Decision details

To seek approval to release £35.36k of S106 funding for recreation improvements at Horseshoe Lake.

That £35,360 of S106 contributions are allocated to fund improvements to recreational facilities at Horseshoe Lake, subject to appropriate planning permission being awarded.

1.     Developer contributions are collected through S106 agreements to support “providing, expanding or improving open space, and/or outdoor recreational facilities (which may include the acquisition and/or improvement of land and/or buildings and/or carrying out or assisting in the carrying out of nature/landscaping conservation projects) within 3 kilometres of the Site.”

2.     The justification for requiring developers to supporting the improvement of open space and outdoor recreational facilities is given in The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF):

‘8. Promoting healthy and safe communities

98. Access to a network of high quality open spaces and opportunities for sport and physical activity is important for the health and well-being of communities, and can deliver wider benefits for nature and support efforts to address climate change…’

3.     The improvements deliver key objectives in The Council Plan 2019-2023:

•           continue to provide easy access to the natural environment

•           protect our highly valued green spaces and strategic green gaps

•           protect green spaces, the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area and maintain strategic gaps between communities

•           enhance facilities and customer experience at Horseshoe Lake and maintain other council open spaces

4.     The borough council has adopted a Parks and Open Spaces Strategy (2012) and the improvements at Horseshoe Lake are in accordance with delivering the following three priorities:

1. Monitor and assess quality standards across parks and open spaces. Manage sites to a high standard; carry out improvement works to sustain and improve quality in line with the Bracknell Forest Council ‘Plus One Principle’ and relevant national guidance.

8. Enhance outdoor sport and play provision (including ancillary facilities).

11. Encourage greater community involvement and additional partnership working between agencies, groups and organisations.

1.     It is necessary to improve access to facilities at Horseshoe Lake, to be inclusive to all users, and compliant with the Disability and Discrimination Act. It’s mandatory for all establishments and service providers that are open to the public to take reasonable steps provide access for disabled people.

2.     The site doesn’t currently have any play features, which is a missed opportunity to cater for young families. The play area will be sympathetically designed so that it’s within the keeping of the natural character of the area.

3.     The land at Horseshoe Lake is managed as a Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG), to provide an alternative place for recreation away from the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area. SANGs funding is already committed to improvements outside this project scope (see 5.3). S106 funding is required to deliver these wider improvements to play and ancillary recreation and sports provision.

4.     Not using the s106 development monies could result in a failure to mitigate the impact of development and a missed opportunity for ‘providing, expanding or improving open space, and/or outdoor recreational facilities.’ It could also lead to funds being returned to the developers if no other qualifying scheme was located through which to deliver enhancements in the time available.

5.     The wide range of S106 open space and recreation contributions available in the borough have been assessed in order to eliminate those lying outside the distance constraints of the developments as set out in the respective s106 agreements.

None

Borough Solicitor & Finance.