Draft Local Plan Review

Consultation on the draft Solihull Local Plan - Response from BBCSCA on sport & recreation
This is the response by Berkswell & Balsall Common Sports & Community Association (BBCSCA) to the consultation on the draft Local Plan published in November 2016.

Following my email to you last December, we have had helpful meetings with Nick Garnett and with the Head-Teacher and Vice-Principal of the two schools in Balsall Common. We have all agreed that the vision for sport and recreational facilities in Balsall Common should take into account:

1. The current and future demand for such facilities, taking into account planned growth and the potential loss of existing playing areas as a result of development.
2. Careful siting of new playing areas so that, where feasible, they can be serviced by and further support existing buildings which provide changing and social facilities for sport and recreation. It is our experience that a thriving organisation such as the BBCSCA and a financially sustainable Sport & Community Centre are just as important as playing areas in encouraging participation across the community.
3. Investment in new sport and recreational facilities that can be used both by local schools and the community, thus providing greater value for both. This will not only achieve greater value-for-money but will also provide more opportunity for continued participation and development in sport and recreation among schoolchildren and the local community.

In relation to item (1), Nick Garnett has asked us to provide input to the Playing Pitch Assessment & Strategy and has agreed to send us the latest assessment prepared by Knight Kavanagh & Page. We will co-ordinate submissions to this assessment on behalf of the clubs who are members of BBCSCA.

In relation to items (2) and (3), we would like to be involved in providing further input as you digest the responses to the consultation and liaise with promoters/landowners in developing a concept masterplan for the proposed site allocations in Balsall Common. I would be grateful if you could let me know how best this might be achieved, and what the timescale might be.

We will be also be working locally with those groups developing the envisaged Neighbourhood Development Plan for Balsall Common, but this has been delayed by some procedural disagreements and we don't want to delay our input on sport and recreation to the Solihull Local Plan as no doubt some 'stakes in the ground' will be decided before the NDP process has concluded.