PLANS to build 400 homes and a learning village on land at Blue Mountain Golf Course will be discussed by Bracknell Forest Council’s planning committee on Thursday.
The application seeks full planning permission for a ‘learning village’ on the Wood Lane site which would provide education for nursery, primary, secondary and sixth form pupils and provision for children with special educational needs, as well as 13 hectares of green space and two new access roads from Temple Way.
Developers Luff Development Ltd are also hoping to gain outline planning permission to build 400 new homes, a community hall, sports provision and open space at the site.
Council officers have recommended the planning committee approve the plans and in a report said: “In light of all the material planning considerations outlined in this report, the application is considered to provide substantial benefits which are considered to outweigh any harm resulting from the impact of this application proposal.
"It is acknowledged that this is a significant development proposal that will undoubtedly change the character and appearance of the existing site and surrounding area, but officers are satisfied that this will not be so significant as to warrant resistance to the proposal.”
A map of the proposed Binfield Learning Village
Officers also insist the learning village will help address the shortfall in the number of school places available in the north of the borough.
However, the plans have been marred by controversy after Bracknell Forest Council voted to revoke a section 52 covenant two year’s ago which protected the site from development for 125 years when originally signed in 1990.
More than 50 objection letters have been sent to the council as well a petition signed by 33 residents and organisations such as the Binfield Village Protection Society fiercely objecting to the removal of the section 52 notice and the reduction of the green gap between Binfield and Bracknell.
The site, still currently operating as Blue Mountain Golf Course and Conference Centre, was allocated as a potential site for development in the council’s Site Allocation Location Plan in 2013.
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