Why we need to protect where we play

Lisa Wainwright MBE CEO Sport and Recreation Alliance

Earlier this year, the government set out plans to consult on the impacts of removing Sport England as a statutory consultee for planning applications involving playing fields. At Sport and Recreation Alliance If these changes are taken forward, vital safeguards which protect playing fields from development and ensure continued community use will be removed. That’s why, we at the Sport and Recreation Alliance have launched a new Protect Where We Play campaign to highlight the urgent risks to playing fields, pitches and community facilities from Government proposals to reform the planning system. With the government committed to building 1.5 million homes in this parliament, there is a real risk that our playing fields will be lost to development. And once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.

We recently undertook research that highlights just how vital our playing fields and pitches are: delivering at least £2bn annually in improved wellbeing and helping almost 4 million people to be active, including 1 million children. Removing Sport England as a statutory consultee and reducing the weight given to sport in the planning system will also have detrimental impacts on the provision of wider community sports facilities including courts, sports halls and leisure centres which are essential to improving health and wellbeing.

We urge the Government to think carefully about the implications of removing existing protections. The strength of feeling across the sector demonstrates this is an issue that really matters to our members and, crucially, the local communities they serve.

Once they’re gone, they’re gone forever — we can’t afford to lose our playing fields to development

“We acknowledge the Government’s ambitions to increase economic growth and deliver increased housing but we firmly believe this must not come at the cost of playing fields, pitches and sports facilities which are vital community assets. Indeed, building more homes means we need even more places and spaces for local communities to be active.

“We will engage constructively with the Government through the forthcoming consultation but are steadfast in our belief that our playing fields deserve strong protections that will safeguard them for future generations to come.”