With well over 300 sports sites and facilities across Craven there is a need to ensure the they are well managed, maintained, refurbished and serve the needs of the community. Since 2000 the District Council has invested nearly £3m out of a total of over £13m investment into new or improved sports facilities.
However, there is more work to be dona as are 41 proposed new or improved sports facility projects in Craven. This list forms and integral part of the Active Craven "Investment Portfolio" so that you can be supported in your development needs and make the case for additional funding. See the latest addition of capital projects in the Craven Sports Diploma Development in right hand attachments
This page gives you details on the support from the Sports Development Officer with this valuable work.
Craven has seen significant investment into new and improved sports facilities over the past 8 years. This investment has come from a number of sources of funding. For more details on funding please see the Sports Grants and Development Funding page or the Community Development funding page.
To refurbish or renew a sports facility there are a number of key stages to go through. It is not a matter of seeing what you can fit onto the site and raise the funds. There is much more planning and decision making that needs to take place. The following information gives you more information on this often tricky road. If you need help with navigating your way please contact the Sports Development Officer.
The Sports Development Officer supports many sports clubs and organisations with their facility development plans. The key publications that set out the process that the Officer would go through is : Better Places for Sport a guilde to achieving design quality
In addition to this there is a Running Sport resource which is aimed at supporting the development of sport. This resource is a booklet and a training course called - Sports facility development; planning a building project- outlines the key factors to consider when planning to develop your organisation's sporting facilities. It will help you to review the needs of your organisation and other potential users to gain a broad overview of your proposed project and to make sure the major decisions are right for your organisation.
The booklet is available through Coachwise 0113 201 5555 at £9.00 or you can attend the training workshop that is put on by the Council for Craven groups.
Sport England is the lead strategic agency for the development of sport in England. They have very useful publications and guidance notes in the following areas.
Funding Information this page includes some very good templates for you to use in planning your project i.e. Sports Development Plan, Child Protection Policy and Finance Planning.
Design and Technical guidance for all types of facilities from Club house to a Multi Use Games Area
Planning information - Almost all new or refurbished facilities will need to ensure that they consider planning permission. This will either be through Craven District Council Planning Services, or if your project is inside the Yorkshire Dales National Park via their planning services.
In 2004 Craven District Council undertook a large research project to determine the current quantity and quality of various types of facilities in the District. This review focused on three key areas and the Executive Summary can be found in the related documents. This work will be reviewd in 2007/08 and form an integral part of the Council's Local Development Framework so that resources can be drawn down by the planning obligation process.
The two key areas in relation to Sports facilities are the
- Pitch and Non Pitch Strategy and Action Plan
- Built Facility Strategy and Action Plan.
Both these publications are in related documents.
Each Governing bodies of sport has a facility strategy and whole sport plan that guided their investment. If you are developing a single sport project and wish to secure NGB funding you will need to link to your National Governing Body plans. They also have some funds to invest in grass roots facilities. The Sports Development Officer has several of the NGB facility plans and can help you with your sport.
Good luck.
The Sports Development Service has gained Quest accreditation (UK Quality Scheme for Sport and Leisure) with a score of 85% leading to an "Excellent" rating. This represents one of the highest scores in the UK.
