For local authorities contemplating major sports facility investment, the feasibility study represents the critical first step. Far from being merely a procedural requirement, it provides the evidence-based foundation that underpins sound decision-making, secures stakeholder confidence, and ultimately determines whether a project will deliver lasting community benefit.
A sports facility feasibility study is a comprehensive assessment that examines whether a proposed development is viable, sustainable, and capable of meeting identified community needs. It brings together demand analysis, site evaluation, financial modelling, and impact assessment to answer fundamental questions: Is there genuine need for this facility? Can it be delivered within available resources? Will it generate the anticipated benefits?
Sport England's Strategic Outcomes Planning Guidance emphasises that robust feasibility work should align with the Strategic Outcomes Planning process, ensuring that facility proposals connect directly to local strategic priorities and demonstrable community outcomes.
Effective feasibility work follows a structured methodology that examines multiple dimensions of viability.
Demand Assessment forms the foundation. This involves using Sport England's Facilities Planning Model to compare current provision against demand from local populations, analysing demographic trends, assessing participation rates, and consulting with National Governing Bodies and community stakeholders. The objective is to establish genuine need based on evidence rather than assumption.
Site Analysis evaluates potential locations against practical and strategic criteria. Accessibility, transport links, parking provision, existing land use, planning constraints, and proximity to target populations all influence site suitability. The analysis must consider whether a location enables equitable access for all community groups, particularly those facing barriers to participation.
Financial Modelling projects the economic viability of the facility over its lifecycle. This includes capital cost estimates informed by Sport England's Design and Cost Guidance, realistic income projections based on comparable facilities and market conditions, operational cost forecasting covering staffing, utilities, maintenance, and lifecycle costs, and sensitivity analysis testing assumptions under different scenarios.
Impact Assessment quantifies the anticipated community benefits using Sport England's latest return on investment data. Current evidence demonstrates that every £1 spent on community sport and physical activity generates £4.38 in social and economic value. Feasibility studies should articulate how proposed facilities will contribute to health outcomes, social inclusion, educational attainment, and local economic activity.
Proper feasibility work prevents costly mistakes. Common pitfalls include inadequate market analysis leading to overestimated demand, unrealistic financial projections creating ongoing subsidy requirements, facilities that don't meet actual community needs, and site selection that limits accessibility or creates operational inefficiencies.
Beyond risk mitigation, comprehensive feasibility studies strengthen funding applications. Sport England, the Football Foundation, and other funding bodies require evidence of robust planning before committing resources. A well-executed feasibility study demonstrates strategic thinking, validates investment needs, provides confidence in financial sustainability, and shows alignment with national and local strategic priorities.
The feasibility process also builds stakeholder consensus. By engaging community groups, sports clubs, and other interested parties throughout the assessment, local authorities develop a shared understanding of needs and priorities, manage expectations realistically, and create buy-in for the eventual facility from those who will use it.
Sport England's Assessing Needs and Opportunities Guide emphasises that facility investment should be driven by strategic outcomes rather than simply replacing ageing infrastructure. Feasibility studies provide the mechanism for testing whether proposed developments genuinely advance strategic objectives.
This means examining how a facility supports participation growth amongst target groups, contributes to place-based strategies for health and wellbeing, addresses identified gaps in provision revealed by the Facilities Planning Model, and generates measurable community benefits that can be tracked over time.
Local authorities face difficult choices about capital allocation. In an environment of constrained resources, feasibility studies provide the evidence base that enables confident decision-making. They answer whether investment represents value for money, whether the facility will be financially sustainable, whether it meets genuine community need, and whether it aligns with strategic priorities.
Robust assessments of need should underpin all feasibility work. This ensures that major capital decisions are based on data and analysis rather than assumption or aspiration. Sport England's Planning for Sport guidance makes clear that planning authorities expect facility proposals to be supported by evidence of need derived from strategic planning processes.
For sports facility feasibility studies to deliver value, they must be commissioned with clear terms of reference, conducted by teams with relevant sector expertise, grounded in robust data and realistic assumptions, and subject to challenge and scrutiny throughout the process.
The outputs should be accessible to non-specialist audiences whilst containing sufficient technical detail to support funding applications and procurement processes. Feasibility reports form the foundation for business case development, providing the evidence from which detailed financial models, operational plans, and procurement strategies emerge.
Comprehensive feasibility studies directly support the National Planning Policy Framework's requirements for evidence-based planning, demonstrating how proposed facilities contribute to healthy, inclusive communities and are supported by robust analysis of need and viability.
Planning a new sports facility or major refurbishment? Speak to FMG Consulting about conducting a comprehensive feasibility study that delivers evidence-based recommendations and supports funding applications.
Contact FMG Consulting: https://www.fmgconsulting.co.uk/?page=contact
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