Playing pitch and outdoor sports strategies

Playing pitch needs assessments and strategies (PPS)

The UK’s leading ‘go to’ company in this field, KKP has been delivering PPS assignments since 2002. Our  premier reputation in this field is based upon the fact that our needs assessments and strategies are acknowledged to be of the highest standard and founded upon the most detailed evidence base in the sector.

We authored Sport England’s 2013 Guidance, were approved suppliers on its original Strategic Planning Framework for Sport and are on its current Active Environment Framework Lot B for needs assessments.

Because of scale and capacity, KKP is also the favoured consultancy where councils deliver collaboratively. Since 2013, we have delivered 200+ PPS assignments commissioned by 120+ local authorities. Clients range from core cities, London boroughs and major county authorities to individual and combinations of smaller districts.

The methodology we employ is fully integrated into our bespoke databases to add value and enhance the level and quality of analysis conducted. PPS work is backed up by experienced best in class in-house field research and GIS teams.

Client local authorities include:

Needs assessments: outdoor sports

These can be commissioned on a stand-alone basis but are normally (for logistical reasons and to secure economies of scale) linked to PPS or indoor sports facility needs assessments/ strategies. Sports covered traditionally included tennis, netball, bowls, rounders and athletics but now regularly encompass action sports venues (skateboard/BMX freestyle parks), cycling facilities and water/coastal sports venues. We also deliver specialist single site needs assessments (often for developers) related to sites which accommodate sports as varied as bowls, cricket, golf and speedway.

FA hubs

KKP delivered the original pilot feasibility and implementation support for the FA’s first Parklife football hub in Sheffield and has been closely involved in supporting and evaluating related hub and sports village developments since – including those in Sunderland, Liverpool and Leeds.

We also developed FA technical guidance on the master-planning and design of school sports facilities and delivered the 318 FA National Facilities Strategy local football facility plans – one for each local authority in England. https://footballfoundation.org.uk/local-plans

Golf needs assessments

A specialist niche area, KKP has, over recent years, undertaken numerous assignments evaluating need and demand in relation to proposed developments on whole golf course sites and/or involving reductions in the number of holes and course reconfiguration.

Key to this work is application of a rigorous methodology which means that, irrespective of the agency that commissions the work, KKP’s findings can be relied upon by all parties including, crucially, Sport England and England Golf.

Clients include: