A strategy to protect and develop Swindon's playing pitches may be formed by next summer.

At a Swindon Council meeting on Thursday, members will be asked to support the development of a £15,000 playing pitch plan.

The plan will provide future guidance for councillors on where and when new playing pitches will be developed.

John Short, director of the council's recreation services, said: "The playing pitch strategy will highlight those areas of open space which should be protected from development and those areas which need to be developed for formal recreation or leisure use."

Half the cost of developing the strategy will be met by Sport England and the rest will come from the council's budget.

Mr Short said: "This audit will help identify those areas of Swindon which are under-provided for against the National Playing Field Association guidelines."

He acknowledged the outcome of the strategy, which could be published as early as next summer, may show there are shortfalls in certain parts of Swindon.

Improvements would have to be paid for by the council. The current council policy is not to sell public open space to private individuals.

Plans to develop the playing pitch strategy will be discussed at a meeting of the Area Panel (West) on Thursday at 7pm in Upper Shaw Farm, Ridge Green, Shaw.