The Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) (Amendment) (England) Order 2023

Statutory Instruments

2023 No. 272

SPORTS GROUNDS AND SPORTING EVENTS, ENGLAND

The Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) (Amendment) (England) Order 2023

Made

6th March 2023

Laid before Parliament

9th March 2023

Coming into force

30th March 2023

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 condition in section 1(1) of that Act is 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, commencement and extent

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) (Amendment) (England) Order 2023 and comes into force on 30th March 2023.

(2) This Order extends to England and Wales.

Amendment 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 AJ Bell Stadium, occupied by Sale Rugby Union Football Club, and Salford Red Devils Rugby Football League Club, insert—

“StoneX Stadium, Greenlands Lane, London, NW4 1RL

Saracens Rugby Club”.

Stuart Andrew

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

6th March 2023

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

Under section 1(1) of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 (c. 52) (“the Act”), where the Secretary of State is of the opinion that a sports ground has accommodation for more than the specified number of spectators, the Secretary of State may by order designate that sports ground as a sports ground requiring a safety certificate under the Act.

This Order amends the Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/661) (“the 2015 Order”) so as to designate StoneX Stadium under article 2(1) of the 2015 Order as a sports ground for which a safety certificate is required under the Act.

StoneX Stadium is occupied by Saracens Rugby Club and is a sports ground in England which, in the opinion of the Secretary of State has accommodation for more than 10,000 spectators.

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, to which there are amendments not relevant to this Order.