Thousands of playing fields ‘may be lost’ if Sport England stripped of planning role

Sport England says that in 2022-2023 it protected more than 1,000 playing fields. Photograph: Tim Stubbings/Alamy

Thousands of playing fields could be lost to housing if the government strips Sport England of its role in national planning policy, campaigners have warned.

As part of the national planning and infrastructure bill the government has said it wants to “speed up the delivery of new homes and critical infrastructure” by removing the powers of some of the statutory consultees on planning decisions.