Plans & Planning Speak

This page contains a lot of detail.  We thought it important to help you understand the context of the Council’s planning goals and help translate the complex language used in the “Preferred” Option document.  Key terms are highlighted in red.

What is planning?

Planning control is about managing land and building development.

According to the Government Planning Portal, its purpose is “to save what is best of our heritage and improve the infrastructure … ensuring the surrounding environment isn’t negatively affected for everyone.”

Whats the difference between green, brown and grey field sites?

Greenfield land is a term used to describe undeveloped land in a city or rural area which are being considered for development.  Once land has been converted to development, it is unlikely to ever be converted back to Greenfield use.

 Brownfield land is abandoned or underused industrial and commercial facilities available for re-use. Greyfield land is a less common term to describe economically outdated, failing, or underutilised property or land.

Who does what?

The Department of ‘Communities and Local Government’ sets out national planning policy, but the main responsibility rests with local authorities, referred to as planning authorities.  Our planning authority is Bracknell Forest Council.

How does planning work locally?

Each local authority must produce a Local Development Framework (LDF) which outlines how planning will be managed in their area.

Can you get involved?

Yes.

It is your legal right (and your social responsibility) to get involved in the fight to save your community, after all …:

“Who knows better about the sort of place
where you would like to live than you?”
(Government Planning Portal)

The volume and extent of your representations can help independent planning inspectors decide if the council’s planning documents and the decisions based on them are sound and if not, what changes must be made before they are adopted.

Find out more – go to our Getting Involved page.

Local Development Framework? Sounds important.

It is. 

The LDF is a collection of documents about the borough (called Development Plan Documents or DPDs) which define how the area will be developed.

The most significant DPDs at this time are:

  • Site Allocations DPD – Consultation 8th November to 17th December
  • Land at Warfield SPD (formerly known as Land north of Whitegrove and Quelm Park)

In Bracknell Forest, the structure of the LDF is outlined as follows:

Sustainable Community Plan The Bracknell Forest Sustainable Community Plan sets out a long-term vision for the Borough. The vision covers all aspects of life for people in the Borough up to 2030.
Local Development Framework (LDF)
 The LDF is a portfolio of individual documents referred to as:

  • Development Plan Documents (DPDs – strategic overarching), or;
  • Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs – specific sites or issues)

Together they guide the future development of the Borough. 

The content of the LDF is prepared in accordance with a three year work programme called the Local Development Scheme. The current scheme runs from September 2009 to August 2012.

DPDs and SPDs can only be part of the LDF only if:

  • they have been consulted upon with the public
  • examined by an independent planning inspector
  
Development Plan Documents (DPD) DPD is the generic term used for documents which outline the overarching development goals in the local authority area. Currently there are 3 adopted DPDs:

  • Core Strategy - adopted February 2008
    Sets out the broad locations for delivering housing and other major development needs in the Borough such as employment, retail and transport up to 2026. It does not deal with site-specific issues. Every other planning document will build on the principles it sets out.
  • Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) – adopted July 2006
    The SCI sets out how you can be involved in preparing LDF documents.
  • The Adopted Proposals Map – adopted April 2010
    The Proposals Map is a representation in map form of the geographic implications of planning proposals.

The Council must complete the following DPDs by August 2012:

  • PRIORITY DOCUMENT
    Site Allocations      – currently underway
    ensures that the Council meets the housing requirement allocated to the Borough in the South East Plan 2009 (revoked by national Government on 6 July 2010), by providing a responsive and flexible supply of land for housing and other uses. The site selection process will be based on the locational principles set out in Policy CS2 of the Core Strategy 2008, the sustainability appraisal work and other criteria.
  • Cores Strategy (Review)
    Sets out facilities and infrastructure sought in new developments
  • Development Management - work to start 2011
    Will define detailed policies to guide the management and delivery of future retail and employment development in the Borough, and to allocate sites for these uses
  
Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD) SPD contain background information relating to particular sites and specific issues. Currently there are 5 adopted SPDs:

  • Designing for Accessibility – adopted June 2006
    Makes sure the development is accessible to all members of the community
  • Parking Standards – adopted July 2007
    Defines car and cyle parking requirements
  • Limiting the Impact of Development – adopted July 2007
    Sets out facilities and infrastructure sought in new developments
  • Sustainable Resource Management – adopted October 2008
    Defines energy efficiency and renewable energy requirements of new developments
  • Amen Corner – adopted 2010
    Provides guidance to the construction industry, residents living within or near the site, interest groups and the public on how the Amen Corner area should be redeveloped

The Council must complete the following SPDs by August 2012:

  • PRIORITY DOCUMENT
    Land at Warfield (formerly known as Land north of Whitegrove and Quelm Park) – not yet adopted
    Will guide the type and level of development for the Warfield area, the distribution and layout of uses across Warfield and the measures needed to support the development. This document will provide development principles and concept plan preferred policies, which together will form a comprehensive framework to guide development.
  • Bracknell Forest Character Areas Assessment - in consultation, not yet adopted
    Provides an assessment and recommendations relating to maintaining and enhancing the character of:

    • Binfield Village
    • Bracknell (defined areas)
    • Areas East of Bracknell
    • Crowthorne (defined areas)
    • Sandhurst (defined areas)
    • Villages to the North of Bracknell
  • Streetscene - Consultation ended July 2010, not yet adopted
    Sets out an overall approach to the design of future residential streetscenes covering urban design, highway design, adoptions, landscape, trees, refuse management and road safety issues, etc.
  • Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy - Timeframe not yet published
    Provide guidance to the construction industry, environmental interest groups, the Council and the public on how the impacts of new residential developments on the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area (SPA) should be avoided and reduced
  
     

External sites

Government Planning Portal

Sustainable Building UK