New figures demonstrate Sport England’s success in protecting playing fields from inappropriate development. The figures were released as the Government announced an expansion of Sport England’s role as a statutory planning consultee to include junior pitches.
Landowners, including councils, are required to consult Sport England on any proposed development that would affect or lead to the loss of a sports playing field. Sport England objects to all applications unless the developer can prove it will improve or protect sports provision.
Now Sport England will be able to secure an even better deal for sport after Ministers agreed that its remit should include the mini-pitches found at many primary schools, which were previously too small to qualify for protection.
The latest figures show how larger pitches have benefited from this protection:
- 1,157 out of 1,186 (97.5%) concluded planning applications affecting playing fields in 2006-07 resulted in improved or protected sports provision
- In more than half of the cases where Sport England originally objected to an application, negotiation led to a benefit for sport
- The number of applications which have led to a detrimental impact on sport is down from 40 in the previous year to just 29 (2.5%).
Sport England’s Chief Executive, Jennie Price, said:
“Safeguarding sports provision is vital to achieving our goal of getting one million people playing more sport by 2012/13. Extending the protection we offer to include the mini-pitches where many children enjoy their first experience of sport will ensure more people begin a lifelong sporting habit at an early age.”
The Minister for Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe MP, said:
"These figures are proof that the tough policies we put in place to protect playing fields and sports provision are working. Our initiative to ensure that smaller, junior pitches are also protected from development will help make a reality of our ambition to increase sport participation in the run up to London 2012 and leave a lasting sporting legacy for the country."
Sport England has recently signed agreements with the Football Association, the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Rugby Football Union to work together on playing fields to protect sports provision.
The FA’s Chair, Lord Triesman, said:
“The FA welcomes the extension of playing field protection. It is pleasing to learn that Mini-Soccer pitches, which are vital to providing children with their first opportunity to get into football, will now be protected. The FA recognises that, for Mini-Soccer players to have a lifelong participation in the game, youth and adult pitches will need continual protection to meet the increasing demands within football and to fulfil the ambitions of The FA strategy.
"We also welcome the agreement between ourselves and Sport England, the ECB and RFU to work together to ensure more playing space is protected and developed to the benefit of sport.
“The FA is aware that nearly four out of five matches each week are played on public sector land and therefore there is a need to protect 11-a-side pitches to grow and sustain the game in this country.”
The figures released by Sport England show that successful planning applications have led to the creation of 568 new sports facilities, up from 546 the previous year. 345 new outdoor facilities were built and 223 new indoor sports facilities were built, over half of which were sports halls.
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