Access to appropriate, safe, inclusive and affordable sports facilities is closely linked to participation. Yet while demand, particularly from women and girls, is rising, facility provision is declining due to closures, ageing infrastructure and uneven availability. Smaller sports, grassroots organisations and underserved communities are disproportionately affected and increasingly squeezed out by better‑resourced users. Without sustained capital investment, improved planning and stronger sa...

Access to appropriate, safe, inclusive and affordable sports facilities is closely linked to participation. Yet while demand, particularly from women and girls, is rising, facility provision is declining due to closures, ageing infrastructure and uneven availability. Smaller sports, grassroots organisations and underserved communities are disproportionately affected and increasingly squeezed out by better‑resourced users. Without sustained capital investment, improved planning and stronger safeguards for inclusive access, participation and equality will continue to erode as councils have to prioritise their statutory obligations. (Conclusion, Type: conclusion | Number: 12 | Response status: response_pending