The Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) (Amendment) Order 2020

Statutory Instruments

2020 No. 35

Sports Grounds And Sporting Events

The Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) (Amendment) Order 2020

Made

14th January 2020

Laid before Parliament

20th January 2020

Coming into force

11th February 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 of persons 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) Order 2020 and comes into force on 11th February 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 1 (sports grounds designated under article 2(1)), after the entry for the Provident Stadium, occupied by Bradford Bulls Rugby League Football Club, insert—

“Gigg Lane, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 9HR

Bury Football Club”.

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

(a) after the entry for AESSEAL New York Stadium, occupied by Rotherham United Football Club, insert—

“The Peninsula Stadium, Moor Lane, Salford, M7 3PZ

Salford City Football Club”;

(b) omit the entry for JD Stadium, Gigg Lane, occupied by Bury Football Club.

Nigel Adams

Minister of State for Sport, Media and Creative Industries

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

14th January 2020

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This is not part of the Order)

By section 1(1) of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 (c. 52) the Secretary of State may 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 the specified number of spectators.

By the Safety of Sports Grounds (Accommodation of Spectators) Order 1996 (S.I. 1996/499), the specified number of spectators is 5,000 in respect of those sports grounds in England and Wales at which association football matches are played and which are occupied by a club that is a member of the Football League Limited or the Football Association Premier League Limited. Sports grounds meeting these conditions may be designated under article 2(2) of the Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/661) (“the 2015 Order”). The specified number of spectators in all other cases is 10,000; those sports grounds are designated under article 2(1) of the 2015 Order.

This Order amends the 2015 Order as it designates The Peninsula Stadium, occupied by Salford City Football Club, under article 2(2) of the 2015 Order, as a sports ground for which a safety certificate is required under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975.

It also amends the designation in the 2015 Order of the sports ground at Gigg Lane which is occupied by Bury Football Club, as that club is no longer a member of the Football League Limited or the Football Association Premier League Limited. By virtue of this Order, that sports ground is now designated under article 2(1), instead of article 2(2), of the 2015 Order.

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

(1)

1975 c. 52; section 1 was amended by section 20 of, and 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 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 club which is a member of the Football League Limited or the Football Association Premier League Limited.

(3)

S.I. 2015/661, to which there are amendments not relevant to this Order.