"Once you lose a playing field or pitch, it's gone forever”
- Tim Hollingsworth
On March 10th, Matthew Pennycook, Minister for Housing and Planning, released a statement; “Reform of the Statutory Consultee System”.
In summary, the Government are making a bid to cut delays of planning applications, which includes the process of cutting statutory consultees. Sport England, the body whose statutory role is to protect green spaces and playing fields, is one of the consultees to be removed.
This decision removes a key safeguard for the protection of green spaces and playing fields, that are fundamental to the existence of community and grassroots sports programs. The removal of statutory protection makes these facilities more vulnerable to loss due to well-meaning developments. Quite simply, local planners will no longer be required to be consult the experts or even consider the impact of facility loss.
Sport England have since released a response; "Chief executive's letter to Select Committee"
What does this mean for students?
The benefits of integrated physical activity as part of an educational program are limitless.
It can be core to personal development; improve physical and mental health; help young people build relationships and teach students valuable life skills in leadership, communication and resilience.
Now imagine if you couldn’t experience that, if those sports programs ceased to exist.
If schools, colleges and universities lose access to playing fields, their physical activity programs will suffer. Maybe not today, but what about 2, 5 or 10 years down the line? While many of us may have left education by then, we cannot ignore the impact it will have on those that follow us.
What does this mean for the public?
Where there is significant loss of green space and playing fields, physical activity programs will shut down and, where the increasing costs of privatised sports programs are too high, communities will be left without affordable sport.
As communities struggle to stay active, increased obesity-related illnesses will put further pressure on the NHS and the wealth gap will manifest as a health gap.
What can we do about it?
Very simply, we must use our collective voice to oppose this change.
As a representative of the student body, I have written a letter to the Prime Minister ("Protecting the right to accessible sport"), which addresses these concerns. This letter is being signed by representatives from students’ unions, educational institutions and organisations across the country.
In your own capacity, I ask that you do two things:
Firstly, sign the petition to not remove Sport England’s statutory role, without an equally robust replacement policy.
Then, raise awareness. This issue is by technicality a “Housing and Planning” proposal and it has slipped by unnoticed.
I cannot stress how important it is that we act on this decision, before it can cause any long-term damage. This campaign is about protecting the right to accessible sport, especially for students. The Government must have a statutory policy in place to protect green space and playing fields. They must do more to protect the communities and grassroots sports programs, especially those at educational institutions.
We are the future of this country and this will shape it.