Sport and recreation facilities will now be protected from builders and developers thanks to welcome changes made to the National Planning Policy Framework, released today.
The Government has listened to calls from the Sport and Recreation Alliance for areas of the draft Framework to be reworded or else risk significantly weakening the protection of open spaces and recreational facilities, including playing fields.
The Alliance has been the public voice of a broad coalition of sporting bodies, all joining forces to express concerns that the Government’s initial plan would have allowed developers to build on playing fields if the ‘benefits outweighed the loss’.
The Alliance argued that the wording of the draft Framework would have led to a steady erosion of facilities and undermined investment into vital grassroots sports programmes, including the current Olympic legacy projects.
But the changes ministers have proposed now mean that the default position will be to protect valuable sports facilities and playing fields, as developers must provide an alternative facility if the decision is taken to build on an existing one.
It also means that planning authorities will have the confidence to create plans to ensure there are sufficient sport and recreation facilities to meet the needs of local communities.
Andy Reed, Chair of the Sport and Recreation Alliance said: “The changes provide a welcome boost for sport and recreation in this Olympic year, and we are delighted that the Government has worked with the sector to provide a solution that strikes the balance between the need for economic growth and that of sport and physical activity.
“Both the Minister for Sport and the Minister for Communities and Local Government have listened to the concerns of grassroots sport and we thank them for creating an approach which allows for development only where the sporting needs of the community are protected.”
For further information about the new planning system download the Alliance’s NPPF briefing note.
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