Draft Bracknell Forest Local Plan Bracknell Forest Council www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/comprehensivelocalplan DRAFT - January 2018 Part 1 - Introduction 1 Introduction 7 2 Context 8 Part 2 - Strategic Issues 3 Vision and Objectives 17 3.1 Vision 17 3.2 Plan Objectives 19 4 Sustainable Development Principles 20 4.1 Sustainable Development Principles 20 5 Overarching Spatial Strategy 23 5.1 Overarching Spatial Strategy 23 6 Housing 30 6.1 Provision of Housing 30 6.2 Sites allocated for residential/mixed use Development 35 6.3 Land at the Hideout and Beaufort Park, Nine Mile Ride, Bracknell 39 6.4 Land south of London Road, east of Bog Lane and west of Swinley Road (Whitmoor Forest), Bracknell 43 6.5 Land at Winkfield Row 48 6.6 Land at Hayley Green 52 6.7 Other forms of residential accommodation 56 7 Economic Development 59 7.1 Provision of Economic Floorspace 59 8 Strategic Infrastructure (including Transport) 63 8.1 Strategic and Local Infrastructure 63 Part 3 - Development Management Issues 9 Introduction 68 9.1 Introduction 68 10 Presumption in favour of sustainable development 69 10.1 Presumption in favour of Sustainable Development 69 11 Development Affecting the Countryside and Green Belt 71 11.1 Protection of Countryside 71 11.2 Landscape Character and Strategic Gaps 74 11.3 Rural Workers Dwellings 78 11.4 Equestrian Uses 82 11.5 Overarching Green Belt Policy 85 11.6 Development Site in the Green Belt: Jealotts Hill Research Centre 89 12 Character and Design 91 12.1 Overarching Design 91 12.2 Tall Buildings 95 12.3 Internal Space Standards 99 13 Housing 101 13.1 Protection of existing housing stock 101 13.2 Housing for Older People 103 13.3 Self Build & Custom Build 106 13.4 Affordable Housing 108 13.5 Housing Mix - Tenure, Size and Accessibility 110 13.6 Criteria for Traveller Sites 113 14 Employment Areas 116 14.1 Employment Areas 116 14.2 Employment Development outside Employment Areas 118 14.3 Smaller Businesses 120 14.4 Bracknell Town Centre 121 14.5 Out of Centre Development 125 15 Local Retail and Community Uses 128 15.1 Changes of use within defined retail areas 128 15.2 Advertisements and Shop Fronts 133 15.3 Protection of community facilities and services 135 16 Historic Environment 138 16.1 Protection and Enhancement of the Historic Environment 138 17 Natural Environment 143 17.1 Biodiversity and Designated Nature Conservation and Geological Sites 143 17.2 Green Infrastructure 148 17.3 Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area 153 18 Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability 157 18.1 Flooding and Drainage 157 18.2 Addressing Climate Change through Renewable Energy and Sustainable Construction 166 18.3 Pollution and Hazards 170 18.4 Development of Land Potentially affected by Contamination 176 19 Transport 179 19.1 Strategic Transport Principles 179 19.2 Assessing, Minimising and Mitigating the Transport Impacts of Developments 182 19.3 Transport Infrastructure Provision 183 19.4 Travel Plans and Parking 185 20 Local Infrastructure and Facilities 188 20.1 Play, Open Space and Sports 188 20.2 Standards for Open Space of Public Value 192 Appendices 1 Summary of Local Plan Evidence Base 197 Policy LP2 - Housing Trajectory 197 Policy LP3 and LP8 - Site Allocations Overview Maps 208 Site Profiles for sites listed in Policy LP3 (excluding sites within the Bracknell Town Centre* and sites covered by policies LP8) 214 Policy LP17 - Developed Site in the Green Belt 244 Policy LP27 - Employment Areas 245 Policy LP32 - Defined Retail Centres 248 2 Existing Policies to be Replaced by the Bracknell Forest Local Plan 264 3 Glossary and Abbreviations 272 Abbreviations 272 Glossary 273 Government Agencies and Consultees 284 Consultants for Evidence Base 287 Part 1 - Introduction 1: Introduction 1.1 We are developing a new Local Plan to guide development in the Borough to 2034. The Bracknell Forest Local Plan (BFLP) will guide the location, scale and type of future development, as well as providing detailed development management policies to be used in determining planning applications. 1.2 Following a consultation on Issues and Options for the Local Plan in June/July 2016, we are now seeking your comments on a Draft BFLP. Figure 1 summarizes the stages involved in preparing a Local Plan. The draft BFLP is still in the initial stages of the plan participation process and therefore its important that you provide your comments. 1.3 The draft BFLP has been prepared within the context set out in national planning policy and guidance in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG). In addition, a wide range of evidence has been produced to support this version of the Local Plan, as set out under the ‘Context’ section. Figure 1 BFLP Preparation Stages 7 2: Context 2.1 The Local Plan must have regard to local, regional and national plans and strategies which relate to the future development of the Borough, and other relevant evidence. National Planning Policy and Regulations 2.2 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (1)was published in March 2012. It sets out a presumption in favour of 'sustainable development', which comprises economic, social, and environmental aspects. Policies in the NPPF are supported by more detailed guidance in Planning Practice Guidance (PPG)(2). 2.3 A Local Plan should be aspirational, yet realistic, and set out strategic policies to deliver the following: The homes and jobs needed in the area. Retail, leisure and other commercial development. Infrastructure for transport, waste management, water supply, waste water, flood risk, and the provision of minerals and energy. Community and cultural infrastructure and other local facilities, including health provision. Climate change mitigation and adaptation, conservation and enhancement of the natural and historic environment, including landscape. 2.4 A Local Plan must meet legal requirements(3)and be consistent with the principles in the NPPF. Evidence Base 2.5 The Local Plan must be supported by up to date evidence. An overview of the evidence prepared to inform the local plan is provided in Appendix 1: 'Summary of Local Plan Evidence Base'. A glossary is included in Appendix 3: 'Glossary and Abbreviations'. Existing Development Plan 2.6 The Council has a number of existing planning policy documents, the majority of which will be replaced by the BFLP (details of which policies will be replaced can be found in Appendix 2: 'Existing Policies to be Replaced by the Bracknell Forest Local Plan').The Council's existing Development Plan documents are available to view on the Bracknell Forest website (4) and are summarised below. Other Plans and Strategies 2.7 The Council must have regard to other plans and strategies produced by itself and others. These include the Council Plan(5) which sets the Council’s priorities up to 2019, and the Thames Valley LEP Strategic Economic Plan (6)which identifies economic growth priorities across Berkshire. 1 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-planning-policy-framework 2 http://planningguidance.communities.gov.uk/ 3 Local Planning Regulations: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/767/regulation/18/made 4 Available to download at https://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/planning/planning-policy/development-plan 5 https://files.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/sites/bracknell/documents/council-plan-2015-to-2019.pdf?Gdj6VWAcjedi0pvRU7tQh1ldTxS_70i9 6 Available to download at http://www.thamesvalleyberkshire.co.uk/documents?folder=192 8 2.8 The Draft BFLP will ultimately form part of the development plan.This currently comprises the following documents: Bracknell Forest Borough Local Plan - saved policies (2002) Core Strategy (2008) Site Allocations Local Plan (2013) Replacement Minerals Local Plan – saved policies (2001) Waste Local Plan for Berkshire – saved policies (1998) South East Plan - Policy NRM6 that deals with the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area Binfield Neighbourhood Plan (2016) Future Development Plan 2.9 By the end of 2020, it is envisaged that it will comprise the following documents: Bracknell Forest Local Plan (programmed for adoption Autumn 2019) Retained policies in the Site Allocations Local Plan (2013) South East Plan - Policy NRM6 that deals with the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area Central and Eastern Berkshire Joint Minerals and Waste Local Plan (currently being prepared and programmed for adoption Winter 2020) Made” (adopted) Neighbourhood Development Plans prepared by local communities. 2.10 Together, policies in these plans, will address the strategic issues listed in paragraph 2.3 above. Cross Boundary Issues and Partnership Working 2.11 In preparing the Local Plan, the Council has worked with other public bodies to co-operate on planning related issues that cross administrative boundaries (known as the ‘duty to co-operate’). This work is on-going through the plan preparation process. The Council has already engaged with the required bodies. Much of the evidence is being prepared jointly with other Berkshire Authorities.The Council has produced a Duty to Co-operate Framework(7)setting out the bodies it will engage with and on which issues. Reporting on the Duty to co-operate process is carried out annually and set out in a monitoring report(8) 2.12 Sustainability Appraisal has been undertaken alongside the preparation of the Local Plan. This appraisal tests the overall planning strategy and different policy approaches and allocations against a number of social, economic and environmental objectives to identify which options are the most sustainable. A Sustainability Appraisal (Incorporating Strategic Environmental Assessment) of the Draft Bracknell Forest Local Plan, which sets out the likely significant economic, environmental and social effects and suggests measures to minimise any negative effects and maximise the positive ones, has been developed. A Draft Habitat Regulation Assessment has been prepared.