Policy information sourced from the Braintree District Council Local Plan 2013-2033.
LPP 61: Local Community Services and Facilities.
The Council will seek the retention of all existing community facilities and services where they meet an identified local need. In addition, the following assets are identified for community use:
- Community Woodland, Land off Temple Lane, Silver End;
- Molly’s Wood, Community Woodland & Orchard, Sible Hedingham.
Proposals for the change of use of community facilities to other uses will be permitted where all the following criteria are met:
- An independently verified and robust marketing exercise has been carried out and submitted with the application demonstrating that the facility is unviable and there is little or no prospect of it being viable in the future;
- All other reasonable options for retaining the facility have been considered;
- Proposals for the change of use of health care facilities to other uses will not be permitted unless proposals are consistent with the service provider’s strategy for infrastructure provision in the wider area and/or modernisation programme for delivery of that service or facility;
- If a proposal involves the redevelopment of an existing community facility which is still in use, a replacement facility of equal or better quality will be provided.
The provision of new or enhanced community facilities will be supported wherever possible. Sites for the construction of new community facilities are safeguarded on the Proposal Map as follows:
- Butler Road, Halstead;
- Community Facility on Land Adjacent Nuns Walk, Great Yeldham;
- Community Facility on Land at Hunnable Industrial Estate, Great Yeldham.
For more information, including links to the referenced Proposals Map, please visit Braintree District Council’s Local Plan here.