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PLANNING FOR SPORT AND RECREATION
65 Planning authorities should plan positively for sports and recreation facilities and opportunities. Where, through a local facility strategy or playing field strategy, a need has been identified for new indoor or outdoor facilities within an area, the local development plan should identify sites where they can be appropriately located.
Development Management Considerations
66 Scotland's outdoors presents outstanding opportunities to participate in a range of sport and recreation activities. Resources such as rivers, lochs, hills, crags and paths support activities as diverse as fishing, mountain biking, horse riding, surfing, canoeing, rock climbing and snowboarding. Facilities such as skate parks and dry ski slopes can also be important for sport and recreation. In assessing development proposals which may affect such facilities and resources, sport and recreation interests should be fully considered and planning authorities should consult with sport and recreation interests. Depending on the nature of the proposal this could include sports clubs, community groups, Non Governmental Organisations, governing bodies of sport, the local sports council, land managers and the appropriate local authority service. Where a resource or facility is considered to be of strategic importance for sport it may also be appropriate to consult with sportscotland.
67 It is important to ensure that sport and recreation activities do not adversely affect areas of importance for their built environment or natural heritage, particularly where formal facilities are involved. Impacts on the built and natural environment and on local communities can usually be mitigated through proper siting, design and management. Many outdoor sports and recreation activities depend on the quality of the environment and the planning system has a key role in safeguarding the settings where these activities take place. Planning authorities should assess proposals against development plan policies to ensure that new sports and recreation facilities are guided to appropriate locations.
68 Wherever possible development should be guided to locations which can be accessed by a range of modes of transport and do not increase dependency on private car use, while ensuring appropriate parking provision. For many sport and recreation developments, locations within or close to residential areas will be the most appropriate. However accessibility must be balanced with any likely impacts on amenity including noise, light pollution, volume of traffic and disturbance.
69 Land on the edge of settlements may be a suitable location for certain sport and recreation activities, particularly those which require large areas of land or involve significant noise impacts or safety concerns. In assessing proposals for new development on the edge or out of settlements, developers and planning authorities should ensure that visual amenity and landscape considerations are fully taken into account. Some of these locations may be covered by green belt policy. One of the key objectives of green belts is to protect and give access to open space within and around towns and cities. Once designated, green belts can be managed effectively to enhance quality of life, for example, by providing a range of opportunities for outdoor recreation and tourism, and providing access to the countryside. Green Belts 21: SPP highlights the range of uses that may be appropriate in green belts, including recreational uses that are compatible with an agricultural or natural setting.
Stadia
70 Sports stadia, by nature of their size and the number of spectators attending, raise specific issues for planning. Existing stadia and any need for improvement or new facilities should be taken into account in preparation of the development plan. For stadium proposals, account should be taken of all normal planning considerations, including access to sustainable forms of transport, traffic generation, parking, and possible conflicts with neighbouring uses. Any proposal for mixed use development within a stadium must comply with wider development plan policies.
71 Where a new stadium is proposed, the planning authority should consult widely, including neighbouring local authorities where appropriate. Stadium developments are not considered to be appropriate uses in green belts.
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