Plans to build hundreds of homes between Bracknell and Crowthorne could still go ahead despite it being rejected last year.

Southern Home Ownership has submitted an appeal to get its plan to build 226 homes at Beaufort Park approved.

Beaufort Park is a large office building and grounds located south of Easthampstead Park Cemetery off South Road between Bracknell and Crowthorne.

In July last year, Southern Home Ownership’s plan was rejected by Bracknell Forest Council’s planning committee over concerns about parking provision and would “unacceptably increase the pressure on highways and transportation infrastructure, community facilities and public open space.”

The plan was opposed by Crowthorne Village Action Group.

Andy Holley, the chairman of the group, argued the council’s current policies “make strong statements about the importance of protecting the strategic gaps separating from Bracknell from the surrounding villages”.

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During the meeting where the plan was rejected, James Palmer, senior development manager at Southern Housing, argued the development would be a high quality, landscape driven design, adding that half of 226 homes would be affordable.

He also said that a 150 foot wide tree boundary would retain the division between Bracknell and Crowthorne.

The appeal was lodged with the government planning inspectorate late in February.

You can make a representation on the planning inspectorate website using reference APP/R0335/W/23/3314630, and view the application in full by typing reference  21/00986/FUL into the council’s planning portal.

Residents are also advised to email Andrew Hunter, executive director of Bracknell Forest Council at andrew.hunter@bracknell-forest.gov.uk  and councillor Colin Dudley (Conservative, Crown Wood) the chairman of the planning committee at colin.dudley@bracknell-forest.gov.uk.

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If the appeal is granted, Southern Home Ownership would be able to build 226 homes on the site, of which 113 will be available on the private market, 76 available through affordable rent and 37 provided through shared ownership.

The development would contain 58 four-bed, 96 three-bed and 72 two-bed homes.

Bracknell News: A CGI of what life could look like at the Beaufort Park development. Credit: Southern Housing GroupA CGI of what life could look like at the Beaufort Park development. Credit: Southern Housing Group

During discussion of the plan last July, councillors expressed concerns about the 499 parking spaces for residents and 46 spaces for visitors.

Councillor Michael Gbabdebo (Conservative, Great Hollands South) argued that the provision was not adequate for future occupants.

Beaufort Park is among the sites allocated for development in the emerging Bracknell Forest Local Plan, which was declared ‘legal but unsound’ by the government’s planning inspectorate in January.

In 2021, the council’s planning committee approved a plan to demolish the Beaufort Park office building and replace it with 68 homes, which can be viewed by typing in reference 21/00104/REM into the council’s planning portal.