1 Introduction and Background

1.1 Winkfield Parish Council (WPC) is preparing a Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) for the area designated by the local planning authority, Bracknell Forest Council (BFC), under the provisions of the Localism Act 2011 and of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended). The designated area shares a common boundary with the Parish boundary as shown in figure 1.1 below.

Figure 1.1: Designated Winkfield Neighbourhood Area

1.2 The purpose of the Winkfield Parish NDP will be to make planning policies that can be used to determine planning applications in the area. Its policies will aim to protect the special character of the Parish and to encourage development proposals for the benefit of the local community.

1.3 NDPs provide local communities with the chance to shape the future development of their areas. Once approved at a referendum, the NDP becomes a statutory part of the Development Plan for the area and will carry significant weight in how planning applications are decided by the Bracknell Forest Council.

1.4 NDPs can therefore only contain land use planning policies. This often means that there are important issues of interest to the local community that cannot be addressed in an NDP as they are not directly related to planning e.g., antisocial behaviour. Nevertheless, such issues can be addressed through other means and the Parish Council will endeavour to work with our communities to do so.

1.5 Although there is considerable scope for the local community to decide on its planning policies, NDPs meet some ‘basic conditions’ as set out by the Government. They must ensure that:

• Having regard to national policies and advice contained in guidance issued by the Secretary of State it is appropriate to ‘make’ the plan. • The ‘making’ of the plan contributes to the achievement of sustainable development. • The making of the plan is in general conformity with the strategic policies contained in the development plan for the area of the authority. • The making of the plan does not breach, and is otherwise compatible with, EU obligations; and • Prescribed conditions are met in relation to the plan and prescribed matters have been complied with in connection with the neighbourhood plan.

1.6 In addition, Winkfield Parish Council must be able to show that it has properly consulted local people and other relevant organisations during the process of making its NDP and has followed the 2012 Neighbourhood Planning Regulations (as amended).

1.7 These requirements will be tested by an independent examiner once the Winkfield NDP is finalised. If satisfied, the examiner will recommend to Bracknell Forest Council that the plan goes to referendum of the local electorate. If a simple majority of the turnout votes for the Plan, then it is adopted as formal planning policy for the area

The Pre-Submission Plan (Regulation 14)

1.8 The Pre-Submission (Regulation 14) Plan is the opportunity for Winkfield Parish Council to consult on the proposed policies of the NDP. The policies have been drafted having reviewed existing national and local planning policies and how they may affect this area. The policies have also been shaped from research into several key issues and importantly, the opinions of the local community when views were sought on local planning issues that the NDP might help address.

1.9 The contents of this Plan are therefore presented to obtain the views of the local community and other organisations on its proposed vision, objectives, and land use policies. The final version of the Plan will consider representations received on this version.

Strategic Environmental Assessment & Habitats Regulations Assessment

1.10 The Parish Council has requested a screening opinion from Bracknell Forest Council in respect of the need for a Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA)to be prepared1. Bracknell Forest Council’s Screening Opinion was issued in August 2016. It concluded that there was a requirement for an assessment given the contents of the Plan. The intention to allocate sites for development, may have significant environmental effects.

1.11 Since the publication of this Screening Opinion the NDP is no longer intending to allocate any housing. However, as a proposal to abandon the appraisal would have required a rescreening and consultation with the statutory bodies, it was considered more appropriate to complete the process, even though it is no longer necessary. Furthermore, a SEA is an extremely useful mechanism to assess the sustainability of the plan and the potential socio-economic and environmental effects of any proposed policies. A draft SEA Report has therefore been published alongside this Pre-Submission Plan.

1.12 As part of the preparation of the NDP, the Steering Group also needed to consider whether a Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA) was also required. Seeking advice from Bracknell Forest Council, the HRA Screening Report concluded that significant effects are likely to occur with regards to the integrity of the European sites within and around Bracknell Forest Borough, due to the implementation of the Winkfield NDP. As such the NDP requires an HRA to be undertaken.

1.13 In response to the Screening Report, Natural England listed circumstances in which it could be possible to screen out the effect of the NDP on the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area (SPA) which included if the Plan does not

1 A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is required under the EU directives 42/2001 and the 2004

Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations

allocate any sites for housing development. As the Winkfield NDP no longer intends to allocate housing sites, it has therefore proceeded to the PreSubmission Plan on this basis. Statutory consultees have been invited to respond directly to this matter as part of their response to the Regulation 14 consultation.

The Next Steps

1.14 Once the consultation exercise is complete, the Parish Council and the NDP Steering Group will review the comments made and prepare a final version of the Plan, known as the ‘Submission Plan’ (or ‘Regulation 16 Plan’). This will be submitted along with a number of other required documents to Bracknell Forest Council which will undertake a public consultation (the Submission Stage consultation). Following this, the Plan will be submitted for independent examination. If the Examiner determines that the Plan meets the ‘Basic Conditions’, then it will proceed to referendum.