Community sport spaces and Sport England

Early day motion 2786, tabled 11 February 2026 by Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 16 members.

That this House recognises the significant benefits that sport, recreation and physical activity provide to people across the UK; acknowledges the £107 billion contribution they make to the wider economy through improved health and wellbeing as well as reduced costs to public services and the NHS; expresses concern at the Government’s proposals to weaken planning protections for playing fields and to remove Sport England as a statutory consultee from the planning system; notes that these changes will reduce the weight given to public health considerations in the planning system and may negatively impact the quality and provision of community sports facilities; notes Sports England’s expertise on protecting such spaces, and that it has been actively involved in over 44 planning applications and strategic consultations in Somerset since April 2022; and urges the Government to support Sport England’s Protect Where we Play campaign and rethink its proposed planning changes for the benefits of local communities and the wider economy.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 15, Conservative 1.