§ Mr. PendryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many times since May 1997 his Department has overruled the advice of Sport England not to grant permission for the sale of a playing field. [112953]
§ Mr. RaynsfordSport England are consulted on planning applications for the development of playing fields but have no role in decisions about whether or not playing fields may be sold. Their role in the referral of planning applications to my Department came into effect on 23 December 1998 under the Town and Country Planning (Playing Fields)(England) Direction 1998. Since then, 18 applications have been referred to the Secretary of State. Of these, one has been called in by him for his own determination and 14 have been left to the local authority to determine. The remainder are under consideration. Of the 14 cases which were left to the local planning authority to determine, all but one involved the development of new or expanded educational or sporting facilities at existing schools or colleges. In each of these cases, the area of land which would be developed was a very minor part of the overall playing field provision.