Dear Planning Department
I like at Cranbrook Lodge, Holly Lane, Balsall Common and wish to strongly express my concern about the inclusion of the Holly Lane Playing Fields as part of the Frog Lane development plan.
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 a healthcare professional and professor of general practice at Warwick Medical School, I am very concerned that the public health implications of losing this important space be fully considered, particularly in the face of the epidemic of obesity, diabetes and mental health problems which face the borough. We need to be encouraging 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 physical and mental health. Convenient access to outdoor space is vital if we want to give everyone the chance to exercise to improve 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.
Hence, I am very unclear how this proposal to build on the recreation ground can be justified in light of SMBC's Public Health strategy, strategy for playing fields, and Sport England's guidance on maintaining recreation grounds. I would also like to know why this proposal was not included an option at the public consultation meeting that was held in the village last August.
Finally, the Frog Lane site lacks access to amenities, and is in a part of the village that is already traffic congested at school times. It is unclear how the proposal to build homes here can be justified in relation to other potential sites that offer great accessibility to amenities.

Kind regards
Jeremy Dale (Holly Lane resident for 19 years, making at least daily use of the playing fields)