12.1 Portland has so many natural assets that leisure and recreation activity should be a central feature in the lives of most local families. The 2012 Olympics and the development of Osprey Quay has enabled us to take advantage of the sea around us; the countryside is well used for walking and running; and the quarries provide opportunity for more adventurous pursuits. Where we are lacking is in providing for recreation activity close to home and for organised sport. Too many of the community halls and public venues are not of a good enough standard or with an appropriate range of facilities.
12.2 An assessment based on the Borough’s standards shows that Underhill, in particular, is under-provided with usable open space. The loss of Officers Field to development in 2009 deprived the area of an important flat sports and recreation area.
12.3 The local parks we have are generally regarded as being tired and under-provided for recreation activities. The lack of sufficient stimulating facilities and spaces for children and young people is widely recognised. This sense of deprivation is made worse by the fact that the new facilities at Osprey Quay do not serve the demands of local people, largely because of cost, to the extent they should. The community wants to see a similar range of leisure and recreation opportunities in both Underhill and Tophill.
12.4 It is certain that the public sector will be unable to provide everything we want. The Osprey Leisure Centre must serve as an inspiration. The community, in the form of a charitable trust, took over its running in 2001 and has done so successfully ever since. Without regular core funding from the public sector, it has continued to provide swimming and a range of indoor activities for local people at a price they can afford. It is a fantastic asset and a symbol of what an enterprising community can achieve.
12.5 There are several identifiable opportunities on the Island to provide further and better recreation spaces. Amongst them are several former community buildings and sites that have been or are likely to be declared redundant by public bodies. In response to the 1st Consultation Version of the Neighbourhood Plan several recreation ideas and locations were suggested by the community. The Local Plan has policies to facilitate the provision of new recreation facilities and to protect existing ones. The Neighbourhood Plan’s policies are aimed at ensuring the true value of such spaces to Portland is understood.
12.6 It must be realised too that there is a wider agenda to address i.e. the leisure and recreation potential of Portland that could attract and serve visitors. This demands quality as well as quantity. The Olympics, and the first-class leisure facilities it has endowed the Island, have set a standard for future provision. Future leisure and recreation provision on Portland should be all about the pursuit of excellence and equality of access, in the interests of enjoying a healthy lifestyle and having fun.
| Community Recreation | |
|---|---|
| Aim | Realise the leisure and recreation potential of the Island |
| Objectives |
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Policy No. Port/CR1 Protecting Recreation Spaces
The following sports and recreational buildings and land (identified on Map 13) are very important to the local community because of their sports and recreational value. They should be afforded protection in accordance with Local Plan Policy COM5.
12.7 Portland does not have a surfeit of recreation facilities. What we have are important to us. The community has already demonstrated this by showing willing to take on the ownership, management and the development of the Osprey Leisure Centre via a Trust and the football pitches at the Grove by Portland United Youth Football Club.
12.8 The condition and facilities offered by the recreation spaces is very important. The Borough Council has indicated that it is finding it more difficult to fund the operation and maintenance of council-owned sports facilities to the required standard. This puts some of our most important recreation spaces at risk.
12.9 The Community Consultation in 2013 highlighted the need for improved facilities and more sporting opportunities for young people. More recent consultation has made us very aware of the value of good local, accessible community facilities to those with disabilities, to people caring for young children, and to the many people who do not have use of their own transport.
12.10 The NPPF (para. 97) makes plain that “existing open space, sports and recreational buildings and land, including playing fields, should not be built on”. The Local Plan protects open spaces of public value and recreational facilities (including school playing fields) under its Policy COM.5. The local planning authority has recently prepared a hierarchy of open spaces across the district.
12.11 Since the Millennium, Portland has lost three all-weather sports pitches, several tennis courts, and most of a major sports and recreation field. The loss of Officers Field (for housing, initially provided for Olympic 2012 participants) caused a lot of displeasure locally. It was an open area for use by the Royal Navy and by locals for recreation. It was a significant asset for Underhill, not only for its community recreation use, but as an open space giving views out over Chesil Beach. It has not been replaced by bigger or better outdoor recreation space.
12.12 For this reason the community has made plain that it wishes to put protection in place for all the remaining recreation spaces it currently has. Our recreation assets are listed in policy Port/CR1. They include school playing fields, public and private sports grounds and indoor sports and leisure facilities. Our intention is that they should be protected under Policy Com.5 of the Local Plan, which states that development on such spaces and facilities will not be permitted unless they are no longer required by the community or replaced by alternative and better sports and recreation facilities.
12.13 We are proud of the Osprey Leisure Centre and the Sailing Academy and what the Osprey Leisure Centre has become under community management. We will generally support the provision of new sport and recreation facilities of that quality. We will continue to seek ways to improve the condition of the existing facilities, many of which are not in a good condition, but are certainly still worthy of protection.
Policy No. Port/CR2 Local Green Space
The areas listed below and identified on Map 14 are designated as Local Green Spaces and will be protected from development due to their particular local significance and community value:
Proposals for development on this land that is not ancillary to the use of the land for amenity or recreational purposes will be resisted.
Development proposals which lead to the loss of, damage to or adverse impact on these local green spaces will not be supported.
12.14 The NPPF (para. 99) gives us the right to designate local amenity areas that are highly regarded by the local community as ‘local green spaces’ and give them protection via policies in the Neighbourhood Plan. Portland has recently been subject to a Green Space Review carried out by the local planning authority in association with the Town Council. The typology of sites was used to help identify those sites that may meet the ‘local green space’ criteria of the NPPF (para. 100). Their eligibility was further assessed on a site by site basis48 by the Neighbourhood Plan Group.
12.15 The 2017 Conservation Area Appraisals49 for Portland recognises the need to “improve or maintain amenity provided by public gardens, public spaces and trees”. The following locations (see Map 14) meet the required NPPF criteria (para. 100) and are designated as ‘Local Green Space’ in recognition of their significance to the community and their importance to the amenity and vitality of their neighbourhood. Policy Port/CR2 protects them for the enjoyment and appreciation by local people and visitors:
Chiswell Walled Garden is a community garden, located in Chiswell village close to Chesil Cove. The Garden was created between 2004-07 by the Chiswell Community Trust, with funding provided by various schemes, including the Countryside Agency's Doorstep Greens initiative. The garden is maintained by volunteers of the Trust and is open to the public.
Church Lane is a corner site that is dominated by a modern well-equipped children’s play area surrounded by shrub beds.
Easton Gardens, located in the centre of Easton, is over a hundred years old. Surrounded by mature trees, it includes a garden beds and benches, a small play area and public toilet facilities. It also provides safe pedestrian routes across the centre of the village. According to the Borough Council website, “Easton Gardens have been recognised as one of the best green spaces in the country by being awarded Green Flag status based on how safe, clean, accessible, well managed and welcoming they are”.
Grove Governor's Community Garden is a community garden, located in the Grove village, opposite the main entrance of the Young Offenders Institution. It dates from the 1850s, as private grounds attached to the Prison Governor's house. The Garden was abandoned after the Second World War. In 2002, as part of English Heritage's scheme to create a series of Contemporary Heritage Gardens, a competition was held to design the quarter of an acre garden - it was won by Christopher Bradley-Hole, a designer renowned for his minimalist approach. The Garden was opened to the public in 2011. As part of the 2011 Weymouth Civic Society Annual Awards, the restoration of the gardens received a special commendation. The Society commented that the gardens presented an "attractive and peaceful amenity", as well as being of "botanical value", serving as a "recreational and educational venue for schools and other groups". In the 2014 Appraisal of the Conservation Areas of Portland, the gardens were described as offering "welcome respite, with its attractive landscaped flower beds, lawns and mature trees".
Gooseberry Field is a historic site that was the location of an annual fayre for many years. It continues to provide for the recreation activities of the residents of Weston.
Ladymead Gardens is a landscaped area with mature trees and featured garden beds, on the site of the former Easton Railway Station that provides a safe pedestrian route across Easton with links to the GP surgery and supermarket.
Liberty Square is a newly created garden to serve improve the leisure spaces of Castletletown and specifically serve residents of new apartments, most without gardens, in the vicinity.
Reap Lane is a grassed area that provides informal recreation opportunities for the local community. At the corner of the site, separately fenced, is a well-equipped children’s play area.
Southwell Green, including Sweet Hill play-area, provides for a range of informal recreation activities for residents and is regarded as a ‘village green’ in an area with limited open space.
Victoria Gardens is a public garden, located within Fortuneswell village area. The Gardens have remained a focal point since its establishment at the beginning of the 20th century. It comprises large feature grassed and formal bedding areas, as well as a large rockery running across the centre of the gardens, which is planted with a mixture of shrubs, perennials and bedding plants. A children's play area is located on the upper tier of the gardens, and two tennis courts are open all year to the public. A bowling green is also located in the centre of the park. The Gardens include a plaque commemorating the Island's role in the D-Day landings. The Gardens are maintained by the Friends of Victoria Gardens which was established in May 2008.
Victoria Square has, at its Entrance, a flat grass area that was designated as a community facility and put under the stewardship of the Land Trust, when the Officer’s Field development took away the Naval Playing Fields. It is also part of flood alleviation network and setting of the two pillars public art installation. It is regularly used for sports and other leisure activity groups and is the location of the Annual Fair.
Westcliff Play Area is an area of grass that provides the only opportunity for informal recreation activities in a residential area. It includes a modern and well-equipped, fenced play area.
Weston Green is located at the centre of the village of Weston, has provided valuable informal recreation space for the local community for many years. It is designated as a village green in the Conservation Area assessment.
West Weares is a tranquil piece of elevated open space at the foot of West Cliff with views across Chesil Beach. It has recently been enhanced with the benefit of Coastal Revival Funding.
12.16 The value of these spaces is echoed in the findings of the last Portland Recreation Facilities Assessment carried out by the Borough Council in 2007. At that time, much of Portland was considered to have catchment gaps for parks and gardens, semi-natural greenspaces and allotments and community gardens. We cannot afford to lose what we have. This policy, together with policies Port/CR3 and Port/CR4, is designed to help keep Portland green.
Nb. Larger-scale location plans for each site can be found in the Map Appendix
Policy No. Port/CR3 Allotments
Proposals that result in harm to or loss of existing allotments on Portland will not be supported unless:
Proposals for new allotments and the extension of existing sites, where appropriate will be supported.
12.17 Portland has several areas of allotments that are popular with local people. Most of them are privately-owned. Many of them have been long-established. The allotments on Clovens Road, for instance, are an important remnant of the ancient field system (allotments, fields, paddocks). The four areas of allotments south of Grove Road are owned and managed by Portland Town Council we are informed that there is a significant waiting list. The loss of private allotments to a housing development at Reforne was opposed in 2014 by many local people.
12.18 The NPPF (para. 92) encourages us to “plan positively for the provision and use of shared space, community facilities and other local services to enhance the sustainability of communities”. Community horticulture facilities such as allotments encourage healthier lifestyle and healthy leisure pursuits. Opportunities to provide more allotments, community orchards and community composting sites and encourage more local food growing should be realised. If the trend of providing smaller garden on new developments continues, this exacerbates the need for an increased supply of allotment or community gardening space.
Policy No. Port/CR5 New Community Facilities
Proposals that provide additional community, social or recreation facilities for the direct benefit of young people are supported where it is demonstrated, through direct engagement with recognised local youth organisations, that there is a local need and young people have been consulted and involved in developing the proposal.
12.21 The NPPF (para. 92) says we should “plan positively for the provision and use of shared space, community facilities and other local services to enhance the sustainability of communities”. Much of the focus of discussion when preparing the Underhill Action Plan50 was around the need and value of community and recreation spaces. Underhill is recognised as the most deprived area of Portland and it was concluded that “improving the leisure and recreation offer for young people and families” would contribute significantly to improving their quality of life.
12.22 Local Plan Policy COM4 is supportive of the provision of new or improved recreational facilities. To ensure that our young people get the maximum benefit from new facilities they should be engaged in their planning. They should be encouraged to feel a sense of ownership of the facilities. Currently (2017) there are discussions about a ‘Co-located Service’ provision centre and Community Office, with youth drop-In provision. We hope that young people can be actively involved in the management of the facility when it is developed.
12.23 Policy Port/CR5 requires thorough consultation and involvement of young people on Portland in facilities that are being developed for their use and benefit. This should be done by engaging with local groups that work with and support young people.
Policy No. Port/CR6 Community and Visitor Events
The temporary use of buildings and open spaces for organised-events will be supported provided that the proposed temporary use:
12.24 Portland welcomes tourists and visitors and wants to be an important part of the growth strategy for Dorset. The draft Portland Tourism and Visitor Management Strategy51, which was developed in 2013 by the Portland Community Partnership, is indicative of the approach the community wishes to take to develop the ‘brand’, to improve the quality of service on offer and apply a sustainable tourism ethos to developments.
12.25 There are some major tourism projects at various stages of planning (as is described in the next section of this Plan). It is hoped that some of them will be realised as long as they help realise our vision for Portland and conform to the planning policies in the Neighbourhood Plan and Local Plan.
12.26 There is considerable scope to make good use of existing buildings and open spaces. One of the key actions in the draft Portland Tourism and Visitor Management Strategy is to develop and maintain the annual events programme and establish an Outdoor Festival that aims to attract new visitors to the Island, generates new publicity and stakeholder engagement. Policy Port/CR6 supports the temporary use of existing spaces on the Island for organised events that will attract visitors as well as local people as spectators and/or participants. It also recognises that there could be significant economic value in taking advantage of the ‘tourist season’. Making best use of what we have, but on a temporary basis, of up to six months, that cause little in the way of long-term harm to the environment or nuisance to nearby uses, is consistent with a sustainable approach. It will also help develop a distinct identity for Portland, which was one of the key messages from the Community Consultation 2013.
48 See Local Green Space Assessment Report 2017 https://www.portlandplan.org.uk/document-library/
49Appraisal of the Conservation Areas of Portland, as amended 2017, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, Mar 2017 https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/planning-buildings-land/planning/planning-constraints/conservation-areas/weymouth-and-portland/pdfs/appraisal-of-the-conservation-areas-grove-easton-reforne-straits-wakeham-underhill-and-weston-of-portland.pdf
50 ‘Working with You’ - Underhill Action Plan 2014-15
51 Portland Tourism and Visitor Management Strategy (draft), Portland Community Partnership, 2013
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