According to Public Health England, physical inactivity costs the UK economy approximately £7.4 billion annually. This figure includes direct costs to the National Health Service (NHS) of around £1 billion per annum, as well as indirect costs such as lost productivity due to sickness, poor mental health and potentially premature mortality.
To help tackle these levels of inactivity, safe, free to use, informal sport and activity zones are becoming increasingly more important and recognised as essential components in promoting physical activity.
The design of ‘informal’ Sport & Play Activity areas
Informal Sport & Play Activity areas can be designed in a number of innovative ways to attract both adults and children to use the facility and it is essential that the needs and trends of the user groups are considered during the initial design and development phase. The kind of things to consider are:
- Whether the areas is a refurbishment or upgrade of an existing facility or a specific new build – it needs to be developed with the local environment and community in mind.
- The space may be a traditional rectangular fenced ball games area designed for ‘Multi Sports’ for example including football and basketball, but to maximise the use of the area, it could include additional features on the periphery. The following are types of additional facilities to enhance the area; outdoor gym equipment, inclusive target games, mini athletics markings, Parkour, personal training zones and table tennis tables.
- Consideration is required to ensure safe and accessible pathways and routes not just as access into the facility but also leading up to it. Amenity lighting in areas where there are no other light sources are essential to make the experience is a safe and inclusive one.
- There is not a ‘one size fits all’ solution to informal sport and play areas, what is key is that the design is suitable and engaging for the users and that it offers something to attract as many users as possible.
- Whether the area is developed for informal sport, activity or is a play area, to truly look to build outdoor recreational spaces aimed at tackling inactivity and inequality, it is important that we create safe, innovative and inspiring spaces for the very people we are trying to get to be more active.
- Designers, specifiers, funders and commissioning bodies need to think outside the box and a lot more thought and investment must be put into free, informal, family-inclusive sport and play areas that are a lot more inviting and accessible to what is currently on offer.
Case Studies
Through the work of SAPCA members both in the traditional sports facility market but also for this extremely important non-traditional informal sport and play area, we have excellent case studies and examples of how to deliver these facilities in a number of different types of location, including urban, through to new housing developments and also in a more rural setting.
Below we have included some excellent examples (including SAPCA Award winning projects) of how these informal sport and activity zones, Playzones and play areas can help promote many positive outcomes and not only inspire more people to move, but also have a positive effect on physical, social and mental wellbeing at the heart of the community.