Policy information sourced from The Waltham Forest Local Plan Development Management Policies

DM17 Social and Physical Infrastructure

Resisting the Loss of Social Infrastructure

A) The Council will resist the loss of an existing community, leisure or educational facility unless;

  • No shortfall in provision will be created by the loss;
  • Adequate alternative facilities are already within walking distance in the area;
  • A replacement facility secures enhanced re-provision on the site, or on another site which improves accessibility, closer to town centres, with good transport links via a planning obligation according to Policy DM36.
  • The specific facility is no longer required in its current use. Where this is the case, evidence will be required to show that the loss would not create, or add to, a shortfall in provision for the specific infrastructure type and demonstrate that there is no demand for any other suitable community use on the site. (For proposals involving the loss of a public house, evidence of suitable marketing activity will be required or evidence that the public house is no longer financially viable, through the submission of financial evidence, whilst the public house was operating as a full time business);
  • The redevelopment of the site would secure an over-riding public benefit;
  • The activities carried on are inconsistent and cannot be made consistent with acceptable living conditions for nearby residents; and;
  • Where population change reduces demand, managing its loss by reference to the quality of community facilities provided, its ability to meet modern requirements (such as sound proofing, disabled access and external smoking areas) according to details of Policy DM29 and Policy CS3 (A).

Meeting Increased Demand for Social Infrastructure

B) To help to meet increased demand for social infrastructure, the Council will seek:

  1. Development schemes that result in any unmet additional need for social infrastructure to contribute towards supporting upgrading or enhancing existing facilities or providing for new facilities;
  2. Suitable developments to make rooms available for local community groups to use or hire, particularly where a development displaces or replaces a facility;
  3. Improvements to social infrastructure or making contribution to the provision either on-site, close to the development, or within the appropriate catchment for the infrastructure type via planning obligations according to Policy DM36;
  4. The assessment of the impact of new community, leisure and educational facilities by considering the following:
    • the new facilities are located within the community that they are intended to serve;
    • the likely number of future occupants;
    • the needs of community service providers operating in the area (public and community) and their accommodation requirements;
    • the new facilities are safe and located in an area of good public transport accessibility or in town centres; and
    • there should be no adverse impact on residential amenity, according to Policy DM32; or highway safety according to Policy DM15C;
  5. New education and indoor sport development that makes provision for community access to the facilities provided;
  6. Proposals for uses that would support outdoor sports facilities, to be ancillary in terms of size, frequency, use and capacity and do not displace or prejudice facilities needed for the proper functioning of the principal outdoor sports uses; and
  7. Proposals for floodlighting to enhance sports or community facilities and would not be detrimental to the character of the open land, the amenity of neighbouring occupiers or harmful to biodiversity.

Educational facilities

C) New developments must be:

  1. Fit for purpose, which could include being acceptable in terms of appropriate space standards;
  2. Located in proximity to playing fields that can be used; and
  3. In buildings which are flexible and sited to maximise the shared community use of premises and associated facilities.

D) Planning consent will be given for temporary classrooms on school sites:

  1. When it can be shown that there is a significant short term need for extra school capacity that cannot be provided in the existing school;
  2. Where careful consideration is given to the location of mobile classrooms within the school site away from neighbouring residential properties;
  3. Temporary planning consents will be granted in order that the need for mobile classrooms can be re-assessed within a reasonable period; and
  4. Mobile classrooms will be expected to conform with the Council’s “Access for All” Guidelines.

Health Facilities and Services

E) Provision of health services will be improved by:

  1. Improving the quality, usability and accessibility of existing health facilities, particularly through new and innovative modes of health provision;
  2. Encouraging co-location and integration of health services in order to improve access to a wide range of health services for local communities;
  3. Working with the NHS Waltham Forest and others to secure investment and funding, achieve good design and deliver excellence for health facilities and services in the Borough; and
  4. Expecting new developments that result in any additional need for health infrastructure to contribute towards supporting existing facilities or providing for new facilities.

Physical and Utility Infrastructure

F) The Council will seek appropriate physical and utility infrastructure:

  1. New development or schemes creating individual demand for infrastructure to make an appropriate contribution towards that provision;
  2. The Council will work closely with utilities providers to ensure that they are aware of upcoming development and development targets, so that consideration can be made for future requirements; and
  3. The Council will liaise with energy service providers to facilitate new energy infrastructure in appropriate locations.

For more information please see the Local Plan Development Management Policies