New online guidance published for outdoor sport and play

New benchmark guidelines for the design of spaces for outdoor sport and play have been published.

The document, Guidance for Outdoor Sport and Play: Beyond the Six Acre Standard, will be a crucial tool for all local planning authorities, developers, planners, urban designers and landscape architects, when designing sport, play and informal open spaces.

This guidance has been produced by SAPCA member Fields in Trust (FIT), the only independent, UK-wide organisation dedicated to protecting and improving outdoor sports and play spaces and facilities. It reflects a new planning policy landscape, including changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (2012), the introduction of The Localism Act (2011) and the phased introduction of the Community Infrastructure.

This updated guidance, which no longer differentiates between urban and rural areas, identifies benchmarks within the current policy framework for informal open space – places for recreation, not involving organised sport and play – and includes parks and gardens, and natural and semi-natural habitats. The guidelines are provided as an interactive PDF on the Fields in Trust website www.fieldsintrust.org/guidance

Fields in Trust CEO, Helen Griffiths, believes everyone in the UK should have access to free, local outdoor space for sport and play

Playing fields can save the nation millions

A report commissioned by SAPCA member The London Playing Fields Foundation shows how playing fields make a major contribution to cost savings for both local and central government.  

The Fields of Dreams impact report demonstrates the social, health and educational impact and cost savings attributed to the clubs and organisations based at just one of its playing fields in Walthamstow, north east London.

The research focuses on 16-25 year old users of the Douglas Eyre Sports Centre in Walthamstow and considers the playing field’s positive impacts on community safety, health and wellbeing, educational attainment and economic regeneration. It shows that savings of nearly £5m could be achieved through proactively engaging with the local community.

At a time of increasing pressure to build new homes on green space it has been very difficult to resist the loss of playing fields. Over the past 25 years, the number of grass cricket wickets in London has fallen by 41 per cent and grass football pitches by 20 per cent. Previously, it has been difficult to prove their wider community value, but the report makes a compelling case for the protection and full use of playing field sites.

The full report: www.lpff.org.uk/About/Reports/Fields-of-Dreams

Preserving playing fields could save the nation millions of pounds in health care costs

Success at Salford Sports Facility Show

The recent Sports Facility Show offered a series of informative seminars at Salford’s AJ Bell Stadium. Attended by architects and delegates from sports clubs, local authorities, schools and sports governing bodies, the event featured a keynote speech by funding advisor Karen Wolland on the current sources of financial support available – and how the funding landscape is likely to change in the future.

The day consisted of seminars on a range of subjects including; the maintenance of synthetic surfaces, effective marketing for sports facilities, understanding the construction of bases for outdoor sports, maximising the benefits of play and raising the standards of natural turf pitches. Presentations can be found online in the events section at www.sapca.org.uk

The networking space at the Facility Show

Spotlight on SAPCA

Sports Management speaks exclusively to SAPCA chief executive Chris Trickey about the association’s priorities for 2016.  

Chris Trickey, CEO of SAPCA, predicts an exciting year ahead for the industry

CEO,

SAPCA

Facility owners are increasingly asking how they can be more environmentally friendly. How is SAPCA guiding the industry to a greener future?
We recently produced important guidance for the industry on the handling and disposal of old synthetic sports surfaces. This is something we’ll build on by examining alternative methods of re-using and recycling surfaces in our Technical Programme in 2016.

Upcoming projects include the completion of a number of new and updated Codes of Practices, for bases for sports surfaces, MUGAs, synthetic pitches, athletics tracks, natural sports turf and sports equipment.

In 2016 we’ll also strengthen the programme of technical inspections in our Quality System, which ensures SAPCA members deliver high standards of workmanship and service.

What plans are in place to streamline the export process for UK businesses?
We work closely with UK Trade & Investment to promote export opportunities for British businesses within the sports sector, and SAPCA is now officially recognised as a Trade Challenge Partner. Having created a new Export Group, in 2016 SAPCA will launch its new export strategy with UKTI to help sports companies increase their international trade. There will be a dedicated export promotion workshop at the SAPCA Conference on 8 February 2016.

How do you plan to expand the membership base moving forward?
SAPCA’s membership has grown steadily since its formation in 1997, to more than 230 companies across the sports and play sector.  In 2016 we’ll launch a new Individual Membership section to improve professional standards. The initiative will include a new programme of educational and training opportunities, and will provide a new range of membership benefits and opportunities for individual members.

How are you rewarding innovation and the success of your members?
Our members work hard to design new products, introduce new innovations, embrace new technology, and ultimately deliver great sports and play projects. In order to recognise these achievements and to illustrate the best that the industry has to offer, SAPCA is introducing a new annual awards programme, which will be presented to the winners at the SAPCA Annual Dinner.
Members are invited to share their success stories from 2015 at the SAPCA Conference on 8 February 2016 and delegates will be able to vote for their favourite entries.

What does the next year have in store for SAPCA?
There will be some exciting changes in 2016! The annual programme of one-day Sports Facility Shows will be replaced with a series of new themed events, to target different sections of the marketplace.

Delivered jointly with one of SAPCA’s media partners, Wildfire Communications, this will include a new conference and exhibition specifically for the UK’s education sector.

There will be some exciting changes in 2016!