The phenomenon of clubs becoming more strapped for cash is an ever present one. Funding for sports clubs and grounds is limited and these resources run out fairly rapidly. Once these funds have run out, a sports club is on its own and must raise the money on its own terms. Do they raise the fees and risk alienating a greater slice of the very people who would gain the most from having a low cost amenity nearby? Or are there other paths to take?

The majority of spots clubs are unincorporated associations. This means they are not tied in with any local authority in terms of running costs being subsidised, and are managed and controlled by a committee. Doubtless the reader will know an example where a recreation ground has not had the level of investment needed and is in a sorry state. Financial challenges mean it can be difficult even to maintain them let alone provide modern facilities. This can lead to spiralling use as they are no longer appealing. If a club or sporting organisation finds it increasingly challenging to provide high quality facilities for the local and wider users, then how are they to meet these challenges and make themselves an attractive pastime once more?

The wholesale selling for development of sports grounds and pitches has understandably proven to be a very unpopular practice. The government passed into Law a robust and comprehensive protection of sports grounds in the form of PPG 17: Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation. This effectively restricts most kinds of development and retains the use-class of the land as open recreation land that provides valuable green space and a valuable community resource.

A cash injection is sometimes all a club needs to revive its dilapidated assets, thereby enhancing its use and increasing its commercial viability. By providing, for example, new changing facilities or a pavilion, an association can increase the number of people who use it which, in turn, may lead to a rise in income.

One thing which could provide a cash injection if the circumstances are right, is the reconfiguring of open land to accommodate a limited amount of development. As mentioned, development on open recreation land is ostensibly prevented. However, if the net effect of this limited development results in a much higher quality provision of facilities, a local authority may grant planning permission as long as the balance of the land surrendered is outweighed by the high quality facilities that will be won.

The circumstances have to be in favour, for example if the land is of an irregular shape, and there is space to move or re-orientate pitches, then the irregular remainder could be used for development. Indigo are currently working on schemes which makes more efficient use of land in this way, to the benefit of the club and the wider community.

Seasonal kinds of sports can also be used to an association’s advantage. For example, a cricket pitch is predominantly used in the summer where a football pitch begins its heavy use at the end of the summer. The 22 yard strip of the cricket pitch can be protected during the football season and opened up again in time for the summer. This kind of use intensification will have minimal impact in terms of how people want to use the grounds, when compared with the gains that they can achieve by having new changing rooms, pavilions or floodlights. If a local authority sees it this way, then local people have much to gain.

Tom Darwell-Smith

Planner Indigo