Policy information sourced from Bromley Local Plan

Policy 28 Educational Facilities

The Council will support proposals for new educational facilities which meet local need, looking first at opportunities to maximise the use of existing Education Land or redundant social infrastructure.

Where new sites are required, proposals will be permitted unless there are demonstrably negative local impacts which substantially outweigh the need for additional education provision, which cannot be addressed through planning conditions or obligations, and subject to:

  • open space and conservation policies
  • the need for the provision locally,
  • highway safety, and
  • the accessibility of the site by means of transport other than the car.

Particular weight will be attached to proposals involving the relocation of a Free School, which has operated from a site temporarily for a year, to a more suitable location.

Where Free Schools have operated from buildings for a year under “Permitted Development” (Part 4, Class C of The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015) (GPDO), and, having been unable to secure a more appropriate location, are required to seek planning permission to remain permanently, applications for planning permission, will be supported subject to compliance with the limited requirements under Part 3 Class T of the GPDO, which enables permanent changes of use.

In all cases new buildings should be sensitively designed to minimise the footprint, loss of open space and the impact of development, seeking to secure as far as possible the privacy and amenities of any adjoining properties, whilst delivering the necessary educational infrastructure.

Proposals involving the sharing of facilities, including open spaces, between educational facilities, and / or the dual use of educational facilities by the wider community will be encouraged.

For more information please see the Local Plan