""Playing fields are irreplaceable - and Sport England's statutory consultee role is an important line of defence. "Weakening this protection risks accelerating the loss of the very spaces that make grassroots sportand physical activity possible, at a time when participation is growing and demand has never been higher." Sport England declined to comment, but this month said it protected more than a thousand playing fields across the country last year."
"Tasked with increasing physical activity, it has had to be consulted on planning decisions for the past 30 years after an estimated 10,000 playing fields were lost in the 1980s and early '90s. The letter has been written by Fields in Trust, a charity that works with local authorities and communities to protect parks and playing fields from development. Its president, former midfielder Scott, said:"
Top sports figures and governing bodies expressed concern that proposed planning reforms could allow playing fields across England to be developed and disappear. High-profile signatories including Jill Scott, Sir Mo Farah and Alex Yee and leaders from the FA, ECB, RFU and LTA signed an open letter opposing removal of statutory protections. The government is considering removing Sport England's statutory consultee right to speed planning to build 1.5 million homes by 2029. Signatories warned that weakening that protection would accelerate loss of grassroots sport spaces while Sport England says it protected over a thousand fields last year. Fields in Trust wrote the letter.
Read at www.bbc.com
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