Sport England, in partnership with the Rugby Football Union, Rugby Football League, England & Wales Cricket Board, the Football Association and England Hockey, have commissioned Knight, Kavanagh & Page (KKP) to produce an updated and improved methodology for developing playing pitch strategies (PPSs).
Claire Fallon, lead consultant on the project commented:

‘It is a privilege to be selected for such a highly regarded piece of work. This is the ultimate opportunity for KKP to apply its expertise, knowledge and innovative outlook to direct new guidance on a national platform.'

Originally published in 2003, the current guidance (‘Towards a Level Playing Field') provides advice on undertaking playing pitch strategies. It is aimed at local authority officers and widely used by leisure and planning consultants.

KKP will build on key issues highlighted in a preliminary critique of the existing guidance to suggest how they should be addressed and in so doing:

• Develop offers of support from the NGB's to those delivering a playing pitch strategy.
• Propose and, having garnered feedback, produce an updated methodology.
• Produce a new guidance document and supporting materials.
• Recommend an approach to promoting the revised methodology and guidance document.
• Advise on how to provide effective training on the updated methodology and new guidance document, along with providing initial training for Sport England staff and NGB officers.

The updated methodology and new guidance document will seek to ensure the production of robust and defendable PPSs which accurately meet the needs of each pitch sport. A key ambition of the work is to make it easier for local authorities to deliver PPS's and keep them up to date in an efficient and effective manner. Recognising that the resource currently required to produce a PPS is often laborious and difficult, we shall produce simplified guidance with a solid NGB offer of support.

KKP is ideally placed to deliver this work having delivered 80+ playing pitch strategies across the UK. It is one of just two companies recognised by Sport England as a Framework Partner for playing pitch strategies.