The Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) (Amendment) Order 2025
The Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) (Amendment) Order 2025 updates the list of designated sports grounds in England and Wales.
It reflects changes caused by club promotions and relegations within football leagues, stadium renamings, and changes in stadium occupancy.
The order amends the 2015 Order to accurately reflect these changes to ensure the ongoing efficacy of safety regulations at these venues.
Arguments For
Improved Accuracy of Designated Grounds: The amendment ensures the list of designated sports grounds accurately reflects the current status of clubs and stadiums, aligning with the criteria set by the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975.
Effective Safety Regulation: By maintaining an up-to-date register of designated grounds, the order supports the effective implementation of safety regulations and standards for spectator accommodation, thereby enhancing public safety at sporting events.
Compliance with Legal Requirements: The order fulfills the Secretary of State's legal obligation to consult relevant persons and bodies and to amend the existing order as needed to reflect changes in the sporting landscape, ensuring compliance with the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975.
Streamlined Administrative Processes: The updated list streamlines administrative processes for safety certification and inspection, reducing potential delays and inefficiencies.
Arguments Against
Potential for Oversight: The constant need for updates to the designated grounds list, driven by frequent club promotions and relegations, raises the possibility of errors or omissions, potentially jeopardizing safety standards, although procedures are in place to alleviate these risks.
Administrative Burden: The process of updating the list necessitates administrative effort from both the government and affected clubs, potentially leading to resource constraints within the Department responsible for Sport.
Lack of broader consultation: While consultation occurred as required under the Act, arguments could be made for wider consultation beyond specific individuals and bodies initially contacted.
- Citation, commencement and extent (1) This Order may be cited as the Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) (Amendment) Order 2025, and comes into force on 2nd August 2025. (2) This Order extends to England and Wales.
This section details the order's official title, effective date (August 2nd, 2025), and geographical scope (England and Wales).
The order's name clarifies its purpose as an amendment to a previous order related to the safety of sports grounds.
- Amendments to the Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) Order 2015 (1) The Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) Order 2015 is amended as follows. (2) In Schedule 1 (sports grounds designated under article 2(1))— (a) for the entry for the Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, occupied by London Legacy Development Corporation, substitute— “London Stadium, Stratford, London, E20 2ST London Stadium 185”; and (b) omit the entry for Glyndwr University Racecourse Stadium, occupied by North Wales Crusaders, and Wrexham Association Football Club. (3) In Schedule 2 (sports grounds designated under article 2(2))— (a) before the entry for Oakwell Stadium, occupied by Barnsley Football Club, insert— “The Hive, Camrose Avenue, London, HA8 6AG Barnet Football Club”; (b) after the entry for the Memorial Stadium, occupied by Bristol Rovers Football Club, insert— “Hayes Lane Stadium, 89 Hayes Lane, Bromley, BR2 9EF Bromley Football Club”; (c) omit the entry for London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Stadium, occupied by Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club; (d) after the entry for Goodison, occupied by Everton Football Club, insert— “Hill Dickinson Stadium, Bramley Moore Dock, Liverpool, L5 9SR Everton Football Club”; (e) omit the entry for The New Lawn, occupied by Forest Green Rovers Football Club; (f) omit the entry for Globe Arena, occupied by Morecambe Football Club; (g) omit the entry for Boleyn Ground, occupied by West Ham United Football Club; (h) after the entry for Molineux Grounds, occupied by Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club, insert— “The Racecourse Ground, Mold Road, Wrexham, LL11 2AH Wrexham Association Football Club”; and (i) omit the entry for Bootham Crescent, occupied by York City Football Club. (4) The entry in Schedule 1 for Meadow Lane Stadium, occupied by Notts County Football Club, is moved to the appropriate place in Schedule 2. (5) The following entries in Schedule 2 are each moved to the appropriate place in Schedule 1— (a) Brunton Park, occupied by Carlisle United Football Club, and (b) Roots Hall Football Ground, occupied by Southend United Football Club.
This section makes several amendments to the 2015 Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) Order.
Specific changes include renaming stadiums, adding or removing entries based on team promotions or relegations and changes in team location.
These alterations ensure the schedule stays current, accurately reflecting the status of designated grounds in England and Wales.
Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 likely classify grounds based on spectator capacity thresholds.
Stephanie Peacock Parliamentary Under Secretary of State 9th July 2025 Department for Culture, Media and Sport
This section provides the signature and supporting details of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State who approved the order on July 9th, 2025, within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Explanatory Note (This note 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, and Schedule 2 to, 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, and Schedule 1 to, the 2015 Order. This Order amends the 2015 Order so as to reflect the following recent changes: • The Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park has been renamed “London Stadium”, and the occupier is now London Stadium 185. The sports ground is used to host a variety of sporting activities, including home football matches for West Ham United Football Club; • The Glyndwr University Racecourse Stadium is now known as The Racecourse Ground, and is occupied only by Wrexham Association Football Club which has become a member of the Football League Limited; • By virtue of promotion, both Barnet Football Club and Bromley Football Club are members of the Football League Limited occupying sports grounds whose capacity exceeds (in the opinion of the Secretary of State) 5,000 spectators; • Everton Football Club, a member of the Football Association Premier League Limited, now plays at Hill Dickinson Stadium, a sports ground whose capacity exceeds (in the opinion of the Secretary of State) 5,000 spectators. The designation in Schedule 2 to the 2015 Order for its former ground, Goodison Park, is retained because Everton Football Club remains the occupier of that ground as well; • As a result of relegation, the following clubs are no longer members of the Football League Limited: Carlisle United Football Club, Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club, Forest Green Rovers Football Club, Morecambe Football Club, Southend United Football Club and York City Football Club. However, as the capacity of Brunton Park (for Carlisle United FC) and Roots Hall (for Southend United FC) exceeds (in the opinion of the Secretary of State) 10,000 spectators, the effect of relegation for the purpose of the 2015 Order is that those entries move from Schedule 2 to Schedule 1 to the 2015 Order; • The entry in the 2015 Order for Notts County Football Club, which was specified in Schedule 1 to the 2015 Order because the capacity of Meadow Lane Stadium exceeded (in the opinion of the Secretary of State) 10,000 spectators, is moved by this Order to Schedule 2 to the 2015 Order as a result of the club being promoted to the Football League. An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.
The Explanatory Note provides context, outlining the legal basis for designating sports grounds and explaining the reasons behind each amendment listed in the order.
It clarifies the reasoning for changes in stadium names and classifications according to league status and spectator capacity.
The note also states that no significant impact assessment was deemed necessary.