Help shape a fitting plan for sports and leisure

The super fit, the gentle joggers and those whose gym days ended at school are all being asked to help plan sports and facilities across Plymouth, South Hams and West Devon.

Plymouth City Council, South Hams District and West Devon Borough Councils are teaming up to work on a new sports and leisure facilities plan and want to hear from people from all walks of life about what they need to keep them active.

The plan will look at everything from swimming pools and sports halls to skate parks and slip-ways.

The three councils want to know what sports sites sports fans are using, what’s good, what’s not and how facilities can be improved. And they also want to hear from people who don’t currently enjoy any sport to see if changes to facilities would encourage them to get fitter.

Councillor Patrick Nicholson, Deputy Leader of Plymouth City Council and Cabinet Member for Strategic Housing, Transport and Planning said: “Good sports and leisure facilities are important. They are places which help keep people fit, healthy and go a long way to creating a good community feel.

“We will be talking to all the clubs and sports centres within our boundaries, from the more traditional teams such as football and rugby to sailing clubs and skaters, but it’s also important to hear from people who don’t use any facilities to find out what it would take to get them more active.”

The sports and leisure facilities plan will set the priorities for supporting healthy lifestyles across the three council areas.

The aim is to provide high quality sporting facilities that meet the needs of people with all levels of sporting ability and interest. It will cover all indoor sports and leisure facilities including leisure centres, swimming pools, sports halls as well as skate parks, outdoor pools and waterfront activities such as sailing.

The plans will provide key evidence for the councils’ emerging Joint Local Plan, which will set out where homes, employment space and infrastructure should be located across Plymouth, South Hams and West Devon. Part of this work is to make sure there are good facilities for people who live, work and play in this area.

To take part in the survey (shouldn’t take any more than 10 minutes) visit www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/PlymouthSouthHamsandWestDevonLeisureSurveyor email plymsportandleisurefacilities@plymouth.gov.uk to give your views.

The survey will be open from 22 July until 2 September.

If you have not yet had a look at sites being put forward for homes, employment and other uses – including green space – visit the Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan website at www.plymouth.gov.uk/jointlocalplan. The consultation runs until 12 August.