Sports Ground Safety : Cumbria County Council

This is required under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 or the Fire Safety and Places of Sport Act 1987, where a licence in the form of a Safety Certificate is required to be issued by the local enforcing authority, Cumbria County Council, for sports grounds/stands, or for special events within those grounds.

Do I require a Safety Certificate?

There are 2 types of Safety Certificates which are required by law to be issued under the following criteria:

1. General Safety Certificate

a) for the whole ground where a sports ground/stadia holds a designated sporting event (football, rugby, cricket) and provides accommodation for more than 10000 spectators (more than 5000 in the case of association football matches in the Premier League or the Football League); or

b) for a stand at any sports ground/stadia which provides covered accommodation in stands for 500 or more spectators, and is not within a designated sports ground as in a) above.

2. Special Safety Certificate

a) to hold a special event at a designated sports ground/stadia or involve a licensed stand, other than that which is listed as a specified activity in the General Safety Certificate already in force for that ground/stand. The event can be a ‘one off’ event or a series of events.

Any authorised person of good character, or in the case of a Special Safety Certificate, the promoter, can apply for a Safety Certificate for their sports ground or event.

At present, the Council do not charge for the issuing of a Safety Certificate.

Procedure and Appeals

Sports grounds – application procedure for a safety certificate

Sports grounds – application for a safety certificate

Liam Briggs
Sports Grounds Licensing Officer
11 – 13 Brunswick Street
Carlisle
Cumbria
CA1 1PB