Bracknell: Five major plans from 2020 which could change borough

Despite most things grinding to a halt this year, Bracknell Forest has seen some huge plans submitted or approved which could change the borough for decades to come.

Here are five major proposals revealed or given the green light from the past year.

400 new homes in the town centre

This time last year, planning bosses at Bracknell Forest Council (BFC) had earmarked three sites in the town centre for the development of 700 homes.

But back in August, following the appointment of developers Countryside Properties as BFC’s joint venture partners, it was revealed these plans would be scaled back to 400 family-homes and flats.

READ MORE: The joint venture partnership which will shape the future of Bracknell

Market Street will become home to flats and leisure facilities, Coopers Hill will be reimagined to hold dozens of family homes, and Jubilee Gardens is set to become a gateway to the town centre, with more flats added at this site, too.

Altogether, these three sites will provide around 140 new affordable homes and 260 market-value homes, with new commercial space also added.

These designs took a big leap forward in November when early plans for the transformation of Coopers Hill were approved by BFC’s top team.

A planning application for this site is expected early in 2021.

New business park in Binfield

As the News revealed in August, Hewlett Packard Enterprise is packing up its Cain Road home in Binfield and moving to Winnersh.

The vacant site is the subject of a planning application from Hines UK and developers Chancerygate, who are hoping to turn the space into a business park named ‘Network West’.

READ MORE: Why is HP moving out of Bracknell?

The park is set to be split up to create 24 units for local, regional and national businesses to move into.

According to the business park’s owners, the site’s perks make it an ideal location for data centres or film production facilities.

Earlier this month, applicants submitted amended designs as part of their planning application, which is still being considered by BFC.

305 homes in Warfield

Warfield has been the subject of a number of big plans recently.

As laid out by BFC’s draft local plan last year, 240 hectares of open space in Jealott’s Hill in Warfield could make way for the building of 4,000 homes over the coming decades as well as a new science park for Syngenta.

Another plan for 197 homes at Home Farm was rejected last year, but this proposal has made its way back from the dead as developers submitted revised plans for BFC’s consideration in October.

With these plans pending, one major proposal did get the go-ahead this year.

Outline designs for 305 homes and a school in the Warfield countryside were approved by councillors in November.

READ MORE: Everything we know about plans for 305 homes in Warfield

The site, by Maize Lane, lies within the Warfield strategic development area which is allocated for 2,200 new homes along with a neighbourhood centre and a range of other facilities including schools and open space.

The Deck, Bracknell

By now, the development of The Deck is a well-established project within the community with plans formally approved in 2017.

But the project took its biggest steps forward in 2020 with two major milestones passed.

Back in July, plans were unveiled (and soon approved) to add a roof over the top of the new public open space in the town centre, which will link Princess Square with The Lexicon.

Featuring new bars, restaurants and entertainment hotspots, The Deck will replace the former Bentalls department store.

READ MORE: The Deck opening date, cost, shops, bars and restaurants - everything we know so far

But later in the year, the Bracknell Regeneration Partnership, the joint venture group overseeing the project, informed BFC it was worried about the viability of the scheme and may not be able to proceed unless it received a cash boost in order to demolish the Bentalls store.

Fortunately for the group, councillors from across the county came together at a meeting of Berkshire’s infrastructure board in November to approve the funnelling of almost £1 million of taxpayer funds towards the project.

With this agreement sealed, BFC regeneration boss Marc Brunel-Walker said work on the scheme could start in January 2021 — although new covid restrictions may have an impact on this proposal.

Nevertheless, the project’s new expected completion date is August 2022.

The Peel Centre, Bracknell

Although plans have not been officially confirmed, the News understands proposals are being put forward to build homes at the shopping centre, with some space retained for shops.

And sources close to the council believe the plans could come forward as part of the authority’s revised local plan, due for publication early next year.

READ MORE: Could new homes be added at The Peel Centre?

When asked to comment on suggestions The Peel Centre could soon see homes built on it, Bracknell Forest Council said: “Whilst the draft local plan states that The Peel Centre is an edge of centre location, this definition is being reviewed in light of responses received following the most recent consultation”.

Following a consultation on its draft local plan published in September 2019, BFC received responses from LandSec, the owners of The Peel Centre, arguing that its site could be made available for housing.

In October, it was revealed LandSec was looking sell a number of its properties, including some of its retail parks.

Although not specifically mentioned in this revelation, could The Peel Centre be sold-off and become part of the revamped town centre?