The Bracknell Forest Local Plan, which could see 3,343 homes built at four locations in the area has finally been submitted.

If given approval, the plan would see a 2,000 home ‘garden village’ built at Jealott’s Hill, the transformation of the Peel Centre into a 900 home mixed development, and hundreds of homes built in Crowthorne and Beaufort Park.

The Local Plan document will set the agenda for development in Bracknell Forest for the next 15 years until 2037.

The proposal for Jealott’s Hill has proven controversial, with the ‘Save Jealott’s Hill’ campaign opposing the ‘garden village’ plan since it emerged in 2019.

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Developers, led by pharmaceuticals giant Syngenta which currently owns the land in question, wanted to build 4,000 homes but scaled that back to 2,000 in 2021.

Campaigners have maintained their opposition, and the planning policy manager of the neighbouring Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has also voiced its concerns.

Meanwhile, the administration at Bracknell Forest Council has supported it due to its potential to provide “a sustainable new neighbourhood”, with employment opportunities, homes, infrastructure and publicly accessible green space.

If given the go ahead, the plan would also see 226 homes built at Beaufort Park on the outskirts of Bracknell and 217 at Derby Field in Crowthorne.

Southern Housing Group applied to build the 226 homes at Beaufort Park earlier this year.

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Approximately 3,700 new homes are envisaged for Bracknell Forest in the lifetime of the plan.

The emerging Bracknell Forest Local Plan was submitted to the government’s planning inspectorate at the department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for independent examination on Monday, December 20, 2021.

The appointed planning inspector will hold hearings on the plan during their investigation next year.

Councillor Chris Turrell, executive member of planning (Conservative, Harmans Water), said: “This is a further milestone in establishing a long-term plan and vision for the borough.

“Its policies will ensure that development is located and designed for the benefit of all who live and work in Bracknell Forest.

“It will form a key part of the council’s response to the challenge of climate change and secure an uplift in the provision of much-needed affordable housing.

“Having an up-to-date local plan will ensure the council can retain control over what development is permitted and avoid unplanned, piecemeal and unsustainable development.

“We now look forward to presenting the council’s case for the local plan at the examination next year.”

The plan was submitted following a consultation that ran from March to May 2021.

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There were fears that the whole document would have to be revised after a change in the National Policy Planning Framework forced West Berkshire Council to do a redo of its own Local Plan.

However, Bracknell’s Local Plan was advanced enough for it to be spared any major revisions.

The Local Plan was meant to be submitted in November but faced a delay.