The Sport and Recreation Alliance – a SAPCA affiliate member – has launched a campaign to highlight the “urgent risks” to playing fields, pitches and community facilities from the government’s proposals to reform the planning system.
The Protect Where We Play campaign is a response to the Labour government’s plans to remove Sport England’s statutory consultee role in planning applications which involve playing fields.
SRA says that if the move is approved, it will remove vital safeguards which protect playing fields from development and ensure continued community use.
New research published by the SRA – coinciding with the campaign launch – highlights that playing fields and pitches deliver at least £2bn annually in improved wellbeing and help 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,” SRA said in a statement.
Speaking at the campaign launch, Lisa Wainwright MBE, Sport and Recreation Alliance CEO said:
“We and our members are deeply concerned by the Government’s proposed reforms to the planning regime which present a clear and present danger to the playing fields, pitches and facilities our communities rely on for sport and recreation every day across the country.
“Our research shows playing fields and pitches contribute a huge amount to local communities and the country as a whole – generating at least £2bn in improved wellbeing each year and helping to keep 1 million children active.
“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.
“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 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.”
For more information on the campaign, click here.