Policy information sourced from the Islington Local Plan

SC1 Social and Community Infrastructure

  • The Council will support proposals to provide new and/or extended social and community infrastructure facilities and their co-location with other social and community uses, subject to an assessment of need by the Council and against all relevant Local Plan policies.
  • Social and community infrastructure will be funded through the CIL and/or section 106 planning obligations (as appropriate). In addition, new and/or extended on-site provision of social and community infrastructure may be required as part of the supporting infrastructure for significant new housing and mixed-use development proposals, in order to mitigate the impacts of the development on local services and meet the needs of occupiers.
  • Where a proposed social and community infrastructure use/facility is deemed necessary to mitigate the impacts of existing or proposed development (e.g. a health centre to serve the residents of a large housing scheme), that specific use will be secured at planning stage.
  • Where new and/or extended social and community infrastructure is provided on-site it must be designed in line with criteria in Part H.
  • The Council will not permit any loss of social and community infrastructure uses unless:
    1. a replacement facility is provided on-site. Any facility must be of at least equivalent quality, quantity and accessibility to that of the existing facility, and must be consistent with Part H. It must, in the Council’s view, ensure that the needs of the local population will continue to be met to at least the same level as the existing use; or
    2. the existing use or another social and community infrastructure use is not required on site, demonstrated through:
      • provision of marketing and vacancy evidence to assess continued demand for the existing use and all other suitable social and community infrastructure uses that could be accommodated on site. Evidence must be provided for a period of at least 12 months, in line with Appendix 1; and
      • provision of a Community Needs Assessment detailing why the site cannot support social and community infrastructure uses and why the existing use is no longer required on-site as well as demonstrating that the needs of service users have been considered before making recommendations/submitting proposals involving replacement or relocation or consolidation of services; or
    3. The proposal involves the loss/reduction/relocation of social and community infrastructure uses as part of a rationalisation of a recognised public sector body’s estates programme. The applicant will be required to provide a Community Needs Assessment demonstrating details of rationalisation, including that they have considered the needs of service users as part of any rationalisation strategy.
  • Where, in the Council’s view, there is an ongoing need for the service/facility currently operating from the site and it cannot be re-provided as part of the proposed development, its loss will not be permitted unless the applicant has secured provision of at least equivalent quality, quantity and accessibility which meets criteria set out in Part H. The Community Needs Assessment must demonstrate that they have considered the needs of service users before making recommendations/submitting proposals involving the loss, relocation or consolidation of services.
  • Development resulting in the provision of new social and community infrastructure that is not generally accessible to the public, such as school sports facilities, will be required to enter into Community Use Agreements to allow and promote access to the facility by local communities.
  • New social and community infrastructure and, where applicable, extensions to existing infrastructure must:
    1. be located in areas convenient for the communities they serve and accessible by a range of sustainable transport modes, including walking, cycling and public transport;
    2. provide buildings that are inclusive, accessible, flexible, sustainable and which provide design and space standards which meet the needs of intended occupants;
    3. provide appropriate drop-off/pick-up facilities for disabled people;
    4. be sited to maximise shared use of the facility, particularly for sports, recreational and community uses; and
    5. complement existing uses and the character of the area, and avoid adverse impacts on the amenity of surrounding uses.
  • Proposals involving new/redeveloped social and community infrastructure should provide free, publicly available provision of accessible toilet, baby change and drinking water facilities. ‘Changing Places’ toilets will be required in appropriate social and community facilities in building types as specified within Approved Document M, Volume 2. Changing Places toilets will be especially encouraged in town centres, and other areas with high footfall.

For more information please see the Islington Local Plan