From The Archives - Sandgate Study: An Informal District Plan Consultative Draft 1975

I've been passed a photocopy (by local resident Rosemary Sanders) of a 41 year old appraisal of Sandgate's open space and recreation areas.

Although much has moved on, there are a number of points still relevant today. In the spirit of conserving useful historical information about the area, I've retyped and its reproduced below. Opinions expressed are those of the original authors and are of their time...

Sandgate Study: An Informal District Plan Consultative Draft 1975

Social and Community Facilities

The quality of the local environment is in many ways affected by the public provision of certain facilities for the well-being and enjoyment of local residents and those visting the locality. This section of the report considers each of these in turn and, in addition, the provision of garaging for housing - garaging, although normally a matter for the private individual, is often unavailable to older hosuing through the absence of suitable alternatives within the building curtilage, and needs communal provision.

Public Open Space

A range of open space types for different recreational purposes is required to provide both amenity areas for the quiet enjoyment of those seeking relief from the built environment, and specific recreational facilities for those wishing to follow active sports and games. The former can vary in kind from a small feature such as a seat under a tree to a large park with ornamental grounds; and the latter might at one extreme be a children's play space in close proximity to the home and at the other a sports stadium.

Clearly, it would not be practicable to meet completely all open space neeeds within the small area of Sandgate, and a full range of facilities can only be acheived by looking to the surrounding area. Nevertheless, the economic forces of supply and demand tend to ensure that those facilities provided locally are those for which the greatest demand per head of population exists, although the extent to which these particular types of open space occur is affected by local opportunities.

At the present time, formal facilities are restricted to the recreation ground in Military Road - extending to some 4 acres, which comprises tennis courts, bowling green and an area for informal play. The recreation ground is somewhat detached from Sandsgate and also being peripheral to development in the Enbrook Valley, it tends to be underused.

There are, in addition, small grassed areas recently created at the junction of Sandgate High Street with Military Road and Wilberforce Road (West) to improve visibility, but, their location close to the busy trunk road is not conducive to imformal open space use.

Sandgate has the considerable advantage of access to the Coast and open hill slopes which, together with proximity to The Leas and Radnor Cliff and the open area on the landward side of the coast road, west of Seabrook, does much to offset local deficiencies. Whilst the hill slopes are not formally available for free public access, other than those areas of woodland, in the ownership of the District Council to the west of Encombe, the many footpaths traversing them provide ample opportunity for enjoying their recreational potential. Many properties away from the centre of Sandgate are in sizeable grounds, which selves also to reduce effective demand while a comparatively elderly population structure decreases demand for active sports facilities.

In relative terms, the greatest need for additional provision occurs in the vicinity of the shopping centre which, if met, would provide especially for the many small residential properties in and around the centre having restricted gardens.

There are no suitable opportunities in the High Street for meeting this need, but in view of the coast being close at hand and the special amenities which it affords, it would be desirable to make provision that allows for a coastal aspect. In any case, this stretch of coast is devoid of any green areas and relief would be provided from the concrete Esplanade and beach.

As it happens, there are no readily available sites along this stretch of coastline and provision could only be made either by utilising, in agreement with the respective owners, the southern portions of the grounds of properties overlooking the coast, having access from Castle Road/Lower Sandgate Road, or by the use of Castle Road car park.

Suggestions are made elsewhere in the Study concerning the future of the site of the James Morris dwellings immediately to the east of the Royal Norfolk Hotel which, if acted upon, would reduce substantially the present off-street parking facilities here. Suggestions are also made for alternative parking arrangements in the vicinity of the High Street, but, unless these can be effected, there are likely to be over-riding traffic objections to any proposal to use the Castle Road car park for open space. Nevertheless, it is recommended that the whole of this area, including the Castle, needs comprehensive improvement which, through a more judicious layout, would be likely to provide the opportunity of meeting all needs in this locality.

The grounds of the former Star and Garter Home are an exceptional amenity with considerable potential for recreational use, although at present they are not available to the public at large. The District Council has expressed. an interest in taking parts for as public open space, which would be of value to the Town as a whole and would reduce the need for public open space provision elsewhere in the High Street area. Should this be possible, it may be that it would be desirable to release part of the recreation ground in Military Road for housing purposes, transferring its facilities to the training centre grounds.