No

Draft Local Plan Review

Representation ID: 5261

Received: 15/02/2017

Respondent: Andrew King

Representation Summary:

Concerned at lack of reference to leisure/sporting infrastructure, and loss of pitches, inability to accommodate local teams, for example the junior cricket club and lack of leisure space in Balsall Common. Could be addressed by developing the football club/Lavender Hall Park into a multi-sports facility for hockey, football, rugby to provide for all age groups in Balsall Common/Berkswell.

Full text:

Understand I have until midnight on 17th February to respond. Please note I have tried to access the on-line questionnaire but it does not seem to be there.

In the plan there seems to be no mention of "leisure/sporting" infrastructure. As result of development we are for example losing the park at Meeting House Lane and the playing fields at Holly Lane .... this will mean that the village football club will have lost green space which had 4 pitches located on them. In terms of my thoughts we either have to find alternative green space or we make the existing facilities more resilient, i.e. improve/change the playing surfaces at the football club, lavender hall park etc.... so that they accommodate training and 3 or 4 games a weekend and be multi sport. Another thought is how we could develop Lavendar Hall Park into a multi sports facility, hockey, football, rugby ...... The village is already running out of leisure space .... an example of this is the cricket club can no longer accommodate junior and senior cricket at the Cricket Club and is now working with the football club to create a cricket square at the football club to accommodate junior cricket.

So in summary please, please seriously consider how we provide the young and old of Balsall and Berkswell with access to the "leisure/sporting" infrastructure during the day, the evenings and the weekend without having to travel to get that opportunity.