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Planning contributions : what are they?

Scope, Powers and Government Advice

Planning obligations are agreements between local authorities and developers to provide sport and recreation facilities in association with new development. New provisions, or improvements to existing facilities, may either be on the development site itself or at a nearby location.
Further details of the scope and justification for contributions are given in selected extracts from the following guidance;

Planning Obligations (Circular 05/05)
This clarifies what is an acceptable planning obligation in planning policy terms, and gives details on the process of securing obligations, including issues such as the use of formulae and standard charges.
Click here for further details and a link to the circular

DCLG - Planning Obligations: Practice Guidance
This guide, accompanying Circular 05/05, was published in July 2006.
Click here to see guide

PPG 17: Open Space, Sport and Recreation
This advises on the situations in which planning contributions can be sought, including additional demands resulting from new development, remedying local deficiencies and substituting for sites lost.
Click here for further details

Assessing Needs and Opportunities (PPG17 Companion Guide, ODPM)
This gives advice and guidance and examples of how local authorities can use the planning system to help deliver high quality open spaces and sport and recreation provision.
Click here for further details

Planning and Compensation Act 2004
The new system is being phased in over a three year period, and transitional arrangements have been agreed with local authorities. The following key changes are now in place;

Regional spatial strategies have replaced structure plans, and will form part of the statutory development plan for an area;
Local development frameworks have replaced local and unitary plans; and

Supplementary planning documents have replaced supplementary planning guidance, the policy vehicle currently used to detail levels of local contributions for sport and recreation.

Community Infrastructure Levy - Progress on the new system
The Government is proposing to introduce a Community Infrastructure Levy through provisions in the Planning Bill, currently in Parliament. The provisions will empower local planning authorities, and other ‘charging authorities’ to apply planning charges to new development. These are expected to cover sport and recreation infrastructure in association with new development.

Click here for a summary of the proposals and their progress towards approval

Sport England’s objectives for planning contributions

Sport England Strategy 2008-2011

Sport England’s aim is to build the foundations of sporting success through the creation of a world class community sport system in England, through the three Outcomes of Excel, Sustain and Grow. To achieve this it is essential that inward investment is secured through the Planning System to meet the known and future needs of sport.

Within Sport England's Delivery Plan, planning contributions are identified as a strategic priority, as a means of maximising investment into sport. The kitbag is one of the principle tools which Sport England will use to encourage and assist the planning system deliver greater investment into sport, through new development.

Click here to view Sport England's Strategy

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