and ideally should generate improvements.
The clear policy expectation is that low impact uses only will be accommodated and such uses should be for countryside related activities. Any building work should be small-scale and subservient to wider site use and where possible existing building reuse
rather than new development should take place. Any new buildings and necessary extensions should be limited in scale and be in close proximity to existing groups of buildings or an existing settlement.
Where it is proposed to extend or intensify an existing use the proposals and any net cumulative additional impacts will be considered in the context of and be required to be compatible with all of the above.
This policy applies across the whole plan area including the Cranbrook Plan area.
Justification for policy
14.13. The changing nature of agriculture and the need for rural diversification highlight the importance of outdoor recreation facilities in the countryside. These developments can improve despoiled environments, create wildlife habitats, and provide appealing destinations. However, they must be carefully managed to avoid significant visual impacts on the landscape.
14.14. Activities like horse riding are encouraged if they can be safely accommodated without harming the countryside. Dwellings in the open countryside are not justified based on recreational needs. This policy ensures that new facilities are in scale with their surroundings, provide safe access, and ideally generate environmental improvements. Any new buildings should be small-scale, reuse existing structures where possible, and be close to an existing settlement.