Culture and Tourism Steering
Group
Parks and Open Spaces
Report by:
Errol Lawrence
Date:
16 June 2004
Contact
Officer:
Errol Lawrence
Telephone:
020 7934 9803
Summary:
Item
no:
Job
title:
Emai
l:
6
Policy Officer,
Renewal and Culture
[email protected]
This report updates members on the development of
work on parks and open spaces, highlighting new
guidance on preparing open space strategies
published by the Mayor’s Office and describing
the proposal by the National Playing Fields
Association for a “London Fields” project.
Recommendation That members:
s:




Note the report;
Consider how the guidance on open spaces
strategies should be used;
Consider the possibilities for constructive
engagement with the London Assembly Culture,
Sport and Tourism Committee, which has
invited suggestions for sharing information
and best practice across London;
Comment on the NPFA proposal for a London
Playing Fields scheme.
Report Page 2
Introduction
1. This report updates members on the development of work on
parks and open spaces, highlighting the Mayor of London’s
Guide to preparing Open Space Strategies and detailing the
proposal by the National Playing Fields Association “ for a
London Fields” project.
Guide to Preparing Open Space Strategies Best Practice
Guidance
March 2004
2. The Mayor's London Plan (February 2004) recognises the
valuable contribution that open spaces play in providing a
good quality environment that makes London an attractive
place to live, work and visit. The London Plan states that
in order to understand fully the provision of open space and
the demands and needs placed on them, boroughs should
produce an Open Space Strategy. The Mayor’s Office has
produced a “Guide to Preparing Open Space Strategies” to
assist this process and establish a common framework for
benchmarking and strategic planning in London.
3. The Guide sets out practical guidelines on the methodology
and content of an Open Space Strategy within the London
context. It takes forward some of the work of the GLA’s
Culture, Sport and Tourism Committee and provides advice on
assessing the quantity and quality of open spaces and on
identifying the needs of local communities and other users
of open spaces. Full copies of the Guide are available at:
http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/strategies/sds/open_space.jsp
Best Practice Guidance PDF
Best Practice Guidance RTF
National Playing Fields Association
4. The National Playing Fields Association (NPFA) was founded
in 1925 and granted a royal charter in 1933. It is the only
organisation with the specific responsibility for ensuring
that people have play, sport and recreation space close to
where they live. Its core work is protecting and improving
playing fields. HM the Queen is the President of the NPFA
and HRH the Duke of Edinburgh KG KT is Patron. Details of
the organisation of the NPFA and its workstreams are
available at:
http://www.npfa.co.uk/
Report Page 3
5. In November 2003, the Chair of the NPFA met with the Chief
Executive of the ALG to discuss ideas for a “London Fields”
scheme for local authorities in the capital. Broadly, the
project proposal is for local authorities to identify a
playing field, park or other open space which they wish to
protect for recreational use in the long term.
6. An outline of the NPFA proposal was submitted to members at
the April meeting of the Culture and Tourism Steering Group.
Members discussed the scheme and agreed that more detailed
information should be provided at a subsequent meeting,
ideally with an official from the NPFA explaining the
proposal in the context of Planning Policy Guidance 17
(PPG17) and the protection of open spaces in London and the
current of state of playing fields provision throughout the
capital.
7. Details of the NPFA proposal are attached in Appendix 1.
8. A basic outline of the planning background for parks and
open spaces and PPG17 is attached in Appendix 2.
9. Don Earley, Deputy Director, NPFA, will attend the Culture
and Tourism Steering Group meeting to discuss this scheme in
more detail.
Equalities Implications
10.
11.
The Guide to Preparing Open Spaces Strategies and the
NPFA London Fields proposal focus on the maintenance and
protection of cleaner, greener, safer open spaces within
urban areas, increasing wider community access to
recreation, fostering social cohesion and supporting the
development of sustainable communities. This will impact on
the opportunities for recreation and the quality of life of
London’s diverse communities.
Recommendations
12.
It is recommended that members:




Note the report;
Consider how the guidance on open spaces strategies
should be used;
Consider the possibilities for constructive engagement
with the London Assembly Culture, Sport and Tourism
Committee, which has invited suggestions for sharing
information and best practice across London;
Comment on the NPFA proposal for a London Playing
Fields scheme.
Background papers
Report Page 4
The Mayor’s best practice guidance on open spaces strategies is
available at:
http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/strategies/sds/open_space.jsp
Best Practice Guidance PDF
Best Practice Guidance RTF
Information about the National Playing Fields Association is
available on its website at:
http://www.npfa.co.uk/
Appendices
Appendix 1: The National Playing Fields Association proposal
Appendix 2: The Planning Background
Report Page 5
Appendix 1
National Playing Fields Association

The National Playing Fields Association (NPFA) proposal for
a London Playing Fields scheme is that local authorities
would identify a playing field or open space which they wish
to protect for recreational use in the long term.

This protection would be enabled by association with the
NPFA (as a voluntary organisation with responsibilities for
protecting such land in its royal charter).

A deed of dedication would be drawn up requiring that the
land shall only be used as a public playing field and
recreation ground; that it shall not be disposed of without
the prior consent of the NPFA; that no buildings shall be
erected without the prior consent of the NPFA.

The land could be protected under normal local authority
statutory powers in which case the deed shall last for 80
years.

Alternatively, the land could be established on charitable
trusts in which case the protection would be established in
perpetuity.

Registration of the arrangements would be undertaken with
the Land Registry and the Charity Commission (should the
land in question be established on charitable trusts).

Under these arrangements the sites would continue to be
owned by the Boroughs and they would continue to manage them
without interference from the NPFA.
Report Page 6
Appendix 2
Planning background

National planning policy guidance on open space, sport and
recreation is contained in 'Planning Policy Guidance 17:
Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation' (PPG17,
September 2002), which sets out requirements for assessments
and audits for open spaces. Government objectives are:
 Supporting urban renaissance – such as networks of open
spaces.
 Supporting rural renewal.
 Promoting social inclusion and community cohesion -open
spaces as a focal point for community activities.
 The importance of health and well-being in having a
vital role in promoting healthy living.
 Promoting more sustainable development – the need for
easily accessible open space.

To achieve these objectives the Government wants local
authorities to undertake assessments of needs and
opportunities for open space. The GLA has produced guidance
on producing open space assessments. A fundamental idea is
that open space should be protected unless it can be
demonstrated that there is no need for it. This approach is
reflected in the London Plan (February 2004) and borough
Unitary Development Plans/Local Development Frameworks.

There is no prescriptive planning policy against development
on playing fields as such. The strong policy direction
though is to resist such development unless prospective
developers can demonstrate there is a need for it.

Development land in London is at a premium. Boroughs
themselves may want to develop some open space (e.g., using
part of playing fields to fund an indoor sports centre).
These are often controversial but other options to provide
such facilities may be limited.