The facts
Location: Hartlepool
Client: Hartlepool Borough Council
Start / completion dates: January 2007 - March
2008
Services provided: feasibility, strategy,
facilities, outdoor sports, indoor sports, options review
The project
Capita Symonds has completed a number of projects for Hartlepool
Borough Council, including a feasibility study for a new wet/dry
sports complex aimed at residents and visitors and a study of the
potential for developer contributions to fund sports
facilities.
This understanding of the area led the Council to commission
Capita Symonds to prepare a Borough-wide indoor sports facilities
audit and strategy to incorporate future needs in the public,
education, voluntary and private sectors – this was complemented by
a comprehensive appraisal of open space (PPG17 study).
Extensive consultation provided an appreciation of the main
issues which needed to be addressed in the strategy, including the
potential of fewer centres providing higher quality services.
Following a comprehensive audit of all facilities in the Borough,
Sport England’s Active Places model was used to calculate
anticipated demand for facilities.
High level capital funding and management options for each of
the proposed delivery scenarios were assessed as to the extent to
which each addressed the desired long term outcomes for the
facility development process. All were tested against the Council’s
overall vision for sport, recreation, education and other community
service delivery.
The key deliverable was an evidenced strategy which is being
used to inform the planning of all sports facilities. This
integrated approach will ensure that the maximum community value is
obtained from current BSF and other public investment in
Hartlepool.
The PPG17 study ensures that the parameters to be set out in the
Local Development Framework (which will be used to guide future
development strategy and planning applications) reflect locally
generated requirements for open space.