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

LP 44: Protection of Community Facilities and Services.

1. Development will be permitted where:

  • existing facilities and services are retained and maintained;
  • the quality and capacity of existing facilities and services is improved; and,
  • new facilities and services are provided.

2. Development proposals that would result in the loss of community facilities and services will be permitted where:

  • the loss would be replaced by an equivalent or better facility in a suitable and accessible location; or,
  • the development is for an alternative community use - the benefit of which clearly outweighs the loss; or,
  • a robust assessment has been carried out that demonstrated that the facility or service is surplus to requirements. The assessment must evaluate the quantity and quality of existing facilities in the locality and assess their value to the community and should include evidence that:
    • the facility no longer provides a valued function to the community;
    • all reasonable efforts have been made to retain the facility (including evidence to confirm that the property or site has been actively and positively marketed for a meaningful period with reasonable commercial terms, and that there is no realistic interest in its retention for the current use); and
    • it would not be economically viable, feasible or practicable to retain the building or site for its existing, or an alternative, community use.

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