Preferred Options

It would appear that part of the site is a playing field. Sport England would object to the loss of the playing field unless it met he tests of paragraph 74 of the National Planning Policy Framework

Sport England would object to the loss of the 4 court Sports Hall unless it met the tests of paragraph 74 of the National Planning Policy Framework

Sport England would not support any site which came forward for development where there would be a loss of playing fields unless it met the tests of paragraph 74 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

The economic benefits of sport in the West Midlands is also recognised and a Sport England survey in 2008, showed continued growth from 2002 with over £2.1 billion spent on sport-related goods and services in the region in 2008. In the same year, consumer expenditure on sport accounts for 2.9% of the total expenditure in the region, the highest percentage among the English regions. Compared with 2005, there is a 39% increase in sport-related consumption. During the period 2003-2008, the proportion of total consumer spending on sport has increased from 2.4% to 2.9%.

Sport and associated industries are estimated to employ 54,200 people in the West Midlands. This represents an increase of 23% over the period 2005-2008. During the aforementioned period, the percentage of sport related employment in the region increased from 1.8% to 2.2%. Employment linked to the sport-retailing sector increased very strongly during the 2005-2008 period, reaching 5,400 people employed. The region bucked the recession trend in all sport related indicators. Sport therefore plays a vital role in the economy in the West Midlands.

There Sport England would advise that Warwick District Council should view sports related planning applications where there is clearly employment being generated, as positive employment generators in the same way as B1 or B2 uses are.

There are a number of sports which can only take place in natural environments, which may be home to a variety of fauna and flora. Management plans should be sought from applicants who apply for planning permission in connection with sport to show what mitigation measures are being taken so that disturbance is kept to a minim, without compromising the sport or fauna and flora

Sport England would like to see the following point considered in the protection of sports facilities.:
As part of the evidence that the sports facility (Built or natural) is surplus for the life of the adopted plan, that the sites marketed in relevant sports journals and on the web for a period of not less than 12 months at a land valuation reflecting the sporting use.

Sport has been shown to have a positive affect on disaffected young people. We would sight the work done by the Kelly Homes Trust in this, where there has been positive changes in young people's lives where the Trust has worked with them.

Sport England would therefore encourage the use of planning conditions where they meet the tests of circular 11/95, for the opening up of sports facilities in schools and the like to allow programmes such as Dame Kelly's to take place.