We apply the Strategic Outcomes Planning Guidance as a framework, which we bespoke to your local authority area.

We align with your local political and strategic priorities to provide clarity and direction.  The result? Sustainable services and facilities which meet the needs of the most deprived and inactive communities as well as the wider local population.

SLC is the leading exponent of Strategic Outcomes Planning Guidance (SOPG) diagnostic support, and we have successfully supported a range of local authorities, such as Bristol City Council, Sheffield City Council, Salford City Council and Haringey Council to develop bespoke implementation programmes.

SLC has developed its own approach to internal and external stakeholder consultation supported by community engagement. This includes taking full advantage of available social media and digital solutions. We tailor our approach to ensure your stakeholders feel listened to and have a real say in shaping future services and places.

Making the best use of available insight and identifying gaps is a key feature of our approach to needs assessments. We ensure that these needs lay the foundations for policy and strategy development.

SLC has been at the forefront of developing leisure, sport and physical activity strategies that are cross-cutting and deliver real outcomes. Our approach is supported by a clear vision, strong policy position, excellent governance, focused priorities and SMART action plans. Bespoke to your politics and place, we can shape your strategy to meet your specific needs, building on our strong track record of success across the country.

SLC supports local authorities with service reviews and redesign linked to establishing affordability and long-term sustainability. We have a strong track record in this area including working with core cities. With increasing financial pressures, linking local strategic priorities to the right service mix is crucial. This presents an opportunity to look radically at your historical approach to leisure and how your future services can be shaped to meet local needs and address inequalities.

SLC’s feasibility work has delivered c. £400m of successful capital projects including parks developments, leisure facilities, cultural and arts venues, and sports grounds. We work with the very best architects, technical specialists and cost consultants and apply a rigorous approach to developing the right mix of active spaces and community hubs using insight and consultation.

We are supporting a growing number of clients who wish to take a more holistic approach by breathing fresh life into tired, run-down parks and neglected open spaces. Our team has recently helped develop masterplans for parks which are based on robust evidence of local need and the principles of Active Design. Recent major masterplans supported include West Hendon Playing Fields (c £19m) and Ebbsfleet Garden City.

Business planning remains a critical element of feasibility and we have developed a strong reputation for robust and realistic plans, based on decades of industry knowledge and cutting edge sector insight. We have developed detailed and transparent business plans for major UK and international sport and leisure facilities.

Our approach to securing funding for clients is based on working collaboratively with our clients and funding partners and getting the supporting information right. Looking ahead there will be a need for more innovative mixed funding solutions linked to wider regeneration and tackling inequalities and we are well placed to support this.

SLC increasingly supports clients in developing business cases which combine leisure infrastructure investments with management delivery models. We have deep experience of working with public sector finance teams for Core Cities and local authorities in developing multi £million business cases with risk and sensitivity applied that are affordable and sustainable.

View our case studies.