Regional Facilities Strategy – have your say

Following months of intensive research the North East Regional Facilities Strategy has reached consultation stage and we urge you to take a look and give us your views.

Currently in draft format your input now can help shape the final Strategy. Does it reflect your experience? Have we missed anything?

Consultation ends 31 July 2008. We value your comments and you can send them via email or write to Sport England North East, Northumbria House, Aykley Heads, Durham, DH1 5UU.

If we are to raise participation in sport it is vital that we have high quality facilities for people to enjoy and that we ensure that people’s experience in sport is fantastic so they return time and time again.

The Strategy puts the spotlight firmly sporting facilities in the North East and the part they have to play – highlighting the provision we have in the region, potential for the future and anything that may impact on participation and people experience of using sports facilities.

Regional headlines are:

Swimming pools
The amount of water space per head is below the national average and there are some noticeable pockets of unmet demand. Quarter of all our pools are on school sites and may be vulnerable to loss within the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

Aging stock
The general message from Active Places is that our facilities are older than the national average and they have not been refurbished as recently as many others in the country.

Public/private split
The public sector plays a greater role in facility provision (and the private sector currently plays a much smaller role) compared to the national average.

Maintenance budgets
Local authority budgets are stretched due to the combination of an ageing stock and the more limited private sector role.

Elite level facilities
For some sports there is a lack of facilities where people can take in sport at a higher/elite level.

New investment
There is significant investment in new sports facilities (e.g. BSF) but the investment is not always where it is most needed in terms of type of facility or location.

Community access
Concerted effort is needed to secure community access to facilities on education sites- particularly at peak times.

Synthetic turf pitches (STPs)
There is a shortfall of STPs in some parts of the region – most notably in Northumberland and Durham.


Learn more about the preparation process to date.

View the executive summary.

View the full draft for more details.