New statistics have shown that approved applications for development on playing fields are set to bring in around £268 million of planned investment in sports facilities.

Government Response: Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Tessa Jowell ,culture secretary said: "These statistics are proof that the story is changing on playing fields. £268m invested in sport facilities right across England – and that is just from approved applications for 2002/03.

Party Response: Liberal Democrats

Don Foster, Liberal Democrat sports spokesman, said: "I welcome the news that the nation's sports facilities are being managed more effectively than previous.

"But we need urgent action to ensure that those that want to use they can. The government's 'Doomsday Book' of sports facilities will be a superb resource once completed, yet it has already taken twice as long as it took William I took to compile the original book!

"There are frustrating delays on funding too. There's only a fraction of the money getting into school sports as should be. With almost £750 million pounds promised over three years ago still unspent on school sports and with community sports lottery funding frozen thanks to the long-delayed start-up of Regional Sports Boards, speed is now essential."

Forum Response: National Playing Fields Association

Don Earley, deputy director of the National Playing Fields Association, told ePolitix.com: "The National Playing Fields Association welcomed the figures published by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

"Firstly let's acknowledge the government's investment in outdoor sport, particularly where pitch drainage improvements, artificial pitches, multi sports pitches, changing rooms and other ancillary buildings and floodlights have been approved and money found.

"But far too many of our fields and sports grounds still suffer from poor capital investment and inadequate maintenance - we must invest properly in these improvements before giving a thought about concreting more over, even where the concrete might bring a new indoor sports or leisure facility.

"The government set up a Playing Fields Monitoring Group four years ago to publish monthly statistics on the loss of playing fields. What the government has done is mix up facts relating to playing fields' losses with playing fields' improvements. The improvements are really welcomed but they need stripping out of the longstanding national debate about protecting the nation's playing fields.

"As presented, the picture on threats and losses is about as clear as the slimy mud on which our children are all too often expected to play sport.

"We need news of progress made by Tessa Jowell on the national listing of playing fields, part of her Doomsday Book of sports facilities heralded on her appointment. This should show where quality investment is required.

"We know from the government's figures that 807 applications for development on playing fields were approved last year, about 85 per cent of those decided. We know also that the schools minister has approved over 90 per cent of applications made for consent to dispose of school playing fields under this government's own legislation.

"Furthermore, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister ignored Sport England's objections on 36 occasions. And, additionally, 18 out of 290 (six per cent) planning authorities which responded to an NPFA survey in the winter of 2003 claimed to have met the government's requirements for local assessments of open space as required under the ODPM's planning guidance. Protection may have improved, but it's plainly still very fragile.

"Overall, the situation remains badly informed, lacking in transparency and in need of urgent action. For our part, the National Playing Fields will praise, prod and provoke as politely as possible the government and Sport England to bring in much improved policies and programmes. The objective must be to ensure that high quality, local playing fields are well used and valued throughout the country, and that they are protected clearly and strongly through planning, land and charity law.

"The NPFA will be writing to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Sport England calling for positive action on all these fronts."

Forum Response: British Swimming Pools Federation

Allen Brobyn of the British Swimming Pools Federation told ePolitix.com: "The BSPF as a member of the Swimming Forum welcomes the DCMS statistics which show more funds being channelled into swimming pools among other sports facilities from the development of playing fields. 

"This will go some way towards the £2 billion which it is estimated we need to spend to bring the country's ageing and inadequate swimming facilities up to date to meet national curriculum swimming requirements, and swimming opportunities for everyone. 

"Swimming is one of the finest forms of exercise and should be top of the fitness agenda in the health and obesity debate, but much more commitment is needed to ensure we have enough first class facilities for everyone."

Forum Response: Professional Association of Teachers      

Jean Gemmell,  PAT general secretary, said: "The loss of school playing fields has a detrimental effect on the playing of team games and on children's general fitness and well-being.

"We cannot afford to lose any more playing fields. We need to expand and develop our facilities if we are to improve our sporting performance and produce future winners like our England rugby team. Adults who play sports usually began at school.

"There are fewer and fewer places for children to play safely and there is growing evidence that they are getting less exercise than they should. Children need playing fields for both PE lessons and their own informal games at break and lunch times.

"Our school playing fields are a vital green resource for our pupils and their communities."