FAQ

The Active Places Database currently holds information on 15 facility types, each of which has one or more subtypes. 

Facility types are summarised below. Fuller definitions can be found in the Sports Data Model

Facility Type: Athletics

Permanently constructed running facilities (indoors and outdoors) and/or field event facilities (horizontal, vertical jumps, throws).

Facility subtypes:

- Standard Oval Outdoor

- Mini Outdoor

- Compact Outdoor

- Standalone Field

- Standalone Oval Indoor

- Indoor Training

Facility Type: Health and Fitness Gym

Normally a minimum of 5 stations, although some small health & fitness gyms may be included.

Facility subtypes:

- Health and Fitness Gym

Facility Type: Indoor Bowls

Permanent indoor facility which contains a carpeted bowls green area. Can be a purpose-built bowls centre or dedicated bowls area within a sports facility. The bowls green area must be specifically constructed for bowls use. Does not include short mat bowls areas, which are temporarily laid out in multi-purpose halls. 

There are no subtypes for this facility type. 

Facility Type: Indoor Tennis Centre

Covered or indoor tennis courts includes standalone indoor tennis structures, purpose built tennis centres and indoor courts connected to other sports facilities, such as sports clubs. To only include dedicated indoor tennis courts, and not multi use halls or outdoor multi-use games areas (MUGAs) which are marked out as tennis courts. 

Facility subtypes:

- Airhall

- Airhall (seasonal)

- Framed Fabric

- Traditional

Facility Type: Grass Pitches

Area of grass that is marked out for at least part of the year as a pitch, for a particular sport, upon which a match could be played. Does not include synthetic turf pitches (these should be included in AGPs).

Facility subtypes:

- Adult Football

- Junior Football 11v11

- Cricket

- Senior Rugby League

- Junior Rugby League

- Senior Rugby Union

- Junior Rugby Union

- Australian Rules Football

- American Football

- Hockey

- Lacrosse

- Rounders

- Baseball

- Softball

- Gaelic Football

- Hurling

- Polo

- Cycling Polo

- Mini Soccer 7v7

- Mini Rugby Union

- Junior Football 9v9

- Mini Soccer 5v5

- Mini Rugby League

Facility Type: Sports Hall

Indoor multi-sports hall where a range (two or more) of sport and recreational activities are carried out, one or more of which must be on at least a weekly basis.  One hall per site must be at least 18x10m, which equates to the size of one badminton court including surrounding safety area. Includes specifically designed sports halls, such as leisure centres and school sports halls, and also halls where activities can take place on a regular basis, such as school assembly halls, community buildings and village halls. Specialist centres, that are dedicated to a single sports and activities e.g. indoor cricket or gymnastic centres, are not included. Includes other structures which may have been developed for other purposes but are now being used as a permanent sports hall (Barn).

Facility subtypes:

- Main

- Activity Hall

- Barns

Facility Type: Swimming Pool

Enclosed area of water specifically maintained for all forms of water based sport & recreation. Includes general swimming, teaching, training, diving, club use and school use. Includes indoor and outdoor pools, freeform leisure pools, specific diving tanks. Where an area of a pool is normally cordoned off as a purpose-built off-shoot of the main rectangular tank, e.g. diving section off a main pool, it is treated as a separate pool. Includes outdoor swimming ponds which are positively managed for swimming. 

Facility subtypes:

- Main/General

- Leisure Pool

- Learner/Teaching/Training

- Diving

- Lido

Facility Type: Artificial Grass Pitch

Synthetic alternative to grass, providing an all-weather surface for pitch sports, in particular, hockey and football, but increasingly being used for other sports such as rugby and athletics. All sizes of pitch included. Does not include other non-turf surfaces, such as tarmac, concrete, Redgra (natural aggregate dressing). Where there are two pitches within one site of the same sub type but different measurements, these should be entered as separate facilities. 

A full size AGP will have dimensions typically around 100x60m, and for the purposes of APP is defined as having minimum dimensions of 88m x 53m. Pitches that are smaller that 88m x53m will be recorded as 'Small Size AGPs'.

Facility subtypes:

- Sand Filled

- Water Based

- Long Pile Carpet

- Sand Dressed

Facility Type: Golf

All golf courses and golf driving ranges. Courses normally have a minimum number of 9 holes and driving ranges a minimum of 5 bays.

Facility subtypes:

- Standard

- Par 3

- Driving Range

Facility Type: Ice Rinks

An artificially frozen body of water where people can ice skate or play winter sports. Includes all permanently constructed ice rinks. Where there are two rinks within one site, these will be entered as separate facilities. Does not include temporary ice rinks such as the one at Somerset House. 

There are no subtypes for this facility type. 

Facility Type: Ski Slopes

A slope for skiing; natural slopes may be seasonal. Does not include cross-country skiing tracks.

Facility subtypes:

- Outdoor Artificial

- Outdoor Natural

- Indoor

Facility Type: Studio

A purpose-built studio where classes are held for one or more activities such as yoga, aerobics, spinning, martial arts etc. Normally has a sprung floor, mirrors and air conditioning. 

Facility subtypes

- Fitness Studio

- Cycling Studio

Facility Type: Squash Courts

Purpose built court(s) designed for playing squash. A squash court is a rectangular box with four vertical walls of varying height, being the Front Wall, Side Walls and Back Wall. It has a level floor and a clear height above the court area. 

Facility subtypes:

- Glass-backed

- Normal

Facility Type: Outdoor Tennis Courts

Marked out for tennis, these should be a minimum of one full size court with safety margins and be fenced. May be floodlit. May be overmarked. 

There are no subtypes for this facility type. 

Facility Type: Cycling

Permanently constructed facilities to support cycling. Excludes facilities to support everyday cycling such as cycle lanes (including long distance cycleways), cycle parking etc.

Facility subtypes:

- Track - Indoor Velodrome

- Track - Outdoor Velodrome

- BMX - Race Track

- BMX - Pump Track

- Mountain Bike - Trails

- Cycle Speedway – Track

- Road - Closed Road Cycling Circuit