Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many playing fields have been disposed of for other use since 2005 in England; and what is the net change in the number of sport and leisure facilities in England in the past decade.

Information on playing fields that have been disposed of for other uses since 2005 is not available. Sport England does, however, monitor the number of planning applications concerning playing fields in its role as statutory consultee and objects where it believes local sports provision may be diminished.

Since 2004/2005, 10,901 concluded planning applications out of 11,422 have resulted in improved or safeguarded sports provision (95%).

Sport England has data on sports and leisure facility provision from 2010 onwards. Since 2010, there has been a net increase of 3,130 sport and leisure facilities in England.