Policy information sourced from the Bracknell Forest Local Plan 2024-2037 document.

LP 16: Affordable Housing.

In order to assist in meeting the identified local need for affordable housing, planning permission will only be granted for residential development on sites of 10 dwellings or more (gross) or which have an area of 0.5 ha or more, including mixed use developments which incorporate residential dwellings, which satisfy criteria (i) and (ii) below. This will also apply to specialist housing for older people where the site is delivering a gain of 10 or more (gross) self-contained units (C3 and C2), as part of a wider housing scheme.

  • 35% of new homes will be affordable.
  • The tenure, mix and type of affordable homes to be delivered will be informed by the Council’s most up to date evidence of identified needs.
  • In stand-alone schemes for specialist accommodation for older persons (C2 or C3), any departure from the full requirement must be evidenced by a site-specific viability assessment.

Proposals where affordable housing is required should have regard to the following:

  • The assumption is that all proposals for housing will be able to comply with the above policy. The applicant may bring forward a viability assessment which is to be accompanied by an independently produced, open book financial appraisal to justify any relaxation of the requirement. Any relaxation will require compelling reasons.
  • In cases where the 35% calculation provides a fraction of an affordable dwelling such provision will be collected through a financial contribution of broadly equivalent value to that which would have been required on-site.
  • The affordable housing should be designed as an integral part of a development, distributed appropriately across the site and the mix should reflect the type and size of market housing unless otherwise specified by the Council. The affordable housing should be indistinguishable in appearance from the market housing on site.
  • With the exception of part dwellings, affordable housing should be provided on site.
  • Where a development falls below the site size thresholds in Part 1 but is demonstrably part of a potentially larger developable area above those thresholds, the Council will require affordable housing on a pro rata basis.

For more information please visit Bracknell Forest’s Local Plan document here.