Planning must put people first - Why sport deserves a seat at the table
Planning shapes the places we live in for generations. It determines whether children have somewhere safe to play, whether teenagers have a pitch to train on, whether older residents can access facilities to stay active, and whether communities feel connected or carved up by development. That is why I recently tabled an Early Day Motion opposing the removal of Sport England as a statutory consultee in the planning process.
At first glance, this might sound technical, even bureaucratic. But its implications are anything but.
Sport England’s role as a statutory consultee means that local authorities are required to consult it when planning applications affect playing fields and sports facilities. It provides expert, independent advice to ensure that developments do not erode access to grassroots sport and that adequate provision is made for growing communities. Removing that requirement risks weakening the voice of sport at precisely the moment we should be strengthening it.
In my constituency of Frome and East Somerset, as in communities up and down the country, we are seeing new housing developments approved at pace. We all recognise the need for more homes. But growth cannot simply mean more rooftops. It must mean building places where people can live healthy, fulfilling lives. That includes access to green space, leisure centres, pitches, courts and community facilities.
Too often, sport and recreation are treated as optional extras, nice to have if space and funding allow. But they are not luxuries. They are fundamental to public health, mental wellbeing and social cohesion. Grassroots sports clubs provide more than exercise; they build confidence, discipline, teamwork and belonging. They give young people structure and aspiration. They combat loneliness. They reduce pressure on the NHS. In many towns and villages, the local football or cricket club is as much a part of the social fabric as the school or the parish hall.
When we sideline sport in planning decisions, we send a signal about what we value. We risk approving developments that leave families driving miles to find a pitch, that place additional strain on already oversubscribed facilities, or that gradually chip away at the green spaces communities rely on.
This is part of a wider issue in our planning system: the need to put people, not just numbers, at its heart.
Planning debates often become polarised between those who want development at all costs and those who oppose it outright. But the real conversation should be about quality. Are we building homes alongside the infrastructure people need? Are we ensuring that transport links, GP surgeries, schools, and recreational facilities keep pace with population growth? Are we designing places that are safe, inclusive and accessible?
We have seen similar concerns raised in other contexts, whether about women’s safety not being explicitly embedded in national planning guidance, or about rural communities being left without adequate public transport. In each case, the underlying question is the same: who is planning for the lived experience of the people who will call these places home?
Removing Sport England’s statutory role risks narrowing the scope of that lived experience even further.
Some may argue that local authorities can still consult Sport England if they wish. But when resources are stretched and timelines are tight, statutory requirements matter. They ensure that certain considerations cannot simply be overlooked. They give weight to expert advice. They create accountability.
If we are serious about tackling obesity, improving mental health, reducing health inequalities and supporting young people, then access to sport and physical activity must be built into our communities from day one. That means protecting existing facilities and planning properly for new ones.
My Early Day Motion is not about blocking development. It is about getting development right. It is about recognising that thriving communities require more than housing targets; they require opportunity, connection and spaces that bring people together.
We should be asking ourselves what kind of country we want to build. One where playing fields are quietly eroded because they are seen as surplus to requirement? Or one where we understand that investment in sport is investment in our future?
Planning is not simply a technical exercise. It is a statement of priorities. If we remove sport from the formal conversation, we diminish its importance in practice.
For me, the answer is clear. We must ensure that planning decisions reflect the full spectrum of community needs, including the fundamental right to play, to participate, and to belong. Sport deserves a seat at the table, and our communities deserve nothing less.
Anna Sabine is the Liberal Democrat MP for Frome and East Somerset, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024. She currently undertakes the role of Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport.
