SPORTS ANALYSIS
John Goodbody reports on
The National Facilities Inquiry
s a new inquiry into the state of
A
sports facilities in the UK gets
underway, it’s salutary to look
back exactly 50 years to the
Wolfenden Report 1960 and to see just
how far we’ve come, or not come, in the
half-century since its publication. The
Wolfenden Report has shaped many of
the outlines of British sport since 1960
and certainly prompted the impetus to-
P
I
C
wards the building of indoor centres in
: S
P
O
the 1960s and 1970s, which were previ-
R
T E
ously so lacking for public provision.
N
G
However, one sentence from the
L
A
N
report caught my eye, which seems as
D
true then as it is today. When discussing
playing fields, it states: ”There must not
There are thousands of tennis courts and artificial pitches
only be an adequate acreage of grounds,
they must also be in the right place.” I’ll
which could be used in the evening, if only they could be lit
be surprised if the new independent
Facilities Inquiry, for which the Central transformed the playing of football, bodies and private companies have often
Council of Physical Recreation (CCPR) is tennis and hockey. However, their use lamented the difficulties of putting up in-
providing the Secretariat, does not reach could be even more widespread but for door tennis centres or multi-purpose halls.
exactly the same conclusion. And there is the difficulties of getting planning per- Another area that the inquiry will
very little anyone can do about it. mission for their installation. There are examine is whether the facilities that
New playing fields, or in many cases thousands of tennis courts and artificial exist are being used sufficiently, such
artificial pitches, cannot be put down in pitches which could be used in the eve- as those in schools when the pupils
inner cities, where, of course, they are nings, if only they could be lit. have left the premises. The answer is
most needed. Frequently however, town There is a strong view that one way almost certainly no. Some of the best
and city suburbs have a surplus of grass forward would be to allow floodlights facilities in the country are in schools,
pitches – those that over the last 50 in such circumstances without apply- particularly in the independent sector.
years have not already been built on. ing for planning permission, but allow The inquiry will find that the quality of
It is particularly topical that this in- objections on their installation to be facilities is crucial in persuading people to
quiry, chaired by John Inverdale, the TV considered by the local authority. In oth- take part in physical activity and continue
presenter, should be coming out in May er words, the onus would be shifted to to do so. Dilapidated premises are not
because simultaneously the government the objectors. Another way to increase likely to attract people, which is why pri-
is about to issue its own PPG Note17 on use is to have temporary floodlights, vate health clubs put such a premium on
facilities, with a consultation period of which can be erected without planning appearances. The inquiry has announced
12 weeks, although any action will al- permission. The light spill from both that it wants to look at how local au-
most certainly be delayed until after the permanent and temporary floodlights thority centres can attract new users,
General Election. is, in any case, now more restricted than something that will help Sport England
The Wolfenden Report hailed the it was even 20 years ago and so disturbs reach its target of an extra one million
arrival of floodlights, which were just neighbours less than hitherto. people participating in physical activity.
beginning to have an impact on sports Of course, the building of sports cen- One wonders whether the inquiry will
such as professional football, although tres does require planning permission suggest that local sports facilities be free?
seldom, because of the cost at that and I believe that other countries in We await its conclusions with interest. ●
time, at grass-roots level. Their subse- Europe seem to enjoy greater flexibility John Goodbody has covered 12 successive
quent installation at sports centres has than is the case in Britain. Both public Olympic Games for the Sunday Times
Issue 1 2010 © cybertrek 2010 Read Sports Management online
sportsmanagement.co.uk/digital 7
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