In a shock move, the Government is removing protection given to current and former school playing fields.
Councils such as Wirral have been given the green light to sell off school playing fields and to use money from sales for general council spending.
The move coincides with the Government also increasing the target for new houses in Wirral to 35,000 - up from 14,000.
Crucially Labour is also removing Sport England’s role as a statutory consultee for planning applications involving playing fields. That means when planning applications are made to build on playing fields, Sport England won't be asked for their view.
Previously, their support to keeping playing fields was often the deciding factor at meetings of Council planning committees.
The Sport and Recreation Alliance isn't impressed: 'We are disappointed to see the Government's proposal to remove various statutory consultees – including Sport England – from planning decisions in England. Removing Sport England and other statutory consultees might have, at best, a marginal impact on speeding up planning decisions. But it risks having a significant detrimental effect on the UK’s long-term growth prospects, as well as the quality of neighbourhoods and the activity levels of our children.'
If you agree that Sport England should have a say on whether current or former sports fields are sold off to developers, sign our petition.
