playing pitch strategy background information 2013 - 2018chorley.gov.uk/documents/playing pitch...

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Playing Pitch Strategy

Background Information

2013 - 2018

Consultation Draft

Appendix C

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Playing Pitch Strategy and Action Plan

2013 - 2018

Contents Page

1.0 WHERE ARE WE NOW?

1.1 Background 4

1.2 Introduction 5

Purpose of improvement strategy 5

1.3 Strategic Context 6

1.4 Methodology of Playing Pitch Assessment 9

1.6 Playing Pitch Analysis by Neighbourhood Areas Chorley Town East 11 Chorley Town West 13 Clayton and Whittle 15 Eastern Parishes 16 Euxton, Astley and Buckshaw 17 Southeast Parishes 18 Southern Parishes 19 Western Parishes 21 1.7 Analysis by Sport – Football 23

Cricket 28

Rugby Union 31

Rugby League 32

Hockey 33

Bowling Green 35

1.8 Summary Information 36

1.9 Recommended New Pitch Provision 37

2.0 WHERE DO WE WANT TO GET TO?

2.1 Vision 38

2.2 Strategic Objectives and Management Objectives 38

2.3 Sport Specific Objectives 41

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3.0 HOW WILL WE GET THERE?

3.1 Polices and Supplementary Planning Guidance 45

3.2 Summary of Surpluses / Deficiencies in Pitch Provision and Action Plan 47

3.3 Site based action plans by Neighbourhood Area and Site:-

Chorley Town East 49 Chorley Town West 51 Clayton and Whittle 53 Eastern Parishes 54 Euxton, Astley and Buckshaw 55 Southeast Parishes 56 Southern Parishes 57 Western Parishes 58 3.4 Asset transfer Policy - Lease arrangement recommendations to clubs 59

4.0 HOW WILL WE KNOW WHEN WE HAVE GOT THERE?

4.1 Assessment 60

4.2 Review 60

APPENDICIES

A – Contact List 61

B – Funding Opportunities 64

C – Maps by Neighbourhood Area illustrating the provision and distribution 65

of playing pitches in Chorley

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1.0 WHERE ARE WE NOW?

1.1 BACKGROUND

Chorley Council is a key provider of playing pitches along with other partners which include parish councils, schools, and private clubs. Chorley currently has approximately 98 hectares of sports pitch provision which is available for community use and many more hectares which are for private use only. Sports pitch provision covers the sports of football, cricket, rugby union, rugby league, american football, bowling greens and hockey. Our sports pitches are also used for archery and whippet racing, giving some indication to the diversity of our provision on offer and the range of sporting interests in the Borough. Chorley has a total population of 109, 100 (2012 estimate) of this population 21,265 are below the

age of 16; 11,200 are aged 25 – 24, 24,400 are aged 35 – 49, 19,600 are aged 50 – 64 and the

remaining population are over 65.

Chorley is identified as a growth area in Lancashire with an estimated 6000 dwellings to be built by

2026 with a population expected to rise to 114,200-118,000. Buckshaw Village is a strategic site

which will help accommodate the majority of the projected increases in population though other

smaller developments are planned throughout the Borough. There is an identified playing pitch

standard of 1.21 hectares per 1000 population. In order to provide pitches to meet the identified

demand it is estimated to need a further 29.07 hectares of sports pitches by 2026.

Chorley has a rich tradition of fostering and developing local talent with many people going from

grass roots to elite level across a very diverse range of sports. Many famous sports people

originating from Chorley aid the development of sport amongst young people in the Borough,

supporting training programmes and providing knowledge and inspiration.

Chorley Council is working alongside several organisations and clubs to achieve a joint vision to

improve sports provision and develop Chorley as a sports village with a diverse range of facilities to

be used by all, located throughout the area. This will focus on improving both indoor and outdoor

sports provision across the Borough of Chorley.

Being physically active plays an essential role in ensuring health and well-being. It is recommended that adults should undertake a total of 30 minutes moderately intensive physical exercise five day a week and children 60 minutes a day. This can be in many forms such as walking, swimming, cycling, going to the gym or playing sport on playing pitches. Physical activity benefits many parts of the body – the heart, skeletal muscles, bones, blood (for example, cholesterol levels), the immune system and the nervous system – and can reduce many of the risk factors for diseases such as heart disease, cancer, stroke and type 2 diabetes. These risk factors include: • reducing blood pressure; • improving blood cholesterol levels; • lowering body mass index (BMI). Physical activity has been shown to improve educational attainment in children as well as prevent obesity. Among older adults, engagement in routine exercise on a regular basis leads to improved functional abilities such as mobility, and is related to increased longevity. However, in the UK physical activity tends to decline substantially as we age. Exercise has been shown to be effective in improving mental health, which is also a major cause of disability worldwide. It helps to prevent or aid the recovery from depression, and mental illnesses, stress, anxiety and low mood.

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In Chorley the participation levels in sport and active recreation have risen over the last 5 years and are higher than the national average, alongside this adult and childhood obesity are lower in Chorley that across England as a whole. The number of adults (16+) wanting to do more sport is 55.4%. (Source- Active People Survey and Department of Health)

1.2 INTRODUCTION

The Playing Pitch Strategy provides a clear, strategic framework for the management,

maintenance and development of playing pitches and ancillary facilities within the

Borough. This factual report is a 5 year plan which provides an audit based assessment

of the quality and quantity of outdoor sport and recreation facilities. From this data, an

Action Plan has been written to consider the future provision and investment to make

positive improvements to our playing pitch asset.

The following types of facility are included:

Football

Cricket

Rugby Union

Rugby League

American Fooball

Artificial Grass Pitches

(AGPs)

Hockey

Bowling Greens (not

included in original KKP

study)

Purpose of improvement strategy

This document will:-

Provide an audit of existing provision of different types of outdoor facilities

detailing quantity, quality, accessibility and wider value to the community.

An assessment of supply and demand for outdoor sports facilities.

Link into the Central Lancashire Open Space Study and Playing Pitch

Strategy 2012 – 2016 (KKP Study), this was carried out in June 2012 and

forms the evidence base for the Site Allocations and Development

Management Policies Development Plan Document (DPD).

Work in a partnership approach with local leagues, clubs and schools to

support the development of their sites meeting their needs for the future.

Identify how future provision of playing pitches will be secured and whether

any new pitches are needed and if so identify suitable locations for new

provision.

Clearly address the needs of all identified sports within the local area, picking

up particular local demand issues.

Address issues of population growth up to 2026 and health of the population.

Address issues of accessibility, quality and management with regard to facility

provision.

Consider the use of cross boundary facility provision with neighbouring

authorities.

Recommendations of how any identified deficiencies should be addressed

and prioritisation of which sites need improving first.

Provide a clear investment strategy and funding strategy.

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Establish an approach to securing developer contributions through new

housing development which priorities projects and sites according to a range

of core criteria. Form the basis for negotiating with developers to secure new

outdoor sports facilities or upgrading existing sites and associated long term

maintenance.

Include an Action Plan which identifies any surpluses/deficiencies in playing

pitch provision and recommends actions relating to individual sites that are

identified as having issues i.e. the pitch is overplayed or is of poor quality.

1.2 STRATEGIC CONTEXT

The provision of high quality and accessible range of community outdoor sports

facilities at a local level is a key requirement for achieving the targets set out by the

Government and Sport England. The following key strategic documents are

relevant to the Chorley context:-

National

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)

Planning Policy Guidance Note 17 (PPG17) and its companion guide entitled

“Assessing Needs and Opportunities”.

Sport England’s Towards a Level Playing Field.

Sport England Strategy (2011/12 – 2014/15)

Sport England – A sporting future for the playing fields of England

Sport England Youth and Community Strategy (2012 –17) A sporting habit for

life.

The Football Association - National Game Strategy

Grounds to Play – England and Wales Cricket Board Strategic Plan (2010 –

2013)

The Rugby Football Union National Facilities Strategy

Community Rugby League Facilities Strategy

England Hockey (2012)

Regional

Central Lancashire Core Strategy

The Playing Pitch Assessment Report written in June 2012 for Central Lancashire

provides an audit based assessment of the quality and quantity of outdoor sport and

recreational facilities in accordance with Planning Policy Guidance Note 17

(PPG17) and its companion guide entitled “Assessing Needs and Opportunities”

published in September 2002. This document takes on board the data and

recommendations from the Assessment Report but expands and drills this down to

a local level for action.

Lancashire County Football Association (LCFA)

The Lancashire County Football Association (LCFA) is the primary organisation responsible

for development (and some elements of administration) of football in Central Lancashire. It is

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also responsible for the administration, in terms of discipline, rules and regulations, county

cups and representative matches, development of clubs and facilities, referees, coaching

courses and delivering national football schemes.

The LCFA has four strategic goals and three key enablers to achieve These are due for

review. In line with the FA’s national strategy the goals are:

1. Growth and retention – sustaining and increasing the number of players. 2. Raising standards and addressing abusive behaviour – creating a safe and positive

environment. 3. Developing better players – focusing on the 5-11 age group. 4. Running the game effectively – leading and governing the game.

Its three key enablers: i.e. the infrastructure that must be in place to achieve the goals, are:

1. A skilled workforce – recruiting and developing a highly skilled, diverse, paid and voluntary workforce.

2. Improved facilities – improving the access and quality of training and playing facilities. 3. Marketing and PR – clear communications to everyone involved in the game.

Investment in improved facilities is a key aspect of delivering the strategic goals. In order to

achieve this LCFA will:

Work with key partners and Football Foundation to explore best possible sites for third generation turf pitches.

Promote and support the Football Foundation Goalpost Safety Scheme through local leagues clubs and schools.

Increase investment into local leagues and clubs through promotion of the Football Foundation under £20,000 facilities scheme.

Implement a productive monitoring and evaluation process in partnership with Football Foundation for capital schemes.

The Lancashire Cricket Board (LCB)

The Lancashire Cricket Board (LCB) is the governing and representative body for cricket within

the County, including Central Lancashire. Its aim is to promote the game at all levels through

partnership with the professional and recreational cricketing clubs, and other appropriate

agencies.

Local

Chorley Council Corporate and Strategic Priorities

Neighbourhood Plans

A Sustainable Community Strategy for Chorley (2007 – 2025)

-Themes of which include:-

Developing the Character & feel of Chorley as a good place to live, work &

play

Building stronger communities with improved access to & satisfaction with

public services

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Improving life chances for all

Ensuring Chorley is the pulse of a thriving central Lancashire economy

Developing local solutions to global climate change

Chorley Council’s Vision

The Corporate Strategy vision is “An ambitions Council that achieves more by

listening to the whole community and exceeding their needs.

Key Themes

To have clean, safe and healthy communities.

High quality play areas, parks and open spaces.

A wide range of quality recreational activities

To involve residents in improving their local area and equality of access for all

Easy access to high quality public services

All residents area able to take an active part in their community

Residents who take pride in where they live and their achievements

Measures and targets

% of people satisfied with parks and open spaces. Target 72%.

% of people satisfied with their neighbourhood as a place to live,

Target 85%

Chorley has a vibrant Cricket Development Group where up to 13 clubs meet to network and

plan future development of the game resulting in facilities improvement and participation

increases. Cricket as all governing bodies, has developed a whole sport plan which may support

facility development in the future.

Chorley has a Football Development Group which enables clubs from all levels and interested

parties to communicate information and issues to all who attend. It is a support network to

improve the facilities in Chorley and increase participation.

Chorley also has a Bowls Forum where clubs meet up to organise annual leagues and fixtures

and work together to develop and promote bowling in Chorley.

Chorley and District Sports Forum

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1.5 METHOGOLOGY OF PLAYING PITCH ASSESSMENT

Neighbourhood Working

Chorley is split into 8 neighbourhood areas and the Council is working in a partnership approach to improve the Borough through Neighbourhood working. All playing pitches in the Borough have been analysed neighbourhood by neighbourhood, this includes those owned and leased by Chorley Council, Parish Councils, schools and private clubs.

Each neighborhood consists of a number of wards and they are a mix of urban, semi rural and rural settlements as illustrated below.

Initial site analysis of playing pitches was carried out in 2011 for the playing pitch assessment - Central Lancashire Playing Pitch Strategy. To ensure accuracy of this data, a revisit was undertaken in July/August 2013. This resulted in some updates and changes, these results are reflected in the scoring within this document. There are still some gaps and potential inaccuracies within this document and it is proposed to contact all clubs, schools and parish councils in Noovember to engage them in the document and update the information in order to gain an accurate assessment and forward strategy. The assessment and analysis is based on Sport Englands Playing Pitch Strategy Methodology. ‘Towards a level playing field’. Only playing pitch stock available for community use has been scored and assessed as part of this strategy. Playing pitches have been accessed under the following criteria:-

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Playing Field Quality. Playing pitches were assessed on the length of grass, size of pitch, adequate safety margins, slope of the pitch, evenness of the pitch, evidence of dog fouling, evidence of litter, evidence of unofficial use, evidence of damage to the surface, changing accommodation, goal posts, car parking, line marking and training area.

Pitches have been scored as:-

An excellent or good pitch – good quality

An average pitch – adequate quality –

A below average pitch or poor pitch – poor quality

Capacity

This is based on the quality rating for football and rugby pitches and the number of teams currently playing at the sites. These ratings assist in the identification of sites for improvement/development or rationalisation. Cricket capacity is measured on a season rather than a weekly basis. A good quality wicket should be able to take 5 matches per season per grass wicket and 60 matches per synthetic wicket. Pitches have been rated as:- red – the pitch is being used over capacity Amber – the pitch is played to capacity Green – the pitch is being used under capacity Setting Playing Pitch Standards Within development plans local authorities use the FIT (Fields in Trust) guidelines to set local standards for outdoor sports provision. This is usually based on a number of hectares per 1000 population, which should be protected and maintained as formal outdoor sports provision and designated as such in the LDF. FIT outlines 1.21 ha of sports pitches as an aspiration for provision. The qualitative local standard is calculated by adding the hectarage of pitch stock available for community use to the identified shortfall/surplus of pitches (latent and future demand) and applying it to potential future population growth.

Action Plan The site assessments have updated the work done by consultants in 2011 and have enabled a playing pitch action plan to be produced which links into the current neighborhood working plans, site allocations and development plan (DPD) and corporate priorities. The action plans will be subject to consultation with all stakeholders to ensure that the requirements of both users and local people are considered.

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1.6 ANALYSIS OF PLAYING PITCHES BY NEIGHBOURHOOD AREA

Chorley Town East

Site Name and Ownership

Community Use

Senior

11 v 11

Junior

9 v 9

Mini

7 v 7

Matches per week Pitch Quality

Site Information / Issues

Played Capacity Quality

FOOTBALL

Tatton Recreation Ground. Chorley Council

Yes Open space and hard standing –development potential

Harpers Recreation Ground. Chorley Council

Yes Site currently has a MUGA. One bowling green with no facilities.

Rangletts Recreation Ground. Chorley Council

Yes 1 0 0 Site is adjacent to Victory Park.

Holy Cross High School LCC

Yes 1 4.0 4.0 Water logging after heavy rain. Pitches used by several football teams for training. Changing facilities are in reasonable condition

Holy Cross High School Artificial Grass Pitch

Yes 1 Used by football teams and rugby for training –. Floodlit. Built in 2006

Albany Science College

Yes 2 1.5 8.0 Pitches bit uneven, some waterlogging around edges. Set on a slight slope. Changing facilities available

Chorley St James Primary School

No 1

St Josephs Catholic Primary School

No 1

Victory Park – Chorley Football Club

No 1 Stands, floodlighting, fencing, dugouts. FA National Pyramid Step 4 2013

Wigan Lane Playing Pitches

Yes 1 0.5 1.0 Pitch relatively well drained. No changing facilities. Current dual use by football and Chorley Bowmen

Highfield Primary School

Yes 1 Pitches get waterlogged. Used junior clubs for training.

HOCKEY

Holy Cross High School Sandbased AGP

Yes 1 Floodlit. KKP rated this pitch as poor quality but user’s rate as adequate. Maintained by the school and a technical service is undertaken by a contractor every two months. Poor line marking. Mainly used for football.

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RUGBY LEAGUE

Holy Cross Rugby League

No 1 - - - - -

CRICKET

Site Name

Community Use

Pitch No of grass wicket

No of artificial wickets

Matches per season Quality Issues

Play Capacity Quality


No ? CHECK

- - - - - - Check provision with school

Southlands High School No 1 - - - - - Located between football pitches. Astro tuft.

BOWLING

Tatton Recreation Ground

Yes 1

Harpers Lane

Yes 1

St Peters

St Josephs

St James

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Chorley Town West


Community Use

Senior

11 v 11

Junior

9 v 9

Mini

7 v 7

Matches per week Site Quality



FOOTBALL

Astley Park. Chorley Council

Yes 5 2 7.0 10.0 Site gets very waterlogged resulting in games having to be called off. Good changing facilities. 3 tennis courts and 2 bowling greens

Astley Village Playing Field. LCC

Yes 1 2.0 2.0 Heavy in places. No access to changing facilities.

Chancery Road, Derain House ,Pony Field

Yes 1 Parking available in layby

Parklands High School

Yes 3 1.0 12.0 Good drainage. Changing facilities available. Astley Juniors U14s use site on Sunday. Some unofficial use in the summer.

Buttermere Avenue. Chorley Council

Yes Open space with goal posts though site on a slope

Coronation Recreation Ground. Chorley Council

Yes 1? 5 v 5 goal posts?? 2 bowling greens and 2 tennis courts.

Chorley All Saints Primary School

Yes 2 2.5 8.0

Gillibrand Primary School

No 1

Chorley St Mary’s Catholic Primary School

No

Gillibrand Playing Pitches Chorley Council

Yes 2 1

Southlands High School

Yes 3 8.5 12.0 Good Quality with only some waterlogging. Pitches used by several junior clubs

Southlands AGP Yes 1 Sand-based and floodlit. Very good security. Privately managed


2 2.5 8.0

St Michaels CE High School

Yes 3 3.0 12.0 Pitches and posts in good condition. No further community use is required. Changing rooms not used by community.

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Cottage Fields, Eaves Green

Yes 1 Pitch currently waterlogged. Proposed drainage scheme to be implemented funded by S106 2014.

The Willows, Eaves Green. Chorley Council

Yes 1 To be provided 2014 subject to surveys.

RUGBY LEAGUE

Parklands High School Rugby League

No 1 - - - - - Pitch occasionally used by Chorley Rugby Club

CRICKET

Site Name

Community Use





Chorley Cricket Club

Yes 1 10 - 106 50 Site is over played to capacity. Chorley Harriers operate from club house. Bottom of pitch suffers from poor drainage.

St Michaels High School No

1 - - - - - Drainage good

Parklands High School No

1 - - - - - Drainage excellent

BOWLING GREEN

Astley Park

Yes 2

Coronation Rec Ground

Yes 2

St Mary’s

No 1

St Georges

No 1

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Clayton and Whittle


Community Use

Senior Junior Mini Matches per week Site Quality



FOOTBALL

Gough Lane Playing Pitch Chorley Council

Yes 1 No changing facilities

Clayton –le-Woods Westwood Primary School

No 1

Clayton-le-Woods CE Primary School

No 1

Buckshaw Village (AGP) Sandbased

Yes 1 740 visits a week

Floodlit. Built in 2005?. Pitch managed by RMG and day to day care by Envirocare. Used by several clubs for football training and hockey.

Lancaster Lane Primary School

No 1

Manor Road Primary School No

2

St Bede’s Roman Catholic Primary School

No 1

Whittle-le-Woods Football Club

Yes 1 2.0 2.0 Changing facilities

Clayton Brook Leisure Centre. Astroturf 3G

Yes 2 5 v 5

Very well used

HOCKEY

Buckshaw Village AGP Yes 1

Floodlit. Used by Leyland & Chorley Mens Hockey Club.

CRICKET

Site Name

Community Use





Whittle and Clayton le Woods Cricket Club

Yes 1 13 - 44 65

Lancaster Lane Primary School

No 1 - - - - - -

BOWLING GREEN

St Bede’s Club Yes 1

Ley Inn Yes 1

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Eastern Parishes


Community Use




FOOTBALL Brinscall St John Primary School

Yes 2 Pitches are waterlogged

Hillside Parke, Brinscall. Brinscall Village Junior Football Club. (BVJFC)

Yes 1 1.0 2.0 The club is expanding and needs more pitches for training and matches.

Abbey Village Primary School

No 1

Chorley CC Abbey Village. Sunny View.

Yes 2 2.5 4.0 Pitches marked on cricket outfield. Used by Brinscall Juniors

Sandy Lane, Brinscall. (BWARA)

1 Site gets waterlogged. Funding bid to Sport England currently being assessed.

CRICKET

Site Name

Community Use


No of artificial

wickets



White Coppice Cricket Club

Yes 1 6 - 36 30

Brinscall and Withnell Atheletic & Recreational Association. (BWARA) Brinscall Cricket Club

Yes 1 14 - 52 130

Withnell Fold Sports and Social Club, Withnell Fold

Yes 1 10 - 70 50

Houghton Cricket Club

Yes 1 12 - 40 60

BOWLING GREEN

Brinscall

St Chads

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Euxton, Astley and Buckshaw


Community Use

Senior Junior Mini Matches per Week Site Quality



FOOTBALL Euxton CE Primary School No

1

Jim Fowlers Memorial Ground (Euxton Villa FC)

Yes 3 1 6.5 8.0 Match pitches and training pitch. Changing facilities

West Way Playing Fields

Yes 3 1 1.5 8.0 Heavy with standing water in places. No changing facilities

Greenside Football Club. Parish Council

Yes 1 1 1 - 6.0 Changing facilities for male and female. Good parking and pitch quality.

Milestone meadow

Yes - - - - - - - Public open space

Pony Field (Derian House) Yes - - - - - - Used by Astley and Buckshaw Junior Football Team

Buckshaw Primary School Astley Village

No 1

Trinity C E Methodist Primary School B/V

No 1

Bolton Wanderers Training Ground. Euxton Lane

No Private

RUGBY

West Way. Rugby

Yes 1

Chorley Union Rugby Club, Chancery Road

Yes 2 2.3 4.0 Site has capacity to accommodate additional matches. Predicted increase of membership to require additional pitch provision

CRICKET

Site Name

Community Use





Euxton Cricket Club

Yes 1 14 - 30 70 Has a practice new facility

BOWLING GREEN

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Southeast Parishes


Community Use

Senior

11 v 11

Junior

9 v 9

Mini

7 v 7

Matches per Week Site Quality



FOOTBALL Anderton Primary School

No

Fairview Youth and Community Centre Chorley Council

Yes 1 1.5 2.0 Changing facilities

Jubilee Playing Pitches. Chorley Council

Yes 2 1 proposed

Site is relatively well drained.

King George’s V Field Chorley Council

Yes 3 2.5 6.0 Pitches get very waterlogged. Changing facilities on site.

Rivington Foundation Primary School

No 1

Gillet Fields, Limbrick

Yes 1 Very waterlogged.

RUGBY

King George V Playing Fields, Rugby League

Yes 1 1.5 2.0 The site has capacity to accommodate additional capacity on a Saturday

CRICKET

Site Name

Community Use





Chorley St James Cricket Club. Gillet Playing Fields.

Yes 1 10 - 28 50 Some unauthorised use.

Adlington Cricket Club Yes

1 20 1 58 160 Drainage problem at the bottom end of ground identified.

Anderton Primary School

No 1 - - - - - -

BOWLING GREEN

Anderton St Josephs Yes 1

St Pauls Yes

Rivington

Bay Horse Pub, Heath

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Charnock

Southern Parishes


Community Use




FOOTBALL

Coppull United

Yes 1 1.5 2.0 Pitch has perimeter fence, dugouts and floodlights. Changing facilities. Social bar and clubhouse

Charnock Richard Football Club

Yes 3 3.0 6.0 Main pitch has a small spectator stand, dugouts and perimeter fence. Good changing facilities – New 2012. Chorley ladies use the 2

nd pitch which

has fencing, changing facilities and dugout.

Christ Church Charnock Richard Primary School

Yes 1 3.5 8.0

Coppull Parish Church School

No 1

Coppull Primary School

No 1

Coppull St John’s C.E.P

No 1

Springfield Leisure Centre.

Yes 1 MUGA. Grass space for kickabout

Burwell Avenue/Tansley Avenue

Yes 1

Coppull St Oswalds Primary School

No 1

The Meadows Heskin. Parish Council

Yes 1 1 0.5 1.0 Leased to Heskin FC

Chisnall. Chorley Panthers

Willow Drive, Charnock Richard. Parish Council

Heskin Pemberton C E Primary School

Yes 1 1.0 4.0

Charnock Richard Cricket Club

Yes 1 Football pitch is marked on cricket outfield

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RUGBY LEAGUE

Chisnall Lane. Chorley Panthers Rugby League

Yes 3 - - 7.5 4.0 Pitches are used to accommodate junior teams. The site is very attended which can impact on quality. Play summer rugby. New changing facilities 2012, gym and floodlights. Future development plans for club house.

CRICKET

Site Name

Community Use



Matches per season Quality Site Information / Issues


Charnock Richard Cricket Club, Charter Lane

Yes 1 10 - 80 50 Separate changing facilities, good quality

Charnock Richard Primary School

No 1 - - - - - -

BOWLING GREEN

Coppull Conservative Club

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Western Parishes


Community Use




FOOTBALL

Drapers Avenue, Eccleston. Parish Council

Yes 2 1 5.5 6.0 Changing facilities. Pitches of varying quality

Bradley Lane Football Pitch

? 3

Bishop Rawstorne C of E

Yes 3 3.0 12.0 Well drained pitches. Development of a AGP proposed, planning permission granted .

Bretherton C or E Primary School

No 1

Croston Sports Club

Yes 1 0.5 2.0 Pitch has perimeter fence. Reasonable changing facilities. Dugouts. Used by Croston Sports Club. Step 7

Millenium Green Play Area, Mawdesley. Parish Council

Twin Lakes, Croston

Yes 1 4.5 2.0

Eccleston St Mary’s C E Primary School

Yes 1 1.0 4.0

Station Road Recreation Ground Croston. Parish Council

Yes Site is currently used as informal playing pitch – goal posts are present.

Mawdesley St Peters C E Primary School

No 1

Wymott Park Play Area. Parish Council

Trinity and St Michaels Primary School

No 1 1

Bretherton Sports Club Parish Council

Yes 1 1 1.5 1.0 Check pitch quantity

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CRICKET

Site Name

Community Use



Matches per season Quality Site Information / Issues


Mawdesley Cricket Club (Rectory Field)

Yes 1 12 - 58 120

Eccleston Cricket Club

Yes 1 10 - 52 110 Capacity for more matches

Bretherton Cricket Club

Yes 1 10 - 28 50

Croston Sports Club Yes 1 12 - 45 60

BOWLING GREEN

Bretherton Sports Club

Yes 1

Mawdesley

Croston Black Horse

Yes

Wymott

Eccleston

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1.7 SUMMARY OF THE PLAYING PITCH ASSESSMENT BY SPORT.

This section summarises the key findings from the playing pitch assessment.

FOOTBALL SUMMARY

Consultation Results. (please note that further consultation needs to be carried out

following Exec Cabinet approval, to update the information in this document. )

The KKP football survey asked clubs to detail issues relating to development and growth. The most

common issues reported in Central Lancashire include:

Lack of external funding for pitch improvements, from agencies such as the FA or local organisations including Chorley Borough Council (47% of respondents believe this is an issue).

Lack of access to pitches (41.2% of respondents believe this is an issue). Lack of internal funding, such as subs and fundraising (36% of respondents believe this is an

issue). Lack of voluntary assistance (34% of respondents believe this is an issue).

Summary of key leagues in Chorley and Consultation comments (update and add more info)

Name of league Comments

Chorley & District Alliance League (CDAL)

It has one ‘premier’ division which fields ten teams, all of which play in Chorley on a Saturday. Membership levels have increased over the previous three years.

It suggests the quality of local authority changing provision has improved at Astley Park and local authority pitches in general are maintained more regularly.

The League is under new management and its plans to increase by two teams each year over the next three years are on target.

Chorley Nissan League (CNL)

It fields 12 teams in one division and has fixtures on a Sunday. It suggests the quality of pitches in Chorley is poor, in particular, damage to goalposts, long grass and poor line markings.

Chart showing participation trends in football 2010 – 2011.

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Adult male participation in Chorley has increased over the previous two seasons and is set to

carry on increasing. Adult female participation has increased by 0.1% in Chorley. Youth male

(11v11) has increased across Chorley by 3.5%. Youth female (11v11) in Chorley is the only

football category that is above the national average. Increased participation levels are

mirrored in youth female and mini soccer categories (since 09/10) across South Ribble,

Preston and Chorley.

Summary of pitches available for community use and teams by area

Summary of pitches not available for community use and teams by area

The tables above indicates that there is a good distribution of football pitches available for

community use across Chorley. However, there are main settlement areas that although are served

with football pitches are not available for community use, particularly in the north of Chorley, these

are mainly located at school sites. These sites tend to comprise junior pitches, they could offer

potential capacity / additional pitches subject to pitch quality and appropriate community

agreements. Furthermore, a small number of sites have high levels of use and as such are

overplayed. This affects their quality, and subsequently playing capacity.

Accessibility Whilst it is noted that at young age groups (i.e. mini and junior levels), the majority of players tend to

play for teams with home grounds close to where they live and will only travel locally, players

aspiring to play at clubs that are perceived to offer a higher standard of experience are willing to

travel further (i.e. up to five miles) to play. The football club survey reveals that 46% of players travel

between two and five miles, 32% of players travelling up to two miles, with only 18% travel over five

miles. This suggests that in general terms, players travel locally to compete. However, some clubs

reportedly travel further to access training provision. Issues with accessing provision for training are

detailed later in this section.

(KKP Study 2012)

Club development In Chorley, the club to team ratio is 1:3.5 (i.e. each club runs on average 3.5 teams). The national

ratio is 1:2.9 and the regional ratio 1:3.7.

Analysis area No. of available pitches No. of competitive teams*

Senior Junior Mini Senior

men

Senior

women

Junior

boys

Junior

girls

Mini-

soccer1

Chorley 43 9 7 72 1 50 9 23

Analysis area No. of pitches NOT available for community use

Senior % Junior % Mini %

Chorley 13 73 25

25

In total, 8 clubs in Chorley have been awarded FA Charter Standard accreditation. In terms of

teams, 60.6% of youth and mini soccer teams in Chorley play within a club of Charter Standard

status which is higher than Preston and South Ribble.

Women’s and girls’ football Junior girls’ are playing competitively in mini soccer teams up to the age of ten years old. Chorley

Borough Council is actively working with clubs including Euxton Villa and Chorley Ladies to develop

junior girls’ football which may result in additional demand for pitches.

Pitch Quality Site assessments suggest that generally the quality of pitches across Chorley is good. This is

generally reinforced by users with over three fifths of clubs (63%) rating the quality of their

designated home pitch as either good or average. However, league consultation does conclude the

quality of local authority maintained pitches across Central Lancashire has generally deteriorated

over the previous three years due to a lack of regular grounds maintenance and drainage issues at

a number of sites.

Chorley Borough Council carries out line marking weekly and grass cutting is fortnightly. In addition it often rotates its pitches to help ensure quality is maintained. The Council also undertakes rolling, spiking and re-turfing goal mouths in June. The quality of the pitches is average due to waterlogging. Community pitches which are scored as high quality however should not be considered in isolation as the level of play on a site can affect the quality

Ancillary facilities The majority of sites across Chorley are served by changing facilities. In general the changing facilities of Chorley sites are rated as either good or average quality. Though league consultation suggests that the quality of provision is substandard with many sites having no changing facilities at all. The sites with changing facilities have a lack of general maintenance, showers not providing hot water and a lack of segregated changing. Changing facilities in Chorley need to be improved. Demand for pitches The majority of clubs report that membership levels have remained static across senior and junior teams with only a few reporting an increase. Most clubs propose to increase the number of teams which suggests that football participation in Chorley is likely to increase, particularly at junior level. Latent Demand – is defined as the number of additional teams that could be fielded if there was access to sufficient pitches. A large number of clubs expressed latent demand – see table below. This is likely to be a result of both clubs and facilities operating at capacity and although clubs may believe demand still exists to create more teams, the pitches do not exist (or are not available) to cater for this.

Club Latent demand Pitch requirement

Number Type

Chorley Wanderers FC 3 mini teams

6 junior teams

1.5

3

Mini

Junior

Euxton Villa 2 senior teams 1 Senior

Brinscall Village JFC 1 senior team 0.5 Senior

Euxton Girls 1 junior girls

1 senior women’s

0.5

0.5

Junior

Senior

NOTE – information to be updated following new consultation

26

Overplay only occurs on one pitch in Chorley – this means that more play is taken place than the site is able to sustain. The pitch at Twin Lakes, Croston is assessed as poor quality and is overplayed by 2.5 matches a week. It is recommended that if possible overplay is directed to sites for community use that have spare capacity.

Future Demand Population growth in Chorley has been applied to indicate how many additional football teams will

need to be generated in the future (2026). Increase in the number of senior teams is likely to occur

with an additional 13.2 in Chorley.

Junior boy’s football is most likely to increase in Chorley with an additional 5.8 teams. It is also

predicted there will be a slight increase in junior girls’ football.

Mini football is most likely to increase in Chorley with an additional 3.5 mini football teams in

Chorley. Clubs are proactively developing opportunities for juniors and girls.

Surplus or Deficiency of Football Pitches.

Sport England’s PPM is used to assess whether supply of pitches is sufficient at peak times both

now and in the future. The PPM results shown below take account of potential future pitch

requirements as identified through future growth. A summary of future surpluses and deficiencies is

shown below.

Analysis area

Surplus/deficiency of football pitches

Senior pitches Junior pitches Mini pitches

Chorley 19.0 -6.5 -4.5

Those sites which have not been allocated as having regular current play (i.e. no community use)

have not been included in the PPM analysis above.

It should be noted that these surplus/deficit predications should not be used in isolation and should

be considered within the context of other report findings/outcomes. For example, it is anticipated

that there will be a significant surplus of senior pitches, but a significant deficit of mini football

pitches. The deficit of mini pitches can be met by the surplus of senior pitches. However, it should

be noted that junior teams in Central Lancashire (aged 13 upwards) prefer to play on senior sized

pitches and therefore a proportion of senior pitches should be retained for junior play, for example in

Chorley where there is a shortfall of junior pitches.

In Chorley the apparent oversupply of senior pitches is made up of 12 sites with significant levels of

spare capacity each. Five of these are school sites and could accommodate a total of 40 matches

each week. In addition, the Council often rotates its pitches to help ensure quality is maintained and

therefore some surplus can be equated for to cater for this.

The lack of junior pitches in Chorley is further increased by the latent demand expressed for a

further 3.5 junior and 1.5 mini pitches.

In summary, the current playing pitch stock should be protected and consideration should be given

to changing the designation of some senior pitches to cater for junior and mini football.

27

Youth Development

The FA’s Youth Development Review will see an increased use of small-sided games for all age groups up to U12s. This will allow children to progress gradually through the appropriate formats. This gives children an increased number of touches with the ball, providing more goal attempts, more tackling and dribbling encounters. This provides more enjoyment of the game, more practice and better preparation for the 11-a-side game.

Summary of each step and the appropriate pitch and goal sizes

Age Format Pitch size (m) Goal size

7-8 5 v 5 30 x 20 – 40 x 30 Mini soccer (12’x6’)

9-10 7 v 7 50 x 30 – 60 x 40 Mini soccer (12’x6’)

11-12 9 v 9 70 – 40 – 80 x 50 New 9v9 goals (16’x7’)

13+ 11 v 11 90 x 50 – 110 x 70 Full size (24’ x 8’)

AGPs

Chorley has two full size AGPs one located in the north of the Borough (Buckshaw Village) and the other in the South of the Borough (Holy Cross High School). However, the one in the north is located with a cluster of three AGPs technically located within South Ribble’s boundary. Approximately 60% of Chorley residents use AGPs outside of Chorley.

Chorley has a need for additional pitch space across both AGP types (sandbased and third generation turf) calculated on the number of peak period visits to current provision. There is unmet demand across all of Chorley. A new pitch is required to meet the shortfall of one. There is funding and planning permission for a pitch to be built at Bishop Rawsthorne High School in Croston and also at Chorley Rugby Club, Chancery Road.

Third generation turf pitches (3G)

The FA provision standard suggests that there should be one 3G pitch per 70 teams. Data of

affiliated teams from the FA Participation Reports (2009/2010) for Chorley suggests there is a need

for 1.98 3G pitches in Chorley based on current 3G provision, 2026 population increases and the

number of predicated teams. The above proposed new pitches will meet this target.

28

CRICKET SUMMARY

Pitch ownership and management across Chorley is primarily through private sports and social

clubs. Clubs range from smaller clubs traditionally offering three senior teams to those with full

senior sections of up to seven senior teams and eleven juniors at all groups (i.e. U10, U11, U13,

U15 and U17)

Summary of pitches available for community use and teams by analysis area

Analysis area No. of pitches No. of competitive teams

Senior men Senior women Junior

Chorley 15 41 - 51

Chorley has the highest number of cricket pitches and clubs across Lancashire. Total of 13 clubs.

Towards a Level Playing Field methodology identifies that a standard cricket pitch is 46m x 46m

(minimum size) with 1.6 – 2.0 hectares maximum safety run-off.

There are no specific junior girls’ teams in Chorley, however, girls play cricket in mixed junior teams.

An analysis of match play identifies that peak time demand for cricket pitches is Saturday for seniors

(45%) and midweek for juniors (45%).

Development

The following clubs have achieved England Cricket Board Club Mark Accreditation

Adlington CC

Chorley CC

Euxton CC

Mawdesley CC

Eccleston CC

Brinscall and Houghton CC

There is a high level of senior and junior participation at the majority of clubs in Chorley and this is

likely to increase.

Chorley has a cricket development group who are producing a cricket action plan which outlines a

series of objectives ranging from training and development through to extra-circular activity and

junior competition structure. This also involves district cricket and recreational cricket which may

result on future impact in parks and open spaces.

Women’s and girls’ cricket

Women’s and girls’ cricket is a national priority and there is a target to establish two girls’ and one

women’s team in every local authority over the next five years. LCB has recently appointed a

Women and Girls Cricket Development Officer to increase the profile of the game across the County

29

Demand Cricket demand is high across Chorley with the majority of clubs fielding senior and junior cricket

teams. Most senior membership levels have remained static over the previous three years with

some seeing an increase, two clubs; Whittle and Clayton-Le-Woods and Chorley St James report a

decrease in senior membership levels.

Junior membership levels mirror senior participation trends, a decrease in membership levels have

been reported at four clubs; Brinscall and Chorley St James. It is thought the decrease in junior

membership is due to a number of reasons including player migration and lack of support,

particularly from volunteers.

Clubs in Chorley have plans to increase playing membership. Chorley CC is actively recruiting junior

players as it recognises its junior playing membership is low.

Training facilities Access to cricket nets is important, particularly for pre-season/winter training. Demand for additional

cricket training facilities across Central Lancashire is significantly high with ten clubs reporting

demand for access to additional provision. The tables by Neighbourhood area indicate where

demand is expressed.

Pitch quality Site assessments rate the majority of pitches as good quality. The majority of clubs are responsible

for maintaining their own facilities and have designated groundsmen to carry out cutting and

maintenance. A club survey was distributed to clubs to ascertain the quality of cricket pitch sites,

results are summarised below:

Nearly three quarters of club (71%) consider grass coverage to be ‘good.’ No clubs commented grass coverage was ‘unacceptable.’

Over half of clubs (59%) perceive length of grass to be ‘good’ and six clubs report length of grass is acceptable.

Brinscall CC, report the overall quality of their home pitch is unacceptable. Dog fouling on pitches/sites is an issue across Central Lancashire with nearly half of clubs

(47%) reporting evidence of dog fouling/glass/stones/litter. Seven clubs report there is evidence of damage to the pitch surface. Where grass and artificial wickets are provided these are generally even. Maintaining high pitch quality is the most important aspect of cricket. If the wicket is poor, it can affect the quality of the game and can, in some instances, become dangerous. The Lancashire Cricket Groundsmen Association (LCGA) is the body responsible for the continued professional development of groundsmen across the County. It also provides clubs with access to the most up to date machinery and techniques to enhance playing conditions. Clubs in Central Lancashire are able to hire a scarifier and spike for a small hire fee (both machines are based at Fulwood and Broughton CC). Pitch advisors for LCB are tasked to assess facilities in order to help prioritise funding needs. Their

role is to help and advise fellow groundsmen to improve playing surfaces and consistency in turf

management practices.

It reports Sunny View (known locally as Abbey Village and homeground to Chorley Cricket Club),

received the low audit marks due to poor quality outfield and off field facilities.

30

Ancillary facilities There is generally a mixed standard of changing accommodation available at cricket clubs across

Chorley. The majority of clubs have access to a cricket pavilion. However, two clubs; Whittle and

Clayton-le-Woods and Chorley St James report they do not have access to hot/cold water and a

further five clubs; Mawdesley, Hoghton, Whittle and Clayton-Le-Woods, White Coppice and St

Josephs do not have access to heating. – check facts

Future/latent demand Latent demand is defined as the number of teams that could be fielded if there were sufficient

pitches. Latent demand has been expressed by one club for additional cricket pitches in Chorley.

Summary of latent demand

Club Latent demand Requirement

Chorley CC One senior team 1 pitch

It is evident that the low levels of latent demand recorded are a result of clubs already operating

across the full range of ages and in some cases two teams at each age group.

Latent demand identified above is generally as a result of clubs operating at pitch/site capacity.

Securing access to artificial wickets at school sites, for example, will help additional demand to be

catered for (particularly juniors and women/girls).

Future demand increases

By applying population growth for 2026 to the existing number of teams in Chorley, we can project

the theoretical number of new teams that could be generated in the future, and therefore the

expected demand on the facilities.

Local authority Anticipated increase by 2026

Senior mens teams Junior boys teams

Chorley 6.3 7.8

Chorley is predicted to increase by the highest number of teams. This is due to Chorley

accommodating the largest number of cricket teams in Central Lancashire and is expected to

increase its population by 9.07%. It is likely that women’s and girls’ cricket participation will further

increase given the ECB national target to establish two junior girls’ and a women’s team in every

local authority over the next five years (as detailed earlier).

New pitches would be required in all local authority areas to meet future demand at peak times.

31

RUGBY UNION

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the national governing body for grassroots and elite rugby in

England. The Lancashire Rugby Football Union (LRFU) administers rugby union across the Region.

There are four rugby union clubs playing in Central Lancashire; Preston Grasshoppers, Chorley

tufc, Hutton and Lancashire Constabulary. Clubs play at either privately owned venues or education

pitches.

The rugby union playing season operates from September to April.


Please note that the audit only identifies dedicated, line marked pitches.

Towards a Level Playing Field methodology identifies that a senior rugby union pitch is 144m x 69m

and a junior pitch is 70m x 43m. A size is not prescribed for mini rugby pitches. However, KKP has

calculated the size of a mini rugby pitch a 0.302 hectares.

Development

There are a small number of rugby pitches provided at education sites. Those provided are not used

for community use as there is no reported demand. The majority of schools in Chorley (with the

exception of Bishop Rawstorne Church of England School) do not deliver rugby as part of the

school curriculum.

Chorley RUFC

As the only club in Chorley, it accommodates three senior and three mini teams. Membership levels

have increased over the previous three years due to enhancing pitch quality. It has plans to further

increase its playing membership which it reports can be accommodated at the site.

The 15.5 acre site comprises two senior rugby pitches, driving range and a training area which is

partially floodlit. The pitches are also used by Chorley Panthers American Football Club. The site is

owned by ‘Chorley Rugby Trust’ and there are current plans to form a management board of

trustees that will be responsible for driving facility developments at the site. Chorley RFC will then

rent the pitches from the Trust.

Visually, the pitches are of adequate quality. However, drainage is poor and during inclement

weather the pitches are unplayable. The clubhouse provides two changing rooms, bar and a small

function room but is in need of modernisation. There are aspirations to improve the pitches and

clubhouse facilities and The Trust has negotiated with a housing developer and a formal planning

application has been approved.

Analysis area No. of available pitches No. of competitive teams


men

Senior

women

Juniors Mini

rugby

Chorley 2 - - 3 - - 3

32

RUGBY LEAGUE SUMMARY

The Rugby Football League (RFL) is the governing body for rugby league football in Britain and

Ireland. The RFL administers the amateur and junior game across the country in association with

the British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA).

The Lancashire Rugby League Service Area supports Schools development, club development, and

community development in the County, including Central Lancashire. The performance pathway is

run at ages under 13's, under 14's, under 15's and under 16's.

There are four clubs playing in Central Lancashire; Bamber Bridge, Chorley Panthers, UCLAN and

Leyland Warriors.

As of March 2012, more than 85 per cent of all rugby league teams in the country will be playing in a

summer-based season which runs from March to November

Current provision

Chorley is served by rugby league pitches and has both senior and junior pitches.

Chorley accommodates the largest number of teams (18 in total).


Towards a Level Playing Field methodology identifies that a senior rugby league pitch is 100m x

55m. A size is not prescribed for junior and mini rugby pitches. The audit only identifies dedicated,

marked out pitches (i.e. with line markings).

Temporal demand for senior rugby league (matches only) is Saturday (63%) with junior and mini

demand exclusively on a Sunday.

Quality

The RFL has launched an autumn pitch remediation programme to improve community club pitches

as part of its continuing commitment to develop rugby league facilities. Over the past year the RFL

has paid for and conducted site assessments for a large number of clubs which have been provided

with a comprehensive report detailing the level and type of work needed to improve pitches. Chorley

Panthers ARLFC has received funding from the RFL and private funders for facility development

plans which include improvements to pitch drainage, floodlighting, fencing, replacing the changing

facilities and improvements to the clubhouse facility.

Analysis area No. of available pitches No. of competitive teams


men

Senior

women

Junior

boys

Junior

girls

Mini-

rugby

Chorley 2 1 - 3 1 11 3 -

33

Site assessments rate all rugby league provision in Chorley as good. However, waterlogging of

rugby league pitches was reported at Holy Cross High School although visits were conducted after

heavy rainfall2.

Demand

All rugby league clubs in Chorley play and train on match pitches. As a result, pitches have limited

rest. This is most prevalent at Chisnall Lane Playing Fields, and as such is the reason these sites

are or overplayed. Spare capacity at sites close by may help to alleviate some pressure.

Latent demand

Latent demand is defined as the number of teams that could be fielded were access to a sufficient

number of pitches available. No teams expresses latent demand.

Future demand

Population growth in Central Lancashire has been applied to indicate how many additional rugby

teams will be generated in the future. Increases in the number of teams are most likely to occur in

Chorley with an additional 17 junior boys’ teams.

New pitches would be required to meet future demand at peak times.

HOCKEY

England Hockey (EH) govern the sport at a regional and local level. The game is played

predominately on sand based/filled artificial grass pitches (AGPs).

EH has also now sanctioned (in partnership with the Football Association) competitive use of 40mm

pile third generation turf pitches. However, this is currently only for a low level standard i.e. training

and junior competition. It is further recommended that for training and community facilities that the

long pile surface (60mm) is not a preferred option for the teaching of hockey. It is noted that access

to long pile surfaces for introducing the game to beginners would be preferable to a poor grass or

tarmac surface.

Central Lancashire is a strong area with high demand for hockey, particularly in Preston. There are

seven hockey clubs playing in the area; one of these covers Chorley, Leyland & Chorley Hockey

Club who are working towards Clubfirst/Clubmark accreditation.

Development

England Hockey launched a facilities strategy in 2012.

Rush Hockey is a new development programme introduced by England Hockey aimed at

increasing participation through a small sided game (5-a-side) and can be played on any indoor or

outdoor surface. This will result in teams needing access to AGPs in order to deliver the

programme. However, existing pitches are generally being used to capacity.

School hockey. There is limited hockey activity across secondary schools in Chorley. Schools

playing competitive hockey are generally those that have access to a full sized hockey pitch on site.

Clubs suggest that not having a schools competition inhibits junior development and restricts the

34

flow of juniors into clubs. However, Chorley Borough Council is developing hockey within its schools

and working with the club to support its schools delivery and future club development.

Nationally, in recent years, the number of grass hockey pitches has reduced significantly as

England Hockey does not sanction the use of grass pitches for competitive play. However, grass

pitches are still important in terms of introducing the game to beginners and still make an important

contribution to the stock of hockey pitches, particularly in terms of school facilities. No schools in

Chorley currently provide hockey grass pitches.

Pitch supply There are two full size AGPs currently in Chorley, suitable for competitive hockey. All pitches are

floodlit.

It would be of benefit to develop two full sized pitches at a location next to each other as clubs

highlight the benefits this has in attracting clubs playing in national league fixtures from outside

Central Lancashire.

Site name Community use No of AGPs Floodlit Quality

Buckshaw Village Yes 1 Yes

Holy Cross High School Yes 1 Yes

Pitch Quality

The AGPs in Chorley are assessed as either good or average/poor quality. The pitch at Buckshaw

Village was built in 2005? and Holy Cross in 2006. The typical life span of an AGP is 10-12 years,

but depends heavily on the type of sub base used, quality of the carpet that has been installed,

amount of usage levels and the quality of on-going maintenance.

Future Demand

Chorley has demand for an additional AGP (either hockey or football surface) calculated on the

number of peak period visits to current provision (Chorley has two pitches, resulting in a shortfall of

one).

The location of future AGPs or revised management solutions should be done in liaison with

England Hockey and local clubs.

The majority of unmet demand is due to existing AGPs operating at capacity. There is competition

between football and hockey on existing AGPs and the hours of usage are significantly higher for

football than hockey.

Club demand

Latent demand has been identified (number of teams that could be fielded if there were sufficient

pitches) and is concentrated in Preston and Chorley. Leyland & Chorley Hockey Club accesses

AGP provision in Chorley as there is no provision in Leyland (Preston), they have latent demand for

a further 2 senior teams. They are in negotiations with Leyland Cricket Club to develop a multi pitch

site in Leyland (which would accommodate cricket and a full sized hockey pitch). This would

accommodate the latent demand.

35

BOWLING GREENS

Bowling greens were not included in the KKP Study carried out in 2011/12. However, it was felt that

Bowling Greens play a prominent part in the sporting asset of Chorley and they should be included

in Chorley Council Playing Pitch Strategy.

There are two leagues in Chorley:-

- Chorley and District Crown Green Bowling League

- Mixed Vetrans Bowling League.

There are approximately XX teams in each league

Bowling clubs are affiliated to the British Crown Green Bowling Association (BCGBA)

AMERICAN FOOTBALL

American Football was not included in the KKP Study carried out in 2011/12. Chorley Buccaneers

train at Chorley Rugby Club on Chancery Road.

36

1.8 Summary Information

The Playing Pitch Strategy recommends a playing pitch standard of 1.21 hectares per 1,000 population. This has been calculated by adding the number of hectares of pitches available for community use to the identified shortfall/surplus of pitches and applying it to potential future population growth.

There are currently 97.55 hectares of playing pitch provision in the Borough. The Strategy identifies a shortfall of 29.06 hectares of pitch provision to meet the identified demand. This does not necessarily relate to 29.06 hectares of new provision, some of this demand could be met by improvements to existing pitches. Table showing outdoor sports provision in Chorley.

Analysis area Current

provision

(ha)

Current

population

Current

standard

(ha per

1,000

population)

Provision

to meet

latent

demand

(ha)

Provision

to meet

deficiencies

– from the

PPM by

2026

(ha)3

Total

required

to meet

demand

identified

(ha)

Standard

based on

demand

identified

(ha per

1,000

population)

Chorley

97.55 107,155 0.93 8.42 20.65 126.62 1.21

Latent demand is defined as the number of teams that could be fielded were access to a sufficient number of pitches available. Consultation reveals that a number of clubs currently consider themselves to have latent demand, which they cannot meet due to lack of access to good quality facilities.

Summary of latent demand

Authority Pitches Total area converted

into hectares (using

average pitch sizes) Football Cricket Rugby union

Senior Junior Mini All Senior

Chorley 2.5 3.5 1.5 1 8.42

37

1.9 New Pitch Provision The Playing Pitch Strategy recommends that new provision of pitches is required as follows:

Seek to provide a dedicated mini soccer site to service the catchment areas of Bretherton and Croston to address the deficiency of junior pitches.

Seek to provide rugby league pitches in Coppull to meet demand.

Bretherton and Croston – A site has been allocated in the Local Plan at Westhead Road, Croston to address the deficiency of junior pitches identified in the Playing Pitch Strategy. This site is adjacent to Croston Sports and Social Club. Station Road Recreation Ground is already used as an informal playing pitch and is identified by the landowner for improvement.

Coppull – A site is not allocated in the Local Plan to meet this identified deficiency. The improvements to Chisnall Lane Playing Fields will meet the current demand therefore a new allocation is not necessary.

AGPs - Planning permission for AGPs has been granted both at Bishop Rawstorne High School in Croston and also at Chorley Rugby Club on Chancery Road in 2013, this meets the identified shortfall.

Key Recommendations

All existing playing pitches should be protected, maintained and enhanced to secure provision now and in the future.

A new playing pitch should be allocated at site 2: Land off Westhead Road, Croston.

Two new Artificial Grass Pitch (AGP) of sand based or third generation tuft are required to meet the identified shortfall

38

2.0 WHERE DO WE WANT TO GET TO?

2.1 Vision

To secure the future provision, improvement and maintenance of playing pitches in

Chorley, supporting safe, healthy and sustainable communities. To ensure that

playing sport is a lifelong habit for more people and a regular choice for the majority.

Ensure that everyone has the opportunity to access good sport, physical activity and

recreation facilities. Adapt to changing demands and trends.

2.2 The proposed vision is based upon a clear, achievable framework of strategic

objectives which are delivered by a range of management objectives.

Strategic Objective

Management Objective How will we get there? Action Plan.

1. Address quantitative deficiencies to meet existing unmet demand and plan for new provision

Rectify the perceived long term deficiency of playing pitches in Chorley.

Adopt minimum levels of provision which are accessible and sustainable and which are adequate to support current and future demand. Regularly review and refresh area by area plans taking account of any improvements in pitch quality (and hence increases in pitch capacity) and also any new negotiations for community use of education sites in the future. Rectify inadequacies and meet identified shortfalls as outlined in the Assessment Report through improvements to the current pitch stock and ancillary facilities in line with the Action Plan.

Identify opportunities to add to the overall pitch stock to accommodate both latent and potential future demand. Establish an approach to securing developer contributions which prioritises projects according to a range of core criteria.

Prioritises new capital development projects from the action plan according to a range of core criteria (which as a core should identify strategic need, sports development objectives, sustainability of provision and work with target groups) Work with facility providers to establish an approach to co-ordinate investment to address the community’s needs, to target priority areas and to avoid/reduce duplication of provision.

See 3.2 See 4.2 See 3.3 – Action plans by site and neighbourhood area. Create more junior and mini pitches to meet demand and extra senior pitches in order to rest and rotate allocations. Increase provision in central Chorley due to gap in accessibility. See 3.1 See 3.3 Council to maintain a regular dialogue with local sports partners and existing networks

39

2. Address qualitative deficiencies and enhance existing provision to continue to support high levels of participation.

Adopt a Central Lancashire wide quality standard.

Increase the capacity of sites. Invest in key strategic multi-pitch/sport sites strategically distributed and located across Chorley which will accommodate the greatest number of teams and are located in the areas of highest population density at new and existing sites, to address the deficiency and future changes to pitch sizes of junior football pitches.

Projects should improve pitch/surface quality as a priority particularly in the first instance on sites involving three of more pitches including improvements to changing accommodation and parking as necessary. Prepare funding packages as appropriate to secure improvements to the quality of existing outdoor playing fields and to provide new ones where a shortfall has been identified or is predicted to be significant in the future.

Adopt Quality Standard – all sites to be a good quality by 2026. Focus on poor quality sites first for investment – see 3.3 Work to deliver the improvements to pitch sites that are rated as average or below. Links into Chorley Sports Village Project. Site needs to be high quality to accommodate a sufficient number of matches a week. Require split level ancillary facilities. Meet the minimum specification requirements. Focus on poor/average sites first and those which will have greatest impact on the largest number of teams. Council and partners to ensure that the appropriate funding is secured for improved sports provision –directed to areas of need. Chorley Council’s Play and Recreation Fund set up to supply small grants of match funding towards larger bids.

3. Maximise access to all outdoor facilities (including DDA compliances, marketing and accessibility).

Maintain, improve and encourage community use of school facilities (including toilet and changing provision)

Secure tenure and access to sites for high quality, development minded clubs through lease arrangements.

Work to ensure that pitch site ancillary facilities are DDA compliant.

Create centralised booking services for playing pitches and sports grounds to ensure easy access on pitch availability for local teams, and

to aid general promotion of sport and one-stop

marketing of provision.

Schools in Chorley have capacity to be used for community use. – see 3.2 and 3.3 Sites which are used by clubs but have poor ancillary facilities should be leased on a minimum 20 years to enable clubs to apply for external funding to develop facilities. – see 3.4 Carry out DDA audits to identify insufficiencies in Council owned facilities. Chorley Council website to be the one –stop location for data about sports pitches. 2013/14

40

Strategic Objective

Management Objective How will we get there? Action Plan.

4. Ensure that unmet current demand and future demand is accommodated through planned increases in provision

Adopted a tiered approach to the management and improvement of facilities which allows for facility developments to be programmed within a phased approach including ancillary facilities such as changing accommodation and car parking.

Use the findings of the Strategy to provide an evidence base for the Local Development Framework to secure new provision from new development.

Focus on Key centres (those which are popular and need high standards) such as Astley Park, Westway pitches then Club Sites. See 3.2 and See 3.3 – Action plans by site and neighbourhood area

5. Support the development of local leagues and clubs to meet their needs within Central Lancashire.

Support high levels of participation at clubs which contribute to the achievement of sports development objectives. Work with local clubs which have achieved quality accreditation to, where relevant, identify and secure facility improvements, appropriate sites for new facility development and funding opportunities. Support local clubs to demonstrate sustainability. Have a high satisfaction level of feedback from customers

Chorley Council to adopt a Community Asset Transfer Policy.

Chorley Sports development Team to provide support to increase participation, raise standards and develop skills of staff.

Council to adopt a policy/charter which supports quality accredited clubs. Help clubs to achieve aims and ambitions cross areas including management, funding, facilities, volunteers and partnership working.

Council to carry out a biannual survey of sports pitch customers to rate the quality of pitches and service. Council to adopt a policy to support community management and ownership of assets to local clubs, community groups and trusts. Gives opportunities to take ownership of own facilities. – see 3.4.

41

2.3 Sport specific objectives

The objectives and associated actions below should be read within the context of the summary

findings identified by the Assessment Report. (Where are we now?) They will guide delivery of the

strategy.

Senior football

Protect the current playing pitch stock. Work with clubs to ensure that sites are not played beyond their capacity and encourage play,

where possible, to be transferred to alternative venues which are not operating at capacity. The anticipated surplus of senior pitches should be considered in contributing towards

addressing the current and future deficit of junior and mini pitches. However, also ensure that some senior pitches are retained for strategic reserve.

Where appropriate, develop lease arrangements with large, sustainable, development-minded (i.e. Charter Standard) clubs to manage their own ‘home’ sites thus facilitating club development (as detailed in the management objectives).

Continue to support clubs in the management and improvement of their facilities. As far as possible, support clubs with facility development aspirations through the planning and

application stages.

Women and girls’ football

Invest in central venue sites to accommodate anticipated growth in girls’ football. Increase the quality and standard of changing rooms to accommodate segregated changing.

Junior boys’ football

Improve the quality and capacity of existing pitch stock. Work to maximise primary school sites to address the shortfall of junior pitches and ensure site

security and access to changing facilities is enhanced. Work with clubs to achieve FA Charter Standard accreditation. As a target, work to achieve at

least 75% (form the current baseline of 21.7% in Preston, 27% in South Ribble and 20% in Chorley) of youth and mini teams playing within a Charter Standard club (in line with national targets) by 2015.

Mini football

Meet likely future deficiencies in mini pitches by utilising senior pitches in areas of oversupply and marking out more pitches where land is available on existing sites.

Increase the quality and standard of changing rooms to accommodate segregated changing. Encourage greater usage of primary school sites to cater for mini-soccer demand.

FA Youth Development Review

The FA's Youth Development Review will see an increased use of small-sided games for all age

groups up to U12s. This will allow children to progress gradually through age-appropriate formats.

The entry point for U7s and U8s will be the 5v5 game. U9s and U10s will then step up to 7v7,

followed by a new 9v9 level for U11s and U12s.

FOOTBALL OBJECTIVE

Meet identified deficiencies in junior and mini football provision.

42

Summary of each step and the appropriate pitch and goal sizes

Age Format Pitch size (m) Goal size

7-8 5 v 5 30 x 20 – 40 x 30 Mini soccer (12’x6’)

9-10 7 v 7 50 x 30 – 60 x 40 Mini soccer (12’x6’)

11-12 9 v 9 70 x 40 – 80 x 50 New 9v9 goals (16’x7’)

13+ 11 v 11 90 x 50 – 110 x 70 Full size (24’ x 8’)

Playing smaller-sided games has been proved to give children an increased number of touches of

the ball, while providing more goals and scoring attempts, more one-v-one encounters and more

chance to attempt dribbling skills. It is this increased contact time with the ball that the FA believe

will help children enjoy the game more while providing them with better preparation for the 11-a-side

a game.

The introduction of 9v9 football, by the FA, is designed to help bridge the gap between mini soccer

at U10s and 11 a-side at U11s and will see the introduction of a new intermediate sized pitch.

Teams in Central Lancashire are already playing 9v9 fixtures in the Central Lancashire Junior

League which fields 9v9 divisions at U11 and U12. However, this is no on designated 9v9 pitches

and is often on senior sized football pitches.

The FA reports the solution is to use existing 11 a side pitches and mark out two 9v9 pitches in blue

lines, with either one pitch from box to box or two pitches across half a pitch (see diagram below):

Through marking out two 9v9 pitches on one senior pitch this will thus help to meet the shortfall of

junior pitches identified at peak times in Chorley. However, portable intermediate sized (16’x7’)

goalposts will be required, which the FA, in partnership with the Football Foundation, is making

funding available as part of the Grow the Game scheme. Furthermore, Sport England can also

provide 100% funding for 9v9 goalposts via the small grants scheme.

The proposals became mandatory in the 2013/14 season.

43

The table below provides a predicated forecast to indicate how many 9v9 pitches are likely to be

required by 2014 at peak time (Sunday AM) based on current participation levels (season

2011/12).4

Area Requirement of pitches in 2014 (estimated)

Chorley 6

The table above identifies the number of pitches required in Chorley. Chorley Council are working

towards introducing 9v9 pitches in 2013/2014 to ensure it can accommodate this new format of

football. These comprise of 2 pitches on Astley Park, one pitch on Gillibrand, one pitch on Ranglets,

one pitch on The Willows Eaves green proposed for 2014/15 and one pitch on????

However, this does not take into account latent demand in increases in football participation. This

could be achieved by re-marking senior pitches (of which there is a surplus) as 9v9 pitches to

accommodate this new format of football. Any new pitch development should take into consideration

the 9v9 pitch requirements.

Support clubs to develop their ancillary facilities to further meet local needs. Ensure that any facilities developed support opportunities for senior women’s and junior girl’s

competitive cricket. Increase the quality of cricket pitches where necessary. Encourage and support development of junior girls’ and women’s cricket. Support clubs to develop and improve practice facilities. Support the development of cricket informally within parks. Investment should be primarily be targeted and directed to ECB focus clubs which support high

levels of participation and have also the ECB Clubmark criteria.

Work with Chorley RFC to support its facility development plan. Encourage and support further development of school rugby union.

CRICKET OBJECTIVE

Maintain current provision levels and quality but work to increase access to single team club pitches for those clubs expressing demand.

RUGBY UNION OBJECTIVE

Work towards meeting identified deficiencies and increase quality as required.

44

Work with Chorley Rugby League to support its facility development plan. Encourage and support further development of school and college rugby league.

Work with England Hockey (EH) to support ‘Rush Hockey’ which is a new development programme introduced by EH aimed at increasing participation

Work to ensure that plans are in place to maintain AGP quality in the long term. Work to make quality improvements to AGPs to address current issues. Create a new AGP in Chorley to meet current and future demand Work with Chorley and District Crown Green Bowling Club and Mixed Veterans Bowling League Support clubs to develop their ancillary facilities to further meet local needs. Ensure that any facilities developed support opportunities for increasing participation of a wider

range of age groups. Increase the quality of bowling greens where necessary.

Secure existing community use through implementation of formal community use agreements where they are not currently in existence in order to provide sustainable community access.

Ensure appropriate access to changing provision on school sites to support community use of their playing fields and sports grounds/courts.

HOCKEY OBJECTIVE

Maintain current levels of provision.

EDUCATION OBJECTIVE

Work with schools to encourage greater community use, particularly for junior sports at appropriate sites.

RUGBY LEAGUE OBJECTIVE

Work towards meeting identified deficiencies and increase quality as required.

BOWLING OBJECTIVE


AMERICAN FOOTBALL OBJECTIVE


OBJECTIVE


45

3.0 HOW WILL WE GET THERE?

3.1 POLICES AND SUPPLEMENTARY PLANNING GUIDANCE.

The Playing Pitch Strategy and Action Plan form the evidence base to inform Chorley Council’s

Playing Pitch Policy within the local plan. The guidance should be followed to secure outdoor sports

facilities through new housing development. The guidance should form the basis for negotiation

with developers to secure contributions for the provision of appropriate facilities and their long term

maintenance. Section 106 contributions could also be used to improve the condition and

maintenance regimes of the pitches. A number of management objectives should be implemented

to enable the above to be delivered:

Continue to ensure that where sites are lost, through development or closure, that facilities of the same or improved standard are provided to meet the continued needs of residents.

Capital receipts from disposals of playing pitch facilities should be ring-fenced specifically for investment into other playing pitch facilities. They should be invested in accordance with the aims of the Strategy.

Planning consent should include appropriate conditions and/or be subject to a Section 106 Agreement. Where developer contributions are applicable, a Section 106 Agreement must be completed specifying the amount and timing of sums to be paid.

A ‘central pot’ for developer contributions should be established to invest in playing pitch facility provision and maintenance. i.e Play and Rec Fund.

Where new pitches are provided, changing rooms should be located on site.

The action plans in section 3.2 and 3.3 seek to address the surpluses and deficiencies identified in

the summary together with the key issues identified on each site for improvement or maintenance.

Chorley Council will use the proposed actions/development plans as part of the process of seeking

developer contributions. The action plans determine the need to provide new provision, improve the

quality of existing sites or to open up sites which are not currently used for community use. i.e

education sites.

Improved Provision No housing developments will be required to provide new playing pitches. The formulae have been used to calculate the contribution per dwelling for improvements to sites identified in the Action Plan or to bring forward allocated sites.

Improvements to existing sites

Insert paragraph 46 of the SPD.

46

Changing facilities Across Chorley, some pitches are of such poor quality they are often unable to accommodate

matches, especially after a prolonged spell of wet weather. On some sites there is either a

lack of changing facilities or current changing provision being poor quality. All playing pitches

should be served by suitable, good quality ancillary facilities; these should be located in close

proximity to the playing area.

To achieve an increase in participation in sport and physical activity, it is imperative that in addition to the need to secure developer contributions for pitch provision, contributions should also be sought for improving and providing changing room accommodation. Changing provision requirements are reliant on the number of pitches not the size of pitches. Changing facilities are required for new pitches, whether they are on or off site.

47

3.2 SURPLUSES/DEFICIENCIES IN PITCH PROVISION

Deficiencies in the supply of playing pitches occur where there is an overall shortage and/or when

existing pitch(es) cannot accommodate existing demand, particularly at peak periods and as a result

of poor quality facilities which do not offer sufficient capacity. It is important that some surpluses (i.e.

spare capacity) are built into the pitch provision and indeed all outdoor sports facilities as an integral

aspect of allowing rest and rotation of pitches and also ensuring that pitches are available for

training purposes and to support informal play.

Recommendations identify the need for additional provision, it is important that the

recommendations for pitches are placed within the wider context of demand and housing

development and considers facility development which may be feasible in the long-term and where

the latent demand/pressure for additional pitches both now and in the future has been identified.

The identified deficiencies should be addressed through a range of actions including improvements

to the current pitch stock and re-aligning a proportion of the existing pitch stock i.e. changing some

senior pitches to junior pitches according to expressed demand in those areas and playing sites not

currently formally used. It is important that the Strategy also recognises the long term need for

senior pitches as juniors’ progress into senior football, cricket, rugby and hockey.

The following table identifies surpluses/deficiencies in pitch provision for each sport in the Borough at present and the predicted situation in 2026 and suggests how any deficiencies can be addressed.

Surplus/deficit in pitches Key Issues Proposed Action

Senior football

At present: surplus of 20

By 2026: surplus of 17.8

The surplus of senior pitches is attributed

to spare capacity across 22 sites

including significant spare capacity at St

Michael’s High School, Parklands High

School and Westway Playing Fields,

Astley Village.

The pitches on Westway are extremely

waterlogged at times of heavy rain

resulting in games having to be called

off.

Pitches with spare capacity at peak time could

help to address the shortfall of junior and mini

football.

Overplay at some sites could be accommodated

on sites with spare capacity.

Seek to maintain at least 1 pitch to

accommodate overplay, 3 pitches for latent

demand and at least 4 pitches as strategic

reserve (10% of the stock of the area).

Furthermore at least six senior pitches should be

maintained to accommodate future increases in

participation and the new football formats (i.e.

9x9).

Junior football

At present: deficit of 6.5

By 2026: deficit of 8

There are a large number of junior teams

playing on senior sized pitches.

Increase community use at school sites (where

there is junior or senior pitches) to accommodate

junior teams and latent demand.

Chorley Council are creating two new pitches on

Astley Park and 1 new pitch on Gillibrand in

2013. A further pitch will be created on Eaves

Green and Ranglets in 2014 – total of 5 pitches

created to meet deficit by 2014

Re-designation of senior pitches for which there

is an oversupply to accommodate junior pitches.

Mini football


By 2026: deficit of 6.5

The deficiency is as a result of the large

number of mini teams (23) playing and

the shortage of pitches at peak time.

Seek to provide a dedicated mini soccer site to

alleviate play elsewhere and to service the

catchment areas of Bretherton and Croston.

Land off Westhead Road is recommended. If

land is found to not accommodate such a facility

in Chorley, explore opportunities to offset

provision in West Lancashire. This will help to

address the deficiency of junior pitches.

48

Surplus/deficit in pitches Key Issues Proposed Action

Cricket



The deficiency is attributed to overplay at

five sites in the area particularly Chorley,

and Charnock Richard cricket clubs.

It is vital that all sites are protected from

development and that clubs/providers are

supported to increase the availability of artificial

wickets for seniors.

In addition, increase community use and quality

of cricket wickets at secondary school sites;

Parklands, St Michael’s and Southlands to help

meet the deficiency.

Senior Rugby union

At present: surplus of 0.5


The slight surplus is attributed to spare

capacity at Chorley Rugby Club to

accommodate future growth.

Seek to maintain this level of provision to

accommodate future increases in participation.

Mini Rugby Union



The small deficiency is attributed to mini

rugby teams playing on senior rugby

pitches at Chorley Rugby Club.

The senior rugby pitches can accommodate the

mini play and the deficiency identified is not

necessarily a true reflection of current demand.

No new provision is required to meet

deficiencies identified for rugby.

Senior rugby league

At present: surplus of 0.5


The slight surplus is attributed to spare

peak time capacity at King George V

Playing Fields, Adlington (Saturday am).

Seek to maintain this level of provision to

accommodate future increases in participation.

Junior rugby league



The deficiency results from the large

number of junior teams (14) playing at

peak time (Sunday) at Chisnall Lane

Playing Fields.

The deficiency of junior rugby union pitches is

attributed to the large number of junior teams

playing at Chisnall Lane Playing Fields. The

Council should support Panthers to further

improve rugby league pitches at Chisnall to meet

demand.

Artificial Grass Pitches

At present: deficit of 1

By 2020: deficit of 2

Chorley has demand for an additional

AGP (either hockey or football surface)

calculated on the number of peak period

visits to current provision (Chorley has

two pitches, resulting in a shortfall of

one).

Create at least 1 AGP in Chorley to meet the

demand.

Planning permission was granted at 2 sites –

Bishop Rawsthorne 3G and Chorley Rugby Club

4G in 2013.

Bowling Greens

At present: surplus /deficit of ?

By 2020: surplus /deficit of ?

To be identified To be identified

Bowling Greens to continue to be allocated and

protected

The table above identifies that the majority of deficiencies can be met by increasing community use at schools, utilising spare capacity at other sites and re-designating pitches. It identifies that some new pitch provision is needed to meet existing deficiencies.

Accessibility

Community access to playing pitches and artificial grass pitches is important. The use of

accessibility standards enables the identification of areas of deficiency. Accessibility in this

instance refers to the distance to travel to provision, rather than to access for disabled people.

There is a recommended 15 minute walk time distance threshold is applied to outdoor sports

across the study area. From mapping sites and a fifteen minute walk time it is evident that the

main settlements are well served by playing pitches, there is an identified gap in the centre of

Chorley.

49

3.3 PROGRAMME BY NEIGHBOURHOOD AND SITE

Chorley Town East


Issues Development Plans Financial Source / Who

Year

FOOTBALL

Tatton Recreation Ground. Chorley Council

Open space and hard standing –development potential

Harpers Recreation Ground. Chorley Council

Site currently has a MUGA

To be determined

Rangletts Recreation Ground. Chorley Council

Site is adjacent to Victory Park.

Junior Pitch to be created S106 funding secured

2013/2014

Holy Cross High School LCC

Water logging after heavy rain. Pitches used by several football teams. Changing facilities are in reasonable condition

To be determined

Holy Cross High School Artificial Grass Pitch

Used by football and rugby teams for training –Floodlit. Built in 2006

School to review maintenance to address quality. Improve linemarking

Holy Cross TBC

Albany Science College

Pitches abit uneven, some waterlogging around edges. Set on a slight slope. Changing facilities available

Looking at an opportunity to provide floodlighting in the future.

Potential S106 or application to funding body

TBC

Victory Park – Chorley Football Club

Chorley FC. Northern Premier League. FA ground grading –F FA National pyramid Step 4 2013

To be determined Chorley Football Club

TBC

Wigan Lane Playing Pitches

Pitch relatively well drained. No changing facilities

Either transfer football provision to alternative venue and explore alternative recreational use or there is potential to lease the site to a football club and improve the facilities. Possible duel use.

Chorley Council 2014

Highfield Primary School

Pitches get waterlogged. Used by Junior Teams for training.

50

HOCKEY

Holy Cross High School Sandbased AGP

Floodlit. KKP rated this pitch as poor quality but user’s rate as adequate. Maintained by the school and a technical service is undertaken by a contractor every two months. used to capacity.

Create a new AGP in Chorley to address the issues of capacity. Improve quality of the pitch i.e line marking

RUGBY

Holy Cross Rugby League

CRICKET


Southlands High School Located between football pitches

Seek to use site for community use and improve quality of cricket wickets.

BOWLING GREEN

Tatton Recreation Ground

Harpers Lane

St Peters

St Josephs

St James

51

Chorley Town West



Year

FOOTBALL

Astley Park. Chorley Council

Site gets very waterlogged resulting in games having to be called off. Good changing facilities. Spare capacity to accommodate more junior/senior teams

Creation of 2 new junior pitches. Locate funding to commission a drainage design for the site and implement drainage work To address the short fall of junior pitches Council to work with clubs to establish the site as a junior venue, relocating senior teams to newly developed facilities on West way.

Chorley Council. Potential S106 or external funding Alternation to pitches would be within Council budges subject to external funding being sought for Westway

2013 TBC 2015/6 onwards

Astley Village Playing Field. LCC

Heavy in places. No access to changing facilities.

Parklands High School

Good drainage. Changing facilities available. Astley Juniors U14s use site on Sunday. Some unofficial use in the summer.

Keep the existing excellent pitches to the same standard.

Buttermere Avenue. Chorley Council

Open space with goal posts though site on a slope

Coronation Recreation Ground. Chorley Council

5 v 5 goal posts?? Retain kick about space within recreation ground. Conversion of tennis courts to MUGA accommodating tennis and football/basketball.

Existing resources Capital

2013 2014


Are hosting a 5 v 5 schools league

Gillibrand Playing Pitches Chorley Council

Land adoption from developer to take place 2013.

Southlands High School

Good Quality site with some spare capacity to accommodate additional senior/junior teams at peak times

The site could cater for growing mini/junior demand in Chorley

Meet within existing provision

Southlands AGP Sandbased and floodlit. Privately managed

To be determined


Site used for junior football training

Cottage Fields, Eaves Green.

Create improved drained pitch 9 v 9

S106 2014

The Willows, Eaves Green. Chorley Council

Create new pitch 11 v 11 S106 2014/15

52

RUGBY

Parklands High School Rugby League

Pitch occasionally used by Chorley Rugby Club

No development plans at present

CRICKET

Chorley Cricket Club

Site is over played to capacity.

There are plans to increase the number of changing rooms at the site to accommodate women’s cricket and enhance the existing changing facilities at its home ground. Utilise local high school cricket pitch (community use) Southlands, Parklands or St Michaels, to accommodate junior teams and over play at CCC.

The Club has been awarded £50,000 from Sport England’s Inspired Facilities Fund to build new changing facilities. Raising £17,500 via Buy a Brick campaign

2013 2013/2014

St Michaels High School Drainage good Seek to use site for community use and improve quality of cricket wickets

Parklands High School Drainage excellent Seek to use site for community use and improve quality of cricket wickets

BOWLING GREEN

Astley Park

Coronation Rec Ground

St Mary’s

St Georges

53

Clayton and Whittle



Year

FOOTBALL

Gough Lane Playing Pitch Chorley Council

No changing facilities To be determined

Astro truf Buckshaw Village Sandbased

Used by hockey team Floodlit. Built in 2005. Pitch managed by RMG and day to day care by Envirocare.

To be determined

Whittle-le-Woods Football Club

Changing facilities

Clayton Brook Leisure Centre. Astroturf

Very well used To be determined

HOCKEY

Buckshaw Village AGP Floodlit. Used by Leyland & Chorley Hockey Club.

To be determined

CRICKET Whittle and Clayton le Woods Cricket Club

To be determined

BOWLING GREEN St Bede’s Club

Ley Inn

54

Eastern Parishes



Year

FOOTBALL Brinscall St John Primary School

Pitches are waterlogged

Joint funding bid with BVJFC. Aug 2013

£10,000 2013/14

Hillside Parke, Brinscall. Brinscall Village Junior Football Club. (BVJFC)

The club is expanding and needs more pitches for training and matches.

The club has submitted a funding bid to Sport England for the redevelopment of 2 pitches at BWARA and Brinscall Primary School. Aug 2013

BVJFC/Brinscall St Johns and Sport England. £50,000

2013/14

Abbey Village Primary School

No playing pitch within school grounds

Chorley CC Abbey Village. Sunny View.

Pitches marked on cricket outfield. Used by Brinscall Juniors

To be determined

Sandy Lane, Brinscall. (BWARA)

Site gets waterlogged.

Funding bid submitted to Sport England August 2013 for drainage and relaying pitch by BVJFC

TBC TBC

CRICKET

White Coppice Cricket Club

To be determined

Brinscall and Withnell Atheletic & Recreational Association. (BWARA) Brinscall Cricket Club

The overall quality of the pitch is unacceptable. Poor drainage

Find funding for grass wickets. Carry out an assessment of the square to assess quality and identify improvements needed to enhance the quality.

External funding source

TBC

Chorley CC Sunny View Abbey Village)

poor quality outfield and off field facilities

Withnell Field Sports and Social Club, Withnell Fold

To be determined

Houghton Cricket Club Find funding for a two bay non turf practice new facility

BOWLING GREEN

Brinscall (BWARA)

St Chads

55

Euxton , Astley and Buckshaw



Year

FOOTBALL

Euxton CE Primary School

Jim Fowlers Memorial Ground (Euxton Villa FC)

Match pitches and training pitch. Changing facilities. Significant demand identified. Latent demand for 2 senior teams and four junior teams.

Proposed pitch improvements and drainage work to three senior pitches. Support the club to secure funding which will result in growth of the club. Retain current spare capacity to accommodate future growth

West Way Playing Fields

Heavy with standing water in places. No changing facilities

Improve drainage across the whole site and provide changing facilities. Site to be for Senior use only to compliment the long term goal for Astley to be a Junior site

Potential S106 TBC

Greenside Football Club. Parish Council

Changing facilities for male and female. Good parking and pitch quality.

Working in partnership with Euxton Parish Council Leisure Committee, have been awarded funding for upgrading and drainage of pitches and improvements to changing rooms 2013.

Sport England? 2013

Milestone meadow

Public open space Provision for a 9 v 9 pitch to be marked out if demand

Pony Field (Derian House) Used by Astley and Buckshaw Junior Football Team

Potential short term lease to be drawn up with club.

Chorley Council 2013/14

Buckshaw Primary School Astley Village

Chorley Schools Sports Partnership is looking at utilising the facilities in school holidays

RUGBY

West Way. Rugby

Site only used on ad-hoc basis

Chorley Union Rugby Club, Chancery Road

Site has capacity to accommodate additional matches. Predicted increase of membership to require additional pitch provision

Planning permission for developer to carry out pitch drainage and create a new 4G Pitch and new full size rugby pitch. Create four changing rooms, an official’s room, medical room and a large function room within a new club house. Support the club with facility development. Ensure any loss of rugby provision is mitigated.

Developer 2013/14

CRICKET

Euxton Cricket Club

Has a practice new facility

Needs new/better machinery

56

Southeast Parishes



Year

FOOTBALL Fairview Youth and Community Centre Chorley Council

Changing facilities. Pitch relatively well drained.

To be determined

Jubilee Football Pitches. Chorley Council

Pitches are relatively well drained. Used to capacity.

Creation of a 5 v 5 football pitch with goals on site

Chorley Council S106

2014

King George’s V Field Chorley Council

Pitches get very waterlogged. Changing facilities on site.

Seek possible S106 contribution to drain pitches and improve changing facilities

TBC TBC

Gillet Fields, Limbrick

Very waterlogged. Lease to get signed

Chorley Wanderers use this pitch. They have plans to develop the site including drainage and surface works.

TBC TBC

RUGBY

King George V Playing Fields, Rugby League

The site has capacity to accommodate additional capacity on a Saturday

CRICKET

Chorley St James Cricket Club. Gillet Playing Fields.

Lease still to be signed with Chorley Council

To find funding for a non turf practice net facility

Adlington Cricket Club

BOWLING GREEN Anderton St Josephs

St Pauls

Rivington

Bay Horse, Heath Charnock

57

Southern Parishes



Year

FOOTBALL

Coppull United

Pitch has perimeter fence, dugouts and floodlights. Changing facilities

Proposed drainage works on its pitch

Charnock Richard Football Club

Pitch has a small spectator stand, dugouts and perimeter fence. Good changing facilities

Plans to install floodlighting and erect a covered stand on its main senior pitch. Planning permission and external funding needed. Work with the club to identify funding.

Springfield Leisure Centre.

MUGA. Used by Coppull FC

The Meadows Heskin. Parish Council

Leased to Heskin FC

To be determined

Chisnall.

Charnock Richard Cricket Club

Football pitch is marked on cricket outfield

To be determined

RUGBY

Chisnall Lane. Chorley Panthers Rugby League Leased from Chorley Council

Pitches are used to accommodate junior teams. The site is overplayed which impacts on quality.

Facility development plans. Pitch drainage, floodlighting and new changing facilities carried out 2011/12. Improvements to club house proposed. Support club

Has received funding from the RFL and private funders

2011 - 2013

CRICKET

Charnock Richard Cricket Club, Charter Lane

Site is overplayed Find funding to replace the concrete wicket to artificial

BOWLING GREEN

Coppull Conservative Club

58

Western Parishes



Year

FOOTBALL Drapers Avenue, Eccleston. Parish Council

Changing facilities. Pitches of varying quality

To be determined

Bradley Lane Football Pitch

To be determined

Bishop Rawstorne C of E

Well drained pitches 3G pitch to be created TBC TBC

Croston Sports Club. Westhead Road

Pitch has perimeter fence. Reasonable changing facilities

To be determined

Millenium Green, Mawdesley. Parish Council

Twin Lakes, Croston Croston Parish Council

Pitch is over played by 2.5 matches each week.

Transfer some of the teams to nearby sites with spare capacity e.g. Croston Sports Club, Bishop Rawsthorne and Rec Ground on Station Road.

Croston Parish Council and local teams

TBC

Station Road Recreation Ground. Croston.

Wymott Park. Parish Council

Bretherton Sports Club Parish Council

CRICKET

Mawdesley Cricket Club (Rectory Field)

Find funding for three bay non turf practice new facility. Improvements to changing facilities planned

Sport England - inspired facilities fund £50,000

2013/14

Eccleston Cricket Club

Capacity for more matches

Bretherton Cricket Club

Croston Sports Club Find funding to replace the mobile nets with a fixed new facility.

BOWLING GREEN

Bretherton Sports Club

Mawdesley

Wymott

Croston Black Horse

Eccleston

59

3.4 Management Objective -Secure tenure and access to sites for high quality development minded clubs through lease arrangements

As well as improving the quality of well-used, local authority sites, there are a number of sites which

have poor quality (or no) ancillary facilities. Such sites are therefore considered the ‘home ground’

of the club, despite not always having a long-term lease. It is recommended that security of tenure

should be granted to the clubs playing on these sites (minimum 20 years) so the clubs are in a

position to apply for external funding to improve the ancillary facilities.

There is potential for a number of sites in Chorley to be leased to sports clubs and/or organisations.

Each club will be required to meet service and/or strategic objectives set out by Chorley Council.

However, an additional set of criteria should be considered, which take into account the quality of

the club, aligned to its long term development objectives and sustainability.

Owing to Council budget cuts, it is increasingly important for each Council to work with voluntary

sector organisations in order that they may be able to take greater levels of ownership and support

the wider development and maintenance of facilities. To facilitate this, each Council should support

and enable clubs to generate sufficient funds to allow this.

Table 5.3: Recommended criteria for lease of sport sites to clubs/organisations

Club Site

Clubs should have Clubmark/FA Charter Standard accreditation award.

Clubs commit to meeting demonstrable local demand and show pro-active commitment to developing school-club links.

Clubs are sustainable, both in a financial sense and via their internal management structures in relation to recruitment and retention policy for both players and volunteers.

Ideally, clubs should have already identified (and received an agreement in principle) any match funding required for initial capital investment identified.

Clubs have processes in place to ensure capacity to maintain sites to the existing standards.

Sites should be those identified as Club Sites for new clubs (i.e. not those with a City-wide significance) but which offer development potential. For established clubs which have proven success in terms of self-management City Sites and Key Centres are appropriate.

As a priority, sites should require capital investment to improve (which can be attributed to the presence of a Clubmark/Charter Standard club).

Sites should be leased with the intention that investment can be sourced to contribute towards improvement of the site.

A Council representative should sit on a management committee for each site leased to a club.

Club outcomes for lease agreements

Each Council should establish a series of core outcomes to derive from clubs taking on a lease arrangement to ensure that the most appropriate clubs are assigned to sites. As an example outcomes may include:

Increasing participation. Supporting the development of coaches and volunteers. Commitment to quality standards. Improvements (where required) to facilities, or as a minimum retaining existing standards.

60

4.0 HOW WILL WE KNOW WHEN WE HAVE GOT THERE?

4.1 Assessment

The Playing Pitch Strategy seeks to provide guidance for Chorley Council, local clubs, schools and

planning decisions made in Chorley over the next 5 -10 years. By addressing the issues identified in

the Site Assessments and using the strategic framework presented in this Strategy, the current and

future sporting and recreational needs of Chorley can be satisfied. The Strategy identifies where there

is a deficiency in provision and identifies how best to resolve this in the future.

It is important that this document is used in a practical manner, is engaged with partners and

encourages partnerships to be developed, to ensure that playing pitches and outdoor sports facilities

are regarded as a vital aspect of community life and which contribute to the achievement of each

Council’s priorities.

The neighbourhood action plans and proposed actions by sport as outlined in section 3.0 will be

updated as necessary. Progress will be monitored and logged and feedback sought from site users.

An annual update report will be produced to highlight the achievements and setbacks encountered.

4.2 Review

It is essential that the site assessment data is reviewed and refreshed area by area taking into

account of any improvements in pitch quality, increases in capacity and also any new negotiations

for community use of private or school sites. This will keep a tally of the surpluses / deficiencies in

the Borough. This will ensure that the audit and assessment data will be accurate in order to

respond appropriately to the needs of the local community. This will also avoid the need for a

complete review of the Strategy in the short term.

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Appendix A – Contact List

Playing Pitch Sites Only

SPORT CLUB NAME WEBSITE

CONTACT PHONE / EMAIL AGE GROUPS

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Athletics Chorley Athletic and Triathlon Club

www.chorley-athletic-and-triathlon.org Terry Dickenson

01254 830591 [email protected]

U11 to Seniors

YES

Cricket Adlington CC www.adlington.play-cricket.com Liz Chamberlain

01942818551 [email protected]

Juniors and Seniors

NO

Cricket Chorley CC www.chorleycc.co.uk Peter Mockett 01257 275096 [email protected]

U9 to Seniors

YES

Cricket Eccleston CC Please contact 01257 515151 or [email protected] for more information

Cricket Euxton CC www.euxtoncc.co.uk Pauline Toop 01257 266714 [email protected]

U9 to Seniors

NO

Cricket Mawdesley CC www.mawdesley.play-cricket.com Martin Lewis 07962582610 [email protected]

U9 to Seniors

YES

Football Adlington Juniors FC www.clubwebsite.co.uk/adlingtonjfc Mick Duddle Lisa Rickard

[email protected] [email protected]

U7 to U18 YES

Football Astley & Buckshaw Juniors FC

www.avjfc.co.uk Mark Perks 01257 279209 [email protected]

U9 to U18 YES

Football

Brinscall Village JFC

www.brinscallvillagejfc.co.uk

Football Charnock Richard FC www.charnockrichardfc.co.uk Shaun Tootell 01257 792558 [email protected]

U8 to Seniors

YES

Football Chorley Ladies Please contact 01257 515151 or [email protected] for more information

Football Chorley Wanderers FC

www.freewebs.com/cwjfc Ste Fisher 01257 413920 [email protected]

U7 to 15 YES

Football Croston Juniors Fc Please contact 01257 515151 or [email protected] for more information

Football

Eccleston & Heskin

Please contact 01257 515151 or [email protected] for more information

http://www.chorley-athletic-and-triathlon.org/

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.adlington.play-cricket.com/


http://www.chorleycc.co.uk/



http://www.euxtoncc.co.uk/


http://www.mawdesley.play-cricket.com/


http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/adlingtonjfc


http://www.avjfc.co.uk/


http://www.brinscallvillagejfc.co.uk/

http://www.charnockrichardfc.co.uk/




http://www.freewebs.com/cwjfc




62

SPORT CLUB NAME WEBSITE CONTACT PHONE / EMAIL AGE GROUPS

VOLUNTEERS

NEEDED Football Euxton Girls FC www.clubwebsite.co.uk/euxtongirls Mick Walsh [email protected] U10 to 16 NO

Football Euxton Villa FC www.clubwebsite.co.uk/euxtonvillafc01 Graham Keyte 07970708772 [email protected]

U6 to Seniors

NO

Football Gillibrand Warriors FC

www.gillibrandwarriors.co.uk Ray Adamson 01257 482160 / 07712 658433 [email protected]

U7 to U18 YES

Football Coppull Utd Please contact 01257 515151 or [email protected] for more information

Football Eccleston & Heskin FC Please contact 01257 515151 or [email protected] for more information

Football Freestyle Urban FC Please contact 01257 515151 or [email protected] for more information

Football Mid Lancashire Football League

Albert Newton Secretary

[email protected]

Football Chorley Nissan Sunday League

Derek Highway steven@heig2387/fsnet.co.uk

Football Central Lancs Junior League

www.cljfl.co.uk Trudi Robinson Secretary

[email protected] U7 – U16

Rugby League

Chorley Panthers www.pitchero.com/clubs/chorleypanthersrlfc

Jackie Dempsey

0771891127 [email protected]

Juniors to

open age

American Football

Chorley Buccaneers www.chorleybuccaneers.com Ian Nicolson 07787530748 [email protected]

U7 to U16 YES

Archery Chorley Bowmen www.chorleybowmen.co.uk Simon Cordingley


U14 to Seniors

YES

Cricket Brinscall Cricket Club

www.brinscall.play-cricket.com Bryn Huddart [email protected] U13 to Senior

NO

Cricket Charnock Richard CC

www.charnock.play-cricket.com Harold Heaton 07950144082 [email protected]

U11 to Senior

YES

Cricket Croston CC Please contact 01257 515151 or [email protected] for more information

Cricket Hoghton CC www.hoghton.play-cricket.com Greg Gorrell 07557124458 U11, U13 & Senio

rs

YES

Cricket White Coppice CC www.whitecoppicecc.co.uk Cindy Dixon 01257 410130 [email protected]

U17 & Senior

NO

Cricket Whittle & Clayton Le Woods

CC

www.wclewoods.play-cricket.com John Cowley 01257 268029 [email protected]

U11, 13,15 & Senio

rs

NO

Hockey Leyland & Chorley HC www.pitchero.com/clubs/leylanda ndchorley

Kathryn Wright 07875357572 [email protected]

7 to Seniors YES

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/euxtongirls


http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/euxtonvillafc01


http://www.gillibrandwarriors.co.uk/





http://www.cljfl.co.uk/


http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/chorleypanthersrlfc

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/chorleypanthersrlfc


http://www.chorleybuccaneers.com/


http://www.chorleybowmen.co.uk/


http://www.brinscall.play-cricket.com/


http://www.charnock.play-cricket.com/



http://www.hoghton.play-cricket.com/

http://www.whitecoppicecc.co.uk/


http://www.wclewoods.play-cricket.com/


http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/leylandandchorley

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/leylandandchorley


63

Rugby Union Chorley RUFC www.pitchero.com/clubs/chorleyrug byunionclub

or [email protected] for more information

U8, U10 & Adul

ts

YES

SPORT CLUB NAME WEBSITE CONTACT PHONE / EMAIL AGE

GROUPS

VOLUNTEERS

NEEDED Crown Green

Bowls

Chorley Subscription Bowling Green

Christine Garstang


Juniors & Seniors

YES

Crown Green

Bowling

Croston Black Horse Jim Reynolds 01772 433797 [email protected]

Juniors & Seniors

NO

Crown Green

Bowling

Eccleston Bowling Club


Crown Green

Bowling

St Chads Bowlers Please contact 01257 515151 or [email protected] for more information

Crown Green Bowling

St James’s Bowling Club


Crown Green Bowls

Coppull Juniors Bowling

www.coppullconclub.co.uk Hilda Jones 01257 792751 [email protected]

7 to 16 NO

Crown Green Bowling

Welbank Junior Bowling Club


*If any clubs details are incorrect or need updating please contact [email protected] or 01257 515151

*If your club would like help with any development issues then please contact us

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/chorleyrugbyunionclub

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/chorleyrugbyunionclub







http://www.coppullconclub.co.uk/




64

Appendix B – Funding Opportunities.

1) Sport England

www.sportengland.org/funding

Sustainable facilities fund

Sportsmatch

Small Grants

Protected Playing Fields

Inspired Facilities

Iconic Facilities

2) Football Foundation funding for 9 v 9 Goalposts.

www.footballfoundation.org.uk/apply/9v9-goalposts/

A number of junior leagues and clubs have expressed a wish to move to the 9 v 9 format, following the announcement on the FA's Youth Development Review, and the implementation of a number of the proposals. The new 9 v 9 format will become mandatory from the 2013/14 season. This will result in these clubs and leagues needing to purchase 16’ x 7’ goals over the next couple of months and in time for the start of the 2013/14 season. In association with The FA, the Football Foundation is introducing a new funding scheme specifically to support this initiative, offering grants at 50% of the cost of British Standard 16’x 7’ goalposts, including delivery and VAT (if applicable). A new round of funding will be available in April 2013. 3) Big Lottery Fund

www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

4) Biffaward www.biffa-award.org

http://www.sportengland.org/funding

http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/

http://www.biffa-award.org/

65

Appendix C – Maps by Neighbourhood Area illustrating the provision and

distribution of playing pitches in Chorley.

playing pitch strategy background information 2013 - 2018chorley.gov.uk/documents/playing pitch...

Documents