Regional Sports Hub
6.33 Increasing physical activity levels to improve health and wellbeing are an element of creating greater places for people – part of the vision for the Greater Exeter area. Steps towards increasing activity levels can be seen in Cranbrook, part of the NHS England Healthy New Towns Programme, and both Exeter and Cranbrook working with Sport England to transform physical activity.
6.34 Much of this work relates to the design of places, the promotion of active and sustainable travel modes within and between neighbourhoods and the incorporation of well-designed accessible green infrastructure. There is the possibility of trying to go further, seeking to establish a regional sports hub in the Greater Exeter area, combining and integrating a range of sports facilities in one accessible place. This could benefit from coordinated and consolidated management to improve its long term viability. This would build upon the success of the area’s professional and university sports offer, and the potential impact of data analytics on sports science. Provision of such facilities could be a driver in retaining the area’s young people and graduate talent.
6.35 A regional sports hub concept and feasibility study (March 2020) has been undertaken for the Greater Exeter councils, published alongside this consultation document at www.gesp.org.uk/evidence. The report identifies challenges in creating such a facility in Greater Exeter. It suggests a community hub for sports could be provided as part of a larger development, which could then form a catalyst for such a facility. As the GESP progresses we will continue to consider the potential for such a facility in the Greater Exeter area.