The report highlights the urgent need for more recreation grounds due to London’s growing population and worsening obesity rates. Applications for developments on playing fields in London have more than doubled in the last four years. Housing, new schools and privately-run sport facilities are all being built on previously green sites, limiting Londoners’ access for sport and leisure.
“Fields once built on are lost forever. Playing fields are vital to the well being of Londoners. They provide us with not just a place for sports, but also somewhere for walking or just to sit out in an open green space,” declared Noel Lynch, Green Party Member of the London Assembly who is heading the campaign.
Noel will be launching the report at Sidmouth Drive, a playing field under threat because of the need for a new Secondary School. Local campaigners claim there are other sites where the school could be built – just not as easily as on green space.
Graham Lee, a local resident active in the campaign to save Sidmouth Drive said, “Sidmouth Drive Playing Fields are well-used, especially by the local cricket team, as well as for informal recreation and by walkers. As I said in my evidence to the recent Public Enquiry, the Council has in the past sold off more suitable sites for a school, and now does not wish to consider purchasing suitable sites for this school.”
The report, “Keep off the grass- London’s playing fields under threat”, condemns the Government and London boroughs for not doing enough to protect playing fields. The report finds that school playing fields have been particularly badly affected with 202 planning approvals for the disposal of school fields since 1998.
Greens are disgusted with the government’s response and particularly the words of Tessa Jowell, Culture Secretary, “I will say to schools up and down the country, ‘Sell your useless playing fields and invest the money in first-class 21st century facilities’.”
Commenting on the situation, Noel said, “This government recognises that growing obesity is a ticking health time bomb. Official figures show that only about one-third of pupils get at least the two hours of sport needed to stop them becoming couch potatoes. Yet rather than investing in schools sport fields they encourage the selling off valuable resources to save government budgets.”
This report outlines factors causing the loss of playing fields, gives examples of recent cases and makes recommendations to stop London’s green heritage from vanishing. Key recommendations from the Report include:
· Give strong, statutory protection to playing fields and recreation grounds whether public, private or school grounds to prevent their loss.
· Renovate existing facilities and develop new facilities where needed, on brownfield land.
· Increase funding to schools so that they are not forced to compromise the quality of their site to get new facilities.
· End the disposal of school playing fields unless alternative facilities are provided.
ENDS