In June 2021, the London Borough of Barnet approved the Outline Business Case for the development of an £18.8M strategic sports hub including a wider leisure and community offer at West Hendon Playing Fields.
In June 2021, the London Borough of Barnet approved the Outline Business Case for the development of an £18.8M strategic sports hub including a wider leisure and community offer at West Hendon Playing Fields. The site is strategically important, located next to the Welsh Harp reservoir and on the doorstep of the newly redeveloped West Hendon estate. It has the potential to contribute strongly to the Council’s Barnet Plan, Parks and Open Spaces Strategy and Fit and Active Barnet Framework seeking to improve the health and wellbeing of all residents. The proposed development will breathe new life into the site, providing sports and community facilities that meet identified need alongside opportunities for informal physical activity, improved environmental benefits and engagement with the open space.
The challenge:
West Hendon Playing Fields is an important and well used sporting, recreation and community resource with strong links to adjacent areas of significant ecological interest. However, the current site is unwelcoming and characterised by rundown built infrastructure, poor quality facilities, poor access and circulation routes and an overarching lack of identity. It is made up of a series of unconnected functions, operating in isolation, and with an apparent lack of overall site management. This has resulted in a disparate, disjointed and incoherent offer.
The site is designated as Metropolitan Open Land and sits adjacent to the Welsh Harp reservoir, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is therefore heavily constrained from a planning perspective. Any potential developments for new facilities or improved site connections will need to consider the impact on the ecology and wildlife of the SSSI.
The regeneration of the neighboring West Hendon estate has been a high interest scheme and effective engagement with local residents was required to enable them to play a strong role in helping to determine the future development of the site.
Identified as a strategic location within the Council’s Parks and Open Spaces and Playing Pitch Strategies, the Council sought to create a destination which would meet demand, optimise opportunities and provide a sustainable offer through a suitable mix of income generation alongside free to access activities. There was also a requirement to identify a preferred operating model for the facility which would protect the investment, provide a sustainable revenue position and ensure a co-ordinated and joined-up approach to management of the site.
The solution:
The Council commissioned The Sport, Leisure and Culture Consultancy (SLC) to support development of a masterplan and feasibility study for the site. Following a comprehensive options appraisal, informed by extensive stakeholder and public consultation and supply and demand analysis, an exciting and innovative facility mix was identified, including sports pitches, 3G artificial turf pitches, a high ropes course, adventure golf, wheeled sports facility, improved pedestrian and cycling routes, adventure play area, community garden, outdoor gym and trim trail, indoor climbing, soft play, multi-use activity spaces, community rooms and café.
A draft masterplan of the site together with building layouts of the Community Sports Hub were developed. These were supported by robust costings and business plan projections with a clear set of conclusions, recommendations and next steps for consideration by the Council. The masterplans were approved unanimously by the Council’s Environment Committee in March 2019 and approval was also given for a full public consultation process.
An 8-week public consultation on the draft masterplan was undertaken in Summer 2019 and included further engagement with key stakeholders, environmental statutory bodies, local schools and the wider general public. This was led by SLC and delivered through a combination of meetings, workshops, an online questionnaire, social media engagement and public drop-in sessions held at community venues on the West Hendon estate. The consultation process successfully engaged with over 900 local residents and demonstrated widespread support for the proposed development. It also resulted in some amendments to the layout and location of certain facilities in response to the feedback received.
The impact:
The development is expected to deliver a number of benefits, including:
- Revitalisation of the site, addressing issues which have made the site unwelcoming and underused, and transforming it to one which is an attractive community destination for all.
- Providing a core placemaking element of the wider regeneration of West Hendon which has seen development of 2000 new private and affordable homes. It will provide a valuable asset for use by local communities, generate new employment and volunteering opportunities and act as a much needed community resource to the area following what has been a highly contentious and challenging housing development.
- Meeting the specific needs of local sports clubs for football pitches, especially junior and artificial turf pitches.
- Meeting local demand for free-to-access activities and facilities, including a wheeled sports facility, play areas, pedestrian and cycle routes and community garden.
- Providing improved indoor facilities for existing users, additional indoor activity and community space, supporting the physical and mental health of local residents.
- Providing ecological improvements and capitalising on the site’s unique character and its designation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest – widening awareness through education and improved access and interpretation.
- Significant sustainable and active travel improvements within and around the site.
- Associated improvements from reduced crime and improvements to health, education and wellbeing.
The scheme is projected to deliver a net surplus which can be used to finance borrowing required to deliver the scheme in addition to Community Infrastructure Levy funds.
In developing the business case, the Council has also identified the likely social value that the scheme would generate in terms of annual community savings. Using the Social Value Calculator tool developed by 4global and Sheffield Hallam University and based on a projected annual throughput of 476K visits, the scheme is projected to generate community savings of c. £3.95M per annum.
Contacts:
Cassie Bridger - Assistant Director Greenspaces and Leisure, Barnet Council
Matthew Gunyon - Greenspaces Service Manager, Barnet Council