Agenda item

To consider the report of the head of corporate strategy and head of planning (attached.)

The committee considered the joint report of the head of corporate strategy and head of planning on the draft playing pitch, local leisure facilities and open space evidence studies to support the Local Plan 2031.

Councillor Charlotte Dickson, Cabinet member for leisure, parks and grounds maintenance introduced this item. Also present to answer questions were Councillor Roger Cox, Cabinet member for planning policy, Clare Kingston, head of corporate strategy, Kate Arnold, leisure manager, Adrian Duffield, head of planning and Andrew Maxted, planning policy project lead.

The committee was informed that the reports contained factual information and background evidence to influence the development of planning policies related to open space, sport, leisure and recreation in the Local Plan 2031.

In response to questions and issues raised by the committee, it was reported that:

·         With regard to the playing pitch strategy, the report had taken into account cross-boundary movement beyond the administrative boundaries of the district, for example, facilities located within Oxford City and South Oxfordshire.

·         A school leisure facility that had ad hoc public use was not considered to be a community facility.  There was a community use agreement in place for Tilsley Park sports facilities.

·         With regard to open spaces, the adopted 2008 Supplementary Planning Document included a combined parks and gardens, amenity green space and natural and semi-natural green space standard. Given the relatively small number of parks and garden sites in the district, an alternative standard was not considered appropriate.

·         The Council would seek to secure allotment sites as part of any major housing development.

·         The reports were living documents that would be updated continuously and reviewed annually.

Following further discussion, the committee requested that officers report back on the following matters:

·         whether some play areas were closed on Sundays.

·         whether Caldecott and Box Hill Recreation Grounds were included in the open spaces report.

The committee requested the following alterations to the draft reports:

General

·         The out of date ward maps to be replaced with the current ones.

·         A clear definition of which areas are included within the term “Botley”.

Local Leisure Facilities

·         To include the Rosary Room, Yarnells Hill, Botley, in the list of local leisure facilities.

Open Spaces

·         Figure 28 to be corrected to distinguish between local service centres and larger villages.

RESOLVED: to request the Cabinet members for planning policy and leisure to make the amendments detailed above to the draft reports, prior to their publication alongside the preferred options consultation on the Local Plan 2031 Part 2.