PLAYING FIELDS

Early day motion 1706, tabled 5 June 2008 by Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 59 members.

That this House recognises the importance of access to playing fields in helping to tackle rising levels of obesity, strengthen communities and cut crime; notes with concern that the nation's playing fields are still being sold off at an alarming rate; further notes that, every nine days, plans to build over a playing field are accepted even though Sport England warns that this will have a negative impact on local sporting provision; condemns the continued sell-off of smaller playing fields, the size of half a football pitch, at a rate of almost one a day, despite the Government's promise made in 2002 to introduce protection for them; is deeply concerned that there is currently a loophole in the law that allows landowners to deliberately prevent people using a playing field for five years and then sell it off without proper consultation; and, consequently, calls on the Government to close this loophole and honour its promise to give smaller fields the same protection as larger ones to ensure that the UK's playing fields are protected for generations to come.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 26, Labour 24, Conservative 4, Independent 2, Plaid Cymru 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1, UKIP 1.