Regional Planning Policies - Sport & Recreation

Policies: REC 1 | REC 2 | REC 3 | REC 4 | REC 5 |

Policy REC 3 Indoor Recreation Facilities

This policy has been superseded by: PPS8-Open Space,Sport and Outdoor Recreation 271KB Facilities for indoor or primarily indoor recreation will not normally be permitted in the open countryside. Sometimes it is proposed to meet the leisure needs of urban populations through the provision of indoor recreational facilities in the neighbouring countryside. Large scale recreational buildings such as multiple use leisure and sports centres are not appropriate in the open countryside. Buildings for such purposes would specifically fail to meet the criteria for development in Green Belts or Countryside Policy Areas and will generally also fail to meet the design standards required in the countryside. Such provision should normally be located in a settlement where it is readily accessible to a large section of the potential catchment population and the building is more readily assimilated into its setting. Often existing or proposed outdoor recreation uses require associated buildings eg pavilions or clubhouses. Such buildings will normally be acceptable provided they are of an appropriate scale and ancillary to the outdoor use. In appropriate circumstances they should be grouped with existing buildings - see also policies PSU 4 and DES 5 and 10.