As set out in Statutory Instrument 2015/595, local planning authorities are required to consult us on planning applications for development affecting playing field land. We refer to these applications as statutory applications.
The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 defines a playing field as "the whole of a site which encompasses at least one playing pitch".
A playing pitch is defined in the 2015 Order as "a delineated area which, together with any run-off area, is of 0.2 hectares or more, and which is used for association football, American football, rugby, cricket, hockey, lacrosse, rounders, baseball, softball, Australian football, Gaelic football, shinty, hurling, polo or cycle polo".
The government’s Planning Practice Guidance also advises local planning authorities to consult us in cases where development might lead to:
- loss of, or loss of use for sport, of any major sports facility
- proposals which lead to the loss of use for sport of a major body of water
- creation of a major sports facility
- creation of a site for one or more playing pitches
- development which creates opportunities for sport (such as the creation of a body of water bigger than two hectares following sand and gravel extraction)
- artificial lighting of a major outdoor sports facility
- a residential development of 300 dwellings or more.