I am writing to express our concerns about the proposed Frog Lane development, and in particular the proposal to build on the recreation ground.

The recreation ground is an important amenity for residents living in this part of the village, providing space for individuals and families to play and participate in physical activity and sports (such as jogging, football, frisbee, walking, dog walking, relaxation, picnicking and so on). In numerous ways, it enhances the quality of life of the village and we strongly feel that this should not only be preserved - particular in the face of the proposed growth in the village population - but greater use of the recreation ground should be encouraged. Good quality facilities provide children with a much-need place to go out and play, which is fundamental to their development, and these should be close to where they live in order to become part of their everyday childhood experience.

Loss of this Green Belt space will significantly reduce local residents' opportunities to maintain physical fitness. As healthcare professionals (I am a professor of general practice and my wife is a family nurse) we are very concerned that the public health implications of losing this important space should be fully considered, particularly in the face of the epidemic of obesity, diabetes and mental health problems which face our village. We need to be encouraging our young people to see open air recreation space as an important part of everyday life, and to be encouraging all ages to make use of it in order to maintain their health. Convenient access to outdoor space is vital if we want to give
everyone the chance to exercise to improve or maintain their health, and this will become ever more important as the population of Balsall Common grows. I believe this important requirement is recognised in SMBC's strategy for the preservation of playing fields.

I should be grateful if the Parish Council could enquire from SMBC about why this proposal has been made given that it is contrary to its Public Health strategy, strategy for playing fields, and Sport England's guidance on maintaining recreation grounds. It would be helpful if we could see minutes of any SMBC meetings, or any reports that specifically address these issues in order that we can be confident that they have been appropriately considered.