These are Scarborough Cricket Club, Whitby Town Football Club, the main ring at the Great Yorkshire Show ground in Harrogate and the racecourses at Catterick, Ripon and Thirsk. We also provide assistance and guidance to smaller organisations who want to organise an unusually big event, such as the FA Cup match played by Harrogate Railwaymen in December 2002. In addition, we liaise with our partners and provide a special safety certificate for events such as live music gigs in the sports stadia.

We work with the arena management, the police, fire and ambulance services, electrical engineers and building control officers to develop safety certificates for the facility. These certificates outline matters such as the standards for safety of buildings and electrical work, for fire safety, for steward numbers and training and for first aid provision. The arenas are visited during events to ensure compliance with the certificates.

Making an application for a general or specific safety certificate for a sports ground

A safety certificate is required to be issued by the local enforcing authority for certain sports grounds/stands, or for special events within those grounds under the provisions of Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 and the Fire Safety and Places of Sport Act 1987.

A safety certificate contains terms and conditions as required by the Council, legislation and national guidance, stating the specified activities permitted at the sports ground, maximum capacities allowed and any other specific requirements to ensure public safety and compliance with national guidance and legislation.

There are two types of applications, one is for a regulated stand, the second is for a designated ground.

Safety certificate for a regulated stand

The application form for a "regulated stand"  is where a stand which provides covered accommodation for 500 or more spectators to view activities at the ground and where the ground is not a designated  sports ground under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975. The safety certificate for a regulated stand is under Part III of the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987.

You can apply online for a general or specific safety certificate for a regulated stand by clicking the 'apply online' button below:

Safety certificate for a designated sports ground

The application form for a designated ground  is where a sports ground holds designated sporting events (football, rugby, cricket) and provides accommodation for more than 10,000 spectators (more than 5,000 in the case of association football matches in the Premier League or the Football League).

You can apply online for a general or specific safety certificate for a designated sports ground by clicking the 'apply online' button below:

After submitting the application form you will be sent an e-mail with a reference number, an officer will then contact you with in ten working days to discuss your application and if necessary to request any supporting documentation.

Costs

The process of granting a safety certificate is complex and may take a significant period of time depending on the size and complexity of the sports ground  and event in question. The Council may charge an applicant the cost of work involved in the processing of an application costs may vary depending on the work involved with your application. Please do contact us on the details below to discuss this further.

Public register

There is no public register held by the Council containing information with regard to safety at sports grounds.

Means of complaint or appeal

To review or seek clarification of an existing General Safety Certificate, to appeal a decision regarding an application for a General Safety Certificate, to make representation with regard to safety at sports grounds, or to make a complaint about this service, please contact trading standards and planning services on the details at the bottom of this page.

If I am turned down, how do I appeal?

Appeals should be made through the Magistrate's court, and must be lodged within 28 days if they related to a general safety certificate and within seven days if they related to a special safety certificate. Appeals against a prohibition notice should be within 21 days of the serving of the notice.

Other sources of information and advice

More information about sports ground regulation can be found at the Government's Department for Culture, Media and Sport website.