Policy information sourced from the Waltham Forest Local Plan

78 Parks, Open Spaces and Recreation

Existing parks and open spaces will be preserved and enhanced, and access for leisure, sporting activity and recreation across the borough will be improved by:

A. Ensuring adequate provision, protection, enhancement and quality of play and recreational spaces, indoor and outdoor sports facilities and parks for all sections and age groups of the community;

B. Preserving the existing level of provision of playing pitches, in line with any future review, in accordance with the Council’s Playing Pitch Strategy;(61)

C. Ensuring that all parks within the borough will be enhanced and retained in accordance with the Council’s ‘Parks and Open Spaces Strategy’ and Green and Blue Spaces Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). Development proposals in parks and open spaces will only be acceptable where they are ancillary to the open space use and its inherent character. In addition and where relevant, proposals must demonstrate that they would have no adverse impacts to the setting or visual appearance of the park or open space, its heritage significance and/or its ecological value;

D. Expecting residential and mixed use proposals to contribute to the provision of high quality and accessible exercise, play and recreational facilities either on- or off-site, based on child yields in accordance with the Mayor of London’s current standards;

E. Refusing planning permission for schemes which would result in a net loss of open space or sports facilities and requiring proposals for new development to provide new, and/or contribute to enhancing the quality of existing open spaces, indoor/outdoor sports facilities, playing pitches and/or their associated ancillary facilities and access, taking account of priorities set out in the Council’s Playing Pitch Strategy(62) where appropriate;

F. Requiring the submission of management and maintenance plans as a requirement of planning permission for all new sports and recreation facilities;

G. Encouraging opportunities to provide ancillary facilities to enhance the attractiveness and experience of using open spaces, such as cafes, toilets and baby changing facilities; and

H. Where sports facilities or multi-functional spaces are provided in school facilities, the Council will seek to secure community benefits through sharing schemes and joint user agreements in alignment with Policy 46 ‘Social and Community Infrastructure’.

Further guidance will be set out in the Green and Blue Spaces Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).