Policy information sourced from the Lewisham Local Plan
CI1 Safeguarding and securing community infrastructure
Strategic Objectives:
A An open Lewisham as part of an open London,
G Healthy and safe communities,
H Securing the timely delivery of infrastructure,
I Ensuring high quality education, health and social care.
A The Council will work in partnership with stakeholders and its delivery partners to identify needs for community infrastructure over the plan period, and to secure the timely delivery of highquality infrastructure and services to meet these needs. Local needs for community infrastructure in the Borough will be considered taking into account the Infrastructure Delivery Plan along with the relevant corporate plans and strategies of the Council and other key stakeholders, including for: health and social care; education and childcare; youth and family services; play, sport and recreation; libraries and local history services; and burial space. Meanwhile and temporary uses should not be assessed under this policy and are dealt with under Policy DM5.
B Major development proposals will be expected to, and all other development proposals should, plan positively to meet local needs for community infrastructure. Where a site allocation policy sets out requirements for community infrastructure, development proposals will be required to demonstrate how the delivery of this infrastructure will be secured through the masterplan process, with reference to Policy DM3 (Masterplans and comprehensive redevelopment). Elsewhere, development proposals must demonstrate how any additional demands for community infrastructure generated by the development will be appropriately addressed, particularly in those areas where there is an identified need for additional provision, as set out in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan. Consideration should be given to the delivery of new or enhanced infrastructure on-site or, where appropriate, off-site contributions which support the expansion of capacity of existing facilities or improvements to them. The scale of financial contributions will be considered and negotiated on a case-by-case basis considering appropriately evidenced development viability.
C Development proposals on sites which have an existing community facility or use (whether in use or vacant) will be supported where they safeguard and enhance that provision. Proposals will also be supported where they demonstrably provide replacement provision of an existing community facility on a like for like basis. All proposals should take account of the latest Lewisham Infrastructure Delivery Plan. Development proposals that will result in the loss of an existing community facility, or land and buildings formerly in community use, will only be permitted where it is suitably demonstrated that:
- There is no current or future need for the existing use or an alternative community use and there is adequate alternative provision elsewhere to meet the needs of the neighbourhood and wider community. Proposals that result in a loss or decrease in scale or quantum of an existing community use must be supported by evidence of an active marketing campaign for community uses covering a minimum continuous period of one year at a reasonable local market value for rent or sale. In these circumstances a financial contribution will be sought; or
- The proposal is part of a public service transformation programme that seeks the disposal of the use in order to enable or sustain the delivery of service improvements and related investment in community infrastructure. Proposals must include full details of the relevant transformation programme and its objectives must be submitted along with evidence that there will be not net loss of provision across the programme. Proposals that result in a loss of provision must be justified;
D In exceptional circumstances, where the requirements of (C) above cannot be satisfied, consideration will be given to the use of payment-in-lieu contributions. This will be secured through a Section 106 agreement. Receipts secured though such agreements will be used to enhance provision at an alternative community facility or use that serves the same community. Development proposals must provide evidence to demonstrate that the existing or an appropriate alternative community use is not viable.
E Policies CI1 Part C and CI1 Part D do not apply to development proposals involving the loss of sports and recreational facilities, which will be assessed against Policy CI3 (Sports, recreation and play).
For more information and policy context please see the Lewisham Local Plan