More school playing fields have been “approved for sale” between January and July this year than in the whole of last year and in the whole of 2018, according to Department for Education documents.
The decisions on the disposal of school land document shows that 13 school playing field sites in England have been approved for sale this year, compared with 11 sites in the whole of last year and 12 sites in the whole of 2018.
The sites include three in the London borough of Southwark, one of which is earmarked for the building of social and affordable housing.
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Nottingham City Council is selling two sites, including “a school’s extensive playing field to a local developer” from which the capital receipt will be used to improve the school’s indoor sports provision. The Borough of Poole council, in Dorset, will sell part of an “unused playing field” for housing.
Two of the sites being sold are at schools which have closed, however, Fields in Trust, a charity which supports parks and green spaces, said in such cases there would need to be confirmation that neighbouring schools had sufficient playing fields.
The charity’s chief executive Helen Griffiths said: “As schools begin to reopen, it is vital that outdoor space remains available for play, sport and the delivery of a wide curriculum.
“We know that parks and green spaces are not equally distributed across the country so even where entire schools are being closed it is important to consider whether a more creative approach is needed to enable neighbouring schools to use these spaces and whether green space that is surplus to educational use can be repurposed for local community use.”
In 2017, a Tes investigation revealed the amount of school playing field land earmarked for sell-off had increased dramatically to a seven-year high, and that almost half of the land was in three local authority areas - Knowsley, Kent and Barnsley - all of which have higher than average levels of overweight and obese children of reception age.
The document, updated today, states that permission will only be given to a local authority or a multi-academy trust to sell school playing fields if the sports and curriculum needs of the school and its neighbouring schools can continue to be met.
And it says all proceeds of any sales should be put back into improving sports or educational facilities.
A DfE spokesperson said: “Schools and councils are only permitted to sell playing field land if they can demonstrate there will be no impact on their sports and curriculum needs, and that they have explored all suitable alternatives.
“These figures do not include the increasing number of multi-use games areas which can enhance sporting provision and are often used as a suitable alternative to playing fields.”
