The Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) (Amendment) (England) (No. 4) Order 2020

Statutory Instruments

2020 No. 1063

Sports Grounds And Sporting Events, England

The Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) (Amendment) (England) (No. 4) Order 2020

Made

29th September 2020

Laid before Parliament

30th September 2020

Coming into force

21st October 2020

The Secretary of State makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 1(1) and 18(2) of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975(1).

The Secretary of State is of the opinion that the conditions in section 1(1) of that Act are satisfied(2) and has, in accordance with section 18(4) of that Act, consulted with such persons and bodies as appear requisite to the Secretary of State.

Citation and commencement

1.  This Order may be cited as the Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) (Amendment) (England) (No. 4) Order 2020 and comes into force on 21st October 2020.

Amendments to the Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) Order 2015

2.—(1) The Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) Order 2015(3) is amended as follows.

(2) In Schedule 2 (sports grounds designated under article 2(2))—

(a) for the entry for Plough Lane(4), occupied by A. F. C. Wimbledon, substitute—

“Plough Lane Stadium, Plough Lane, London, SW17 0NR

A. F. C. Wimbledon”;

(b) before the entry for Victoria Park, occupied by Hartlepool Football Club, insert—

“The Football Stadium, Wetherby Road, Harrogate HG2 7SA

Harrogate Town Association Football Club”;

(c) omit the entries for—

(i) The Hive Stadium(5), occupied by Barnet Football Club, London Bees and London Broncos;

(ii) Griffin Park, occupied by Brentford Football Club;

(iii) Moss Rose Stadium(6), occupied by Macclesfield Town Football Club.

Nigel Huddleston

Minister for Sport, Tourism and Heritage

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

29th September 2020

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/661, “the 2015 Order”) so as to designate The Football Stadium, occupied by Harrogate Town Association Football Club, as a sports ground for which a safety certificate is required under the Sports Grounds Safety Act 1975 (c. 52, “the 1975 Act”).

As well as being occupied by a member of the Football League Limited, The Football Stadium is a sports ground in England and Wales at which association football matches are played and which, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, has accommodation for more than 5,000 spectators.

The 2015 Order is also amended to reflect a change in the post code for Plough Lane, occupied by A. F. C. Wimbledon, and so that three sports grounds are no longer designated as sports grounds for which a safety certificate is required under the 1975 Act. These three grounds are the Hive Stadium (occupied by Barnet Football Club) and Moss Rose Stadium (occupied by Macclesfield Town Football Club) following the relegation of those clubs from the Football League, and Griffin Park (occupied by Brentford Football Club) as the club now plays its home games in another sports ground.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.

(1)

1975 c. 52; section 1(1) was amended by Schedule 2 to the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987 (c. 27).

(2)

By section 1(1) of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975, the Secretary of State may by order designate as a sports ground requiring a safety certificate under that Act any sports ground which, in the Secretary of State’s opinion, has accommodation for more than 10,000 spectators. The Safety of Sports Grounds (Accommodation of Spectators) Order 1996 (S.I. 1996/499) substituted the number 5,000 for the number of spectators specified in section 1(1) of that Act in respect of sports grounds in England and Wales at which association football matches are played and which are occupied by a football club which is a member of the Football League Limited or the Football Association Premier League Limited.

(3)

S.I. 2015/661; relevant amending instruments are S.I. 2015/1556, 2018/869 and 2020/785.

(4)

The entry for Plough Lane Stadium was added by S.I. 2020/785.

(5)

The entry for The Hive Stadium was added by S.I. 2015/1556.

(6)

The entry for Moss Rose Stadium was added by S.I. 2018/869.