Playing Fields Investigation Rapporteur’s Foreword Having played football and cricket on many of London's playing fields during my school, college and now my adult life, l know too well the controversies surrounding the loss of playing fields. Two key things struck me during our inquiry. Not enough use is made of the planning framework to protect our playing fields in London, and the sporting communities who regularly using them are not recognised as custodians of green spaces of London. I hope this report can go some way to preserving London’s playing fields, increasing access to, and use of them. Our report should be seen as a reference guide for all those who are working to maintain and develop playing fields. In it we: • Attempt to learn the lessons of recent loss of playing fields. • Map the nature of the growing relationship between artificial turf pitches (ATPs ) and grass playing fields, so as to find innovative approaches to fund their long term future; and • Set up baseline data and maps on playing fields availability across London beyond just school ones, covering others in the rest of the public sector and private ones which will help draw a line under the issue. Like many off-side decisions in football, it’s often not worth looking back on the ref’s decision but lets look ahead instead. And the best way to do this will be to have an annual check on where we are with this head count of playing fields in 2006. Hopefully this way we can maintain the 1500 playing fields we have identified for the future use of Londoners in the lead up to and beyond the Olympic & Paralympics in 2012. Murad Qureshi AM Deputy Chair, Environment Committee 1 The London Assembly Environment Committee Terms of Reference The Environment Committee is a cross-party committee of London Assembly Members, with the following terms of reference. To examine and report from time to time on - • the strategies, policies and actions of the Mayor and the Functional Bodies • matters of importance to Greater London To examine and report to the Assembly from time to time on the Mayor's Air Quality, Biodiversity, Energy, Noise and Waste Strategies, in particular their implementation and revision. To consider environmental matters on request from another standing committee and report its opinion to that standing committee. To take into account in its deliberations the cross cutting themes of: the health of persons in Greater London; and the promotion of opportunity. To respond on behalf of the Assembly to consultations and similar processes when within its terms of reference. Committee members Darren Johnson (Chair) Green Murad Qureshi (Deputy Chair) Labour Valerie Shawcross Labour Roger Evans Conservative Bob Neill Conservative Mike Tuffrey Liberal Democrat Peter Hulme Cross One London Committee Contacts Carmen Musonda, Scrutiny Manager 020 7983 6542 [email protected] Kelly Flynn, Senior Media Officer 020 7983 4067 [email protected] 2 Contents Rapporteur’s Foreword The Environment Committee Executive Summary Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Availability of London’s playing fields Chapter 3 Improving access to London’s playing fields Chapter 4 What more can be done to preserve London’s playing fields Appendices Appendix 1 The recommendations Appendix 2 List of stakeholders contributing to the inquiry Appendix 3 The research – London playing fields baseline ∗ Availability of sites with pitches – the figures ∗ Sites with grass and artificial pitches, listed by borough and sub-region ∗ Availability of pitches, listed by owner ∗ London-wide map showing playing pitch availability ∗ Sub-regional maps (Central, North, South, East, West) showing playing pitch availability Appendix 4 Progress on borough Open Space Strategies Appendix 5 Orders and translations Appendix 6 Scrutiny Principles 3 Executive Summary Green spaces are important to our well-being and quality of life. Sadly, over the last two decades London has suffered significant loss of green spaces. This report focuses on, and highlights the importance of preserving playing fields - London’s green spaces used for sport. In doing so it addresses three themes: • The strong links between the environment and health, and the importance of opening up access to London’s playing fields to achieve health benefits. • The need to engage all sections of the community, including the sporting community in the debate on preserving London’s playing fields. • The need to ensure that an appropriate planning framework is in place and that the current review of the Mayor’s Spatial Development Strategy, the London Plan takes account of any changes needed. Although the trend in loss of playing fields in London seems to be reversing, there is no room for complacency1. We argue that the best defence against the loss of a playing field is intensive use by the local community. If sites are to be protected and created for future generations to enjoy, providers of them must ensure that they are accessible, safe and attractive to local people. Effective use of the planning framework, along with joined-up thinking, partnership working and the exploration of innovative models for financing is essential. We therefore recommend: • A single definition for a playing field to be used by Sport England and the Department for Education and Skills. • A central database of playing field availability across London. • Representation from the local sporting community on the London Parks and Green Spaces Forum. • Increased access to privately owned playing fields and the development of a forum to facilitate that • Inclusion of specific policies in the revised London Plan to protect playing fields against development • More pressure on local planning authorities to complete Open Space Strategies. • A sub-regional approach to developing Open Space Strategies. 1 Government statistics published in July 2005 showed an increase in the number of playing fields and new sporting developments, for the first time since statistics have been published. In 2002/03 a total of 50 new facilities were created nationally with an investment of £33,218,200; these increased to 63 and £65,213,272 in 2003/04. In London, 13 more new facilites were recorded in 2003/04 with an increased investment of £31,995,072 More information available at www.culture.gov.uk 4 Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Green spaces are important to our well-being and quality of life. There are a range of benefits they can provide. Green spaces are pleasing to look at, can make our living and working environments more enjoyable, provide opportunities to socialise, develop team and community spirits and help improve our health through sporting activities. 1.2 Sadly, over the last two decades London has suffered a decline in its green spaces. A report published by the London Planning Advisory Committee (LPAC) in November 1999 confirmed that a large proportion of London’s open spaces have been lost since 1991. On the basis of these losses, the LPAC went on to estimate that between 1989 and 1999 over 1000 hectares of open space will have been lost2. 1.3 The LPAC figures give an indication of loss of open space in London over the last 15 or so years. However we found it difficult to track down more recent data that would allow us to precisely quantify loss of playing fields in London, and discuss why in the following chapter. Suffice it to say that a range of data sources point to a significant loss of playing fields in London since the 1980s. 1.4 We acknowledge that the trend in loss of playing fields in London seems to be reversing. Government statistics published in July 2005 showed an increase in the number of playing fields and new sporting developments, for the first time since statistics have been published3. In London, 13 more new facilites were recorded in 2003/04 with an increased investment of £31,995,0724. But there is no room for complacency. Focus for the inquiry 1.5 Our inquiry, and consequently this report focuses on, and highlights the importance of preserving London’s green spaces used for sport - playing fields. Why? Three reasons. Firstly, we recognise the strong links between the environment and health, and the importance of opening up access to London’s playing fields. Recently there has been a noticeable drive at national level towards improving the nation’s health. In Game Plan 20025, the Government set a target to increase participation in sport and physical activity by 1% year on year. More recently the Government published the white paper ‘Choosing Heath: Making healthy choices easier’, which aims to increase physical activity levels across the whole population as a preventative health measure6. 1.6 Secondly, it is important to engage all sections of London’s community in preserving London’s green spaces. The contribution that London’s sporting 2 Effectiveness of Policy in Protecting Open Space in London, LPAC November 1999, Executive Summary paragraphs 32 and 34. 3 More information available at www.culture.gov.uk 4 In 2002/03 a total of 50 new facilities were created with an investment of £33,218,200; these increased to 63 and £65,213,272 in 2003/04. For more information see www.culture.gov.uk 5 Game plan: a strategy for delivering government’s sport and physical activity objectives, was published jointly by the Government’s Strategy Unit and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in December 2002. A downloadable copy is available at http://www.sportdevelopment.org.uk 6 The Government White paper ‘Choosing Health: Making healthy choices easier was published in November 2004. See http://www.dh.gov.uk 5 community has to make has not been fully recognised. Working with other key stakeholders, such as the boroughs, planners, developers and playing field owners, a more strategic approach to preserving existing playing fields and developing new ones can be achieved.