Proposed changes to the planning system could significantly alter how decisions are made on sports and leisure facilities, placing greater responsibility on local authorities to assess need and justify provision, according to planning and development consultancy Lichfields.
The warning comes as the Government considers reforms aimed at streamlining the planning process by reducing the involvement of statutory consultees. Among the proposals is the removal of Sport England’s role as a statutory consultee on planning applications, replacing it with a more limited function focused on plan-making, guidance and selective intervention in cases involving significant playing field losses.
For local authority estates, facilities and education leaders, the changes could have important implications for the delivery, redevelopment and protection of sports infrastructure across communities.
If implemented, councils would take a more direct role in evaluating the need for sports and leisure provision as part of planning decisions. This could increase the importance of evidence submitted by developers, operators and public sector organisations seeking approval for new facilities or changes to existing sites.
According to Lichfields, decisions relating to sports provision are rarely based on a single measure of demand. Instead, they typically draw on a combination of participation data, demographic trends, facility condition assessments and local accessibility considerations.
Owain Nedin, Planning Director at Lichfields, said: “The proposed changes are intended to streamline the planning process, but they also change how decisions around sport and leisure facilities are made. Where there is less specialist consultation at application stage, local authorities will have to rely more heavily on the evidence submitted by the applicant in making their decision, in turn placing greater weight on the quality of that evidence.”
The changes could be particularly relevant for councils reviewing ageing leisure centres, planning new community sports facilities, or balancing competing demands for land within local development plans.
For education estates teams, the reforms may also influence decisions involving school sports facilities, playing fields and shared-use community assets, particularly where redevelopment or expansion projects are being considered.
Lichfields believes demand for robust sports facility assessments is likely to increase if the reforms proceed, as councils seek to ensure provision aligns with local participation needs and long-term community objectives.
The consultancy argues that understanding local demographics, facility catchments and future demand will become increasingly important as local authorities take on a greater role in shaping the future of sports and leisure infrastructure.
