Protecting Playing Fields
Playing fields are one of the most important resources for sport
in England. They provide the valuable space required to maintain
and enhance opportunities for people to participate both in formal
team sports and in other more informal activities. Along with
sporting benefits, good quality, accessible playing fields also
contribute to maintaining active and healthy communities and
securing wider reaching benefits.
Planning applications affecting playing field land
Since 1996 Sport England has been a statutory consultee on all
planning applications for development affecting playing field land.
This requires local planning authorities to consult Sport England
when a relevant planning application is received. Sport England’s
comments should then be taking into account prior to them making
any decision whether or not to grant planning permission. This
requirement is set out by the government in Statutory Instrument
2010/2184.
Depending on the nature of the application Sport England will
inform the relevant sports national governing body of the proposals
and seek their comments prior to submitting a response to the local
planning authority.
It is Sport England’s policy to oppose any planning application
which will result in the loss of playing field land unless it is
satisfied that the application meets with one or more of five
specific exceptions. (The gist of these exceptions is incorporated
in para 74 of the National Planning Policy Framework).
Along with Sport England’s Playing Fields Policy, the following
links set out the key questions Sport England would be likely to
ask, and require information on, when considering an application
against each of the five specific exceptions. Also provided are
Sport England’s responses to frequently asked questions on its
role, the definition of a playing field and what constitutes a
statutory and non-statutory consultation.
Playing Fields
Policy - A Sporting Future for the Playing Fields of
England
Exception
1 – Excess of provision
Exception
2 – Ancillary development
Exception 3 – Land incapable of forming part of a pitch
Exception 4 – Replacement provision
Exception
5 – Sports facilities
Frequently Asked Questions
However, if a local planning authority is minded to grant
planning permission for an application despite receiving an
objection from Sport England then the requirements of
Circular 02/2009 may apply. This instructs local planning
authorities to notify the Secretary of State for Communities and
Local Government of an application if the land is owned by a local
authority or used by an educational establishment (currently or
within the five years prior to receiving the application), and
where Sport England has objected due to a current or resulting
deficiency of playing field land in the area or because the
replacement to be provided in inadequate.
Playing Pitch Strategies
Sport England believes that the best way to protect and improve
the provision of playing fields is for a local area to have an
up-to-date and adopted Playing Pitch Strategy in place. The
starting point for assessing the vast majority of planning
applications affecting playing field land should therefore be to
look at how the proposals fit with the local Playing Pitch
Strategy. The following link provides guidance on developing a
Playing Pitch Strategy and Sport England’s knowledge of the
coverage of such strategies across the country.
Playing Pitch Strategy Guidance.
Places, People, Play – Protecting Playing Fields Programme
In addition to our statutory consultee role in the planning
system, Sport England’s ‘Places, People, Play’ initiative includes
a funding programme which aims to help protect and improve the
provision of playing field land. Full information on this programme
is available on the Places, People, Play section of our website.