Sports Grounds Safety Certificates

Licence summary

If you operate a sports ground in Northern Ireland that has been designated under the Safety of Sports Grounds (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 you will be required to hold a Safety Certificate issued from your local District Council.

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.

Eligibility Criteria

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

Safety of Sports Grounds (Northern Ireland) Order 2006

Application Evaluation Process

Applicants must provide requested information and plans to the District Council within the time specified.

The Council will determine if the applicant is a person likely to be in position to prevent breach of the terms and conditions of a Certificate.

A copy of the application will be sent to the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and they will be consulted on the terms and conditions to be included in the Certificate.

If an application is made to transfer a Certificate the Council 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 Council will send a copy of a Transfer application to the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service. They shall consult them about any proposed amendment, replacement or transfer.

Will Tacit Consent Apply?

No. It is in the public interest that because of the health and safety risks to large numbers of people the Council must process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from the Council within a reasonable period, please contact the Environmental Health Department.

Whilst Tacit Consent does not apply the Council will strive to notify all applicants of the outcome of their application, including issuing a Certificate if appropriate, within 180 days of receipt of the application.

Apply online

Apply for a Sports Ground Safety Certificate*
* It should be noted that payment by credit/debit card will delay the processing of applications until the payment has been cleared.
Tell us about a change to your existing circumstances

Fees

Fees apply to all applications:

Application for Sports Ground Safety Certificate                   £100.00
Amendment, replacement or transfer of Safety Certificate  £50.00

Failed Application Redress/Licence Holder Redress

Any applicant who is refused a General Safety Certificate because they are not considered to be an eligible person can appeal to the Magistrate’s Court.

An applicant who is refused a Special Safety Certificate may appeal to the Magistrate’s Court against a refusal of the application based on grounds other than a decision that they are not an eligible person.

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 Magistrate’s Court.  They may also appeal to the County Court against an Order of the Magistrate’s Court.

Consumer Complaints

In the event of a complaint the first contact should be made with the Environmental Health Department.  If you are located in the UK, Citizens Advice Bureau will give you advice. From outside the UK contact the UK European Consumer Centre.

Public Register

A register of Sports Grounds Safety Certificates issued can be provided on request.

Data Protection

Under the Data Protection Act, Fermanagh & Omagh District Council has a legal duty to protect any information we collect about you.  It will not be disclosed to any third party unless law or regulation compel such disclosure or unless we have been specifically asked to do so in order to deliver a service which you have requested.