Policy information sourced from Spelthorne Core Strategy and Policies Development Plan Document

EN4: Provision of Open Space and Sport and Recreation Facilities

The Council will seek to ensure there is sufficient open space which is well sited and suitable to meet a wide range of outdoor sport, recreation and open space needs by:

  • providing additional space where required (see also Policy CO3),
  • maintaining and improving provision and access to open space through the design and layout of new development, encouraging owners and users of private sites to make improvements and also improving provision on Council owned land,
  • seeking to maintain, improve and where appropriate expand networks of green space and pedestrian and cycle routes with a recreational role,
  • retaining existing open space in the urban area used, or capable of use, for sport and recreation or having amenity value where:
    • there is a need for the site for sport or recreation purposes, or
    • the site as a whole is clearly visible to the general public from other public areas and its openness either:
      • makes a significant contribution to the quality and character of the urban area by virtue of its prominence, layout and position in relation to built development in the locality, or
      • is of particular value to local people where there is a shortage of open space in the locality.
    • the site is of particular nature conservation value, of at least SNCI or equivalent quality.

Exceptionally, development may be allowed on part of a site within the urban area which should otherwise be maintained for the above reasons where:

  • the remainder of the site is enhanced so its public value in visual and functional terms is equivalent to the original site or better, or
  • essential ancillary facilities are proposed to support outdoor recreational use of the site, or
  • the sport or recreational use is relocated to an alternative site of equivalent or greater value in terms of quantity, quality and accessibility to users of the original site, and other factors do not justify retention.

For more information please see the Core Strategy and Policies Development Plan Document