Having studied the LAASG 'Draft code of Practice' on the face of it no one should think that it is a matter of operating out of anywhere without a care.
I think that the CAA document makes that clear. In modern parlance, any airfield will need a "risk assessment". Even if you dislike the terminology the reality is that it goes back to what any pilot does every time they fly and what instructors and airfield managers used to do before nany stae started becoming prescriptive about every aspect of aviation. This is part of a trend - for example, fire certificates for premises have been replaced by the requirement for risk assessments. This seems to be generally good as it makes people think about their individual situation rather than relying on a piece of paper saying "fire certificate" or "licensed aerodrome".
It would seem difficult if not impossible, in my view, to demonstrate to an investigator following an incident why the unlicenced safety management system should be different from that in place for licenced aerodromes close by. The great gain will be to be able to modify the full current requirements to meet the type of operations actually undertaken. That is not the same as saying that training can be undertaken without a care
I don't agree with the first bit of that but yes to the second! In the case of any incident, the standard will be what a reasonable person would do in the circumstances given the facts they either knew or ought to have known. I don't believe any investigator or court would blindly impute the standards of a licensed aerodrome to an unlicensed one. In fact, certain standards may need to be higher at the unlicensed facility. For example, there may well be stricter supervision and solo rules for a small airfield with obstructions close to the threshold than there would at a larger field with clear approaches. The local licensed field may not have such standards - that will not be a reason not to have them at the unlicensed field if the circumstances dictate.
It seems to me that with less regulation goes greater flexibility and less cost. This is what all aspects of GA need. It may not have a dramatic overnight impact but it all helps. It looks like the new LSA standard will further drive down the cost of flying. All moves in the right direction. Don't knock them.