Where necessary, new housing and employment development will be required to make provision for, or contribute towards existing, social and community infrastructure. The Council will support the principle of new social and community infrastructure, or the expansion or enhancement of existing infrastructure.

To deliver new facilities and services, subject to viability, the Council will work with developers, service providers and partners to:

1. Ensure an integrated approach to the location of housing, economic uses and community facilities and services;

2. Ensure the timely delivery and transfer of social and community infrastructure;

3. Utilise the principles of multi-functional space where appropriate, by maximising opportunities for co-location, shared facilities and integrated service delivery through community hubs where appropriate;

4. Ensure that any temporary provision, provided during construction, is replaced with permanent provision once construction is complete; and

5. Provide contributions to community development costs necessary to enable new residents to develop new networks and integrate with existing residents and social infrastructure.

Where an application fails to provide adequate social and community infrastructure without reasoned justification, or fails to make appropriate planning obligation contributions, it will be refused.

Depending on the use of the social and community infrastructure and adoption arrangements, developers may be required to make appropriate contributions towards management, running costs and maintenance.

Permission will only be granted for change of use or redevelopment where the applicant can demonstrate that:

6. The use no longer serves the community, and significant evidence is provided to demonstrate that it is surplus to requirements and there is a lack of need for any other community uses at the facility; or

7. The loss would be replaced by equivalent or better provision either on site or at a suitable accessible location; or

8. Evidence is provided which satisfactorily demonstrates that the use is no longer financially viable, and all reasonable efforts have been made to sell or let the premises for a community use at a reasonable price for at least 12 months.

Where a site or building is listed by the Council as an Asset of Community Value the Council will consider this to be a material consideration in any applications regarding its change of use.

New social and community facilities

Proposals for new social and community facilities within Settlement Envelopes will be supported where they comply with other relevant policies within the Plan.

For sites directly adjacent to the Settlement Envelopes, proposals for new social and community facilities will be permitted where:

9. A need for the proposed facility be identified;

10. It can be demonstrated that no land is available within the Settlement Envelope;

and

11. If the proposal is for a main town centre use, that the proposal meets the sequential and impact requirements of Policy R1.

For more information, please visit the Central Befordshire Local Plan