Political opinion with Beccy Cooper MP: Meeting a Lioness
It was such a privilege to meet none other than a Lioness in parliament recently, on a subject for which we share the same passion, in terms of both sport and public health.
Jill Scott MBE has inspired a generation of not only women and girls but all young people to believe in themselves, work hard and succeed against the odds. As a former England midfielder with over 150 caps and having played a key role in the Lionesses’ historic UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 win, she knows first hand how important grassroots sport is. Long before Wembley and international tournaments, players like Jill start out on local pitches — which could now be put at risk again.
Jill is President of Fields In Trust, a national 100-year-old charity dedicated to protecting parks, playgrounds, playing fields, and green spaces. And she’s making it clear that if we don’t speak out now, we risk losing access to sport, community connection, and public health and wellbeing for future generations.
There’s a long and sorry history of playing fields being sold off across the UK, often for housing or commercial development. Once they’re gone, they’re gone for good. You can’t easily replace a central, well-used green space with something “equivalent” miles away.
Changes which streamline our Planning system are needed if we are to meet our ambitious target of building 1.5 million new homes over the course of this Parliament. But removing Sport England as a statutory consultee in the process is entirely counter-productive. Sport England plays a crucial role in reviewing developments that might affect playing fields. They can object, suggest changes, and help ensure that community sport and wellbeing isn’t overlooked.
Remove Sport England and there’s less protection. Yes, decisions could be made faster but not necessarily better. Green spaces could become far more vulnerable to being built over, especially in areas where development pressure is already high.
The argument isn’t anti-development. The UK urgently needs homes and infrastructure. But development shouldn’t come at the cost of the very spaces that make communities liveable. Planning policy should treat green spaces as essential infrastructure, something to be protected and integrated, not an afterthought to be sacrificed for the sake of speed and convenience.
New polling shows that people across the country value their local parks and playing fields, not just for sport, but for fresh air, socialising, and a sense of belonging. These aren’t luxuries, they’re an essential part of a thriving, healthy community.
Once a playing field is lost, there’s no going back. And the real loss isn’t just a patch of grass, it’s opportunity, health, and community spirit. But don’t just take that from me, take it from a Lioness.
As always, you can contact me at [email protected]