Baildon Neighbourhood Plan (2026-2040)

10.0 Objective 5 - Community and Recreation Comment

Introduction

10.1Baildon retains a wide variety of community, sport and recreation facilities, as well as pubs, clubs and churches. Many are run on a community or charitable basis, whilst other facilities are commercial. This makes Baildon an enriching place with a strong community spirit, where opportunities abound for all ages. This community infrastructure is vital to support a wide range of community events throughout the year including the following:

• Baildon Harley Rally
• Baildon Carnival
• Baildon at Christmas
• Yorkshire Day in Baildon
• Scarecrow Festival
• Numerous local festivals run by individual organisations.
• Events in Roberts Park
• Baildon Farmers Market

Whilst these events often attract crowds who arrive on foot, and this is always encouraged, due to the steep hill and poor public transport, cars are essential for many to attend such events. This can lead to significant problems with inadequate parking for big events.

Background and Justification – Community facilities and public houses

10.2Community facilities and services are the essential glue that help bind a community together. They not only provide important services but are places for people to meet and interact, contributing to individuals’ and the community’s health and well-being. The value of community spaces for children and young people is a vital ingredient in their wellbeing and socialise contributes to Safer Neighbourhoods and Stronger Communities priorities.

10.3National planning policy acknowledges that the planning system can play an important role in facilitating social interaction and creating healthy, inclusive communities. The facilities identified in Policy 17 contribute to all these aspects of the local community.

Community Hubs.

10.4Due to the ongoing support of Baildon Town Council, Baildon has three well-established Community Hubs that provide a wide range of events, activities, regular clubs and meetings. The Hubs are Wesley’s Community Hub, the Baildon Community Link and St Hugh’s Centre. Wesley’s for example has over 1,000 people who use the facilities and offer over 40 clubs/activities per week. Baildon Town Council has also put in place support to enable a fourth Hub, St James Hub, to develop into a well and widely used community hub on Otley Road.

Baildon Library

10.5In 2025 CBMDC runs a Hybrid library in partnership with Baildon Town Council in the centre of Baildon. In 2022 the Library based in Ian Clough Hall was re-located to this much smaller, though still central, facility due to the Hall being demolished by CBMDC for a range of reasons. The nearby Baildon Club building (1-3 Northgate) was purchased by CBMDC to house a replacement Library and develop associated community facilities – a key space for cultural and recreation activities in the heart of the village. BTC’s “Vision for the new Baildon Library and Cultural Centre” can be found at Appendix H. At the time of writing in 2026 CBMDC have been unable to progress the development of the Baildon Club due to financial issues.

Schools

10.6Baildon is served by 4 primary schools; Sandal Primary School, Baildon CE Primary School, Hoyle Court Primary School, Baildon Glen Primary School (which together have the capacity to accommodate 1,417 pupils) and Titus Salt Secondary School. The secondary school (and sixth form) is located adjacent to Roberts Park in Baildon NA (Shipley Ward). It has the capacity to accommodate 1,520 pupils. Pupils’ attainment levels at Key Stages 1,2 and 4 (GCSE) are above national average. The schools and their green spaces provide important facilities outside of the school day for community activities, events and sport.

Background and justification – Sport and Recreation

10.7Sport, recreation and leisure facilities are another key component of the fabric of the local community which are essential for health, wellbeing and community cohesion. The facilities identified in Policy 18 will be protected.

10.8National planning policy states:

“Access to a network of high-quality open spaces and opportunities for sport and physical activity is important for the health and well-being of communities and can deliver wider benefits for nature and support efforts to address climate change. Planning policies should be based on robust and up-to-date assessments of the need for open space, sport and recreation facilities (including quantitative or qualitative deficits or surpluses) and opportunities for new provision. Information gained from the assessments should be used to determine what open space, sport and recreational provision is needed, which plans should then seek to accommodate.”(Paragraph 98, NPPF).

10.9The NPPF goes on to state that “Existing open space, sports and recreational buildings and land, including playing fields, should not be built on unless:

1. an assessment has been undertaken which has clearly shown the open space, buildings or land to be surplus to requirements; or
2. the loss resulting from the proposed development would be replaced by equivalent or better provision in terms of quantity and quality in a suitable location; or
3. the development is for alternative sports and recreational provision, the benefits of which clearly outweigh the loss of the current or former use.”

Allotments

10.10Baildon Town Council manages two allotment sites run on their behalf by the Baildon Horticultural Society. These provide 164 plots for produce and permitted livestock. There is strong demand which is being met in Baildon with only a few plots not let. The Baildon NP will protect existing allotment sites for local food growing, recreation and the health and social benefits they provide.

Bracken Hall Countryside Centre (BHCC)

10.11BHCC is a long-established enterprise which was taken over from CBMDC by Baildon Town Council in 2013. At the time of writing there is are 8 years 7 months to run on a 20-year lease. BTC is responsible for managing and funding the Countryside Centre, supported by the Friends of Bracken Hall, and it is operated as a not-for-profit community asset. A full year-round activity programme on countryside themes is delivered to a range of audiences.