A coalition of Britain's most celebrated sporting figures, including Jill Scott and Sir Mo Farah, has issued a stark warning that children's health and wellbeing will 'suffer' if the Labour government proceeds with controversial planning reforms. The reforms could threaten the protection of community playing fields across the country.
An Open Letter from Sporting Legends
The athletes have signed an open letter arguing that local pitches and green spaces are 'irreplaceable'. They fear these areas are at risk as the government pushes to meet its target of building 1.5 million new homes. The proposed housing reforms would notably strip Sport England of its statutory right to be consulted on new developments affecting sports facilities.
Among the high-profile signatories are Olympic champions Sir Matthew Pinsent, Alex Yee, Ed Clancy, and Tessa Sanderson, alongside Rugby World Cup winner Jason Leonard. The chief executives of numerous major sporting bodies have also added their names to the petition.
The letter states powerfully: 'This is about social justice. The people who need green space the most often have the least access. Without these protections, the health and wellbeing of communities will suffer.'
Warnings from Champions and a Prince
Chris Boardman, the Olympic cyclist and chairman of Sport England, emphasised that playing fields are 'far more than patches of grass' and must be protected. 'Active children grow into active adults, and that simple truth underpins a healthy, confident society,' he added, stressing the essential role of school playing fields in particular.
Jill Scott, president of the charity Fields in Trust, and its patron, the Prince of Wales, also voiced strong support for protecting green spaces. Prince William remarked on the vital need for community access to greenery for mental and physical health, adding a poignant warning: 'The green-space protection part is really important, because once a green space goes, it's gone forever.'
The Controversial Reforms and Backlash
The reforms were initially championed by former housing secretary Angela Rayner. A public consultation on the proposals, which form part of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, was launched on November 18 and runs until January 13.
Critics argue the changes will severely damage the ability to protect not just playing fields, but also courts, sports halls, and leisure centres. In addition to Sport England, the reforms propose removing The Gardens Trust and Theatres Trust from the list of statutory consultees.
The Sport and Recreation Alliance, representing 280 groups including British Cycling and the Lawn Tennis Association, has urged a rethink. Its chief executive, Lisa Wainwright, called the plans 'a huge mistake', noting that once fields are lost, 'they're gone for good'.
Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Sir James Cleverly, criticised the move, stating: 'Labour is stripping powers from local people... centralising decisions that should belong to communities.'
Historical context shows the scale of the risk: an estimated 10,000 playing fields were sold off in the 1980s and 1990s, a trend that only plummeted after protections were introduced in 1996 and 2001. Sport England data reveals it helped protect 1,038 playing fields in the year to March 2024.
In response to the criticism, a government spokesperson said: 'We do not recognise these claims. We remain committed to protecting and extending our playing field capacity... We will reform the system to ensure it is sensible, balanced and does not create unintended delays.'
