The Sport and Recreation Alliance have launched ‘Protect Where We Play’ to…
“…highlight urgent risks to playing fields, pitches and community facilities from Government proposals to reform the planning system”.
The proposals under consultation include removing Sport England as a statutory consultee on planning applications.
The Alliance say:
Playing fields and pitches deliver at least £2bn in improved wellbeing
They help keep almost 4 million people active, including 1 million children
Government commitment to build 1.5m homes is a risk to playing fields
More homes means we need more spaces for communities to be active
They present further evidence which shows:
Sport England protects more than 1,000 playing fields a year. Between April 2022 and March 2023, 94% (1,007 out of 1,075) of concluded planning applications affecting playing fields resulted in improved or safeguarded sports provision
Sport England does not slow the planning system down. SE responds to over 98% of applications within the required 21-day consultation period.
Sport England doesn’t object to planning applications unnecessarily:
In 70% of cases SE doesn’t object
In two thirds of cases where it initially objects, development is later approved with improved or safeguarded sports provision
