Principal Consultant, Jonathan Woods suggests why we should do more when it comes to the assessment of cultural facilities, taking a lesson from its neighbours in sport and leisure.

Planning Policy Guidance

Planning Policy Guidance 17 (PPG17) identifies that "Local authorities should undertake robust assessments of the existing and future needs of their communities for open space, sports and recreational facilities". In so doing, many have profited from improved data and knowledge about local facilities leaving them better able to respond to future challenges. They also benefit from new income streams, better inter- department work and more comprehensive, robust and defensible evidence. A high quality assessment involves (amongst other things):

• Identifying existing assets and provision.
• Auditing facilities.
• Evaluating usage of current provision. 
• Assessing current and future need.

• Determining opportunities for more effective use of existing assets and provision.

Key benefits

Assessments should ultimately be linked to sustainable community strategies. Facilities strategies should aspire to aligned outcomes and be key delivery mechanisms. They are a start point for setting robust local standards and negotiating developer contributions; they provide an evidence base for effective planning policies (including core Strategies) and the baseline information essential for effective asset management.

Setting local standards

Local standards based on robust assessments help to identify quantitative, qualitative and accessibility deficiencies. According to PPG17 "Local authorities are justified in seeking planning obligations where the quantity or quality of provision is inadequate or under threat or where new development increases local needs". It is, thus, essential that detailed assessments of need and audits of existing facilities are undertaken.

Facility audits

Audit depth is vital to record existing facilities; condition, management and accessibility. In addition to core and invaluable information, they should incorporate:

• Baseline quantity and quality information.
• A database that is easily updated and scrutinised. 
• Interactive maps showing where facilities are, who uses them and how. 
• Identification of potential locations where current demand can be satisfied and future demand met.

Planning for culture

It is widely recognised that planning for broader cultural provision could be improved and be more integrated in the planning process. At present, however, cultural services are, arguably, being ‘left behind'. There are still only very few examples of comprehensive assessments of cultural facilities while there is a growing list of local authorities that are reaping the (often financial) benefits of assessing open spaces and sport and recreation facilities.

The stumbling block for cultural facilities and services seems to be the absence of a robust audit framework. Whilst Sport England's Playing Pitch Methodology (and the ‘Electronic Toolkit') is tried and tested and has become an ‘industry norm', there are no comparable ‘tools' to assess cultural venues. In the absence of national guidance, KKP has already successfully adapted these proven approaches to encompass village halls in Truro, marinas in Weymouth and youth facilities in South Somerset.

A challenge

This is proof, if proof is needed, that what is suitable to assess sport and recreation facilities can be adapted to apply to cultural facilities (e.g., libraries, museums, archives). Numerous toolkits and websites allude to the need for consistent and robust assessments of cultural facilities, but few provide detailed guidance about how to do it or the tools to do it with.

As a company that has got to grips with, but also continues to challenge and work with others to try to improve, existing methodologies, KKP is working on processes to apply this to cultural facilities and venues. Applying the best features of PPG17 based needs assessments we can elicit understanding of what makes cultural facilities ‘tick', how they are used and valued by the communities they serve.

Defining then clearly and dovetailing this with the local authority's strategic corporate view on ‘entitlement' to cultural opportunity and commitment to this facet of its service provision will result in logical and defensible provision standards that will give culture a chance to take its place at the table.

For a further discussion on this please contact me on jonathan.woods@kkp.co.uk