Sports Club Support

Playing Pitch Strategy and Leisure Strategies

The Playing Pitch Strategy and Leisure Facilities Strategy along with their supporting documents, provide recommendations to help protect and enhance our existing sports and leisure facilities, and opportunities to provide new facilities across the district. The strategies assess the growth set out in our emerging Joint Local Plan and identify what sport and leisure facilities we will need to meet the needs of our growing population. We encourage sports clubs, teams, and facility operators to review the strategies if they are intending to submit a planning or funding application to the council.

The strategies and their supporting documents can be found here:

Playing Pitch Strategy (PPS)

Playing Pitch Strategy

Playing Pitch Strategy Appendices

PPS Supporting Documents

Leisure Facilities Assessment and Strategy (LFAS)

Leisure Facilities Strategy

Leisure Facilities Assessment Report

LFAS Supporting Documents

The Vale of White Horse PPS and LFAS can be found here.

Contact: planning.policy@southandvale.gov.uk

Infrastructure Funding

Infrastructure to support communities

We have different methods to secure funds for new infrastructure including financial contributions from developers via Community Infrastructure Levy and Section 106 agreements. You can find more information on how these funds are used and on how to apply:

S106 funding

CIL funding

Contact: InfrastructureObligations@southandvale.gov.uk

Community Grants

Our Community Grants Team provide grants and funding advice to not-for-profit and community organisations, including town and parish councils across South Oxfordshire

Our Capital Grant Scheme supports community organisations looking for funding towards capital projects that help to build thriving communities and improve the quality of like for residents.

We have supported organisations through the latest round of the Nature and Climate Action Fund and could, in the future, help sports clubs looking to become more environmentally friendly by funding projects such as solar panel installation and energy audits. Organisations can find further information on our Community Grants webpage and can also sign up to receive our Community Grants Newsletter.

Contact: Grants@southandvale.gov.uk 

Active Communities

Our Active Communities Team helps residents come together to participate in sports, health, and recreational activities that enhance both physical and mental wellbeing. View the full Active Communities Strategy here. Explore some of the activities currently available here.

If your club would like support engaging with residents or promoting a new session or activity, please get in touch.

Contact: Active.Communities@southandvale.gov.uk

Planning

If your sports club project involves significant alterations, new buildings, or changes to land use, you are likely to require planning permission and, for construction works, building regulation approval.

Examples of projects that may require planning permission include:

Creating new clubhouses, changing rooms, or pavilions

Extending sport pitches or courts

Installing sports lighting or floodlights

Changing the use of land

Providing parking, access roads, or other infrastructure

Erecting fencing or netting

Development within protected areas, such as Green Belt land

You can find out more about the planning application process on Planning and development – South Oxfordshire District Council.

If you are unsure whether your project requires planning permission, we recommend contacting the Planning Team for advice before commencing any work. Further information can be found on Pre-application planning advice -South Oxfordshire District Council

Contact: planning@southoxon.gov.uk

You can find out more about the building control process on Do I need building control? – South Oxfordshire District Council