Policy information sourced from Brentwood Local Plan
NE05: Open Space and Recreational Facilities
All open spaces, including the designated Urban Open Spaces, as identified will be protected and where necessary enhanced to ensure access to a network of high quality provision and opportunities for sport, play and recreation within the borough. The loss of open spaces and any ancillary facilities, such as sports, play and recreation provision, will not be permitted unless it can be demonstrated that:
- an assessment has been undertaken which clearly shows the provision and the function it performs is surplus to requirements; or
- the loss resulting from the proposed development would be replaced by equivalent or better provision in terms of quantity and quality in a suitable, accessible location within the local catchment area; or
- the development is for alternative sports and recreational provision, the benefits of which clearly outweigh the loss.
New development is required to maximise opportunities to incorporate new publicly accessible, high quality and multi-functional open space and/or, where appropriate, enhance existing provision that will serve the new and existing community, through improved connections, biodiversity net-gain and high quality sport, play and recreational amenities.
The amount and type of provision required will be determined according to the Council’s identified needs, as set out in its Open Space and Play Pitch Strategy and adopted open space standards; with regard to children’s play space, the Council will seek proposals which meet the Fields in Trust minimum standards (see Figure 8.3).
Where it can be clearly demonstrated that proposals are not able to incorporate new provision or enhance existing provision to serve the new community, then a commuted sum may be requested in line with Policy MG05 Developer Contributions where such contributions will provide alternative or enhanced and conveniently accessible off-site open space provision.
Proposals for the inclusion or enhancement of supporting and ancillary uses and facilities on open space, such as sport, play and other supporting recreational provision, should meet the following criteria:
- the proposed facilities help improve the quality of the open space and promote inclusive access to a wide range of users and recreational interests;
- are demonstrably ancillary to the use of open space and its primary function, e.g. play/sports fields;
- help to contribute to both the character and amenity of the area and are appropriate and proportionate to the function and nature of the open space;
- do not have a detrimental impact on the environmental function of the open space.
Maintenance plans should be submitted at planning application stage for all new facilities to ensure their long-term quality and management.
For more information please see the Local Plan