INTRODUCTION OF 1APP: CONSULTATION ON LOCAL VALIDATION CHECKLISTS

Thank you for consulting Sport England on the above.

You will be aware that Sport England is a statutory consultee on planning applications affecting playing fields by virtue of Statutory Instrument No. 1817 (1996). Before Sport England can make a substantive response to any statutory consultation in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) (Amendment) (England) Order 2005 (and the related guidance in Circular 08/05), a minimum amount of information is required in order to make an informed assessment of the impact of any development proposal on a playing field. If this information is not provided with an application, Sport England requests that this be provided and a holding objection is made to the application in the interim of the information being provided. This often results in unnecessary delays to the determination of a planning application affecting playing fields.

In this context, Sport England would request that the list of local requirements be amended to include a section on playing field impact which outlines the information that should be submitted with planning applications that affect playing fields. This information is set out in paragraph 2.3 of Sport England's "Consultation arrangements for local authorities with regard to development that affects playing fields" document (2006), a copy of which I attach. This document can also be downloaded from Sport England's website at www.sportengland.org/guidance_for_las_on_play_fields_feb06_(3).pdf.

I would request that the content of paragraph 2.3 of this document be included in the local list and that a cross-reference is provided to the website link for further information. A link to PPG17 which provides guidance on developments affecting playing fields (paragraph 15 may also be helpful. I would also be happy for the guidance to encourage applicants to contact Sport England's regional office for further advice about information that should be submitted with an application affecting playing fields.

I would like to take this opportunity to clarify the types of application upon which Sport England would wish to be consulted as a non-statutory consultee, to assist the Council in deciding whether we should be consulted. The formal basis for non-statutory consultation with Sport England was established by the Department of the Environment's letter of 22 July 1996 to all chief planning officers. This letter sets out a definitive list of all sports-related planning applications upon which Sport England would wish to be consulted (a copy can be provided upon request). Examples of applications on this list include:

* Major indoor and outdoor sports facilities.
* Development involving the loss, or prejudicing the use, of existing sports facilities.
* Major residential developments of 300 dwellings or more.

I would be grateful if you could consult Sport England on these types of planning applications if the Council does not already do so.

I hope that this response is helpful to you in finalising the list of local validation requirements. Please contact me if you have any queries.