Bristol Playing Pitch Strategy 2026 to 2040 consultation

Overview

National planning policy requires local authorities to carry out an assessment of the needs for sports and recreational facilities. Information from the assessments should be used to determine what open space, sports and recreational provision is required in the area.

The Playing Pitch Strategy considers the number, quality and availability of grass and artificial playing pitches in the city. Having a sufficient supply of playing pitches, both now and in the future, is important to facilitate and encourage participation in sport and general health and wellbeing in our communities.

The Playing Pitch Strategy uses include helping to protect and enhance existing provision; informing the assessment of planning applications and proposed developments; helping to prioritise deliverable projects; ensuring a ‘strategic approach’ to getting the right facilities in the right places and attracting investment from relevant partners.

Why we are consulting

The strategy has been developed using Sport England’s nationally recognised methodology and overseen by a steering group including Sport England, national governing bodies for sport, and representatives from public health, planning, and parks services.  

This collaborative approach ensures the strategy is robust, credible, and aligned with national guidance, making it a valuable tool for planning policy, funding bids, and strategic decision-making. 

The consultation offers residents, sports clubs, and stakeholders the opportunity to share their views on the draft strategy and suggest any additional content. Feedback will help shape the final version of the strategy, which is scheduled for committee consideration in summer 2026. 

What we are proposing

Our vision is:
To protect, enhance and provide the right combination of playing pitches to meet the current and future needs of the city’s population. To increase participation in playing pitch sports through offering the best participant experience possible in terms of playing pitches and other supporting facilities at the most cost-effective price to both the user and provider.

The draft strategy identifies that the city does not have a surplus of playing fields and that all existing sites should be protected wherever possible. Where protection is not feasible, any changes must comply with Sport England’s strict exceptions policy, ensuring that the loss of a pitch is only permitted under exceptional circumstances. 

The draft Playing Pitch Strategy focuses primarily on the four main pitch sports—football, rugby, cricket, and hockey—while also considering lesser played sports. It provides a framework for protecting and improving facilities in the most cost-effective way, ensuring pitches are flexible spaces that can serve multiple sports and age groups. Collaboration between sports is highlighted as essential to making the best use of limited space. 

Key findings from the draft strategy include: 

• Cricket faces the most significant under supply and considerable action is required.  

• Football and Rugby Union should prioritise the improvement of existing club pitches and facilities. In doing so, most clubs will be able to meet future demand.  

• Hockey should focus on making sure pitches are well used and able to continue operating. This includes potential redistribution of play, resurfacing of ‘poor’ pitches and securing access in the longer term. 

• More research is needed to support less played sports clubs to have a lasting Bristol home ground. 

The strategy also sets out city-wide priorities and sport-specific recommendations, supported by a Strategic Priorities Action Plan. This plan identifies the actions likely to have the greatest impact during the first phase of implementation, with a more detailed plan to follow once the strategy is adopted. 

If you would like to read the draft strategy, you can do so here:
• Bristol Playing Pitch Strategy – draft for consultation