§ 4. Shona McIsaac (Cleethorpes)What action the Government intend to revise planning guidance on sport and recreation. [73415]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Mr. Nick Raynsford)My hon. Friend the Minister for the Regions, Regeneration and Planning announced to the House on 29 July last year that planning guidance on sport and recreation—PPG17—would be revised. We intend to issue the draft for public consultation later this year.
§ Shona McIsaacI welcome my hon. Friend's reply, but will the guidelines fulfil the Government's stated commitment to ending the loss of playing fields, thus ending the scandal that was perpetrated under the last Government—the flogging off of playing fields left, right and centre for development? That shows what a sham their green credentials are.
§ Mr. RaynsfordMy hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the scandalous loss of playing fields that resulted from years of neglect under the Conservative Government. We have already acted to halt that by requiring, under a new direction, all proposed changes of use of educational playing fields to be referred to the Secretary of State when the Sports Council objects. That will provide further safeguards, on which we intend to build in the forthcoming draft planning guidance.
§ Mr. Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield)May I bring some balance to the ministerial approach to the matter? Many Conservative Members have done their damnedest—their utmost—to preserve school playing fields. Does the Minister accept that the emphasis on development in existing towns and cities, and building on brown-field sites, pose a risk? Will not playing fields that become partly "redundant" be at risk unless the Government—whatever party may be in power—decide that school playing fields should for all time be an asset to public recreation, games and leisure?
§ Mr. RaynsfordI readily accept that the hon. Gentleman has rightly fought to prevent school playing fields from being taken and developed. I wish that he had been more successful in persuading his own party to follow his line when it was in government. The present Government are determined to act, which is why we have passed the new direction that gives the Sports Council more influence, and allows referral to the Secretary of State in all cases in which there is a threat of loss of educational playing fields. That is the most effective step that can be taken to safeguard school playing fields. The hon. Gentleman is right to draw attention to the threat.