Binfield Parish Council 2020 plan Prepared: Autumn 2015 Contents

• About • Introduction to Binfield Parish Council • The 5 Strategic Areas – Strategy 1 : road traffic management – Strategy 2 : neighbourhood plan – Strategy 3 : community facilities – Strategy 4 : influencing strategic developments – Strategy 5 : community cohesion • Ongoing review and monitoring About Binfield

• Binfield is a large parish of 1.3 hectares, ( 3.2 acres) in the middle of what was historic ancient Windsor Great Forest. The parish has an established rural feel although it has grown significantly from a small village centre with ring of country houses with parkland and estates employing most of the village, to a large thriving community with many commuters and good local facilities. • Binfield benefits from being very well located - within easy reach of the M3 and M4 motorways, easy access to , Twyford and Reading train stations giving access to London Paddington & Waterloo as well as much of the South East. These rail links will be further improved by Crossrail operating through Twyford (about six miles away;) Heathrow Airport is 30 minutes away by road and Gatwick around 60-90 minutes away by road and also accessible by train from Wokingham or Reading. • Binfield grew rapidly between 1970 and 2000 from under 1,000 households to around 3,300 today, and a population of circa 7,800. Most residents of the parish now live in a series of large housing estates built on green fields and farmland around the centre of the village, and to the south of the parish • From 2016 onwards further development is planned (determined by the Local Development Plan) which will see circa 1,500 more houses and approximately 3,500 more residents Binfield Parish Council The Parish Council is made up of 11 elected members plus a small staff of 4 part time employees Binfield Parish Council sees its role as providing: • A local voice for the Parish - acting as a champion, to put across the Binfield perspective • A Civil society - supporting the clubs, societies and organisations that help the community to work effectively • Allotments and open spaces for the people of the Parish • A view of what Services or facilities are, or will be, needed by the Parish as it grows

What does Binfield Parish Council see as important: • The Council recognises that Binfield is a 21st Century Parish of connected communities – to each other and to other towns/areas; • Our communities/neighbourhoods all want to feel part of "Binfield" - a sense of identify and belonging . These neighbourhoods are: – Amen Corner (to be joined by new developments at both Amen Corner North and South) – Temple Park – – The Village centre – Blue Mountain (when it is developed) containing the exciting new learning village – Green Belt hamlets – Newbold community – Wykery Copse (Jennets Park) • Binfield PC rejects the concept that you need to get into a car to do “anything and everything” and wants to create and improve accessibility to community infrastructure & facilities for all residents, wherever they are located in the Parish. The vision for 2020

• A collection of communities with a strong sense of “Belonging to Binfield” • An excellent level of community facilities and services for all residents • Accessibility to those facilities and services without having to get in a car • A sense of “village vitality” and wellbeing The 5 strategic areas

Through workshops, community engagement and discussion the Parish Council has identified the following areas to focus on: 1. Road Traffic Management (RTM) 2. Proactive Planning – skills & tools (PP) 3. Community Facilities (CF) 4. Influence the Local Plan (ILP) 5. Community Cohesion (CC) Each of these areas is explored in more detail over the next 5 slides 1. Road traffic management (RTM)

Road traffic management (including road safety and car parking) is an ongoing challenge in the Binfield Parish with particular concerns around the Village Centre (at peak times) and key junctions on busy/high volume commuter routes. Parish Strategy Owner Cllr Steve Collett Strategy Working Group in conjunction with the Binfield Neighbourhood Working Group (NAWG) and other key stakeholders such as Bracknell Forest Council and Links to other strategies PP and ILP Top Priorities (TBC by working group) Continue with speeding evidence collection – village wide Pilot School Parking improvements Increase village parking availability 2016 Deliverable TBC by working group 2. Proactive Planning (PP)

The Parish Council wish to be proactive in regard to planning. We have taken the lead with Neighbourhood Planning in the Borough and are keen to continue to develop the skills and tools needed to remain ahead of the challenges connected to Planning. Parish Strategy Owner Cllr John Harrison Strategy Working Group Borough Cllr S. Peacey, Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group Links to other strategies RTM, ILP, CF Top Priorities (TBC by working party) See Neighbourhood Plan thru a successful referendum Invest in LCA and other tools to ensure BPC has planning knowledge and skillset to prevent inappropriate development 2016 Deliverable Neighbourhood Plan “Made” LCA (or similar) 3. Community Facilities (CF)

• The Parish Council has a role to: Both provide community services/facilities as well as helping others to provide services/facilities; and take a long term view in determining what services & facilities are needed to support the Parish as it grows.

Parish Strategy Owner Cllr Paul Smith Strategy Working Group Blue Mountain Community Facility Working Party Rep; Borough Cllr S. Peacey (others TBC) Links to other strategies CC; ILP Top Priorities (TBC by working group) Conduct a comprehensive audit of current community facilities and future needs; Determine & deliver the Blue Mountain Community Facility Determine CIL revenues & propose projects to make best use of this investment for the community 2016 Deliverable TBC by working group 4. Influence the Local Plan (ILP)

Binfield Parish Council will take a leading/active role in the development of the Bracknell Forest Council Local Plan to ensure the views of residents and communities are heard Parish Strategy Owner To be confirmed (proposed HD) Strategy Working Group Planning Committee Links to other strategies RTM, PP, CF Top Priorities Influence the development of the current strategic sites @ Blue Mountain, Amen Corner North and Amen Corner South; Proactively input into all consultation for the Local Plan 2036 2016 Deliverable TBC by working group 5. Community Cohesion (CC)

The spirit of the local community, a feeling of ‘Belonging to Binfield’ and the vibrancy of area is a common piece of from many residents. There is, however, a worry that, as the community grows, and more people, more cars, more houses, arrive, this sense of community will be lost. This strategy aims to retain the sense of community well being with both new and future residents.

Parish Strategy Owner Cllr Terry Dilliway Strategy Working Group Parish Clerk, Church Administrator, others TBC Links to other strategies CF Top Priorities Communications – digital & other forms to promote the identify of Binfield as well as services, facilities available to both new and existing residents; 5.1 Communications - using digital and otherEvents forms of –mediacommunity to promote the identity wide and activities facilities/services that available are for Binfieldopen residents to all and community groups ages/groups/demographics and that promote village vitality 5.2 Events - community wide activities that are open to all areas/groups/demographics and that promote village vitality and wellbeing. and wellbeing 5.3 Binfield Brand - signage and identity - create a strong identity for those "belonging to Binfield" Develop a ‘Binfield Brand’ - a strong sense of identity for those “belonging to Binfield” 2016 Deliverable TBC Wish list items

Where do Wish list items fit? RTM - • Reduced road signage DSS - • Working with the Borough on Master Planning to ensure we have influence over major developments • Pedestrian/Cycle access between AC North and South NP - • Public Footpaths CF - • Youth provision - independent travel as well as facilities, eg Skate Park and Youth Drop in Centre • Swimming Pool - lack of available at facilities at Bracknell • Leisure facilities in general - sports centre (what will be supplied via the new school facilities • Bus Provision / Dial a Bus • Band Stand / Event Space (outdoor) • GP Surgery Capacity • Market? • More Allotments + York Road Developed/car parking • Village Sports Field • Indoor Bowls • Large Sports Hall • Bike racing CC - • Knowledge Hub - supporting community groups with grants and other insight, such as planning guidance ; supporting the vulnerable sector • Providing a service to other services and groups - eg a website, a bookings tool • Café Society • Village in Bloom • Charity Events • Binfield Boundary Walk • Signage - consistent format/look/feel unique to Binfield vs same as all other parishes • Parish Events, Fireworks, Party at the Place 2016/2017 Financial impacts of Strategic Areas

• RTM – No costs yet defined – typical costs £2k per space if adding incremental parking – Recommend if any do arise, fund via CiL receipts • PP – £15k cost for LCA – £7.5k charge to parish if share costs with NP – Precept • CF – £3k line on budget (precept) is SHP contribution – decision whether to continue/reduce? – £115k likely cost of a community extension to Parish Office; Recommend Reserves – Blue Mountain Community facility – costs upward of £0.5m, Recommend fund via CiL receipts (unlikely to be incurred in coming financial year) • ILP – No costs yet defined; unlikely in coming financial year • CC – Community communications via improved website, “welcome” packs £3k – Community Events – to support “WoW”, Running Event, others £3k – All precept

• Total Precept Impact (if include all of above) – £16.5k, or £4.62 per household • Total Reserves Impact – £115k out of a reserve fund of circa £370k, 31% • Total CiL Impact – Unknown (CF (BM); RTM) – CiL demand notices to date: £154.5k (2 developments)