Safety Certificate for Sports Grounds

Licence summary

If you operate a sports ground in England, Scotland or Wales that holds more than 10,000 spectators, you may be required to hold a safety certificate, under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975.

A safety certificate may be either:

• a general safety certificate issued for the use of a sports ground for a specified activity, or activities, during an indefinite period;
• a special safety certificate for the use of a sports ground for a specified activity or activities on a specified occasion or occasions.

Safety certificates are obtained from the Licensing Authority.

You must comply with any terms or conditions attached to the certificate.

The Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) has published the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds (Green Guide) which provides detailed guidance on calculating how many spectators can be safely accommodated within the viewing accommodation of a sports ground. The Guide also provides advice on measures to improve safety at sports grounds. Although the Guide has no statutory force many of its recommendation will be given the force of law at individual grounds by their inclusion in the safety certificate for that ground.

Eligibility Criteria

The pemises/sports ground must be designated as a designated sports ground by the Secretary of State.

To be eligible for a safety certificate, you must be likely to be in a position to prevent contravention of the terms and conditions of a certificate.

Regulation Summary

A summary of the regulation relating to this certificate is available here.

Application Evaluation Process

Applicants must provide requested information and plans to the Licensing Authority within the time specified. If the applicant fails to provide the requested information within the specified time the application will be deemed to have been withdrawn.  For the purposes of this Act the Licensing Authority has set the specified time as 28 calender days.

The Licensing Authority will consider whether the applicant is in a position to prevent any breach of the terms and conditions of a certificate.

The Licensing Authority must send a copy of an application for a safety certificate to the chief police officer of the area, the fire and rescue authority if they are not that authority and the building authority if they are not that authority in England and Wales.

If an application is made to transfer a certificate the Licensing Authority must determine if the person to whom the certificate is to be transferred, if they made an application, would qualify for the issue of a certificate. The applicant may be the current holder of the certificate or the person to whom the certificate is to be transferred.

The Licensing Authority must send a copy of a transfer application to the chief police officer of the area, the fire and rescue authority if they are not that authority and the building authority if they are not that authority in England and Wales.

Will Tacit Consent Apply?

No. It is in the public interest that the authority must process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from the local authority within a reasonable period, please contact it. You can do this online if you applied through the UK Welcomes service or use the contact details below.

Apply Online

To apply for a safety at sports ground certificate or to amend an existing certificate please click on the relevant application type below.

• Apply for a sport ground safety certificate
• Application to change a safety certificate for a sports ground

 NOTE: Please note that when you click on one of the above links you will be redirected to the governments Business Link website.  If you don't have a Government Gateway account you will need to create one before you can proceed to the relevant form.  If you already have a Government Gateway account you will be invited to log in prior to completing the application.  This account is necessary as it will ensure that your details are pulled through to the relevant form and will enable you to track your applications once they've been submitted.

If you wish to ontain a hard copy of the applicaitons or a version that you can complete an post to the Licensing Authority please make the request by contactdetails below with your request.  We will then send you the forms for you to complete.  

If you have any questions relating to the online application process or encounter problems during the online application process please contact the Licensing Service on 020 7641 8549 or email generallicensing@westminster.gov.uk.

Register

A public register is available to view at the Council's Offices during normal office hours.  To make an appointment to view the register please contact the Licensing Service on 020 7641 8548 or alterntively email generallicensing@westminster.gov.uk.

Failed Application Redress

Please contact the Licensing Authority in the first instance.

Any applicant who is refused a safety certificate because they are not considered to be an eligible person can appeal to the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court, 70 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AX.

An applicant who is refused a special safety certificate may also appeal to the Magistrates court against a refusal of his application based on grounds other than a decision that they are not an eligible person.

Licence Holder Redress

Please contact the Licensing Authority in the first instance.

Any licence holder who wishes to appeal against a condition attached to, or the omission of anything from, their safety certificate, or against the refusal to amend or replace a safety certificate, may appeal to the Magistrates court. They may also appeal to the county court against an order of the Magistrate's court.

Consumer Complaint

We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the first contact is made with the trader by you - preferably in the form a letter (with proof of delivery). If that has not worked, if you are located in the UK, Consumer Direct will give you advice. From outside the UK contact the UK European Consumer Centre.

The council operates a complaints procedure.  To view the complaints procedure or to make a complaint relating to the service you have received please click here.

Other Redress

Any person concerned in ensuring compliance with the terms and conditions of the safety certificate may appeal to the Magistrate's court against any condition attached to, or the omission of anything from, a safety certificate, or against the refusal to amend or replace a safety certificate.

If there is a concern about noise, pollution, etc please contact Westminste City Council's Environmental Action Line on 020 7641 2000 (24 hrs) or email environmentalactionline@westminster.gov.uk. 

Trade Associations or Usefull Links

Federation of Sports and Play Associations (FSPA)

Football Licensing Authority (FLA)