THE Essex County FA are encouraging local clubs and leagues to review an opportunity to have their say on a Government consultation relating to playing facilities, which is open online until Tuesday 13th January.
The Government are currently consulting on changes to the statutory consultee system and the designated bodies who are consulted during planning and policy decisions. One of the key proposals is the removal of Sport England as a statutory consultee for planning applications which affect playing fields.
The Essex County FA currently work collaboratively and strategically with colleagues at Sport England and the Football Foundation to provide local participation insight and data. This supports the protection of playing fields, and/or influences future strategic sport and football facility infrastructure as part of Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy discussions.
Playing fields are a key component of local football infrastructure and, since 2018, the Essex County FA have provided local strategic comments on more than 250 planning applications (via the Sport England Statutory Consultee process) for an average of 30 applications per season. Losing Sport England’s statutory role would remove a crucial layer of protection and expertise which currently safeguards community pitches at a local level. Key risks include:
Loss of Playing Fields: Without statutory oversight, more pitches could be vulnerable to development, reducing opportunities for people of all ages to take part in football.
Lower-Quality Facilities: Sport England ensure new and improved pitches meet recognised standards. Without their involvement, poor design or unsuitable layouts could jeopardise safety and performance.
Reduced Strategic Planning: Sport England play a vital role in securing community use agreements and advising on facility location. Removing this role risks fragmented provision and a decline in long-term playing capacity.
Impact on Future Growth: With demand rising – including a 56% increase in women’s football participation since 2020 – the loss of expert guidance could hinder the sport’s ability to expand sustainably.
The Essex County FA are recommending that all Essex grassroots football organisations (i.e. clubs, leagues, volunteers) respond to the Government consultation (and to share it within their own networks), ensuring the voice of the local football community is heard.
Contributors can consider sharing their own experiences when responding, as this insight is invaluable in demonstrating how important Sport England’s role is locally.
Essex County FA Chief Executive Officer, Brendan Walshe, explained: “We’re building on a remarkable period of growth. Participation is increasing – by 41% since 2018 – with more than 6,000 teams and over 80,000 players participating each week. The social and health value benefits the game provides, as shared in our recent ‘A Celebration of Essex: Grassroots Football Social’s and Health Value’ brochure, is built on the physical infrastructure of pitches, playing fields and facilities.”
“They are vital for the continual growth of our game, supporting both present and future participation needs. Protecting and enhancing this is critical to ensuring future generations reap the opportunities and benefits the game provides, and the role Sport England plays, as a statutory consultee, is vital.”
Nick Emery, Essex County FA Head of Development & Investment, added: “We’re very concerned about the potential removal of Sport England as a statutory consultee. With so much development happening in Essex, there is a big risk that grassroots sport doesn’t get to influence the protection of existing playing fields and the shaping of new facilities.”
“This is a vital piece of work which we undertake in a collaborative process with colleagues at Sport England and the Football Foundation. We urge our stakeholders to comment on the proposal and, also, to sign the Sport and Recreation Alliance petition.”
In a statement following the opening of the consultation on reforms to the statutory consultee system, Sport England Chair, Chris Boardman, said: “Once a playing field is lost, it’s gone forever – and the impact is felt the most by communities that need them the most. Health is wealth – and healthy lives that are full of movement are essential for economic growth.”
The future of playing fields – and the thousands of people who rely on them every week – depends on decisions being made now. Responding to the consultation can assist in protecting the infrastructure which underpins grassroots football in Essex and beyond. A united response will help to strengthen the case for protecting the facilities which local football depends on.
Find all the links you need to take part at www.essexfa.com. Grassroots football stakeholders can also show their support by signing the Sport and Recreation Alliance’s official petition calling for Sport England to remain a statutory consultee. If it reaches 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.
Case Study: Oakfields Playing Field, London Borough of Redbridge
The Oakfields Playing Field case is one of the clearest examples of Sport England’s statutory consultee role, preventing major loss of community sports provision. Redbridge Council had allocated the site for 850 homes in its local plan, and later proposed granting a professional football club with a long lease, which would have displaced significant grassroots use.
Sport England intervened by highlighting flaws in the disposal process and warning that statutory consultation requirements on playing field development would create a robust check on any subsequent proposals. The outcome was the withdrawal of the allocation at examination, protecting a playing field used by hundreds of young footballers and multiple cricket clubs.
This case underscores the essential scrutiny function which Sport England provides in East London, particularly where local authorities may face incentives to maximise asset value over community benefit. Without Sport England’s statutory role, a major community sports asset would likely have been lost permanently – significantly weakening sporting capacity in a high-demand urban area.
Case Study: Unlocking Grassroots Football Potential in Braintree through Section 106 Funding
Braintree District Council, in partnership with the Essex County FA, Sport England and the Football Foundation, successfully leveraged Section 106 contributions from local housing developments to deliver four full-size 3G artificial grass pitches (AGPs) across Braintree and Witham. Sport England were able to play a part in the success of these projects.
This £3.84 million initiative – supported by a £2.46 million Football Foundation grant and £1.39 million in partnership funding – demonstrates the transformative power of strategic collaboration. The project is expected to support 15 England-accredited clubs and drive the growth of 231 teams, including 33 new female teams, within five years. Local leaders have praised the initiative for addressing the rising demand for football facilities, promoting physical and mental wellbeing.
