While this is a step forward we may find that many strips will not be suitable for much of current fleet. The microlight fraternity have been used to training out of unlicensed fields and short(ish) strips for years in aircraft with superior performance and are able to do so safely, much of the current fleet wont be able to do so.
The future of GA is the new stuff that has the performance and ability to operate out of the smaller fields, unlicensed or otherwise, and this move will only reinforce that fact. The costs of operating the older stuff coupled with this ruling being implemented will make the Rotax brigade an even more interesting proposition that many pilots will move to, and it will also open up many airfields in the newer stuff that PPL's will inevitably train on. All in all this is a step forward but on the other hand it may be the death knell of some airfields that currently offer training, if they were to loose the revenue that training generates then many may become unsustainable..... swings and roundabouts come to mind.
Jon