Agenda item

Resolved

            That Cabinet

i)       adopts the Ealing Indoor and Outdoor Sports Facility Strategy 2022 – 2031 (the Strategy) (Appendix A of the report) and

a) Authorises the Director of Community Development following consultation with the Portfolio Holder(s) to make any necessary minor amendments to the Strategy before publishing the final document.

b) Directs the Director of Community Development following consultation with the Portfolio Holder(s) to develop a work plan that supports the implementation of the associated action plan, included at the end of the Strategy.

ii)      notes and agrees that the Playing Pitch Strategy 2017-2031 will now be superseded by this Strategy.

iii)    authorises the Director of Community Development following consultation with the Portfolio Holder(s) to:

a) Seek and accept grants associated with the delivery of projects in the Action Plan including (but not limited to) those from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) to improve park tennis courts including entering into any associated grant agreements.

b) Take to the market, the opportunity of providing Padel Tennis facilities in some of Ealing’s parks as set out in paragraph 2.9 of the report.

 c) Engage with local residents and users on a review of golf course facilities in the borough that by design will support the aims of the climate emergency and ecological strategy.

iv)        notes that suitable budget provision will be needed in order to deliver this Strategy, and therefore:

a) Directs the Director of Community Development following consultation with the Portfolio Holder(s) and the Chief Finance Officer to identify suitable financial provision to undertake a robust feasibility on the future redevelopment of Dormers Wells Leisure Centre and to explore options for the provision of outdoor swimming in the borough.

b) Directs the Chief Finance Officer following consultation with the Portfolio Holder(s) to identify funding sources and opportunities that will contribute £1.0M in match funding over the lifetime of this Strategy to be brought back to Cabinet for approval.

v)             notes the ongoing work with community, sports and nature groups to develop the plan to develop a strategy for the redevelopment of Warren Farm Sports Ground to be brought to Cabinet for future decision.

Reason for Decision and OptionsConsidered

The reason for the decision was to build on the success of the previous Strategy and ensure that the Council and external partners, adopted a new 10 year indoor and outdoor sports facility strategy for Ealing. Without an adopted strategy, the Council and external partners would lose the ability to apply to the majority of organisations for any future facility development project funding and it may well have jeopardised existing funding awards.

The Strategy covered sports facility provision across the whole borough and would provide a ten-year plan to meet both the Council and local people’s needs in relation to Ealing’s sports facilities both now and in the future and would have a positive impact on people’s participation in sport and physical activity.

The Strategy formed a key evidence base endorsed by Sport England and recommended levels of future sports facility provision underpinning the Council’s future Local Plan and other associated documents.

Investment in a network of indoor and outdoor sports facilities would ensure that Ealing residents would have the facilities available to them to be more active, as well as benefit from associated education programmes, leisure/recreation and contributors to the public health agenda.

The Strategy would assist with the development of an accurate and robust evidence base to provide the leisure and sport content for the Local Plan refresh and to help inform Planning policy decisions regarding the protection, enhancement and provision of existing and future indoor and outdoor sports facilities providing an understanding of the best location(s) for any new facilities.

The Strategy and associated action plan would be used to provide an evidence base to help calculate and secure developer contributions as part of the planning process where sport and leisure was a consultee on all future housing developments to ensure the impact on the sport and leisure infrastructure is considered and to provide funding to enable the development of sports facilities to benefit residents.

The Strategy and action plan would provide an agreed list of priority projects which would help to meet any existing deficiencies, meet future demand and feed into wider infrastructure planning as well as helping to secure internal capital and revenue investment.

The Strategy work had already identified Padel Tennis, as a new sport which was growing fast across the country that provides an exciting addition to the traditional game of tennis, enjoyed by both existing players and complete beginners. As a result of this identified demand for a new version of the sport, the council has received a significant number of enquiries from Padel Tennis operators to design, build and operate new facilities in Ealing. It was anticipated that there would be little or no requirement for any capital contribution for the Council and will yield a moderate revenue income. To capitalise on this wave of interest and the potential benefits to residents that might be available from commercial operators in this market, the Leisure team was keen to explore what opportunities there might be to partner with a Padel Tennis operator to develop new sports facilities in Ealing for local residents to enjoy and be active.