3 Planning Policy Context

3.1 Informing the preparation of the Neighbourhood Plan is a host of other policies and advice issued by the Government and Bracknell Forest Council. As set out in the Government’s ‘basic conditions’ when a community prepares a Neighbourhood Plan, it is important that:

• Regard is given to national policies and advice contained in guidance issued by the Secretary of State; and

• The ‘making’ of the Neighbourhood Plan is in general conformity with the strategic policies contained in the development plan for the area.

National Planning Policy

3.2 The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published by the Government in 2021 provides national policy guidance that has informed the preparation of the WNDP. In this regard, the WNDP must be consistent with this national policy.

3.3 Also, of relevance in the preparation of the WNDP is the national Planning Practice Guidance published by Government. Local Planning Policies

3.4 At the local level, the relevant development plan for the area currently comprises saved policies of the Bracknell Forest Local Plan (2002), Bracknell Forest Core Strategy (2008) and the Site Allocations Local Plan (2013). The Neighbourhood Plan policies must be in general conformity with the strategic policies within these plans.

3.5 The weight that the Neighbourhood Plan attaches to each policy may vary depending on the extent to which the policy is consistent with the NPPF.

3.6 The Parish Council is mindful however, that the new Local Plan to cover the

period to 2037 will replace the saved policies of the Local Plan early in the lifetime of the Neighbourhood Plan.

3.7 Setting out a vision, objectives and strategy for the level and distribution of

development in the Borough up until 2037, a pre-submission consultation on a revised growth strategy was undertaken by Bracknell Forest Council between

March and May 2021. BFC then submitted the draft Local Plan for public examination in December 2021. Following Examination, adoption of the Plan is estimated to be in late-2022.

3.8 Within the emerging Local Plan (Pre-Submission Version, March 2021),

Bracknell Forest Council has set out its strategic planning policies which the

NDP must be in conformity with. These have informed the development of the

NDP. Focusing on the development of new homes, the Pre-Submission Local

Plan proposes two allocations for the Parish (see Table 3.1).

3.9 In the case of some policies, it will be essential that the Neighbourhood Plan

and new Local Plan are mutually supporting, and its reasoning and evidence has been taken into consideration in the preparation of the Neighbourhood

Plan, in line with national Planning Practice Guidance.

Table 3.1: Winkfield site allocations in the BFC Pre-Submission Local Plan, March 2021

Site Reference Location Proposed Units (net)

WINK15 Whitegates, Mushroom Castle, Winkfield Row WINK34 Land to the rear of Forest View and Oriana, Longhill Road and west of Fern Bungalow, London Road (extension of site previously allocated) 42

6