Major Leisure Uses and Urban Entertainment Facilities

10.39 Leisure activities such as bingo halls, discotheques, dance studios, snooker halls, amusement arcades/centres, sports centres, fitness studios and public houses are important features adding to the variety and culture of the District. Some of these can be very significant in terms of the intensity of their use or the importance of the facility for the viability and vitality of town centres. It is important to ensure that they are properly located and do not give rise to problems associated with noise, traffic generation and disturbance. Many of these facilities should be regarded as key town centre type uses and should therefore be located within or close to a town centre where accessibility is greatest and where they can contribute to the vitality and viability of the centre. The policy framework contained within PPS6 'Planning for Town Centres', indicates that these uses should be subject to the sequential approach outlined in POLICY GS 2 ‘THE LOCATION OF RETAIL AND KEY TOWN CENTRE AND LEISURE USES’ and Policy S 1 ‘Sequential Approach for Retail and other Key Town Centre or Leisure Uses’. PPS6 also sets out that the test of “need” for the development is essential for the consideration of leisure facilities in the same way as it is for retailing. In addition, developments that seek to serve a particular catchment area should be located within a centre that serves that same area. The purpose of the Policy is to ensure that the activities only take place in the most appropriate locations. Therefore:-

Policy CF 10

Major Leisure/Entertainment Uses

Proposals for major leisure/entertainment uses will be supported provided that the following requirements are met:-
  1. where appropriate the need for the development is demonstrated;
  2. the location of the development is appropriate in terms of the sequential approach ( see POLICY GS 2 ‘THE LOCATION OF RETAIL AND KEY TOWN CENTRE AND LEISURE USES’ and Policy S 1 ‘Sequential Approach for Retail and other Key Town Centre or Leisure Uses’);
  3. it is accessible by good quality public transport or other alternative modes such as cycling or walking;
  4. there is no unacceptable loss of amenity, particularly if the proposed use is adjacent to or close to dwellings, schools, churches, hotels or hospitals etc;
  5. the proposals make provision for the control of noise from the premises;
  6. adequate parking and vehicle turning is provided where appropriate;
  7. the detailed requirements of the proposed use, including hours and days of operation reflect the character of the area in which the use is proposed to be located;
  8. the scale of development is appropriate to the role of the centre and the size of the catchment that the development seeks to serve;
  9. it preserves or enhances Conservation Areas and does not adversely affect Listed Buildings or their settings, where these are material considerations;
  10. it does not create any unacceptable environmental, amenity, traffic, safety or other problems and
  11. the development complies with the provisions of all other relevant UDP policies.

Back to Top