We’ve been beavering away over the winter and early part of this year on a large, PPG17 assessment of Parks, Open Spaces, Amenity Spaces, Play Areas, Playing Fields and Sports Facilities for Gravesham Borough Council in northwest Kent. This is one of the largest of this type of assignments we’ve tackled. It’s involved undertaking statistically valid market research through street surveys, postal and e-mail surveys of all sports clubs in the borough and a series of public meetings across the area.
The key findings are the enormously high value that people place on having good access to green spaces, the high aspirations that communities have for their children’s services including play and people’s willingness to travel to enjoy high quality facilities.
Gravesham has enjoyed a high standard of provision in the past through company playing fields and other sports and leisure facilities. With the closure of some businesses and a trend away from provision of the “company club” many of these facilities are now under threat. This will be a key issue for the council and its partners in coming years
