Southend-on-Sea City Local Plan

Policy R1 - Outdoor Sports Facilities - Saved

The City Council will encourage and promote the retention of existing, and the provision of additional, outdoor sports facilities, both public and private. Permission will not be given to proposals involving the loss of such facilities except in very special circumstances, where it can clearly be shown that improved alternative facilities are being provided in a convenient and appropriate location and the proposals are in accordance with Policy C15. Such alternative provision will normally be required to be laid out and available for use before existing facilities are lost.

In addition, the City Council will seek the optimum use of its own land holdings and public open space facilities, in accordance with identified needs, and will have regard to the City's requirements for additional playing fields in considering all proposals for the use of vacant or under-used land in its area.

Policy Cross Reference : C15 Retention of Open Spaces.

Policy R2 - Indoor Sports Facilities - Saved

The City Council will seek to remedy the deficiencies in indoor sports facilities identified by the Eastern Council for Sport and Recreation by:

• giving priority in the provision of new recreation facilities to indoor sports facilities located so as to be easily accessible to all local residents. As part of this approach, the City Council will explore with the Education and School Authorities the opportunities for both the dual use of existing education sports halls in the City and the joint development of new indoor facilities for both education and local community needs;
• encouraging the retention of existing and the provision of additional private indoor facilities. The City Council will not give permission for the redevelopment or change of use of existing private indoor sports facilities unless improved alternative provision is made in a convenient and appropriate location;
• exploring the opportunities for making more intensive use of the City Council's existing land holdings and recreation facilities to provide additional indoor facilities, if necessary, in conjunction with the private sector as part of commercially viable leisure developments;
• investigating and keeping under review the precise needs of local residents for indoor sports facilities.

Policy R3 - Swimming Pool Facilities - Saved

The improvement and expansion of existing swimming pool facilities in the town will be supported. Permission will not be granted to proposals involving the loss of such facilities unless adequate alternative provision is made in a convenient and appropriate location.

Policy R4 - Golf Courses - Saved

The City Council will seek to achieve and thereafter maintain Sports Council standards for golf course provision within or adjacent to the City. it will therefore support the provision of additional golfing facilities, particularly where these include improved facilities for public use on a "pay and play" basis, provided that the proposals would not:

• involve land affected by Policies G5 and G6;
• result in substantial disturbance to the soil structure thereby reducing the long-term agricultural quality of the land or its potential for reverting to agricultural use in the future;
• adversely affect residential amenities;
• adversely affect highway safety;
• result in the construction of substantial buildings in the Green Belt.

In addition the City Council will wish to ensure that existing footpaths and bridleways are retained and that opportunities for providing additional facilities are fully exploited.

Permission will not be given to proposals involving the loss of existing golfing facilities unless improved alternative provision is made in a convenient and appropriate located and the proposals are in accordance with Policy C15 and the above criteria. Such alternative provision will normally be required to be laid out and available for use before existing facilities are lost.

Policy Cross References : G5 Special Landscape Area, G6 Nature Conservation and C15 Retention of Open Spaces.

Policy R5 - Parks and Gardens - Saved

The City Council will seek to ensure that no home within the City is more than half a mile from a neighbourhood park and from a children's play area containing fixed play equipment, and no more than one mile from a local park providing active and passive recreation facilities for all sections of the population.

Where these standards are not achieved, the City Council will give priority in the provision of new open space facilities to additional neighbourhood parks and children's playgrounds, and will positively promote the optimum use of its existing land holdings and open space facilities to overcome these deficiencies. The City Council will also have regard to the need to overcome these deficiencies in considering all proposals for the use of vacant or under-used land.

Permission will not normally be given for any proposal involving the loss of existing public open space facilities unless alternative provision is made to a standard at least equal to that provided by the facilities, the above standards are not prejudiced and the proposal is in accordance with Policy C15. Such alternative provision will normally be required to be laid out and available for use before existing facilities are lost.

Policy Cross Reference : C15 Retention of Open Spaces.

Policy R6 - Countryside Recreation - Saved

Facilities for informal countryside recreation which provide for increased public access will be supported and encouraged within the Green Belt areas surrounding Southend, particularly within the Upper Roach Valley and the South Benfleet to Two Tree Island/Belton Hills area, provided that this would not adversely affect land of nature conservation, landscape or archaeological importance.

Development proposals which would prejudice the informal recreation value of these areas of the footpaths and bridleways within them will be opposed by the City Council.

Where appropriate, the City Council will use its own landholding to provide greater public access to the countryside, including the further provision and extension of country parks. The City Council will also work with other local authorities, landowners, horse-riding and walking interests to create additional footpath and horse-riding opportunities within Southend and adjoining areas and will seek to incorporate such facilities within the definitive rights of way network.

Policy R7 - Allotments - Saved

Subject to the maintenance of satisfactory residential amenities, the City Council will normally support the laying out and use as allotments of those vacant, derelict or under-used sites which are incapable to more intensive development. The redevelopment of existing allotment sites for other uses will only be permitted where it can clearly be shown that the facility is no longer required or can be adequately and conveniently provided elsewhere, and the objectives of Policy C15 would not be prejudiced.

Policy Cross Reference : C15 Retention of Open Spaces.