12. COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND RECREATION

INTRODUCTION

12.1 This chapter covers policies and site allocations for (in the order in which they appear): firstly, all types of built facilities for the community, including schools and other educational establishments and their playing fields, libraries, health care facilities, community centres, places of worship, Children’s Centres (formerly known as SureStart), and indoor sports facilities; and secondly, outdoor sports facilities (including pitches, golf courses and watersports), public open space, countryside recreation and accessible natural greenspace, allotments and children’s play areas. This is a rapidly-changing field in which major investment in some types of public sector facilities (notably schools and Children’s Centres) means that further new sites may be required or come forward during the Plan period, although this document reflects identifiable future development as far as possible.

EDUCATION

SITES FOR REPLACEMENT SCHOOLS

CFR1 Sites are allocated for replacement schools for:

1.1 Whickham Front Street Primary School

1.2 Crookhill Primary School

1.3 Saint Edmund Campion Roman Catholic Comprehensive School

1.4 Dunston Hill Primary School and Kingsmeadow Comprehensive School

1.5 Rowlands Gill Primary School (replacing Rowlands Gill Infants’ and Rowlands Gill Junior Schools)

1.6 Harlow Green Primary School (replacing Harlow Green Infants’ and Harlow Green Junior Schools)

1.7 Lord Lawson of Beamish Comprehensive School

12.2 There is an ongoing programme of rebuilding or replacing old or otherwise sub-standard Council schools as funding becomes available, and non-Council schools may also be subject to rebuilding proposals. Many of the schools above are being replaced, or are to be replaced in the next few years, and in most cases this will be on part of the existing site (including playing fields). In the cases of Whickham Front Street and Crookhill, these are long-standing intentions and although finance has yet to be identified, the required sites should be safeguarded from other development. The new complex at Highfield to accommodate Highfield Primary School and Saint Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary School is covered by Policy CFR2 below.

NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL COMPLEX AT HIGHFIELD

CFR2 A site is allocated at Highfield, Rowlands Gill for a complex to accommodate Highfield Primary School and Saint Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary School. In the event of any part of the buildings becoming surplus to educational needs they will be safeguarded for community use or other non-commercial facilities serving the local community. Where there is no such requirement, their site, and any surplus open land within the site as shown on the Proposals Map, will be used for public open space or outdoor sports facilities.

12.3 The scheme at Highfield to accommodate both these schools is also intended to incorporate provision for a variety of uses by the community, both within the buildings and on the playing field attached. It has involved the loss of a significant area of public open space, which was itself a valuable community resource, in order to meet this essential local need, although this is to be mitigated by the remodelling of the largely derelict allotment site adjoining Woodside Walk and the improvement of the public football pitch next to Whinfield Way. It is important to ensure that all this land remains available to meet community needs as far as possible and that should any of it become surplus to the currently planned requirements, it will be available for other community uses. The open land here, whether public open space, playing field or outdoor pitch (which are all shown separately on the Proposals Map), is safeguarded, by other policies in this chapter, against development which would preclude public open space use.

GENERAL LOCATIONS FOR NEW SCHOOLS

CFR3 A general location for a new school has been identified at Northside, Birtley.

12.4 The major new housing allocation at Northside (Appendix 2, housing site H3.62) will generate significant extra demand for primary school places. It is not yet clear that this can be accommodated within other primary schools in Birtley. A general location for a new primary school has been previously identified and is included in the Planning Brief for the housing site (Interim Policy Advice note 8, approved originally by the Council as draft Supplementary Planning Guidance 12) which guides the development as it takes place. Although it is possible that a review of primary school provision and demand in Birtley may conclude that this location is no longer needed, for the time being it is appropriate to continue to reserve it.

12.5 A site is also being sought for a replacement for Saint Agnes Roman Catholic Primary School in Crawcrook. Investigations are proceeding but have not yet reached a sufficiently advanced stage for a site or general location to be shown on the Proposals Map.

REMEDYING DEFICIENCIES IN SCHOOL PLAYING FIELDS

CFR4 Where schools have a deficiency of play space or playing fields, suitable land nearby will, where appropriate, be incorporated into their grounds. This may include public open space where no deficiency exists, or would be created, according to the standards set in policies CFR20, CFR21 or CFR22.

12.6 A number of schools, particularly the older primary schools, do not meet Department for Children, Schools and Families play space standards, and either have to share another school’s facilities or use detached playing fields. In some locations where the public open space standards are comfortably exceeded, it may be appropriate to enclose some of this land for use by nearby schools.

LOSS OF SCHOOL PLAYING FIELDS TO DEVELOPMENT

CFR5 The loss of educational playing fields, without replacement, to built or other sterilising development will only be permitted if there is, or would be as a result of the development, no identified deficiency of outdoor recreation facilities or public open space in the area.

12.7 Where playing fields are surplus to schools’ needs, whether because of school closure or other reasons, they may be able to contribute to meeting unmet needs for public open space or sports pitches to serve the wider community. Where there is a deficiency according to the standards of provision set out later in this chapter, or a deficiency would be created as a result of the loss of the playing fields in question (for example where they also contributed to sports pitch provision for the wider community by agreement), or as a result of increased population resulting from the proposed development, loss of playing fields to built development will be unacceptable. The conservation of parts of school grounds which are of value in terms of biodiversity will also be a consideration in assessing any future use of the sites.

12.8 The sites for buildings for schools where replacement is under way in 2007 are allocated by Policy CFR1, but the schemes also include playing fields which will include the sites of the current school buildings. These are shown on the Proposals Map as protected by this policy even though they are not playing fields at present; this is to ensure that a suitable policy is in place to protect them when the schemes are completed.

JEWISH AND OTHER MINORITY GROUP EDUCATION

CFR6 Support will be given for the use of any appropriate sites or premises which may become available in the Bensham area for the expansion of Jewish education facilities, including halls of residence, taking account of potential harm to residential amenity and of other local community needs. The provision of education facilities for any other minority group concentrated in a particular part of the Borough will be considered subject to the same factors.

12.9 In Bensham there is a concentration of Jewish educational establishments which have a unique and necessarily close relationship with the surrounding Jewish community. This, in effect, precludes the provision of Jewish education outside the Bensham area. Growth of, and improvements to, this educational provision have been restricted by the difficulties in finding suitable sites and premises in a mainly residential area. Should a similar situation arise involving another minority group in a particular part of the borough, the Council’s approach would be the same.

LIBRARIES

CFR7 A general location for a new branch library has been identified at Sun Hill, Sunniside.

12.10 Sunniside is the largest free-standing settlement in the borough without a permanent library and should finance become available, the Council intends to provide one there.

SOCIAL SERVICES

CFR8 A site for development to form part of an older persons’ village, with a range of facilities, is allocated at Waverley Road, Harlow Green.

12.11 Together with the nearby site of the Hartswood Aged Persons’ Home, this site, currently public open space, is under consideration for an older persons’ “village”. This concept involves having a variety of residential accommodation, a shop and various communal and social facilities all at the same place, care being available when needed but only being required on a routine basis by some of the residents. Accordingly the residential element could vary from very sheltered housing to flats and bungalows for sale on the open market, although occupation would be limited to elderly people. The elderly residents of the existing adjoining tower blocks would also be served by this development. Development of this kind is important in meeting the aims of the Gateshead Housing Strategy for Older People.

HEALTH CARE FACILITIES

CFR9 A general location for a new primary health care facility has been identified at Parsons Drive, Ryton.

12.12 A new health care facility for GPs and other services is required in Ryton. This replaces the existing clinic site in Grange Road which is too small to allow for the necessary expansion, as well as a practice currently operating from Elvaston Road. An exhaustive search for a suitable site in Ryton has concluded that the only practicable site is land currently in open space use adjoining Ryton Social Club, off Main Road.

CHILDREN’S CENTRES

12.13 The Council has approved a plan to develop Children’s Centres (formerly called SureStart) in every part of the borough by 2010 and several have already opened. In some locations, Children’s Centres are expected to be incorporated in existing buildings, for example schools, or extensions to them. The two sites below were, at the time of the publication of the re-deposit version of this plan, those where the site had been determined but work had not yet started, other than those intended to be accommodated together with existing schools; these two sites were due to be vacated due to the merger and rebuilding of schools under policy CFR1. Work has now started at Harlow Green, although at Dunston Hill, the Council has subsequently decided to locate the new Children’s Centre on another site nearby. Other community uses may also be found to be appropriate on these sites as detailed plans are prepared.

CFR10 Sites for Children’s Centres are allocated at:

9.1 Dunston Hill

9.2 Harlow Green

Other community uses may also be accommodated on these sites.

COMMUNITY CENTRES

CFR11 A general location for a new building for community use has been identified at Northside, Birtley.

12.14 The major housing allocation at Northside (Appendix 2, housing site 3.62) will generate additional needs for premises for community use. The planning brief for the site (Interim Policy Advice note 8, approved originally by the Council as Supplementary Planning Guidance 12) indicates a likely approximate location and the possibility of the provision being made in conjunction with small-scale commercial premises (shops, a public house, etc.).

PLACES OF WORSHIP

CFR12 Developments for religious use which are of an appropriate design, have satisfactory arrangements for access, parking, hours of use and, where necessary, soundproofing, and which do not have an unacceptable impact on residential amenity, will be permitted in residential areas.

12.15 Religious meeting places are acceptable in principle in residential areas, as well as elsewhere, but proposals will need to be assessed in terms of their impact. Many religious meeting places serve a variety of functions, being available for a range of community activities, and all these will need to be taken into account. They should also be close to public transport routes.

INDOOR RECREATION

DISTRICT SPORTS HALLS

CFR13 General locations for district sports halls have been identified at:

12.1 Ryton

12.2 Felling

12.16 District sports halls provide a range of recreational facilities and should be conveniently located to serve local needs. In addition to those already existing, approximate locations are identified at Ryton and Felling to serve those communities. Public use of school sports facilities can also help to meet these needs and will be encouraged by the Council.

OUTDOOR SPORTS FACILITIES

FOOTBALL

CFR14 In each general area of the Borough, at least 0.5 hectares of football pitches for public use should be provided per 1,000 residents. The provision of new pitches will be encouraged where there is a demand and particularly in the general areas of Ryton/Crawcrook, Chopwell/Rowlands Gill, east and south Gateshead and Birtley, provided it does not involve an unacceptable reduction in general public open space provision. Provision of these pitches must not result in unacceptable damage to residential or visual amenity or nature conservation and changing rooms and adequate vehicular access and landscaping should be provided.

12.17 A Playing Pitch Study was carried out in 2002-3 on behalf of the Council and Sport England. This identified the demand for football pitches from existing teams and, as far as possible, teams likely to be formed in the next few years. The level of provision across the borough as a whole was broadly adequate to meet this demand, although upgrading of pitch quality and provision of improved facilities such as changing rooms was required at a number of sites.

12.18 Future demand cannot be predicted with certainty and it is likely that the formation of teams is partly influenced by the availability, or otherwise, of pitches. The areas of the borough identified in the policy are those with less than the borough average of 0.51 hectares of football pitch land per 1,000 people. The policy also indicates the principal concerns which will need to be addressed when assessing proposals for new pitches.

CRICKET, RUGBY AND HOCKEY

CFR15 Proposals for additional cricket, rugby and hockey pitches will be assessed to ensure that they do not result in unacceptable reductions in general public open space provision or unacceptable damage to visual amenity or nature conservation. Changing rooms, adequate vehicular access and landscaping should be provided.

12.19 The Playing Pitch Study (see para. 12.17) found comfortably adequate provision of cricket, rugby and hockey pitches in the borough. These sports are not sufficiently popular to require pitches in each individual area. The policy indicates the key considerations by which any proposals for new pitches will be judged.

GOLF

CFR16 Proposals for new golf courses, particularly in urban fringe areas of the countryside, and for improved facilities at existing golf courses, will be assessed to ensure that:

1. the course, clubhouse or associated facilities do not result in damage to a high-quality landscape or sites important for nature conservation;

2. the course is managed to enhance the landscape and help to achieve nature conservation objectives;

3. the development would not result in the irreversible loss of the best and most versatile agricultural land; and

4. adequate vehicular access is provided.

12.20 The Council does not expect to be able to provide a municipal golf course in the foreseeable future. Private sector proposals for new golf courses in suitable locations, and for improvements to existing courses, will be encouraged. Any new locations large enough for a golf course would almost certainly be in the Green Belt. Proposals must satisfy Green Belt, landscape protection and nature conservation policies (see the Environment chapter) as well as the above criteria.

RETENTION OF FACILITIES

CFR17 The loss of outdoor pitches, courts or other sports facilities, including necessary ancillary buildings such as changing rooms, to built or other sterilising development will not be permitted unless there is, and would continue to be, an identified surplus of recreational public open space in the area, and either:

1. the facilities are severely under-used and there is no reasonable expectation that investment, management or other changed circumstances could increase their use to a reasonable level; or

2. the loss is wholly made good by the creation of alternative provision in the same area of the borough.

12.21 In most cases the loss of outdoor sports provision would carry the risk that some demand would be left unsatisfied. In the case of disused or underused facilities it would first be necessary to show that this was not due to poor condition which could be remedied by investment. Loss of such sites from open space use would only be justifiable where their conversion to recreational public open space would not help to remedy any shortfall in the standards set by policies CFR20, CFR21 and CFR22.

FORMER SALTWELL SCHOOL SITE

CFR18 Land at Avenue Road, Shipcote, is allocated for outdoor sports facilities and public open space, pending the possible future use of all or part of the site for an extension to the Shipley Art Gallery or other built public educational, cultural or leisure facilities of borough-wide importance.

12.22 The location of this substantial site, adjoining the Shipley Art Gallery and close to the Central Library, Gateshead Leisure Centre and Saltwell Park, makes it suitable for a major facility for the public, although an alternative “cultural quarter” is growing up at Gateshead Quays. Unless or until such a proposal is formulated, it should continue to meet more local needs by providing a football pitch, five-a-side pitches and general open space. Commercial leisure facilities are not envisaged as appropriate for this site.

WATER-BASED SPORTS AND RECREATION

CFR19 Provision of sport and recreational facilities which take advantage of opportunities provided by the river Tyne and other stretches of water will be assessed to ensure that:

1. there is no significant detrimental impact on the environment in general and nature conservation in particular; and

2. no irreconcilable conflict between different recreational pursuits arises.

12.23 Policy T6 in the Transport chapter refers to the importance of the banks of the river Tyne for recreational activities. Further use of the Tyne and other stretches of water for sports can be achieved, although some of these sports, for example power-boat racing and canoeing, might conflict with each other, and recreational uses need to be balanced against nature conservation considerations.

PUBLIC OPEN SPACE

INTRODUCTION

12.24 This section sets out the standards and policies for the provision and protection of public open space throughout the borough. The policies setting standards (CFR20, CFR21 and CFR22) apply to all existing residential areas. A variety of types and sizes of open space needs to be provided to meet needs. Where new needs are created by the building of new housing developments, and existing open space in the areas concerned does not provide for them according to the standards set in this section, developers will be required to ensure that this provision is made. policies H13 and H14 in the Housing chapter indicate what provision developers may be required to make, in line with the overall standards for the Borough which are set by the policies in this section.

LOCAL OPEN SPACE

CFR20 In each residential neighbourhood at least three hectares of Local Open Space, in sites of at least 0.01 hectares, should be available per 1,000 residents, such that no resident has to travel more than 330 metres from home to reach one. Where opportunities arise and as resources permit, additional Local Open Space will be provided in those residential neighbourhoods which fall short of this standard, and particularly in the following, which fall below it by at least one hectare in total:

20.1 Barmoor/Meadowfield Park	20.12 Low Fell West
20.2 Bensham North	20.13 Lyndhurst
20.3 Central Gateshead South	20.14 Portobello/Vigo
20.4 Crawcrook	20.15 Racecourse Estate
20.5 Deckham	20.16 Ryton South
20.6 Dunston West	20.17 Sheriff Hill
20.7 Eighton Banks/Wrekenton South	20.18 Shipcote East
20.8 Festival Park	20.19 Sunniside South
20.9 Lobley Hill North	20.20 Whickham North/Swalwell
20.10 Low Fell East	20.21 Winlaton East
20.11 Low Fell North	20.22 Winlaton West

12.25 Public recreational open space should be available close to homes to allow frequent casual visits, offering recreational opportunities and relief from the fabric of the built environment, particularly to those who cannot regularly travel far from their homes, such as young children and many elderly people. The accessibility standard of 330 metres is intended to represent five minutes’ walking time for an average frequent open space user and, except where there are unusually inconvenient layouts or barriers to movement in residential areas, will usually amount to 300 metres straight line distance. The borough has been divided into 91 quite small residential neighbourhoods, each of which should include an adequate amount of open space useable for informal recreation. This may include parks, maintained and unmaintained grass, sparse woodland, and nature conservation sites if they are fully accessible to the public. Dense woodland, derelict land, sports grounds and playing fields, school grounds, golf courses, cemeteries, and sites with no recreational value are not included in this definition.

12.26 A detailed analysis of the availability of Local Open Space (to be summarised in a forthcoming revision of the Supplementary Planning Guidance note “Public Open Space Needs and Standards”, to be issued as a Supplementary Planning Document – see Appendix 11) has been carried out for each neighbourhood and will be updated whenever necessary to take account of changes in open space provision or in the population. Policy H13 in the Housing chapter deals with the need, in deficient areas, for open space to be provided on new housing developments. The neighbourhoods listed above are only those with at least one hectare less open space than they require, at the time of the preparation of the plan. Other neighbourhoods are deficient by a smaller amount, and still others would become so if some of their open space were developed. All proposals for the loss of public recreational open space will therefore be assessed to ensure that the standard would not be infringed in their particular neighbourhood.

12.27 For reasons of practicality, those sites contributing to this standard which are smaller than one hectare in size are not shown on the proposals map.

NEIGHBOURHOOD OPEN SPACES

CFR21 Open spaces of at least two hectares in size should be available so that, as far as possible, no resident has to travel more than 500 metres from home or cross a busy main road to reach one. In parts of the borough where the provision of Neighbourhood Open Spaces is non-existent or inadequate, improvements will be made, as opportunities arise and resources permit, by upgrading some existing open spaces, making new provision within new large housing developments or by bringing other land into use as public open space.

12.28 Neighbourhood Open Spaces are sites large enough and of sufficient quality to be used for active informal recreation such as kickabouts, and need to be relatively close to home to allow frequent visits and discourage ball games on unsuitable spaces. They may be reasonably flat maintained grass areas of at least two hectares in size, or formal parks. A revision of Supplementary Planning Guidance note 10, Public Open Space Needs and Standards (see Appendix 11), to be issued as a Supplementary Planning Document, will show the areas of the borough currently lacking access to a Neighbourhood Open Space within 0.5 kilometres. On the largest new housing developments, there may be a requirement for a Neighbourhood Open Space to be provided to serve the residents (see policy H14).

AREA PARKS

CFR22 Area Parks of at least five hectares in size should be available in such locations that as few residents as possible have to travel more than 1.5 kilometres to reach one. In parts of the borough where the provision of Area Parks is non-existent or inadequate, improvements will be made, as opportunities arise and resources permit, by upgrading some existing open spaces or by bringing other land into use as public open space.

12.29 Large parks will normally be able to provide a range of facilities and varied environments. Whilst they will be visited less often than more local open spaces, and therefore do not need to be as close to homes, long distances would still act as a deterrent to visits, especially to those without cars. A revision of Supplementary Planning Guidance note 10, Public Open Space Needs and Standards (see Appendix 11), to be issued as a Supplementary Planning Document, will show the areas of the borough further than 1.5 kilometres from an Area Park.

PROTECTING AND IMPROVING EXISTING OPEN SPACE

CFR23 The loss of public open space without replacement will not be permitted unless provision would still meet the relevant standard or standards under policies CFR20, CFR21 and CFR22, and there is no identified deficiency in outdoor sports facilities or accessible natural greenspace or the site in question would be incapable of meeting it. Where the standards in policies CFR20, CFR21 and CFR22 are not met or would be infringed, the loss must be made good by the creation of an alternative site of at least equal size, quality and recreational value serving the same residential area or neighbourhood. Where the standards are comfortably exceeded, loss of public open space will only be permitted exceptionally, and any development or change of use proposal resulting in such loss will be assessed to ensure that, as far as possible, the open space in question is the lowest-quality area of public open space in the neighbourhood in which it is located, in terms of recreational value, accessibility, visual quality and biodiversity. Existing public open space will where possible be improved, especially to enhance visual quality, biodiversity, nature conservation interest and recreational opportunities.

12.30 Recreational public open space sites at least one hectare in size are shown on the proposals map. These and smaller sites contributing to meeting the standards above should not normally be developed for other purposes. Public consultation in the borough has shown a preference for retaining all existing open space but introducing a greater variety of visual character and promoting biodiversity. The latter approach will be particularly suitable where there are large expanses of under-used, poor-quality grassland not required to meet any of the standards set by the policies above.

INCORPORATION OF PUBLIC OPEN SPACE INTO THE CURTILAGES OF DWELLINGS

CFR24 Proposals to incorporate areas of public open space, including amenity land in housing areas, into the curtilages of private dwellings will only be approved provided that the proposal:

1. does not result in or worsen a deficiency in recreational public open space in the relevant residential neighbourhood;

2. does not fragment areas of recreational public open space;

3. does not result in any loss of visual amenity;

4. does not result in a reduction in the safety of children or others;

5. does not prejudice highway safety; and

6. does not prejudice the maintenance of underground services.

12.31 Private householders frequently seek to incorporate small areas of adjoining public open space or landscaped areas into their gardens or to provide space for house extensions, garages or sheds. This is undesirable when it results in the loss of open space which is valuable for visual amenity or recreational use, for example if it results in an infringement of the Local Open Space standard (policy CFR20). Potential interference with sight lines by walls, trees or hedges, resulting in danger to children or on the highway, must also be avoided.

COUNTRYSIDE RECREATION

CFR25 Land at Wardley/Red Barns will be further restored, and the Tyne riverside downstream from Saltmeadows enhanced, to provide major public recreational urban countryside sites.

12.32 There are few extensive sites offering a variety of nature conservation interest and recreational opportunities close to the main concentration of urban population in the east of the borough. Ongoing reclamation of land in the Wardley area, and the improvement of a series of large sites adjoining the River Tyne, allow major facilities of this kind to be provided.

ACCESSIBLE NATURAL GREENSPACE

CFR26 Natural greenspace accessible to the public should be available so that, as far as possible, sites of at least two hectares are within 0.5 kilometres of all homes. Additional and improved nature conservation sites will be provided, in the countryside and within the urban area, to help meet this standard.

12.33 Within the last few years English Nature (now Natural England) has issued advice on the desirable minimum amount, and proximity to residential areas, of accessible natural greenspace, which may be defined as areas of land or water which have been naturally colonised by plants and animals and which are accessible on foot to the public. It is stressed that these should be close to homes to allow for frequent visits and should be large enough to allow for a range of habitats and for visitors to feel they are in a natural environment. It has not yet been possible to carry out research on local preferences in Gateshead and for the time being the Council is adopting the standard specified in this policy. While this is less exacting than Natural England’s latest recommendations in respect of the maximum distance from homes, progress towards it is felt to be more achievable in the context of the distribution of existing sites and of population in Gateshead. The accompanying map (CFR1) shows the sites and the areas of the borough within the 0.5 kilometre radius of them.

ALLOTMENTS

CFR27 The loss of allotments, either by unauthorised encroachment by uses other than cultivation, stock-keeping and passive recreation, or by built development, will not be permitted unless an appropriate advance replacement site is made available, or there is a surplus of provision at a particular location. In the case of surplus provision, the site (either in whole or in part) will be safeguarded against built development if its conversion to recreational public open space would contribute to remedying deficiencies in the provision specified by policies CFR20, CFR21 and CFR22.

12.34 Allotment gardening is still popular in the Borough but there has been a decline in recent years and some allotment sites have been closed. However others are still needed to meet demand and are a valuable community resource, and where this is the case they must be safeguarded. Allotments will only be considered surplus if it is clear that they cannot be tenanted in the long term, despite being freely available at reasonable rents. In this event, use of the sites for public open space will take priority over other alternative uses if it is needed to remedy any deficiencies. Some allotment sites may not be shown on the proposals map, especially very small sites, but the policy covers all sites.

12.35 In the context of this policy, stock-keeping refers to the keeping of livestock for agricultural purposes. It therefore excludes the keeping or grazing of horses kept for non-agricultural purposes. Keeping racing pigeons, although not an agricultural activity, is traditional on allotments and is not regarded as necessarily out of keeping with their primary purpose. The size and location of pigeon lofts may affect this acceptability. The rules applying at particular sites may also further restrict the keeping of stock or other animal species.

Map CFR1: Accessible Natural Greenspace: CFR 26

[Click to see larger image in a pop-up window]

^{© Crown copyright All rights reserved Gateshead Council, Licence No. 100019132 2007}

CHILDREN'S PLAY AREAS

12.36 Pending local research on the demand for and use of children's play areas, which is required by Government guidance, the Council will continue to apply the standard of 0.7 hectares of children’s play space per 1,000 residents. This standard is not yet fulfilled in many parts of the borough and progress towards it is constrained by financial considerations and the difficulty of finding suitable sites for play areas within existing housing areas. Design, safety considerations and other aspects are set out in a Supplementary Planning Document based on that approved originally by the Council as draft Supplementary Planning Guidance note 4, Children’s Play Area Standards (issued in 2004).

12.37 This section sets out the standards for the provision and protection of play areas throughout the borough. These standards (CFR28, CFR29 and CFR30) apply to all existing residential areas. Where new needs are created by the building of new housing developments, and existing play areas in the areas concerned do not provide for them according to the standards set in this section, developers will be required to ensure that this provision is made. Policy H15 in the Housing chapter indicates what provision developers may be required to make, in line with the overall standards for the Borough which are set by the policies in this section.

TODDLERS’ PLAY AREAS

CFR28 Toddlers’ Play Areas, designed principally for children under seven and not necessarily equipped, should be provided within 60 metres of all homes in the borough, other than those in isolated locations or in settlements with fewer than 100 inhabitants. All new sites should be visible from adjacent dwellings and not adjoin busy roads or be separated by them from the areas they are intended to serve.

12.38 Detailed advice on, and requirements for, toddlers’ play areas will be set out in a Supplementary Planning Document (see para. 12.36). In many cases small unequipped grass areas will be suitable, with equipment provided only on a proportion of sites.

JUNIORS’ PLAY AREAS

CFR29 Juniors' Equipped Play Areas, designed principally for those aged 7 to 11, should be provided within 420 metres of all homes in the Borough other than those in isolated locations or in settlements with fewer than 300 inhabitants. All new sites should be accessible from the areas they are intended to serve without the need to cross busy roads or other barriers.

12.39 Because children in this age group can travel further than toddlers, there should be fewer, larger play areas for them, each serving a wider catchment. Seven minutes from home is considered a reasonable walking time. Children in this age group would not be expected to cross roads with a two-way traffic flow of over 10,000 vehicles per day or use bridges or subways to access play areas. Detailed advice and requirements will be set out in a Supplementary Planning Document (see para. 12.36).

TEENAGERS’ RECREATION AREAS

CFR30 Equipped Recreation Areas for Teenagers, designed for those aged 12 to 18, should be provided within 800 metres of all homes in the borough other than those in isolated locations or in settlements with fewer than 300 inhabitants. They should not be across the busiest roads or other major barriers from the areas they are intended to serve.

12.40 Older children and teenagers in this age group can travel much further than those who are younger so facilities for them can be relatively few in number and widely spaced. They would not be expected to cross roads with a two-way traffic flow of over 20,000 vehicles per day. Such sites should be provided so that they can gather, socialise and sometimes use more challenging equipment without impinging on others, for example by congregating on the street or in play areas designed for younger children. Detailed advice and requirements will be set out in a Supplementary Planning Document (see para. 12.36).

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