Number of sports playing fields continues to grow

The number of playing fields being created in England has grown for the second year running, figures released today (25 October) by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Sport England show.

Sixty-two brand new playing fields were created in 2004/05 turning land into grass sports pitches for communities and clubs. This builds on the 72 new playing fields created in 2003/04. In contrast, only two playing fields were completely lost neither of which had previously been accessible to the general public.

Richard Caborn, Minister for Sport, said: 'It's great news for sport that for the second consecutive year, more playing fields are being created than are being lost. In fact more than £387m was invested into 482 outdoor sites and 157 indoor facilities last year.

'This shows we are delivering on our commitment to reverse the decline of playing fields and put sport back at the heart of life in this country. We now have in place the best ever protection through Government planning regulations and today's figures show that the system is working. The majority of applications to develop playing fields now come from bodies who want to improve their sports facilities.'

Types of new facilities being created include: multi-use games areas (MUGAs); tennis courts; athletics tracks; skate board parks; sports centres; and synthetic turf pitches (STPs), as well as changing facilities and floodlights.

Sport England's Active Places database shows that at least 93 per cent of the population is within 20 minutes of one the country's 50,000 plus playing pitches.

Caborn also said: 'Providing good quality sports facilities is essential to get people active and to tackle obesity. But it's about quality as well as quantity. We need facilities that can be used all year round, not just during our unpredictable summers. That's why millions of pounds have gone into creating and upgrading existing playing fields.

'It is important that we continue to build upon this success and that local authorities properly plan and deliver the quality sporting facilities demanded by their communities."

Local authorities have clear guidance that no playing field needed by the community should be removed. Sport England scrutinise applications involving a playing field and, if there is a loss to sport arising from a development, then they will object to the application.

Derek Mapp, Chair of Sport England, said: 'Playing fields are central to Sport England's key objective of creating an active nation through sport. We are committed to protecting and enhancing the facilities we have and to improving the provision for sport through new developments. Through advising local authorities and other organisations on this issue we aim to secure lasting benefits for sport. I'm extremely pleased that the figures show we're heading in the right direction. For the second year running the number of new indoor and outdoor facilities created has risen and we look forward to seeing the benefits in years to come.'

Alison Moore-Gwyn, Chief Executive of the National Playing Fields Association, said: 'We are very pleased that the Government is reporting that for the second year more playing fields have been created than have been lost. While there has been an increase in investment into outdoor facilities, we will continue to encourage Government to invest in outdoor facilities and protect playing fields for the future to leave a lasting legacy for the children of tomorrow. We remain in dialogue with Government about how we can increase the number of outdoor facilities.'

Source: Department for Culture, Media and Sport