Planning applications

When assessing planning applications our planners will also have regard to relevant:

• Government planning policy and guidance contained in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Planning Practice Guidance, including paragraph 104 of the NPPF, which states:
  • ‘Existing open space, sports and recreational buildings and land, including playing fields and formal play spaces, should not be built on unless:
    • an assessment has been undertaken which has clearly shown the open space, buildings or land to be surplus to requirements; or
    • the loss resulting from the proposed development would be replaced by equivalent or better provision in terms of quantity and quality in a suitable location; or
    • the development is for alternative sports and recreational provision, the benefits of which clearly outweigh the loss of the current or former use.’
• Local planning policies and guidance (e.g. as set out in an authority’s Local Plan)
• Assessments of need and related strategies/plans in place for sports facilities in the area (as required by paragraph 103 of the NPPF)
• Plans and strategies from the appropriate sports national governing bodies (NGBs) – depending on the nature of an application we may also seek and take into account specific comments the relevant NGBs
• Sport England’s design and cost advice
• Information available from Sport England’s planning tools and guidance (e.g. Sports Facility and Playing Pitch Calculators, the Facilities Planning Model, Community Use Agreements).

Pre application advice update, 1 July 2025

Due to capacity constraints, we have suspended our pre-application advice service for non-statutory applications. We continue to offer pre-application advice on applications affecting playing field land.

When assessing application consultations for developments of over 300 dwellings we will have particular regard to our planning for sport principles 3 and 9.

Principle 3: ‘Plan, design and maintain buildings, developments, facilities, land and environments that enable people to lead active lifestyles'

Principle 9: ‘Ensure a positive approach to meeting the needs generated by new development for sport and physical activity’.

Further guidance on these and the other planning-for-sport principles can be found within our wider Planning for Sport guidance. This wider guidance points to our Active Design guidance in relation to Principle 3 and our Community Infrastructure Levy and Planning Obligations Advice Note in relation to Principle 9. 

To help with this we maintain a list of model planning conditions. These have been reviewed by our legal advisors to ensure they can be used in line with the tests on the use of planning conditions set out in paragraph 55 of the NPPF.

One of the model conditions seeks to secure community use of sports facilities (e.g. those at educational establishments). To support the use of this condition we have developed a template community use agreement.

While its use won’t guarantee success, it should increase the chance of navigating through the planning application process successfully and with clarity, while ensuring the best use is made of time and available resources.

The BNG document provides guidance on how to successfully integrate BNG measures into the design and development of playing fields in England.

It shows how biodiversity measures can be incorporated into playing fields without compromising their intended sporting use or long-term protection.   

The resource gives advice on good design principles for BNG, information about the maintenance of different BNG features and information about when to consider BNG as part of the planning application process.