PADDOCK WOOD TOWN COUNCIL
USE OF PLAYING FIELDS AND SPORTS PITCHES
Paddock Wood Town Council wishes its playing fields and sports pitches to be of use to residents and members of the public alike. It is committed to ensuring they remain an open space for the enjoyment of pastimes by the public and will not wilfully obstruct, deny or prevent such enjoyment unreasonably. It does reserve the right to act as it sees fit for the preservation of the playing fields and sports pitches for the majority of the residents.
The Town Councils owns and operates the following playing fields and sports pitches:
Elm Tree Play Fields, Pearsons Green Road
Putlands Playing Fields, Mascalls Court Road
Green Lane Playing Fields, Green Lane
St Andrews Playing Fields, St Andrews Road
Memorial Playing Fields, Maidstone Road
There are children’s plays areas located on the following Sites, Green Lane, St Andrews & Memorial Playing Fields. There are also play areas located at Clover Way & The Ridings. The skateboard park is at Putlands.
Terminology
In this document the following terms will be used:
PWTC – Paddock Wood Town Council
‘Play area(s)’ means the enclosed playground.
‘Casual Activity’ means any legal activity not requiring permission from PWTC, as defined wherein.
‘Organised Activity’ means any legal activity that requires permission from PWTC, as defined wherein.
‘Organiser’ means any person who has applied for permission from PWTC to hold an Organised Activity.
‘User(s)’ is any person(s) using the playing fields and sports pitches for either a Casual or Organised Activity.
General Rules
Casual Activities as defined and specified wherein require no specific permission from PWTC, only adherence to these general rules.
Organised Activities are only permitted to take place if specific written permission is received from PWTC. All Users will make every effort to respect the playing fields and sports pitches, the equipment and structures therein, and the environs.
The Play Areas are designed for use by children. Regarding these areas the following should be noted:
- Small children should be supervised by an adult at all times
- No dogs are permitted within the Play Area
- No glass or alcohol should be taken into the Play Areas
- No smoking or vaping should take place in the Play Areas
- Any dangerous or damaged equipment or any misuse/mistreatment of equipment should be reported immediately to clerk@paddockwood-tc.gov.uk.
Dog must always be kept under control whilst on the playing fields.
Dog faeces must be collected by the owner immediately and should be deposited in the bins provided or taken home.
Cars should only park within the designated parking area and consideration should be always given to residents
Unrestricted access for Emergency Vehicles must always be possible.
Cars are parked at the Users risk.
Users are requested to put their litter in the bins provided or take litter home with them in the event the bins are full.
No structure, marquee, tent or similar may be erected without the permission of the PWTC
Temporary open sided/open fronted gazebos may be erected without permission but should be situated so as not to prevent other activities and must be dismantled on the day and not remain overnight.
The use of the playing fields for Casual Activities is permitted only in so far as the User complies with relevant laws of the land applicable at the time.
The PWTC reserves the right to disallow Casual Activities in any area temporarily or
permanently. It will act reasonably in exercising this right.
Casual Activities
Definition
Casual Activities are what may be classed as informal recreational activities normally undertaken in a park setting. The following is a list of typical casual activities which may take place on playing fields without specific consent from PWTC subject to these activities not resulting in damage to the ground or being a hazard to other users:
- All ball games with the strict exception of golf.
- Frisbee, kite flying and other Children’s games.
- Informal running, cycling, and the taking of exercise.
- Picnics (BBQ are NOT permitted).
- Dog walking
This list is not exhaustive and if any User wishes to query whether an activity not on the list
constitutes Casual Activity they should contact PWTC clerk@paddockwood-tc.gov.uk
Limitations
Casual Activities exclude any activity run as a commercial venture. This includes sporting clubs where fees/subs or membership is/are paid and fundraising activities. Such activities are classified as Organised Activities and may only take place with permission from PWTC
(See Organised Activities below).
The Playing Fields shall not be used for the following purposes:
- Driving motorised vehicles (except by authorised Maintenance staff or Organisers);
- Golf practice of any kind; substitute for any hard ball?
- Bonfires or barbecues.
- Fireworks or Chinese Lanterns.
- Flying of powered model aircraft or drones of any kind.
- Horse riding;
- Shooting or archery.
Organised activities
Definition
Organised Activities are any event organised for the provision of entertainment, sport, sale of goods or services. This would typically include any commercial venture, organised sporting activity, or fundraising event. Typical examples would include but are not limited to:
- Car Boot Sale.
- Fairground or Circus.
- Football, Rugby, Cricket or other Sports Club activities.
- Music concert.
- Beer Festival.
- Country Show or Fete.
- Dog Training Classes.
- Private parties or classes of any kind.
Exemptions:
Organisations hiring the Paddock Wood Community Centre may use the Memorial Field for casual games/activities.
Applications for Use
An initial enquiry for use of the playing fields and sports pitches should be made to PWTC clerk@paddockwood-tc.gov.uk. .
A detailed application for use should be submitted a minimum of eight weeks before use.
Application forms are available from the PWTC website or Clerk. A request made with less than eight weeks’ notice may be refused on grounds of insufficient notification.
Such applications will be placed in front of PWTC at the next Estates Committee meeting. PWTC reserves the right to make any further enquiries before granting or refusing the application.
PWTC will advise the applicant in writing of its decision through the Town Clerk at the earliest opportunity.
Applications from commercial ventures will be subject to a hire charge.
Applications from fundraising/not for profit activities may be subject to a hire charge.
Applications from Sporting clubs will be subject to pitch fees as per the Town Council’s fees schedule.
Health & Safety
No User shall perform any action or permit any action to be performed that endangers the safety of other users or casual passers-by.
The PWTC will endeavour to keep the playing fields and sports pitches in a state fit for use by regular inspection.
From time-to-time maintenance vehicles will be on the playing fields and sports pitches Care must be taken to avoid injury by not approaching these vehicles or the areas in which maintenance work is being undertaken.
The User undertakes to leave the playing fields and sports pitches in a safe state for other Users.
Organiser/User Responsibilities
PWTC holds Public Liability insurance for the playing fields and casual use by the public.
Organisers are responsible for the Public Liability of all matters connected with their Organised Activity.
PWTC reserves the right to request this for any event and where appropriate proof of Public Liability insurance will be required.
A Risk Assessment must be carried out in writing and given to the Town Council before the event.
No charge may be made for entry to the Playing Fields without prior permission of PWTC
The public may use the Playing Fields but not the pitches or other areas authorised for use by the Organised Activity.
At least one Organiser must be present for the entire duration of the event and their names and contact details notified on the Application form. It is recommended that Organisers are clearly recognisable to other Users.
The Organiser(s) must obtain the necessary public entertainment or liquor licence as may be required and have stewards where indicated as a term of the licence.
The running of events is the responsibility of the Organiser who should ensure that they are adequately supervised.
All Third Parties must have their own Public Liability insurance, for example: catering vans, fair rides, pony rides, bands and stalls. Proof of Public Liability insurance may be requested by the PWTC.
Bouncy Castles must be hired from someone with their own Public Liability insurance and comply with the requirements of the Public Liability, for example: height/weight restrictions, adult supervision.
Should the event involve stallholders: they must provide their names and addresses to the Organiser who will retain a list. This list must be provided to PWTC on demand.
The Organiser must be fully aware of what goods are on sale at any time and if inappropriate the stallholder must be asked to leave immediately. Any such occurrence must be reported to the Clerk.
No vehicles are allowed onto the grass without permission from PWTC.
The Organiser must always ensure unrestricted access for Emergency Vehicles to and from the Playing Fields and neighbouring roads.
If there is a BBQ, then it must be sited in a position where people cannot walk into it, fire-fighting equipment must be in place (sand/water buckets) and it must be supervised whilst lit or hot.
The Organiser must take every care that no damage is done to any part of the Playing Fields including.
As far as is practicable, the Organiser will return the Playing fields in the state in which they were found and to ensure that:
All litter and detritus is to be removed immediately after the event. It is not permitted to place any collection of litter in the litter bins on or near the Playing fields.
Start and finish times of events are to be agreed with the town council.
FOOTBALL/RUGBY CLUBS
- Specific agreement to use the Grounds for football pitches, football training and use of the pavilions, may be granted to a Club by the Town Council following receipt of an application.
- Clubs may not permit any other group or organisation to use the pitches without permission from the Town Council
- The rules defined above for organised events shall apply to the use of the Ground by a Club.
- Intensive use of the Ground for a tournament shall be treated as an organised event and subject to a separate Application from a Club.
- In general, and so as to preserve the playing surfaces, games and training will be restricted to the football season. In winter, when the ground surface is wet/muddy, Clubs will be expected to train elsewhere.
- Use of the pitches will be subject to Pitch Fees, set annually by the Town Council.
- Line markings on the pitches will be organised by the Town Council, pitch requirement having been provided to the Clerk on the Wednesday prior to the fixture.
- Storage of items in or outside the pavilion by a Club will be subject to space being available and by agreement with the Town Council.
- The Town Council Grounds staff will have the final say on whether the pitches are suitable to play on.
- The Pavilion will be left clean and in order.
- The general public may use the Ground and car park but not the playing areas when a match is in progress.
APPROVED BY PADDOCK WOOD TOWN COUNCIL 14TH APRIL 2025