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Safety certificates for sports grounds

A safety certificate is required for football or other sports grounds with a capacity to accommodate more than 10,000 spectators, in the case of Premiership or Football League grounds in England and Wales.  Such grounds are defined under the Safety at Sports Ground Act 1975 as “designated grounds”.

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.

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.

Safety certificates for regulated stands at sports grounds

The Fire Safety & Places of Sport Act 1987 requires that football and other sports grounds outside the criteria of a “designated ground” that have covered accommodation for more than 500 people, obtain a “regulated stand certificate”.

A safety certificate may be either:

  • a general safety certificate which covers the use of the stand for viewing an activity, or a number of activities, specified in the certificate for an indefinite period which starts on a specified date; or
  • a special safety certificate which covers the use of the stand for viewing a certain specified activity or activities on a certain specified occasion or occasions.

To be eligible for a general safety certificate, you must be the person responsible for:

  • the management of the ground; or
  • the activity to be viewed from the stand on that occasion.

Summary of the regulation relating to the licence.

At present, there are no such facilities in Tower Hamlets. You can apply for a sports grounds safety certificate online through Businesslink.

Further information

Copies of the Safety at Sports Ground Act 1975 and the Fire Safety & Places of Sport Act 1987 can be obtained from Office of Public Sector Information.  Or a copy can be inspected at the Council offices where you may also obtain further help or advice.