None of the 40 cases resulted in a complete loss of a playing field. Sport England, a statutory consultee on all planning applications affecting sports playing fields, lodged a formal objection to the local authority in all 40 cases.
In 480 cases sports provision was improved while in 696 cases sports provision was protected.
Sport England object to all applications to develop on playing fields unless applicants can prove it represents a better deal for sport.
Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe said:
“We have put strong measures in place to protect sport playing fields and sports provision for communities up and down the country. These measures are working and it destroys the myth that playing fields are being lost.
As we look to increase sports participation I’d like to see more school sports pitches and facilities opened up to wider community use and local authorities putting sport higher up their agenda. Evidence shows that when you give people the sports facilities they want which they can use all year round participation goes up.”
Sport England Chief Executive Jennie Price said:
“The 2005-06 results show that our safeguards are working well and Sport England is getting a better deal for sport. Access to good facilities, including playing fields, is key to inspiring more young people to take up sport, and to keep playing on a regular basis.”
Examples of new sports provision from the applications include 115 cases where new-for-old replacement playing pitches were built, 14 of which provided increased space for sport. 142 new indoor sports facilities and 404 outdoor facilities were built including 84 all-weather synthetic turf pitches enabling community sport use all year round.
New data on Sport England’s Active Places databases shows that there are over 53,000 playing pitches on more than 20,000 sites in England. Nearly 95 per cent of the population live within 20 minutes travel time of a playing field.
The data published also includes amended figures for 2004/05 and 2003/04.
